2 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2007
Ballistic missile
submarine
HMS Dasher
HMS Pursuer
HMS Manchester HMS Clyde
HMS Illustrious
Vikings of 3 Cdo Bde/
HMS Sabre/Scimitar
FSMASU
845 and 846 NAS, 539 ASRM
RFA Wave Ruler
HMS Portland
HMS Richmond
HMS Enterprise
HMS Ramsey
HMS Blyth
RFA Bayleaf
RFA Sir Bedivere
814 NAS
857 NAS
HMS Monmouth
HMS Chiddingfold ROSYTH
FASLANE
HMS Daring
HMS Superb
HMS York
HMS Dumbarton Castle
HMS Southampton
PORTSMOUTH
HMS Tyne
HMS Ledbury
DEVONPORT
FFleet Focusleet Focus Golden times for Black Duke
NOW that summer is over (apparently this year it was on
THE Black Duke’s second visit
a Thursday), the men and women of the RN are returning to Australia was also the most
from leave. high profi le and longest stop on
But don’t be fooled that the Senior Service shuts down in her world tour.
August; a quick look at our map above shows otherwise. For two and a half weeks,
Furthest flung from home is frigate HMS Monmouth, currently HMS Monmouth was berthed in
edging her way around the Pacific rim from Australia (see right)
the RAN base at Garden Island
to the Philippines then on to China and Japan before heading
in Sydney – which offered a
for Hawaii.
stunning view of the famous
A few thousand miles to the west, the Gulf remains choc-a-
Harbour Bridge, the top of the
bloc with RN/RFA vessels. HMS Richmond has replaced HMS
Opera House and the stunning
Cornwall off Iraq, defending the oil platforms (see opposite),
north shore of the city.
while survey ship HMS Enterprise is gathering data to improve
The fi rst few days of the
surprisingly dated charts of the region’s waters (see page 7). At
visit were crammed with the
the tip of the Gulf our ship of the month RFA Sir Bedivere is
diplomatic events which are
serving as a mother ship to the Iraqi Navy (see page 14).
a pre-requisite of every port
HMS Ramsey and Blyth left Bahrain – and the Gulf – behind to
visit: the offi cial reception and
head to Muscat for exercises with the Omani Navy (see page 6).
Ceremonial Sunset against
And talking of small ships, the Orion task force – minehunters
a backdrop of Sydney’s
Hurworth, Atherstone, Walney and Shoreham – are back in the
skyscrapers and lights was
UK after their tour of the Mediterranean and Black Sea (turn to
particularly memorable.
page 6).
The break in Sydney had a
The aviators of the US Marine Corps provide a unique
twofold aim: to overhaul the
perspective on life aboard HMS Illustrious (see pages 16-17),
Devonport frigate and to give
which was ably supported on its US deployment by the busy
sailors a well-deserved rest.
bees of HMS Manchester (see page 8).
Families and girlfriends were
Also in the Americas are RFA Wave Ruler and HMS Portland,
fl own out and then promptly
continuing the squeeze on drug runners. Portland was also on
dispersed across Sydney and
stand-by to provide assistance to islands hit by Hurricane Dean
the Gold Coast with their loved
as we went to press (see opposite).
ones.
In the South Atlantic, HMS Southampton has been riding some
Also flown out from Blighty
rough seas around the Falklands (see page 7) where guardship
were support staff to oversee
HMS Dumbarton Castle is waiting to be replaced by HMS Clyde
the upkeep period, aided
so she can retire with grace (see opposite).
by Australian expertise from
Now back from the Falklands is HMS Edinburgh, crewed
Thales.
latterly by the sailors of HMS Exeter as part of the sea swap
The engineers gave the 4.5in
experiment (see page 4).
main gun, sensors and engine
Also in home waters, HMS York paid a visit to her namesake
room kit a thorough servicing
city before the destroyer enters a year-long refit (see page 4).
ahead of the fi nal four months
While much of the media attention was lavished on the Army’s
of the deployment.
withdrawal from Northern Ireland, the fliers of 815 NAS were
Those sailors who were not
able to take leave still made
quietly conducting their final deployment in the Province (see
the most of their time ashore
page 12).
by attending numerous gigs,
RNAS Culdrose drew record crowds for its annual air day
enjoying the nightlife and even
(see page 10), while aircrew from 771 NAS based at the Cornish
attempting some skydiving.
establishment have been honoured for bravery above and
A couple of Black Dukes were
beyond the call of duty for rescuing 26 sailors of the ill-starred
even able to try fl ying, courtesy
MV Napoli (see page 40).
of a very generous former
Safety matters, too, for Portsmouth’s Volunteer Harbour Patrol
RN lieutenant, John Gilbert,
which provides advice to mariners in and around Pompey and is
while many of their shipmates
looking to bolster its numbers (see page 11).
enjoyed a performance at the
Not one but two ships have been blessed by visits from
iconic Sydney Opera House.
veteran entertainer/DJ Sir Jimmy Savile, HMS Chiddingfold in
“Sydney has, without doubt,
Oban on survey duties (see page 6) and RFA Mounts Bay in Leith
been an outstanding visit for
for the Edinburgh Festival (see page 31).
the Black Duke and her ship’s
Apart from hosting the king of jingle jangle and jump suits, the
company,” said Commanding
‘fishbusters’ of HMS Chiddingfold have enjoyed a particularly
Offi cer Cdr Tim Peacock.
fruitful summer (see page 6), while HMS Tyne has been busy in
“Invaluable maintenance
the Irish Sea and Western Approaches (see page 32).
work has been achieved,
The fourth and final new amphibious landing ship, Lyme Bay,
relations with the Royal
has been handed over to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (see page 5). Australian Navy have been
And finally... one ship has hogged the media limelight this past strengthened and all of the
month: Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring. We joined her on her sailors have had a thoroughly
hugely-successful sea trials off Largs (see pages 7 and 24-25). rewarding time ashore.
The grand old lady of the Fleet wasn’t to be outdone by this “As we leave Sydney with
upstart, however. Hunter-killer submarine HMS Superb had happy memories, our attention
● Fett accompli... No, not a Star Wars bounty hunter, but a sailor in HMS Monmouth on the TDS gun
Daring firmly in her sights during exercises off Scotland (see turns to the seas and the exotic
director during live-fi ring exercises between Sydney and Wellington
page 5). countries that lie beyond.” Picture: LA(PHOT) Brian Douglas, FRPU Clyde
0002_NN_Sept.indd 102_NN_Sept.indd 1 220/8/07 17:44:060/8/07 17:44:06
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