12 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2008
627
‘‘EEdin’’ oout to Ort to Orion
A
IR DEFENCE during
this year’s exercises
on deployment Orion
08 to the Indian Ocean will be
safe in the hands of Type 42
destroyer HMS Edinburgh,
with a little help from other
nation’s warships.
In fact the rather impressive
multinational Task Group boasts
Ushant ........................1747
2,500 personnel in 13 ships and
Cape Francois ...........1757
one boat, and a range of fixed and Syria ...........................1840
rotary wing aircraft. Baltic .................... 1854-55
The veteran destroyer is joined Norway ................. 1940-41
by frigate HMS Westminster, sub- Bismarck ....................1941
marine HMS Trafalgar, RFAs Wave
Atlantic .......................1941
Knight, Fort Austin, Diligence
Malta Convoys ...........1941
and Bayleaf, and MCMVs HMS
Arctic .................... 1941-42
Chiddingfold and Atherstone, all Battle Honours
under the lead of carrier HMS
Class: Type 42 (batch 3)
Illustrious.
destroyer
But working alongside the Brits
during the exercises will be the
Pennant number: D97
American Arleigh Burke destroyer
Builder: Cammell Laird,
USS Cole, the French air defence
Birkenhead
destroyer FS Jean Bart and the
Laid down: September 8,
Spanish Aegis frigate SNS Mendez
1980
Nunez.
Launched: April 14, 1983
HMS Edinburgh spent the last
Commissioned: December
weeks of 2007 in her home port
17, 1985
● HMS Edinburgh at sea under moody skies off the coast of Portsmouth Picture: LA(Phot) Gregg Macready
of Portsmouth, readying herself
1771 at Plymouth. to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in Sea and she was hit by another
Displacement: 4,500 tons
for this far-ranging deployment to
Navy ships, the ship’s boarding
Next came a third rate of 1811, October. Much of her early war- torpedo.
Length: 141 metres
the Far East, visiting 20 ports in
team have been put through a
tough stint of training down in adapted to a screw ship in 1846, time career was spent on patrols In the end Edinburgh was
Beam: 15.2 metres
the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle
Plymouth, practising scenarios and sold off in 1865. and convoy duties, winning a abandoned and finally scuttled by
Draught: 5.8 metres
East and South Asia.
from getting on board friendly Two days before her launch in number of battle honours along a torpedo fired from the destroyer
Speed: 30 knots
es
The marine and weapon engi-
fishing vessels by seaboat to fast- March 1882, the Majestic changed the way. HMS Foresight. In all, two offic-
Complement: 287
neers on board have been kept
roping from the ship’s Lynx to her name to Edinburgh – a 9,420- But on April 30 1942 while on ers and 56 ratings were lost in
Propulsion: COGOG: two
busy with several new engine and
search suspect vessels for drugs ton turret ship that served until convoy duty back from Murmansk, the battle. RR Olympus TM3B gas
weapon system upgrades, includ-
and arms. the end of the first decade of the she was hit by two torpedoes fired But down with the metal of the turbines; two RR Tyne
ing an improved Command and
The name itself dates back to 20th Century. from the German U-boat U456. ship went £5 million of gold bul- RM1C gas turbines; two
Control system.
1707, where for two years a fifth The 10,000-ton cruiser of 1939 She survived, but with heavy lion, a war payment from Russia
The Fighter Controllers on
shafts; cp props
rate with 32 guns bore the name, has become the most famous HMS damage she was taken under tow. for American weapons.
board the destroyer have been put
Armament: Twin Sea Dart
until sunk to become a breakwater Edinburgh, not only because of Eventually she recovered suffi- Almost 40 years later in
through their paces to keep up
missile launcher; 4.5 inch
at Harwich. her distinguished wartime service ciently to make her own way at September 1981 the wartime
to date on their NATO Grade 1
Mk 8 gun; two 20mm close
The Warspite of 1666 was re- but because of her reputation as a slow speed. Edinburgh was in the news once
Alpha Qualifications, useful con-
range guns; two Phalanx;
built to become HMS Edinburgh ‘treasure ship’. However her recovery was more, when the gold – now worth
sidering the aircraft they might
Seagnat and decoy
40 years later, a name that sur- As hostilities broke out, she short-lived as her convoy QP11 some £45 million – was eventually
encounter on this Orion trip.
vived two subsequent rebuilds was serving with the 18th Cruiser was attacked again on May 2 by salvaged from her wreck in the
launchers
And as keeping the seas safe
until the ship was broken up in Squadron; she then transferred German destroyers in the Barents Barents Sea.
