NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2008 11
The Blyth spirit
BRITAIN will keep a considerable
unbeatable,” Lt Cdr Green enthused. actually not bad.
minehunting presence in the Gulf on
“We work very hard in very challenging conditions. “Living out here
the back of the success of the Aintree
My team are a fi rst-class bunch. They’re all stars, is East meets West.
every one of them. They’ll go home with feathers in You have your
task force. their caps and Telic medals on their chests.” McDonald’s, your
When Her Majesty’s Ships Blyth and Ramsey Those ‘very challenging conditions’ have now Costa Coffees,
complete their tour of duty this winter after more than passed their zenith (or nadir, depending on your but Bahrain has
two years, two sister ships will be sent to replace perspective). retained its culture
them. Temperatures were topping 50˚C (122˚F in old rather more than say
The Bahrain-based duo – who have been bolstered money) in July and August; in the ship’s machinery Dubai,” said Lt Chris
since earlier this year by HMS Atherstone and spaces they were nudging 60˚C (140˚F). Flaherty, Blyth’s
Chiddingfold – were dispatched to the Middle East “The tempo of operations stays the same,” said Lt Executive Offi cer.
to work with the region’s navies and grapple with the Cdr Green. “We go out on patrol come what may. But “The lads have
Gulf’s mine legacy from past confl icts. it can be challenging hunting mines in these waters learned a bit of
Key to the deployment has been rotating the and in these temperatures. And it puts a tremendous Arabic and that has
ship’s companies of all eight Sandown-class mine strain on my men.” gone down really well
countermeasures ships through Blyth and Ramsey. The sandstorms, CPO ‘Tony’ Curtis, Blyth’s with the locals.”
That’s something which will be achieved when the weapon engineer offi cer baulked, “are of biblical CPO Curtis added:
current custodians of the two vessels hand over for proportions – you can’t see 50 metres in front of you. “I have loved this
the fi nal leg later this summer. And the sand gets everywhere, it’s like a fi ne talcum deployment. It’s gone
The current roulement has arguably been the most powder.” really quickly – we’ve
high profi le – and successful, with RN ships and Blyth’s sonar, for example, doesn’t care much for been incredibly busy.
Allied navies completing survey and mine clearance such warm water (it’s around 34˚C – or 14˚C warmer Every day is different.
work at the head of the Gulf, fi nally erasing the than you’ll fi nd around the UK in high summer) in the “Above all it’s a great
mine spectre which has haunted maritime trade for surface layer, but once lowered (it’s a Variable Depth ship’s company – this is
decades. Sonar) into the cooler water it’s fi rst class. my third small ship, and
Since that success – which we featured at length The environmental impact on machinery doesn’t it’s the best. There’s a
in our June edition – there has been no let-up in end there. “The sand means there’s a lot of cleaning great craic on board. The
activity by the Aintree ships, which have just spent to be done on the upper deck – equipment has to be lads will be sorry to hand
a week with USS Peleliu, four US minehunters and stripped down, cleaned, greased. The miniguns are over Blyth – we’ve done
minehunting US helicopters on exercises. a nightmare to clean, it’s half a day’s work per gun,” eight months of good work
Organisers plonked (technical term – Ed) 20 said CPO Curtis. and have eight months of
practice mines in Gulf waters for the force to fi nd “In this heat, you’ll burn your hands if you pick up good stories to tell.”
– and destroy. Outnumbered, the Brits were not metal – you have to keep tools in water. Sweat gets The fi nal custodians of
outgunned. in your eyes and stings.” Blyth and Ramsey will bring
Eleven of the 20 mines were dealt with by the two Still if you can’t stand the heat, stay in the kitchen. the pair home next year,
RN ships, earning the accolade “Britain leads the way “The temperature’s actually much more bearable in while two more Sandowns
in mine warfare” from the Americans – “illustrating the galley,” says Diver Craig Maddock – the ‘Steven (Pembroke and Grimsby) will
the Royal Navy’s strength and strong reputation for Seagal of HMS Blyth’ (he’s a trained diver and he’s head for Bahrain to replace
mine warfare” said Lt Cdr Tim Green, HMS Blyth’s handy with a kitchen knife). them – Britain’s minehunters in
Commanding Offi cer. In fact, this deployment he’s spent more time in the the Gulf, like their bigger cousins
“After years of working in colder European waters, galley than anywhere else – it’s part of the small ship patrolling the oil platforms, are
we’re building up expertise in warmer climes.” ethos to chip in and help the chefs, sorry logisticians here for the long haul.
Working in the Gulf is helped by the fact that many (catering services (preparation)). “As sailors you don’t often
of the region’s navies emulate or model themselves “The hardest part is timing all the food accurately. appreciate how valuable your job is.
on the RN – and send their offi cers to the UK for But it’s what we do – it’s typical of life on a small Here we’ve had a tangible effect – we
training. ship, everyone mucking in.” can say: ‘Yes, these waters are clear of
“Most of the navies in the Gulf don’t have big ships Blyth’s divers don’t care much for the marine life mines’. That’s incredibly satisfying,” said
– carriers, amphibious vessels and the like – they – box jellyfi sh (rather venomous), sea snakes (ditto), Lt Flaherty.
have patrol craft run by lieutenant commanders, and four-metre-long sharks (teeth). The frogmen have His CO added proudly: “We have made a
that makes it easier for us.” ‘anti-sting suits’ (which is fi ne for jellyfi sh and sea lasting contribution to stability in the region.
Blyth and Ramsey are experts in deep-water mine snakes, but won’t necessarily save you from Jaws). In years to come, people will read history books
clearance; the two Hunts in Bahrain are their shallow- But if you can put up with the heat, the tempo, the and see what we did.”
water counterparts. “The combination of the two is sand and things which slither, bite or sting, then it’s marina Forces for good, pages 25-27
0011_NN_Sept.indd 111_NN_Sept.indd 1 118/8/08 10:52:188/8/08 10:52:18
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