NAVY NEWS, MAY 2008 7
Back to the
Bosphorus
THE latest stage of HMS Exeter’s
varied spring programme (she’s
already been to Monaco and
Sevastopol), took her to the cusp
of Europe and Asia.
Upon leaving the Crimea,
the Portsmouth-based destroyer
made for Istanbul – to pay her
second visit in six months.
Her ship’s company took full
advantage of Istanbul’s fusion of
● I spy with my little eye, some-
cultures with visits to historically-
thing beginning with S... HMS
rich sights, such as the Hagia
Southampton attempts to ram a
Sophia, Blue Mosque and Roman
hunter-killer submarine
Cistern.
The Turkish Bath Houses
provided an attraction for some,
Hunters and
looking for a ‘relaxing’ way to
experience the unique culture.
Others visited the Grand
Bazaar, in search of gizzets or
the hunted
presents for friends and family.
BEARING down on the
Istanbul also provided a
periscope of a submarine, this is
platform for a ski trip to Katepe,
HMS Southampton charging at a
south west of the city.
Perisher student.
That afforded some of the
The Type 42 destroyer was
sailors the chance to try their
the prey of an attack submarine
hand at a new sport, or for others
(we can’t tell you which one for
the opportunity to refresh an
operational reasons) – but the
existing interest. The standard
Saint wasn’t simply going to sit
varied wildly but the experience
back and be torpedoed.
was unanimously enjoyed.
So when the tell-tale sight
And in Istanbul itself, the ship
of a periscope appeared on the
hosted an offi cial reception and
surface off the Scottish coast,
a commanding offi cer’s lunch,
Southampton immediately
while her ship’s company enjoyed
headed for it.
the generous local hospitality
The submarine was hosting
of the Turkish Navy and British
potential boat COs and XOs
Consulate.
of the future during one of the
Now back in Blighty, Exeter
practical phases of Perisher, the
has been celebrating her 30th
legendary course designed to test
birthday (she’s the oldest surface
● ‘A fantastic welcome home’... A beautiful morning for HMS Argyll as she returns from the Gulf Picture: LA(Phot) Steve Johncock, FRPU West
a future submariner commander’s
ship and sole survivor of the mettle.
Falklands still in service).
She hosted a dinner for former
COs – an array of admirals,
commodores, captains and
commanders – and then took
nine of them to sea as well as
‘Good but hard work’
The boat and her students
weren’t the only deeps around
however.
“Southampton’s XO and
EWO are both ex-submariners
so the training presented them
numerous affi liates: veterans of with the ideal opportunity to
the WW2 Exeter (of Battle of regale all – again – with their
the River Plate fame), RNA and A CROWD more than twice the size “It’s been a good deployment – but like most Argyll handed over duties to Montrose near tales of underwater adventure,”
RMA members, and staff from
of the ship’s company gathered
of the Navy it was hard work.” Malta as she made a bee-line for Devonport, said Lt Cdr Alastair Macdonald,
Exeter University and Exeter
on a fi ne spring morn in Devon to
Jamie and his 180 shipmates had, said Cdr and then it was on to Crete for the Scottish Southampton’s weapon engineer
College, Oxford.
Pritchard, “met every demand made of them warship for a brief visit, before making for officer.
Birthday celebrations would
welcome HMS Argyll home from with resilience, commitment and a huge level Suez. “On this occasion, the rest
not be complete without the
the Gulf.
of professionalism. Passage from Soudha Bay to Egypt permitted of the ship’s company were
families who have supported the
Some 500 friends and family were waiting
“They – and our friends and family who some live firing exercises, notably the dropping able to see for themselves the
ship – particularly in the past
on the jetty to cheer the frigate at the end of
have supported them in their absence – can all of a depth charge by Montrose’s Lynx – an truly exceptional capability of a
hectic 12 months – so a families’
what her CO Cdr Gavin Pritchard described
be very proud of the effect of the deployment impressive sight watched by many of the ship’s submarine.
day around the Isle of Wight
as an “intensive” tour of duty.
– not least in support of the Iraqi people.” company on the upper deck – followed by “Having had a ‘fix’ of
brought the 30th anniversary
It was, Cdr Pritchard said, “a fantastic
After leave Argyll’s ship’s company have been defensive flares dispensed to throw off any submarine training, hopefully the
events to a close.
welcome home”.
conducting training around the UK and are heat-seeking missiles. XO’s and EWO’s submarine dits
He continued: “It matches the unwavering
preparing to bring their frigate to Portsmouth The ship is now through the fabled canal will abate for a brief period.”
More Daring
which links the Mediterranean with the Red
support from those at home while we have
for Meet Your Navy at the end of July.
marina Southampton visits Cardiff,
Sea and the world beyond and is conducting
been away.
