14 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2007
● A Royal Marine looks
Monmouth at apogee
out from a Viking vehicle
HMS MONMOUTH is at the
furthest point of her marathon
deployment – but the waters
Down Under are proving far from
smooth.
After a bumpy crossing of the
Timor Sea, the Black Duke put
into Darwin, the first RN ship to
visit Australia since 2003.
A round of social and civic
events ensued, including the
attendance by Monmouth’s CO,
Cdr Tim Peacock, and a small
group of sailors at the Territory
Day ceremonies.
The ship’s rugby team registered
a 20-20 draw with the Stray Cats,
while the footballers notched an
8-2 win against Adelaide.
Stores replenished, and
lockers stuffed with didgeridoos
and boomerangs, the Volans 07
deployment continued with a
● HMS Monmouth encounters ‘roughers’ en route to New Zealand
rough crossing to Wellington.
busy schedule of duties and official Six entered the Auckland half-
Berthed in the heart of the New
calls, but the ship’s company made marathon, while others went white-
Zealand capital, Monmouth was a
the most of their respite in this water rafting, bungee jumping,
big attraction, drawing more than
beautiful country, taking scenic kayaking and mountain biking.
2,200 visitors in four hours.
tours and visiting vineyards while One group even made it to
As the first ship under the White
other, hardier souls took their Christchurch, on the South Island,
Ensign to visit New Zealand in
chances in a land where sport is to see the All Blacks defeat the
seven years, there was another
taken very seriously. Springboks.
A sea of s
● The Osprey Trophy presented to 218 Flight, 815 NAS Picture: LA(Phot) ‘Billy’ Bunting
815’s 218 bag 23
THE return of 3 Commando Brigade from
THE drugbusters of RFA Wave Ruler’s dedicated The formation joined tanker Wave Ruler in the
Afghanistan in the spring brought the curtain down
helicopter flight have earned the inaugural Caribbean on anti-drug traffi cking swoops – and on the RN’s involvement in peacekeeping duties in
Osprey Trophy presented in honour of their fallen immediately made its mark.
A
FGHANISTAN, a
landlocked and
mountainous
country in the
Afghanistan for the time being, right?
comrades. Thanks to its efforts, 23 suspected drug runners
heart of Asia.
Wrong, as Lt Hugh Blethyn of Task Force Helmand
Lts Dave Cole, Rob Dunn and Jamie Mitchell were arrested, three boats were seized, one was blown
The nearest sea is 400 miles
and LAEM Richard Darnell were killed when HMS up, and £1.1bn of cocaine never made it to the streets
away – hardly the environment in explains...
Portland’s Lynx crashed into the Channel off Lizard of North America or Europe.
which you would expect to fi nd
Point during a night-time search and rescue mission Perhaps less well known is the fl ight’s work with
sailors and marines...
in December 2004. police forces in the Caribbean. The 218 team
But the men and women of the
mobility to fi re support elements on Operation Ghartse Ghar
To keep their memories alive, fellow Lynx fl iers contacted authorities in countries and islands Wave
Senior Service remain key to the
and direct fi re support when (Mountain Stag) to the north of
have set up the Osprey Trophy which will be presented Ruler was due to visit, offering the services of the
success of British operations here.
needed. the district centre of Sangin.
each year to the Lynx fl ight whose men and women Fleet Air Arm.
A total of 75 RN and 150 RM
No.1 Armoured Support Troop, Vikings had already been used
contribute the most to the ethos, reputation and Numerous police forces took 218 up on the
personnel are employed across
led by Capt Graham Watson RM, on the previous mission in the
standing of the helicopter force. offer. Once in the air, the police-218 combination
Afghanistan: Viking armoured have been at the heart of actions region – Lastay Kulang (Pickaxe
There could be no more worthy winners of that spotted 34 cannabis plantations and almost 68 illegal
vehicle crews, Joint Force Harrier against the Taleban with Battle Handle) – to drive Taleban fi ghters
fi rst trophy – a magnifi cent sculpture of an osprey drug ‘settlements’, all of which were subsequently
personnel, medics, advisers, staff Group South. out of the Upper Sangin valley.
