10 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2009
MTB 102
calls in
for 1SL
THE veteran World War 2 motor
torpedo boat MTB 102 sailed
from Lowestoft to London under
the command of her owner
Richard Basey for a special Royal
Navy assignment.
The veteran vessel went
alongside at Westminster Pier to
help mark the retirement of First
Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Memorial to
Band on his last day in office.
The First Sea Lord, his wife
lady Sarah Band and VIP guests
be dedicated
arrived at the pier to be greeted
by the officer’s senior staff to say
their farewells.
The event was organised in some
in Dundee
secrecy, and once the official party
had boarded the MTB Admiral
Band found a further surprise in
submarines
that many members of his staff
had lined the Embankment to
A MEMORIAL to the international
wave their goodbyes.
band of submariners who called
MTB 102 – a Vosper
Dundee home during World War 2
prototype which was taken up
is to be dedicated at a dock on the
by the Admiralty, and the fastest
River Tay this month.
RN wartime vessel with a top
The memorial, at Victoria
speed of nearly 50 knots – then
Dock, will recall HMS Ambrose,
proceeded upriver for a cruise to
the shore base of the Royal Navy’s
Teddington.
Ninth Submarine Flotilla from
● HMS Argyll prepares for National Armed Forces Day at Chatham Historic Dockyard Picture: Anthony Sutton (Dockside Outlet Chatham)
1940-45. Dundee was also home
Powerboat
to the powerful Second Submarine
Great display – and
Flotilla.
trust merger
The Flotilla was a unique
international force of British
submarines and units from
announced
countries overrun by the Nazis.
Six British, Dutch, Norwegian
THE British Military Powerboat and Russian boats were lost while
Trust has been merged with the on patrol from Dundee – 296
Portsmouth Naval Base Property
great organisation
sailors and commandos died
Trust, and its collection will now and most have no known resting
be available to see at the city’s
place.
Historic Dockyard.
The memorial will not only
The BMPT, founded in 1999
commemorate those crews
at Marchwood in Southampton,
who are ‘still on patrol’, but
has a declining membership –
also honour the gallantry of
age taking its toll – and with the
all the British, French, Polish,
downturn in the economy and a
A WARSHIP open to visitors. The hurdles to be cleared were
Norwegian, Dutch and Russian
temporary home in marchwood,
submariners who ventured out
the Trust decided to look further
Aircraft swooping through
manifold.
into the North Sea.
afield for a permanent base. the Kent skies. Sailors and
Meetings with local authorities,
It will be built as part of the
The merger brings three BMPT
Royal Marines meet and greet
police and statutory bodies
Victoria/Camperdown Dock
boats – ST1502, FMB43957
members of the public.
inevitably impose their own
complex redevelopment in
and FMD5004 – and associated
A classic case of the military
pace on the development of a
Dundee, itself part of a larger
records, files, photographs and
demonstrating what it does and
programme, and particular
regeneration of the Dundee
plans to Portsmouth, with the
why it does it – in this case, at the
circumstances threw the odd
waterfront.
paperwork stored in a designated
Armed Forces Day national event
spanner in the works.
Veterans of the war are
office.
in Chatham Historic Dockyard.
There was an assumption that
expected to attend the ceremony,
ST1502 is secured to a pontoon
If all goes smoothly, all being
flying would be governed by Civil
on September 19; those who
midway between HMS Victory
well, the visitors will have left
Aviation Authority regulations,
attended a press launch included
and the Warrior, where she can
at the end of a busy day a little
but Roger was not convinced.
Herman Eilertsen of Ula, Jean
be seen by hundreds of visitors
wiser about the Services as well as
Further investigations revealed
Coron of Minerve and Curie, and
every day.
thoroughly entertained.
that the site’s limitations meant
Andre Vallois of Rubis.
The Trust website, www.bmpt.
Another group of onlookers will
the display would have to be staged
org.uk, will continue to operate.
have emitted an audible sigh of
under the auspices of the MOD
in the shape of Joint Helicopter
Look now
relief – those charged with putting Chatham in
together an eye-catching event in
Command.
short order with no budget.
Lack of budget meant RN and
DETAILS of the application
Two key figures were Roger
Army backing was instrumental in
running for
process for Exercise Long Look
Hoefling, a veteran commentator
staging the event; from vehicles to
2010 are published this month
at military events who took over
blank ammunition, all angles had
The annual reciprocal exchange
the organisation of the Chatham
to be covered and guaranteed or it
top award
between the UK and Australia/
programme, and Cdr David
would all fall apart.
New Zealand will see Servicemen
Waters, the Naval Regional
“With fixed-wing aircraft
THE Historic Dockyard Chatham
and women swapping roles for
Commander for Eastern England.
limited to flypasts – the Red
is in the running to be named
around four months between
Roger said that the MoD
Arrows and the Hurricane,
the most enterprising place in
March and July next year.
announcement that Chatham
Spitfire and Lancaster of the
the UK.
