12 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2007
Skye-ful hours for Kent
Cumberland
is half ready
THE not-so-familiar surroundings of the Scottish Isles have been home to the good ship Kent as she
hosted eight offi cers undergoing specialist navigation training.
IF YOU are wondering why
Two weeks of intensive instruction and manoeuvres were lined up, with the students assessed
you’ve not read about the
on their ability to conduct high-speed runs close to land, anchoring by night and other challenging
exploits of Her Majesty’s Ship
scenarios.
Cumberland these past few
Given the fairly dangerous nature of the training, the frigate’s navigational team were on hand all
months it’s because she’s in the
the time and Special Sea Dutymen were closed up in case of any emergencies.
middle of a refi t.
Thankfully for students and ship’s company alike, the weather was mercifully kind to Kent
The Type 22 warship has just
allowing her to manoeuvre into some pretty tight lochs, as well as more scenic sojourns such as
passed the half-way point of the
The OKX factor
passing beneath the Skye road bridge (accompanied here by Kent’s sea boat, driven by PO(SEA)
overhaul in the impressive ‘frigate
Janice Jobling).
shed’ at Devonport.
Shipwrights from DML
completed their work on the hull
NORMALLY we don’t encourage
below the waterline in early May,
exploitation.
so the ship’s company celebrated
But if it’s for the good of the
the milestone with some of the
Royal Navy, we’re all for it.
team overseeing the multi-million
The team at the Maritime
pound revamp with a rare glimpse
Warfare Centre – the brains trust
at Cumberland’s bottom.
which develops and teaches the
With the little celebration over,
art of operational thinking and
the party vacated the dock bottom
working – wants to tap into some
and the sluices were opened.
of the things which makes the
With undocking completed, the
Fleet, Fleet Air Arm and Royal
men and women of the Mighty
Marines tick so they can share
Sausage are gearing up for the
that expertise across the entire
next milestone – moving back on
Senior Service where relevant.
board in July.
Operational Knowledge
“It’s an exciting time for us
Exploitation or OKX allows
as we watch our ship having life
the experts at the MWC to, er,
breathed into her once more,”
exploit operational knowledge.
said Executive Offi cer Lt Cdr
In simple terms that means
Mike Knott.
taking up some of the ideas and
“DML have done a fantastic
practices a ship, squadron or unit
job on the hull and all indications
uses in the front line and passing are that she’ll return to the Fleet
them on to the rest of the RN. in fi rst-class condition.”
“It may seem obvious to a lot This is the second refi t for
of people – but it’s only obvious Cumberland in her 20-year life.
when someone actually points This latest revamp sees her hull
it out. Little things can make a and machinery given some much-
difference and we do pass the appreciated TLC, plus improved
ideas on,” said Cdr Malcolm satellite communications, water
Pollock, overseeing ways of processing plants and a new
improving front-line FAA tactics. torpedo defence system.
The nuggets the MWC team
From logs to blogs
are looking for are less about the
big picture, but the little things
Battleship
which make a difference to the
effectiveness of a unit – and thus
impact on the big picture. STARDATE 2105.07. HMS
aboard the Devonport-based “I can tell you that the moment to engage directly with the
grey is green
And talking of pictures… the
Somerset. Off Portland.
frigate. of impact, no matter how slight, public,” said Capt Mark Windsor,
experiences of one fl ight team
I won’t forget today in a
Alongside the highs of is a sight and sound that I am not head of the Fleet’s Media and
BRISTLING with weaponry, they
with a digital camera have been
command – letting rip with the likely ever to forget,” he says. Communications team.
might look mean and foreboding
shared with the rest of the FAA.
hurry – it was the moment 4.5in main gun when “our steel “Whilst bumping one’s shiny “Both the First Sea Lord and
but the RN’s new Type 45
Rather than peer at the small I’d been looking forward to
box had become a warship” and new ship on fi rst berthing her does Commander-in-Chief Fleet have
destroyers are remarkably kind.
screen on the back of digital
since taking command.
approving promotions – he charts no-one’s confi dence or morale the seen these web logs and are very
Kind to the environment, that
camera to examine an image, one
Don’t worry, we haven’t gone
some of the lows: such as having power of good, there is absolutely encouraged.”
is, as the ships have earned their
fl ight crew downloaded it on to a
all Star Trek on you (phew – Ed).
to hand over fi ve sailors to another nothing to do but put a brave face Commanding Offi cers looking
builders praise for some of the
large ‘tablet’ screen for improved
It’s just an extract from the diary
ship deploying to the Gulf to fi ll on it, deal with the fall-out and to start their own blogs or approve
eco-friendly methods used in
viewing, an idea which is now
of Cdr Rob Wilson, Commanding
gaps aboard. ‘get back on the horse’.” diaries compiled by their team
construction.
being suggested to fellow fl iers.
