NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2008 7
● Four for good... (From nearest the camera) HMS Argyll, RFA Sir Bedivere, HMS Campbeltown and HMS Enterprise in front of the Al
Basrah oil terminal Farewell to
the fi rst –
IT’S not been the busiest period
and the last
for nautical stories in the papers,
but among the articles catching
THE last of Britain’s ‘Knights
our eye were:
of the Round Table’ which
played a vital role in liberating
the Falklands fi nally bows out
ALL members of the
next month after four decades of
special forces are to be
illustrious service.
guaranteed anonymity in
Landing support ship RFA Sir
death.
Bedivere has been at the heart of
Families of members
every major confl ict this nation
of the SAS and SBS
has been involved in for the past
killed on operations had
quarter of a century.
expressed anger that the
Known affectionately as ‘The
MOD appeared to have
First Knight’ – although she
sanctioned the publishing
wasn’t actually the fi rst of a class
of their names.
of six ‘landing ship logistics’
Defence sources said
laid down in the 1960s and in
the SAS and SBS felt that
legend Sir Lancelot was Arthur’s
it was wrong for their
‘fi rst knight’ – Sir Bedivere has
members to be treated
continued to fulfi l a key role right
like any other ordinary
to the very end of her life.
regiment when someone
Four of her sisters have already
was killed.
paid off; a fi fth, RFA Sir Galahad,
– The Times
was destroyed by an Argentine air
attack in the Falklands.
The last 12 months of Sir
A PROUD old Navy ship Bedivere’s life have been spent
that enjoyed a long career in the northern Arabian Gulf
was carefully led out of where her presence has been
Portsmouth for the final fundamental to training Iraq’s
time. burgeoning Navy and Marines.
HMS Fearless was towed The Iraqis use the veteran
out of the harbour, bound support ship as a fl oating base,
for Ghent where she will be under the guidance of a Royal
broken down and recycled. Navy-led training team. The ship
It was a sad day and is also home to American fast
hundreds gathered on the patrol boats of Inshore Boat Unit
Round Tower to pay their 22 which conduct security patrols
respects to the 12-tonne around Iraq’s two oil platforms.
[sic!] assault ship. Commodore Allan Du Toit, the
– Portsmouth News Australian naval offi cer in charge
of Allied maritime operations off
Iraq, singled out Sir Bedivere’s
A REPLICA model of HMS
contribution, saying simply:
Victory could sit right
Coastal commands “She’s indispensable to what we
next to Nelson’s Column in
do.”
Trafalgar Square if it wins
Almost a year to the day since
a competition.
N
OW here is
charts of these waters – see page handover is as essential as Iraqi Army Day – the anniversary
her departure for the Gulf,
Judges are considering
something you don’t
15) and RFA Sir Bedivere, vital to anything else we’ve done up here,” of the formation of the country’s
Sir Bedivere returns home to
six entries for a design to
see every day.
training the Iraqi Navy (see pages explained Lt Cdr Tim Davey, army in 1921 – was chosen as the
Marchwood Sea Mounting
13 and 14 and right) couldn’t resist Argyll’s operations officer. symbolic date for the handover of
sit on a fourth plinth at the
Centre in Southampton Water for
Four of Britain’s Gulf guardians,
a shot at the limelight. “It’s important to give responsibilities.
London landmark.
the fi nal time.
together, in the shadow of the oil
Argyll has conducted three Campbeltown the best chance to The occasion was also marked
Nelson’s Ship in a
“Sir Bedivere has served
terminal they are protecting.