Meanwhile, heading in the opposite
page 22
maritime security patrols searching for pirates,
“Sometimes six months can seem like a long
direction... HMS Montrose is taking over
times at sea
some of Argyll’s duties (HMS Campbeltown is terrorists, drug traffickers, smugglers and other
time away. But when we know we have this
actually in the northern Gulf at present). criminals using the high seas.
backing many hundreds of miles away, it all
Unfortunately she timed her departure with Also heading east of Suez is HMS Chatham,
Double delight
helps morale on board.”
the very worst of the winter storms. which blasted two aerial drones out of the sky
BRITAIN’S most complex Much of Argyll’s six-month deployment
The sea state was six to seven as she left in a final test of her Seawolf missiles in the
surface ship has returned to sea as was, if not high profile, then at least highly
in Merseyside
Devonport.
Channel before making for Gibraltar.
HMS Daring undergoes a second visible, with the ship steaming in the confined
And then it got worse. The Bay of Biscay was
She should be somewhere around Crete by
series of extensive tests and trials.
waters around Iraq’s oil platforms. Her RN/
the time you read this, conducting specialist
NOT one but two RN warships
particularly unforgiving on ship and sailors, the
The Type 45 destroyer
RM boarding parties implemented many of trials of her kit before heading east of Suez.
could be found in Liverpool
latter were left feeling rather green.
exceeded expectations on her
the lessons from last year’s HMS Cornwall “This is a long deployment and there will be
over the fi rst weekend in April.
Thankfully, the storms eventually abated
initial sea trials last summer.
incident. times when it is hard on us and our families,”
Frigate HMS Portland and
and Montrose entered the Mediterranean...
Those tests principally focused
And much of Argyll’s six-month deployment said Chatham’s Commanding Officer Cdr
fishery protection ship HMS
where there were some man-made storms in
on Daring’s handling and her
was classified... but she did spent 52 days Martin Connell.
Mersey both berthed at the
store.
engineering.
“But we also know that we are sailing to
city’s cruise liner terminal for a
continuously at sea between January and The mobile Flag Officer Sea Training team
As well as her outstanding
conduct one of the most important missions
four-day stay.
March. flew on board to cause mayhem and ensure
manoeuvrability for a cruiser-
the Royal Navy is currently undertaking.”
Both hosted local children
“Argyll is a very good ship to serve in,”
sized warship, what impressed
that the 180 sailors aboard the frigate were at
and VIPs – Mersey is affiliated
enthused 19-year-old ET Jamie Annis. marina Ship of the month, page 16
about the ship was her low fuel
the very top of their game.
with nearby Sefton Borough.
consumption rate – a quarter of
Sea Cadets from the City
that which would be consumed by
of Liverpool unit filed up
an existing Type 42 destroyer.
Portland’s brow, while 20
Once they were completed the
cadets from Bebington toured
7,350-ton warship returned to Tornado strikes Liverpool
Mersey.
BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard for
And while Mersey’s sailors
further fi tting out.
THERE was a loud roar over Portsmouth on an otherwise (see page 11) on the South Atlantic station.
were litter picking with council
Now she’s coming to the end
fairly drab April day as HMS Liverpool headed south. The operational theatre, however, stretches across the
workers in Sefton’s North
of fi ve more weeks of trials in
A Tornado ‘serenaded’ the veteran Type 42 destroyer out great ocean to West Africa, and also northwards to the
Park, Portland’s football team
the waters of western Scotland,
of port at the beginning of a seven-month deployment. Caribbean – part of Liverpool’s deployment will be spent
grappled with Valentine’s Over
this time testing some of her
The RAF jet from 12 Sqn in Lossiemouth, Liverpool’s tackling drug runners.
The Hill Mob at Aintree.
electronic and mechanical
affiliated air force unit, was nearby on a training mission Port visits will be spread across three continents, with
That very same weekend on
wizardry, including her long-
and couldn’t resist flying over (it’s hidden in the Portsmouth stops in Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, Angola, Ghana,
the other side of the Pennines,
range radar and medium calibre
murk, sadly, in this photograph by LA(Phot) Caroline Davies Sierra Leone and Senegal all lined up.
HMS Northumberland was
guns, as well as to align various
of the destroyer’s departure). The core of the deployment will be spent around the
paying her first visit to Tyneside
weapon systems and conduct
As for the ship, she’s taking over from HMS Nottingham Falklands.
in 14 months.
endurance trials.
Northumberland was in
“Daring has already proved the North East to receive the
that she is a force to be reckoned freedom of Castle Morpeth,
with following her excellent with almost half the ship’s
performance last summer,” said company parading through the
Vic Emery, head of BAE’s surface town’s streets led by Morpeth
fl eet division. Pipe Band.
“She’s already exceeded many Whilst in Morpeth, the sailors
expectations and I hope that this presided over the launch of the
set of trials will be an opportunity town’s kayak club, celebrated
to build on that.” by a six-a-side water polo
The ship will offi cially have her match between the ship’s
commanding offi cer, Capt Paul company and locals.
Bennett, shortly (her engineering The rest of the spring for the
offi cer Cdr David Shutts has been Devonport-based frigate will
in charge of the vessel from since be devoured by operational
before her launch) and is due to sea training ahead of a six-
hoist the White Ensign for the month deployment beginning in
fi rst time before the year’s end. September.
007_NN_May.indd 1 18/4/08 15:42:41
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