16 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2008
Bye bye,
Benbow
A tale of two cities... and warships
SAILORS from future destroyer HMS classroom then knuckled down to some sport, is almost up to half strength, with the marine
THERE’S been a fi nal farewell
Dauntless paid their fi rst offi cial visit to the city although powerchair football is not something engineering department now fully trained to
to the 70s (shame – deputy Ed)
they will be bound to for the next 25 years. many of the matelots had played before. operate the destroyer’s complex propulsion,
in Devonport as the last stage of
A dozen ship’s company from the Type 45 ‘We’ve been looking forward to reinvigorating waste and generator systems (the revolutionary
improving accommodation on
warship, currently fi tting out on the Clyde, the relationships that existed with HMS nature of the ship meant some MEs were away
left Scotland behind for a lightning tour of Newcastle and strengthening the RN’s link on courses for a gruelling 35 weeks of last
the base.
Newcastle. with the city,” said Dauntless’ Senior Naval year).
Naval Base Commander Cdre
Dauntless struck up her affi liation with Offi cer Cdr Giulian Hill. The sailors have also paid a visit to their
Simon Lister was at the ‘helm’
Tyneside even before her launch with city “We’ve already taken part in the Great North affi liated city, Birmingham.
of the wrecking ball, as the
leaders agreeing to the tie between Newcastle Run and Remembrance events and we hope to They spent fi ve days in England’s second
demolition teams moved in on
and the destroyer 18 months ago. get down to Newcastle on a regular basis to city, marching in its Remembrance parade,
Benbow block – next to Drake’s
But only as Dauntless ship’s company began keep people updated on the ship’s progress.” and taking part in several community projects
main gate.
to swell in numbers was it possible for the And talking of progress, how is Dauntless before presenting Lord Mayor Randal Brew
The nine-storey block has been
affi liation to blossom in earnest. faring presently? Well, after a series of tests for with a model of the ship for the council
a part of the Devonport skyline
Many of those affi liations were previously her systems at BAE Systems’ yard in Scotstoun, headquarters.
for three decades. As well as being
upheld by the city’s namesake destroyer which she’s due to conduct sea trials this autumn. On the business side of things, Daring puts
a ‘triumph’ of British post-war
paid off four years ago, including Newcastle It will be February 2010 before she enters to sea again at the end of next month for further
architecture, it wasn’t much fun
United FC, the Percy Hedley Foundation for her home base of Portsmouth for the fi rst time sea trials before training and tests focus on the
to live in – at least latterly as
people with disabilities, and city’s hospitals. and the end of that year before she offi cially Type 45’s jaw-dropping combat systems. The
expectations of sailors changed.
The fi rst port of call was St James’ Park to joins the Fleet, after which time she plans to ship receives her fi rst CO, Capt Paul Bennett,
Vogue trader
Benbow is being fl attened, the
link up with the Premier League side, then pay her inaugural visit to Newcastle. in May and fi nally hoists the White Ensign at
land around it landscaped, and
WE’VE said on a number
it was on to the Royal Grammar School for ■ SAILORS from Dauntless’ older sister the year’s end.
21st Century en-suite single room
of occasions that Britain’s
two presentations to children on the role of Daring are already in the front line… although All three launched Type 45s can be seen in
accommodation built in its place.
amphibious forces are in vogue.
tomorrow’s Navy and the ships which will be not necessarily with the destroyer. various stages of completion at BAE Systems’
Now they’re in Vogue (groan
Replacing Benbow is the last
its backbone. One in ten Darings have been loaned to Scotstoun yard. The youngest of the trio, HMS
– Ed).
stage of a four-year project,
The second day of the trip to Newcastle operational units to give them experience in Diamond, receives her fi rst sailor in the form of
It’s not often you fi nd sailors
fi ttingly called Armada, (in
was devoted to the Percy Hedley Foundation, diverse environments, including one weapons Senior Naval Offi cer Cdr Paddy Munns in the
and green berets in the pages of
Pompey a similar scheme was a charity which enjoyed a particularly fruitful
engineer working with Naval Party Iraq at middle of 2008.
the international fashion bible.
Project Emma), to single sailors relationship with HMS Newcastle for 25 years. Basra airbase. You can follow Daring’s progress via her
But fl ick through the pages of
based in Devonport. The sailors joined youngsters in the As 2008 opens, Daring’s ship’s company offi cial website, hmsdaring.com
the Russian January 2008 edition
By the time Armada is
(admittedly not typical reading
completed next month, more
fare in RN and RM messes and
than 1,400 new single en-suite
ward rooms) and you’ll fi nd a
rooms for sailors of all ranks will
bevy of booties… plus a good few
have been built with laundries,
matelots as well.
kitchenettes, drying rooms,
The reason? Last summer we
storage space and television
reported on assault ship HMS
lounges. Where Eagles dared
Albion’s visit to St Petersburg.
