NAVY NEWS, JANUARY 2012


5


as presence to


to the professional and flexible manner in which they conducted operations; the country, the RN and their proud.”


families should be


NOW, if you could encapsulate ‘Christmas coming early’ photographic form,


passionate kiss is a very good place to start. AB Aaron Stoker and Hannah Reeson obliged as HMS St Albans completed six months in the Gulf. And just a few yards along Fountain Lake Jetty in Portsmouth there were similar scenes as the 240 men and women of HMS Edinburgh returned home – in their case from six months in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.


The two warships returned to the Solent one after the other on a clear, crisp December morn. They found 600 family members and friends waiting for them (and there were quite a few more on Round Tower). Above the tumult of cheers, they might have heard the skirl of bagpipes; in celebration of her Scottish heritage, two pipers stood on Edinburgh’s bridge roof to serenade the ship into harbour. For The Saint temperatures in


then a in her short notice activation


sailed into Portsmouth Harbour. Working in harsh conditions


with temperatures rising as high as 50°C, the fliers took part in anti-piracy and anti-terrorism patrols.


The helicopter and ship also joined in numerous multi-national exercises (including working with two US Navy carriers) to strengthen ties with Gulf states and to protect British interests in the region – invaluable to the nation’s commerce.


diplomacy activities that the RN has contributed to the region for many years,” said the frigate’s Commanding Officer Cdr Tom Sharpe. “However,


focus and skills required to to


swing immediately


other end of the scale was the challenge and I am proud of the way my ship’s company


we were ready.”


Portsmouth – a mere 5˚C – were a bit of a shock to the system; not that long ago she was enjoying the sights of Aqaba in Jordan, the pyramids outside Cairo and, most recently, Grand Harbour in Malta.


away were focused in the Gulf – although she hit the headlines before she got to her operational area; the ship’s Merlin saved all 13 crew of the tanker Pavit as the vessel threatened to sink in the Arabian Sea. Thirteen times aircrewman ‘H’ Henson


PO Mike


winched down on to the deck of the stricken vessel to collect a crew member. And 13 times he lifted them up into the safety of the helicopter, a deed worthy of nomination for a ‘Millie’ award by the Sun newspaper; the winners were being announced just after we went to press. ‘H’ and his comrades in 01


was The core of her six months


through the heat of the Arabian summer. In sum, we did the blockades, and whilst there was no Trafalgar on completion,


St Albans’ Commanding Officer conceded, “lacked glamour”… but luckily


when his ship came alongside. With the gangway across AB Stoker (sadly not an advocate of nominative determinism, as he’s actually a seaman specialist) rushed ashore and promptly got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend Hannah (who said ‘yes’).


Wright from


found themselves torn between the two simultaneous homecomings.


Keith and Primrose Wiltshire


Duncan Wright, the couple’s son – and the ship’s executive warrant officer.


Aboard the Saint was WO1


Flight, 829 Naval Air Squadron, returned home to RNAS Culdrose 24 hours before the frigate herself


And a few yards away aboard HMS Edinburgh was Lt Helen Wright, the couple’s daughter-in- law... and deputy logistics officer on the Fortress of the Sea. Both


May and both were met by a sizeable family turnout (two sets


sailed at that was provided It was a deployment which, achieved


the the


this maintaining generally doing all the


of parents, two partners and five children – although two of the latter, Lois and Jordan, sailed in with dad aboard St Albans, having joined the frigate the night before off Plymouth).


Suez, Edinburgh was rather more used to the chilly temperatures; the bulk of her time away came in the South Atlantic, including a visit to the snowy paradise of South Georgia.


operating in the Gulf area, reassuring, deterring, exercising and


“The ship has been quietly


Pacific, via the natural canals of Patagonia and then back across the Americas courtesy of the world’s greatest man-made waterway, the Panama Canal. The lowest temperature recorded by the ship’s company of the Fortress of the Sea was -19˚C – although things did warm up latterly; the final stage of her deployment saw her support the international fight against the narcotics trade in the Caribbean. In short, the Type 42 destroyer had left a footprint on four continents since departing Portsmouth, said her CO Cdr Paul Russell. He added: “From defence diplomacy along the West African coast to exercises in the Pacific, from the Antarctic to drug-busting operations


the ship and her crew have demonstrated the versatility and agility that typifies the modern Royal Navy.” “With


approaching 30 years of service to the nation, it has been a privilege to be in command of such a ‘can do’ group of sailors.


“I am wholly indebted


to them for their unrivalled professionalism which has allowed Edinburgh to be so successful around the globe.


the end of


have been possible without the constant support of our families and friends and I am truly grateful for all of the unseen personal sacrifices that they have made during the six months that their loved ones have been away.”


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Cdr Russell continued: “I would like to thank each and every member of the ship’s company who has served on board during my time as the


HMS Edinburgh in the Caribbean, She also crossed into the While the Saint roasted east of


● Hearty waves from two Bangor ratings as the minehunter returns to a wet Faslane Picture: LA(Phot) Sally Stimson, FRPU North


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