– than 218 Flight of 815 Naval Air Squadron. destroyed.
offi cers. Codenamed Operation Bataka Ghartse Ghar saw the Vikings
When the rest of the brigade (the Pashtu word for ‘duck’), the pushing troops forward into the
returned to Blighty, the Royal Royals were vital in a two-pronged battle, then providing protection
Marines’ Vikings remained in mission around the southern and swift mobility to evacuate
SHIPS OF THE
theatre – such was the success of Helmand centre of Garmsir. casualties out of the danger zone.
the new armoured vehicle on its The Vikings carried troops to a
Moving ammunition and water
fi rst deployment. forward base, then remained on
forward to the troops engaged in
FALKLANDS CONFLICT
Around 60 commandos, assisted hand to evacuate any casualties
combat, the Vikings then stood
by soldiers in Helmand, form as well as ferrying vital supplies
back to employ the full range
two Armoured Support Troops, around.
and high rate of fi re of their guns
Replica models cast in metal, hand painted and mounted on a wooden plinth
capable of deploying a company They were also called upon to
offering direct fi re support and
group of marines or infantry into safeguard a temporary landing site
fl ank protection where needed.
with brass name plate. battle – and supporting them with
for helicopters supporting Bataka.
firepower and the ability to move The operation was somewhat of a
Ships in 1.1250th scale rapidly – and protected – around
landmark for the Royal Engineers,
the battlefield. with the fi rst assault bridge being
W
ar, or rather defeating
the Taleban fundamen-
talists and other insur-
HMS HERMES (7.5” long) £55.00. HMS INVINCIBLE (6.5” long) £55.00
The success of the Viking built under combat conditons
gents, is only one strand of the
HMS FEARLESS (5” long) £45.00. RFA GREEN ROVER (6.5” long) £45.00 vehicles during their fi rst
since operations in Malaya in the
British mission in Afghanistan.
deployment to Afghanistan – 1950s.
Key to the success of operations
RFA OLWEN (6.5 “ long) £45.00. RFA RESOURCE (6.5 “ long) £45.00
they’ve been a constant presence The bridge, capable of
– and the long-term rebirth of
RFA FORT GRANGE (6.00” long) £45.00. RFA BAYLEAF (5.25” long) £45.00 in Helmand since last September, supporting Vikings, now provides
Afghanistan – is support for
almost making them eligible for troops with the ability to rapidly
the populace, which is where
Ships in 1.700th scale
permanent residence here, their strike at Taliban forces that
the CIMIC (CIvilian-MIlitary-
crews joke – has greatly improved have been attacking the town of
Co-operation) team comes in.
HMS ARDENT Type 21 (6.5” long) £55.00
the troop’s mobility around the Garmsir.
Against the backdrop of the
HMS SHEFFIELD Type 42 (7.00” long) £55.00
rugged terrain. The second phase of Bataka
daily threat of improvised explosive
No other vehicles are able to took immediate advantage of the
devices, suicide bombers, mortars
HMS INVINCIBLE (12.00” long) £120.00
cope as well with the demanding new crossing, with troops thrusting
and small arms attacks, the CIMIC
terrain of soft sand in the desert; into areas previously held by the
team in Helmand, which includes
Post and Packing add £6.00 (Models sent via UPS) Vikings are regularly given the Taleban.
three RN lieutenants, attempts
role of protecting re-supply The enemy was encountered
to improve the lot of the Afghan
To order your model send your name, address and daytime telephone number,
convoys, recovering bogged- and destroyed by soldiers from
people.
along with your cheque or credit card details to:
vehicles (including vehicles trying the Grenadier Guards, slowly “Operating in Helmand is never
Skytrex Ltd, Unit 1 Charnwood Business Park, North Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 1LE to recover other bogged-down increasing the infl uence of and dull – no one day is quite the same
Tel: 01509 213789 Fax: 01509 230874
vehicles) as they hit soft sand. control by the Afghan government as another” said Lt Jamie Walker,
More recently, Viking has in Garmsir. one of the Joint CIMIC Group’s
email: sales@skytrex.com www.skytrex.com
resumed a more traditional In northern Helmand, No.2 staff offi cers.
PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY
and suited role of offering fl ank Armoured Support Troop has “One day you’re drinking chai
protection to dismounted troops, been heavily in demand, notably (tea) with an Afghan minister,
0014-015_NN_Aug.indd 114-015_NN_Aug.indd 1 225/7/07 15:24:555/7/07 15:24:55
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