NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2011


15


THIS is how heroes should bow out.


said Capt Steve Dainton who is,


understandably,


Riding into the sunset. With the sun beginning its


downward journey over the Gulf of Oman, Her Majesty’s Ships Cumberland and Cornwall sail in company.


It is a sight never to be


repeated. Never again will two Type 22


frigates work together on operations – in this case safeguarding the troubled waters east of Suez. Both are conducting their


fi nal deployments: the Fighting Sausage initially in the Gulf, now outside it; Cornwall as the fl agship of Combined Task Force 151 keeping pirates under the thumb off the Horn of Africa.


All four remaining 22s – a class which has served with distinction since the late 1970s – were culled under last year’s defence review: HMS Chatham has already paid off (see page 19); Campbeltown is due to decommission imminently. For one day the two operational 22s joined forces in the Gulf of Oman against the ever-present threat of piracy in the busy shipping lanes between Somalia and the coasts of Iran and Pakistan. There was still time for a brief break from operations for this last, historic photo opportunity to produce some iconic imagery for the respective ship’s companies. “Both of these ships have


served our country well over more than 20 years in service,”


“extremely


proud” to be Cumberland’s fi nal Commanding Offi cer.


“In the case of Cumberland, she has served her country magnifi cently throughout her 22 years in service. It is a fi tting tribute that her fi nal deployment has been such a success.


“The name ‘Cumberland’ has been in use almost continuously for RN warships since 1695, with this ship being the sixteenth to bear the name: she has a proud lineage. So I hope that, in time, there will be another HMS Cumberland.


“In the meantime, we continue to focus on the task in hand before we return to the UK in the spring. “The pirates are very active and an increasing threat: never has our job out here been more important to UK energy and trade interests in the region.” His words were underscored by HMS Cornwall just hours after the two frigates parted company when the Fighting 99 snared a ‘pirate action group’ and released five hostages (see page 5). As for F85, nothing quite that


dramatic. But that’s not to say her four- plus months east of Suez have been dull. Really rather varied actually, from patrolling the Iraqi oil platforms and escorting French flagship FS Charles de Gaulle


to supporting the Queen’s visit to Abu Dhabi and hosting the new ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.


Se up we


Cumberland was sent east of Suez as the latest ship engaged on Operation Telic duties (safeguarding those oil terminals – although the remit has become much wider as the Iraqi Navy increasingly takes over duties). The Telic baton was handed to Iron Duke (see opposite). Beyond the traditional formal exchanges and sharing of kit and information, the two frigates blasted jets of water from fire hoses at each other in appreciation. A few enterprising Cumberlanders also raised a ‘Good luck Iron Duck’ banner... Although Gulf duties were now a thing of the past, there was no thought of home just yet for the Fighting Sausage. No Royal Navy vessel ever sails


from A to B any more. It’s all about maritime security operations – particularly pertinent in the Gulfs of Oman and Aden.


Hence Cumberland slotted into operations by the Combined Maritime Forces (the US-RN Navy led umbrella organisation for task force operations east of Suez, patrolling 2.5 million miles of ocean with three dozen warships from two dozen nations). “We still have a job to do,” Capt Dainton stressed. “We will continue to conduct Maritime


we enter Devonport with our decommissioning pennant fl ying.” Which,


o


running a cutting edge warship on demanding operations in a challenging theatre (and east of Suez is officially an


a


especially long off now. Hand-in-hand with


sadly, isn’t


Security Operations right up to the point where


operational theatre), and looking after her 280 men and women comes the solemn task of planning the ship’s farewell. Cumberland will enjoy a long


goodbye: three days in May have been set aside to officially bid farewell to the ship in Devonport. May 24 sees a reception for


former officers; the next day the Type 22 hosts a reception for former ship’s company and affiliates and dinner for previous


commanding officers. The last act comes at 2pm


on Thursday May 26 when the ship holds her decommissioning ceremony. Serving personnel can find


available from S/Lt Josh Gorst, the frigate’s deputy logistics officer, at 261-dlo@a.dii.mod.uk. Pictures: LA(Phot) Jay Allen, FRPU East


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● Cumberland’s fl ight deck team take advantage of the ‘metal beach’ while their Lynx is airborne for the fi nal encounter at sea with HMS Cornwall


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