Offi cer of HMS Somerset, who
“No matelot likes to have his life Somerset has only just emerged should inform Fleet HQ so they
Six Type 45 anti-air destroyers
“We’re all in this together, is recounting the trials and
re-arranged at short notice, but from refi t in Rosyth, where she can spread the word and keep
are on the order books from HMS
whether it’s submitting lessons tribulations of bringing the frigate
there is no option and no resistance spent a year receiving new sonar, tabs on any media inquiries which
Daring, nearing completion, to
or providing feedback on a new out of refi t in an internet diary or
for it is the right decision,” Cdr a fl ight deck capable of operating might result from journalists
HMS Duncan, ship number six.
way of hunting a submarine. That ‘blog’.
Wilson writes. Merlin helicopters, and general reading the blogs (for they do
BAE Systems, who are building
contribution will go a long way Each vessel in the Senior Service
“The bottom line is that our updates and improvements all read them, as regular users of the
the midships and stern of each
to improving the life of you and has its own website, featuring
country is heavily committed to two round. bulletin board Rum Ration know).
vessel as well as fi tting them
your ‘oppo’,” explained Capt Tom
major military campaigns. Whilst COs have the power to authorise Further advice has been provided
news on recent episodes in the
out (the bow and main mast
Karsten, director of the MWC,
the Navy appears infrequently in blogs by members of their ship’s in a circular on dealing with the
ship’s life.
is provided by the VT Group
based at HMS Collingwood.
the headlines, our support to those company – providing the diary is media issued by Capt Windsor.
But with web access across the
in Portsmouth) has turned to
“The value of exploiting and
campaigns is huge.” not contentious, refl ects favourably Cdr Wilson’s Somerset
Fleet becoming easier, personal
environmentally-friendly paint to
sharing operational experience
And there’s the small matter on life in the Senior Service, blog can be viewed at http://
diaries are likely to form an
give Daring and her sisters that
more quickly will keep us ahead
of a “crunch”, clipping the dock and providing the Commanding hms-somerset-co.blogspot.
increasing part of life at sea, giving
battleship grey sheen.
of the game.”
wall in Devonport as Cdr Wilson Offi cer can maintain oversight of com/ and Albion’s web diary
sailors a chance to air their stories,
brought his ship in which resulted the content. is at http://www.blogstoday.
The fi rm has used an
The MWC has a team more rather than relying on the media to
in a small dent in the corner of the “New technology is giving us co.uk/bloghome.aspx?
innovative powder coating for
than 130 strong – it recently highlight (or, sadly, often ignore)
quarterdeck. an unprecedented opportunity username=HMSAlbion.
components instead of traditional
co-located its former homes at what the RN is doing.
solvent-based paint, or used water
Portsdown Hill and Southwick Sailors on HMS Lancaster
and epoxy-based paints wherever
Park under a single roof in blogged their way around the
Collingwood – working on every Caribbean during the winter and
aspect of RN/RM operations. HMS Albion has just begun one Steel city rejects Diamond
possible.
The result means less paint
used across the class – 12,600
OKX suggestions should charting her work on Neptune
litres in all (2,700 gallons),
be sent to the MWC c/o Warrior exercises and her NATO
CIVIC leaders in Sheffi eld have provoked a furore by and proud links with ships bearing its name.
enough to fi ll more than 5,000
Marlborough Building, HMS deployment to the Baltic. turning down an affi liation with a new destroyer. Six Sheffi eld MPs, including former Home
typical household tins, enough
Collingwood, Newgate Lane, Cdr Wilson’s is probably the Councillors do not want to be associated with HMS Secretary David Blunkett, are demanding the Senior
to paint a dozen football pitches
Fareham, PO14 1AS or on e-mail most comprehensive blog yet set Diamond, the third of the RN’s Type 45 warships Service changes its mind and renames a warship for
grey… should you be inclined to
via Navy Star to Cdr Martin up by a serving sailor, with almost which is due for launch later this year. their city.
do so.
Ewence, overseeing the initiative. daily updates on the goings on They say they will only be affi liated with a new But other cities which have had ships named in
And by using environmentally-
HMS Sheffi eld, nothing more, nothing less... their honour have already snapped up the chance
friendly paint it means the tins
... which means they will have a long wait, as there to be affi liated with the world’s most advanced air
can be recycled rather than
Supporting independent living for our will be no Shiny Sheff for at least a decade with all defence destroyers.
dumped in landfi ll sites. Around

ex-Service community names for major warships already allocated. HMS Daring already has burgeoning ties with the city of
325 tonnes of tins will be re-used.
