battlestaff arrive they push it nose’ on arrival in the Arctic,
War ended over a decade
to the limit,’ said deputy weap- routines changed as the deck
s still a theatre for which
ons engineering officer Lt Mark teams had to limit their exposure
Marines hone their fighting
Quinn pragmatically. to the cold atmosphere and the
atura Borealis has drawn
“The key is good early com- galleys whacked up the number
s fighting forces up to the
munication and a lot of plan- of warming hot meals.
ning. The other big challenge for These are the same logisti-
raven reports from assault
the team is getting the equip- cians who are dealing with a
as the exercise gathers
ment downtime to maintain the ship’s company almost doubled
kit with so many more users on with the EMF, and when absent
board.” from the galley or offices can
“There’s a huge challenge be found monitoring the dock,
i- admits: “It is very well charted
n- up to ¼ mile off the beach. But
involved,” said Capt Blunden. hauling ropes as the ship comes
that’s where we like to go. And
“Reacting to the embarked staff alongside, or veiled by masks in
a- there are some uncharted small
and EMF, giving them the com- firefighting gear.
we rocks out there...
munications support that they WO Nick Battley, logistics
es “It has very extreme polar
need, a huge amount of IT sup- officer catering services, admit-
weather,” he added. “The vis-
port, that we can feed them and ted: “This stage of the exercise
y ibility can be absolutely clear,
sustain them, operate the boat has a relatively stable notice of
g but then ten minutes later, a
groups to land at a high tempo, people moving. When it goes
d massive snowstorm sweeps in
logistics support to the EMF, into free play, then it’s all very
and there’s no visibility.
medical and engineering sup- short notice – and our numbers
y, “We’re suddenly confronted
port. Just keeping track of all change dramatically.
i- with the fact that we can’t see
this is task enough. “But the watchword of the
te anything.”
“It places quite a strain on catering services department
we “This is our first big tester,”
certain parts of the ship, cooking is flexibility. Always has been,
es said Lt Cdr Nelson. “A sig-
for a larger number of people, always will be.”
nificant number of senior people
sustaining them. It’s feed, main- Royal Marines being Royal
ns
have changed around. But the
tain, support – simple things like Marines, the green berets of
s,
sailors are on a four or five year
being able to provide enough 4 Assault Squadron, Bulwark’s
e-
draft to the ship – they have
hot water for them so that they resident landing craft unit, are
vy
stacks of experience.”
can shower. relishing the Arctic experience.
is
For now the exercise is in the
“Bringing the whole of that “I love it. Out here we get to
ve
Wader package, as movements
together is really quite a chal- do the things we’re meant to do
d
and transfers are practised in
lenge. We’re trying to plan ahead, – hitting the beaches, getting the
advance of the onslaught of the
think about all of the ‘what ifs’. lads and vehicles ashore,” said
d
Raider phase.
“And so far it has worked Mne Marty Barrett.
ke
“It becomes less scripted
extraordinarily well.”
es
– that’s when we start earning
our pay,” commented Lt Cdr
P
lanning began months A
s the exercise draws on to
the main drama, Bulwark’s
before the assault ship CO is clear on what it will
e
Nelson wryly. headed north – lessons show: “Bulwark is back in the
g
Of course, the dramatic learnt from other ships in the front line as the high readiness
s
changes in weather are not just Arctic were checked, a flurry LPD.
e
an issue for the navigators on of orders for protective cold- “Her company are well
e
board the warship; the chal- weather clothing despatched, trained, well motivated and
lenges of the cold are a theme the grease for the guns ready to undertake any task.
s’
running through the heart of switched for a freeze-resistant “That’s what the Royal Navy
n-
the ship, from the upper-deck brand, briefing on cold weath- does; that’s what this ship is
o and seaboat teams who operate
er injuries, the list goes on... capable and ready to do.”
ze in it, to the weapon engineers
But the fine detail of the prep-
p who require their equipment to
arations have paid off in the cold. ● Pictures from top left: A
d operate in it, down to the chefs
CPO(AH) Andy Lewis looks view from the cockpit over
dr who have to cater for those who
out over his domain, Bulwark’s Norway; 4ASRM landing craft
el operate in it.
flightdeck: “The cold conditions carry tracked vehicles to the
n Not to mention the issues that were a shock to the system, but Harstad shore; clearing snow
ut come when a ship’s company we were well-briefed. from the fl ightdeck of Ark Roy-
at is practically doubled with an “Obviously it’s a very tiring al; ET(WE) Sam Roberts wraps
embarked military force (EMF) environment – an hour out here up warm to man the minigun
d and battle-staff, all with specific makes you incredibly tired. But on Ark Royal; RFA Mounts
ge physical and technical require- with flight awareness, you have Bay, NOCGV Andenes, HMS
g ments. to stay alert all the time. Cornwall, HMS Bulwark and
n “It’s a really good test for “But this is a close-knit team HMS Albion; the snow falling
all the equipment we have. and we’re all keeping an eye on on Bulwark’s fl ightdeck; and
y The ship’s company don’t fully one another.” HMS Cornwall on offi cer of the
k, loadtest the system. When the Once the ship earnt her ‘blue watch manoeuvres
hamlet, la(phot) gregg macready, la(phot) dan hooper
0026-027_NN_apr08.indd 226-027_NN_apr08.indd 2 119/3/08 09:48:219/3/08 09:48:21
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