Bottle has been designed
lengthy patrols around the two continue and build on what’s been with a mini ‘fleet review’ by
the RFA and her country with
The core of the UK’s
by London-born artist
oil platforms with Allied and Iraqi achieved. Iraqi patrol vessels on the KAA, distinction in a number of
commitment to safeguarding
Yinka Shonibare and
forces, ensuring tankers and local “We’ve made real progress in a watched by their leader Cdre hotspots over the years and is
Iraqi waters mustered off the Al
will be up against other
fishermen go about their daily number of areas, including training Ahmed and Australian Cdre Allan now completing her commission
Basrah Oil Terminal as HMS
entries, including one by
business safely and legally. the Iraqi Navy and marines.” Du Toit, in charge of Task Force in a blaze of glory,” said Captain
Campbeltown took over from
Tracey Emin – a model of
Campbeltown has been And talking of handovers... 158 which oversees protection of David Buck RFA, Sir Bedivere’s
four meerkats standing
HMS Argyll as the chief protector conducting anti-terror and anti- Iraq’s most important waterway Iraq’s interests in the northern
fi nal Commanding Offi cer.
together.
of the platforms. piracy operations in the Indian has been given to the burgeoning Gulf. “I feel hugely privileged to
– Portsmouth News
And being in the vicinity, survey Ocean. Iraqi Navy to patrol. “It was great to see the Iraqi bring the fi rst – and last – ship of
ship HMS Enterprise (updating “Conducting a thorough The Khawr Abd Allah (God’s equivalent of Navy Days,” said her class home after such a high-
Highway) is the gateway to the Capt Jock Alexander, in charge of
profi le fi nal deployment in which
country’s principal port Umm the 50-strong transition team. the ship has undoubtedly played
Qasr, carrying almost all of Iraq’s “Despite the relatively small a massive part in developing the
seaborne trade. fleet, the challenges the Iraqi Navy effectiveness of the Iraqi Navy.”
Safeguarding the river has been have overcome to get here were Although the tragic story of
the task initially of the Allies, then substantial. It’s really rewarding her sister Sir Galahad in the
the Allies and Iraqis since the fall to commemorate this significant Falklands is well documented, Sir
of Saddam. development with a naval display Bedivere was the fi rst RFA to be
Under the wings of the Naval which calls upon many of the skills bombed during the 1982 war.
Transition Team, an RN-led that the NaTT team has helped to The 1,000lb bomb struck her
group of experienced sailors and nurture.” 20-ton crane, cut through the
marines, Iraqi sailors and marines Among those skills on show shell plating and bounced into the
– naval infantry rather than at the ceremony were a man sea where it exploded; fortunately
commandos – have been trained overboard drill by the Iraqi diving there were no casualties and no
to conduct security patrols and platoon and a fire exercise aboard serious damage.
boarding operations with the aim, PB101, one of five patrol boats Sir Bedivere’s place in the Gulf
of taking control of all territorial which are the backbone of the has been taken by new landing
waters eventually. small navy. ship RFA Cardigan Bay.
● Dark skies... A 702 NAS Lynx is silhouetted against an ominous sky during training with HMS Ark
Royal Picture: LA(Phot) Brett Turner, HMS Ark Royal
Scilly season for 702
FIVE student Lynx crews earned their wings some of the AETs and AEMs, this was their
after three weeks of ground-breaking training first spell at sea.
aboard Ark Royal. Every exercise needs a scenario to hone the
The carrier is typically home to Harriers, skills of personnel.
Sea Kings and Merlins, while RFA Argus is In this instance, it was the lot of the poor
typically used by 702 NAS for operational folk of the Scilly Islands to be trampled
conversion training. on by Redovians.
But who says that’s set in stone? Enter Ark and 702 to drive back the
So seven Lynx, ten students, four enemy task force with a series of full-
trainee aircraft controllers and 70 blown simulated offensive strikes.
engineers and technicians, plus kit and With the Scillies suitably liberated, all
caboodle joined Ark as she prowled off ten students of Lynx 1/07 course earned
the Iberian peninsula. their wings – presented by the RN’s
For Ark this was the first time she’d most senior aviator, Second Sea Lord Vice
operated a Lynx squadron en masse, and for Admiral Sir Adrian Johns.
007_NN_Feb.indd 1 18/1/08 16:01:15
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