Closing date for applications is
Historic Dockyard had been
RAF Battle of Britain Memorial
The former naval base on the
November 27, and RNTM 146/09
awarded the national event for the
Flight – helicopters accounted
River Medway was earlier this year
gives further details.
first Armed Forces Day was made
for most of the flying, albeit in
● HMS Argyll at No. 2 Basin in Chatham Historic Dockyard named as the most enterprising
See next month’s Navy News
on January 22, the event took
‘role demonstrations’ rather than
location in the South-East by the
for a longer look at this year’s
place on June 27, and he took on
display sequences,” said Roger. several weeks, a programme of part in the river display, chasing off
South East England Development
exchange.
the organisation on April 15.
That meant local landing sites dredging of No. 3 basin to allow the ‘enemy’ while Royal Marines
Agency.
had to be arranged – thanks to safe passage for Argyll. abseiled from their Sea King on
The accolade recognised
the Royal School of Military The final survey was conducted to ‘enemy’ RIBs whilst also being
the successful transition from
Engineering, two sites were with Medway Ports’ hydrographic over flown by Naval Lynx with
redundant former naval dockyard
organised close to the Dockyard, staff working with an RN team sniper support and an Apache
to a “vibrant maritime heritage
which eased flexibility, briefings including the Fleet Navigator staff, gunship providing top cover.
destination or business, learning
and rehearsals, and also allowed the Fleet Hydrographic staff and a Securing the attendance of the
and living”.
flight crews and support staff more team from HMS Roebuck. patrol boats required extensive
Enterprising Britain 2009 is a
time to meet veterans, public and Hunt-class minehunter HMS briefings, rehearsals, a change of
nationwide competition run on
media in the Dockyard. Cattistock had been scheduled to crew and short-notice changes to
behalf of the Department for
Fuel also had to be laid on – the go to Chatham to support Veterans their summer programme.
Business, Innovation and Skills,
RAF came up trumps here – and Day activities before it was Other RN contributions came
and celebrates and rewards areas
Kent Fire and Rescue Service ordained that Veterans Day should from the Regional Recruiting
that have helped transform their
provided the necessary cover at become Armed Forces Day. staff under the Naval Regional
social and economic fortunes.
the landing sites. The tasking remained but her Commander, and their mobile
An expert panel of judges was
And with the Biggin Hill annual role changed and she became display and recruiting vehicles;
spending the summer visiting
Air Fair taking place at the same one of the major players in the RNR staff from HMS President
regional winners to determine the
time just over 20 miles away, some river and air display – Operation and the RNR Medway division;
nation’s best, and that winner _
display assets were available for Yawdem. the RM CDT; the RMR London
announced at an awards ceremony
sharing with Chatham. Her passage up and down staff and vehicles; RM support
next month – will then go through
In terms of Naval input, Cdr the confined waters of the and crews for the two Offshore to represent the UK in the
Waters had quite a flotilla on his Medway, surrounded and Raiding Craft, courtesy of 539 European Enterprise Awards.
patch, the biggest being HMS attacked by a swarm of Assault Squadron RM and trucked Chatham Historic Dockyard
marina
Argyll, which arrived in No. 2 small ‘hostile’ craft while up from Devonport, one of which will be swinging to the big band
Basin watched by a crowd of ‘defending’ herself was no performed on the river while the hits of the war years at a ‘Salute to
around 1,500. mean feat of seamanship. other was on display, and last the 40s Blitz Ball’ dance night on
Some 2,000 went on board the Her ship’s company also won but not least the RN/RM Mobile September 19.
frigate during Armed Forces Day, plaudits during the formal part Air Operations Team for ground Part of the ‘Salute to the 40s’
and she also hosted VIPs, while of the day’s activities when, in No communications to the aircraft. weekend – though a separate
the hard-working ship’s company 1s, they cheered ship as the royal Also crucial to the success ticketed event – the dance is one
conducted guided tours for other party passed them by. of the day were the crews, part of a programme of events
groups the following day before she The Royal arrival by boat maintainers and aircraft of 847 which will stir memories for
sailed to resume her operational involved a procession up the and 848 Naval Air Squadrons, older visitors and bring a period
duties – the visit had been shoe- Medway for the 30,000 onlookers. plus those of 815 NAS embarked of history alive for younger
horned into a tight programme. The VIPs were escorted by in HMS Argyll, together with the generations.
And in order for Argyll to reach patrol boats HM ships Archer and prompt administrators at RNAS For details of the ball and
her berth, the Peel Ports Medway Tracker and Army boats. Yeovilton, Navy Command and weekend events see the website
Harbour Master undertook, over The two RN vessels later took Joint Helicopter Command. www.thedockyard.co.uk
010_NN_sept.indd 1 19/8/09 17:41:57
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