Sheffi eld is not among them. Birmingham, Newcastle gladly accepted the chance
And to keep the men in the
SVR, a charity formed in 1910, supports
The Yorkshire city had particularly strong ties to be associated with Dauntless, and First Sea Lord
Treasury happy, the switch to
independent living accommodation for the ex- with its namesake cruiser, the destroyer lost in the Admiral Sir Jonathon Band told Cardiff’s city leaders
‘green’ grey will save the taxpayer
Service community who are homeless or in Falklands and, most recently, the Type 22 frigate at a dinner that the Welsh capital would be fi ttingly
thousands of pounds.
times of need. At our residences in Edinburgh
ordered in the wake of the 1982 confl ict. associated with HMS Dragon.
Registered Charity No. 15260
and Dundee each resident has their own fully
For those reasons civic leaders rejected the offer of As for the ship at the hub of the kerfuffl e, she is
an affi liation with Diamond... an affi liation which has taking shape at BAE System’s Govan yard ahead of
Fox found
furnished single-room, almost all
now been offered to Coventry, another city with long her launch this autumn.
of which are en-suite and full
board is provided.
in Jebel Ali
Every year SVR cares for more
than 300 ex-Service men and
President sent to the Tower
SEVEN part-time sailors
provided protection for their RFA
comrades in the Gulf as part of
women of all ages. We believe
increasing usage of the Royal
our residents deserve the best
MORE than 130 sailors marched along the banks entry recruit of the year.
Naval Reserve in the front line.
quality of support, services,
of the Thames as the men and women of HMS “HMS President put on a great display and
The team, from Bristol RNR
kindness and understanding we President turned out for their annual divisions. were the embodiment of military bearing and
unit HMS Flying Fox and HMS
can provide. Dignity, privacy and The grounds of the Tower of London were the
etiquette,” said the admiral. “Parades such
Cambria, near Cardiff, fl ew to
respect for our residents are our
setting for the ceremony, under the watchful eye as these not only underline the importance of
Jebel Ali in the United Arab
principal objectives.
of its legendary Beefeaters, ravens, Governor tradition in the Naval Service, but also show that
Emirates – the huge man-made
of the Tower Major General Keith Cima, and the Royal Naval Reserve is a disciplined and
port just outside Dubai – when
WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT! the Flag Offi cer Reserves, Rear Admiral Tony
modern force, capable of carrying out all the
tanker RFA Bayleaf berthed.
Johnstone-Burt. tasks asked of them to the highest order.”
Force protection – safeguarding
Please send your donation, large or small to ensure that our
The President reservists marched from their Honoured were:
a ship in port – is typically
veterans are looked after in years to come.
headquarters at St Katharine’s Dock along the
provided by a ship’s company,
The Iraq Medal: Surgeon Lt Cdr D A Wilkinson; 2nd Clasp to the
Please make cheques payable to ’SVR’ and send them to :
side of the river and into the courtyard of the Volunteer Reserve Service Medal: LS C Adams; 1st Clasp to the
or in the RFA’s case, by green
Tower, or Broadwalk as it’s referred to, where
VRSM: PO Nurse MM A Carroll, PO(MSA) L Hadcocks; VRSM: Lt S J berets.
Marion Anderson, Fundraising, SVR,
they formed up, directed by CPO Jan Evers.
Styles, AB B J Aitcheson, AB S D Lambert; The Commander’s Cup
To ease the burden on full-time
(for the junior offi cer who contributed most to the unit): Acting S/Lt
53 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8BS Rear Admiral Johnstone-Burt inspected the J S Francis; Guinness Shield (for individual effort): LS S T Howard;
personnel, RNR volunteers are
For more information or to donate on-line visit
guard of honour before presenting numerous
Bernard Bell Trophy (for the rating contributing most to GSSR): being deployed more and more
awards and medals to the Londoners (listed
AB C J Jones; David Skinner Trophy (for the rating contributing
frequently, hence the use of PO
www.svronline.org
most to shore operations): LS J Fasolino; Logistic Branch Trophy:

below), including AB Craig Jacobs, named new AB M I Dickson
Diana Cope’s seven-strong squad
aboard Bayleaf.
0012_NN_Jul.indd 112_NN_Jul.indd 1 116/6/07 10:25:026/6/07 10:25:02
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