Among the usual duties of
Do you know
offi cial visits, cocktail parties and
EIGHTEEN junior ratings
task ahead, then given a couple of
sunset ceremonies, there was a
request from Russian Vogue to
missing Kevin?
from HMS Campbeltown
hours to plan the assault on the
trekked across the sands
Jabal Akhdar and Jabal Shams.
clamber aboard for a fashion
It all began rather pleasantly
of Oman in a bid to nurture
shoot with one of their country’s
in a small village in the foothills.
POLICE in Cambridgeshire
upcoming actresses.
their fl edgling leadership But with temperatures nudging
hope the 12th anniversary of
Lisa Boyarskaya isn’t exactly a
the disappearance of a former
skills.
40˚C, the climb becoming ever
household name in Blighty (you
sailor might jog people’s
All 18 sailors were singled out
steeper and the path through the
might remember her playing an
memories.
as almost ready to make the leap
mountains ever narrower, the trek
hysterical German nurse in the
Kevin Mills spent two years
to leading hand. But with extra
became increasingly challenging. fi lm about the last days of Hitler,
in the RN, serving in HMS
power comes extra responsibility,
Finally, the climbers reached the Downfall, a couple of years ago).
Charybdis, before returning to
so the three-day Exercise Desert
summit… until Lt Cdr Collacott But in Russia, she’s part of an
civvy street.
Eagle was organised to ability to
told them it was a false summit acting dynasty on a par with, say,
Kevin left his home near
command and lead.
– and there was still some way to the Redgraves or Richardsons.
Peterborough on foot on
With the ship taking a break in
go. She is also, says Vogue, “an
January 23 1996 – the day after
Muscat from safeguarding trade at
After fi ve hours (and an even ordinary girl with long, messy
his 24th birthday – and has
sea under the banner of Operation
steeper ascent), the sailors fi nally hair, a youthful smile and dimples
not been seen nor heard from
Calash, the potential leading
reached the peak to enjoy some in her cheeks.”
since.
hands were set daily challenges
stunning views of the Omani But we digress. The actress
Anyone who might know his
by Campbeltown’s Logistics landscape.
spent a day aboard Albion where
present whereabouts or what
Offi cer Lt Cdr Jonny Collacott, to What goes up, must come down,
the initially sheepish sailors and
happened to him is urged to
negotiate some of the mountains and the descent is always easier
marines were soon enticed into
call either Cambridgeshire
looming over the Omani capital. than the ascent, right?
taking part in the shoot, helped,
Constabulary on 0845 4564564
The ratings were split into Wrong. The path going down
no doubt, by (a) the presence of
or the Missing People helpline
groups of six, handed maps, a was even narrower and the drops
an attractive lady (b) the offer of
● But they promised me Sat Nav... Logs Omar Gilchrist pauses to
on freephone 0500 700700.
route card and description of the precipitous, enough to cause
study the route in the Omani mountains
autographs and (c) the offer of
ET(WE) Sophie Hurlo to shed
free tickets to see her perform on
the odd tear so scared was she at
“The team had all taken it Cdr Collacott, a practical team-
stage that night.
falling.
in turns to be the leader and we building exercise – particularly
Lisa also struck up a
But guided by her shipmates,
worked together to get through the abroad where there are additional
conversation with Albion’s
Logs Omar Gilchrist especially,
highs and lows,” she said. challenges of climate, language
Capt Tim Lowe (described by
the sailor overcame her fear (and
“I defi nitely gained from the barriers and different customs
Vo g u e as “the ship’s imposing
a ravine) and with her colleagues
experience and now have the – is vital for bringing out a sailor’s
Commanding Offi cer”) aided by
eventually reached their transport
confi dence to complete the leading command qualities.
her good command of the English
after eight hours on their feet.
rates course. I’d never done “All the team developed their
language.
For Sophie, who was sent home anything like this whilst serving in leadership and built on the training
Their apparently earnest chat
from the Leading Rates Command a ship before and I defi nitely think they’d already received. This type
frustrated the Vogue photographer
Course 12 months ago because they should organise more events of expedition was enormously
who wanted something rather
its instructors felt she wasn’t like this.” valuable for the participants and
more lighthearted from her muse
physically ready for the challenge, All 18 junior rates had received will be of benefi t to all of them in
and exhorted the actress: “Lisa,
Registered Charity No. 1075015
the slog through the Omani desert lectures and briefi ngs about the their careers in the near and long
smile. Tell him a joke. Smile for
proved invaluable. art of leadership, but says Lt term,” he added.
the camera.”