Helicopter: Lynx
remains a top priority for all Royal
Facts and figur
HEROES OF THE ROYAL NAVY No.46
PO Tom Crean and
Training Opportunities Gloucester
CPO William Lashley, AM
British Energy is the UK’s largest generator of electricity, supplying more than one sixth of the
FOR almost a century, the image of Captain “gallant conduct” which undoubtedly saved the
nation’s electricity and is the lowest carbon emitter of the major UK generators.
Scott huddled around in a tent and the
life of Lt Evans.
words of Captain Oates – “I am just going
Evans would subsequently distinguish him-
Training Specialist £42,000- £52,000 pa Ref: BWD/125145
outside” – have served as monuments to
self in action against the Germans, earning the
that very British noble deed: the heroic
nickname ‘Evans of the Broke’.
Tom Crean took part in the search for Scott’s
We are seeking a Training Specialist to assist us in reaching internationally recognised levels of
failure.
party and buried them. After service in WW1, he
For decades, Britons were weaned on the
excellence in the operation of nuclear power stations through a new approach to training.
left the RN and returned to his native island to
story of the Polar party, beaten to the foot of the
run a pub, The South Pole Inn. Today, he has a
This challenging role will provide the opportunity to positively drive change and support a world world by the Norwegian Amundsen, his dogs,
glacier and a mountain named in his honour.
class training function.
and, above all, by bad weather and bad luck.
Lashley too served his nation in the Great
The “hardihood, endurance and courage” of
War, he also worked as a customs officer and
We are looking for individuals who are passionate about training and can demonstrate excellent the Naval officer, Lt Henry Bowers, Dr Edward
lived out his retirement in the village of his birth,
communication skills. The ability to translate written standards into practical actions to
Wilson, PO Edgar Evans and Capt Oates
Hambledon, north of Portsmouth.
promote line ownership of training programmes is required. Experience in applying a
became a story which “stirred the heart of every
In time, their rescue of Lt Evans would be
Englishman”.
systematic approach to training is essential.
hailed as “the finest feat of individual heroism
Yet the tragedy in Antarctica in the austral
from the entire age of exploration”.
summer of 1911-12 could have been even
Training Instructor £28,000- £51,000 pa Ref: BWD/125129
greater had it not been for the fortitude of two
● Tom Crean rears an Antarctic family
senior ratings, Hampshireman William Lashley
– Sally’s quadruplets (the pups by Sally
and Tom Crean from County Kerry.
and Samson: Roger, Nell, Toby and Nelson,
Our Central Technical Training team is committed to supporting improvement in organisational
Either man might have shared the fate of
Shackleton expedition, 1914-1916)
and individual performance through enhancement of skills based on the Systematic Approach
Scott had he chosen them, not PO Evans, for
to Training. The team develop and deliver training across a broad range of topics which support
the final slog to the Pole.
Picture:
the operation and maintenance of our power stations. Instead, they turned about around 180 miles
Frank Hurley,
from the southernmost point on the globe,
National
You will have experience in power station/nuclear facility work management, maintenance, accompanying Scott’s deputy Lt ‘Teddy’ Evans
Library of
back to base camp.
Australia
system health or operation. Experience in an instructional role or in the application of a
systematic approach to training process would be an advantage although training will be given.
Crean, typically stoical, unflappable, wept at
the decision to turn back; “even Lashley was
effected”, Scott noted in his diary. They nev-
(an23478512)
In return we can offer an excellent salary, competitive benefits package and relocation
assistance if required.
ertheless gave three hearty cheers for the five
men no one would ever see alive again.
For further information and to apply online please visit www.british-energy.com/careers
The trio’s journey was no less fraught with
danger, bad weather and ill luck than Scott’s
If you do not have internet access please call 01452 653740 quoting the reference number.
ill-fated odyssey.
Closing date for applications: 22 February 2008.
Lt Evans began increasingly to suffer from
the effects of scurvy. Finally, with still 83 miles
British Energy is committed to equality of opportunity.
to go to the nearest refuge hut, Evans urged
his comrades to abandon him to an icy grave
and save themselves.
Both senior rates refused. Instead, for the
next four days, they hauled Evans across the
snow on a sledge for almost 50 miles.
At this point, the party split. Crean went on
alone to raise help, while Lashley remained
behind to care for the officer.
In a march 18 hours long, Crean reached the
hut where he found the expedition surgeon and
two dog teams, which immediately set off
for Lashley and Evans and carried them
to safety.
Both ratings were subsequently
awarded the Albert Medal for their
SOM_NN_feb08.indd 1 18/1/08 12:36:01
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