PATRON: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN With thanks to Capt Garry
Newton, Naval Attaché in Moscow,
The RN & RM Childrens is a National Charity
based in Portsmouth. We care for children
Glamorgan back in the spotlight
for translating the Vogue feature.
of men and women who have served or are
Sign here,
THE nameplate and bell of the destroyer helped to reduce Besides the nameplate and
serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. only British warship to survive the effect of the weapon’s bell, visitors to Portsmouth
‘ordeal by Exocet’ can be seen strike. It nevertheless can see a memorial window
please
Originally set up as an orphanage, Monique Bateman at an exhibition commemorating wreaked havoc aft, sparking to Glamorgan’s fallen in the
the Senior Service’s role in the a fi re which raged for city’s Anglican cathedral.
TWO authors will be talking
we now assist children with a wide or Laurene Smith
Falklands confl ict. four hours. Task Force South
about their work and their
range of needs and at times of
RN & RM Children’s Fund
Thirteen men were killed when Glamorgan runs until February 29.
experiences at signing sessions
the French-made missile struck returned to The museum has also
in the Royal Naval Museum.
family crisis.
311 Twyford Avenue
HMS Glamorgan just two days Portsmouth for extended its exhibition
Rear Admiral John Lippiett
Portsmouth
before the war for the South repairs and returned championing the RN’s
published letters to and from
Applications can be made at any
PO2 8RN Atlantic islands ended.
to RN service before role in stamping out
his wife Jenny during the
time. Those seeking assistance
Telephone: 023 9263 9534
Exocet had previously dealt being paid off in 1986 the slave trade until the
Falklands, War and Peas, last
fatal blows to HMS Sheffi eld and and sold to Chile. end of April.
year.
can contact the office direct for an Fax: 023 9267 7574
Atlantic Conveyor, but evasive The ship’s bell Meanwhile, one
Elizabeth Matthews delved
application form:- Email: rnchildren@btconnect.com action by the County-class and name plate ended survivor of that fateful June
further back in time with the
up in Swansea Town Hall to day in 1982 is looking for help in
story of HMS Resolute and
commemorate ties between the learning more about Glamorgan’s
How She Prevented a War. It
Welsh city and the destroyer. demise.
recounts American efforts to
Now the two artifacts are in the The destroyer served for a dozen
salvage HMS Resolute, lost
hands of the Royal Naval Museum, more years under the Chilean fl ag
searching for the explorer Sir
which is displaying them in its as Almirante Latorre before fi nally
John Franklin.
THE ROYAL ALFRED
Task Force South exhibition – being paid off in 1998.
In gratitude for the
SEAFARERS’ SOCIETY
alongside a dummy AM39 Exocet, After several years awaiting
Americans’ efforts, Queen
Glamorgan’s foe 26 years ago. disposal she was sold in the
Victoria ordered timbers from
“Those of us who were in summer of 2004 and subsequently
the Resolute to be turned into
Providing quality long term edge of Banstead. Donations Head Office, Weston Acres,
Glamorgan in 1982 sometimes re-sold, possibly to an Indian fi rm.
a desk... which today sits in
nursing care for Seafarers and their and legacies are vital to us and Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead,
the Oval Office (it also features
think we have been forgotten Reports suggest she sank under
dependants. The nation owes a help ensure that our residents
Surrey SM7 3HA.
in the new Nicolas Cage
– perhaps because, luckily, the tow to a breaker’s yard in 2006,
blockbuster National Treasure:
great deal to its seafarers and our continue to receive the best ship did not sink,” said Capt Mike but few precise details are known.
Book of Secrets).
home provides them with a safe possible care.
Tel:
Barrow, Glamorgan’s CO in the Andrew Forsyth, a WEM(R)
Admiral Lippiet will be 01737 353763
haven in old age and adversity.
Falklands confl ict. back in 1982 who now runs the
signing his book on Saturday
For further information about the
Fax: “I am very pleased that the website www.hmsglamorgan.01737 362678
February 9 from 11.30am;
We offer modern en suite rooms services we provide, or for advice
www.royalalfredseafarers.com
ship has now been acknowledged info, is hoping a former shipmate
Ms Matthews will be in the
and sheltered flats set in 14 acres on tax efficient giving, please
in the exhibition – not least to or naval buff might be able to fi ll
Portsmouth museum on
commemorate those members of in the blanks.
of lovely Surrey countryside on the contact: The Chief Executive,
Saturday February 23 at 11am,
Reg Charity No 209776 Est 1865
the ship’s company who did not He can be contacted at andrew. when she’ll have her guitar with
return.” forsyth@hmsglamorgan.info her to sing some shanties.
016_NN_Feb.indd 1 22/1/08 09:07:00
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