NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2008 21
outside). Here at the station, almost force protection and security, is and interesting than his previous Parr. plenty of time for family life – but
All the armaments and on top of the Rock and with the only resident seagoing unit. postings, which were mostly on “The scale of exercising overseas postings can be difficult
ammunition are carefully stored, a commanding view over the Gibraltar beefed up its force carriers. with the Moroccans has built to fill, explains Cdre Parr.
checked and delivered to ships Strait, a team of 28 RN specialist protection significantly in 2003, “There’s never a dull day with up dramatically over the years. He said: “People are less able
and units by a team of 13 MOD communicators monitor every when the former Northern Ireland the squadron. One day you’re out It is mostly Army, but also RN to up sticks and move nowadays.
staff. vessel which passes through. Fast Patrol Boats Grey Fox and on patrol, the next you’re escorting helicopters and the Commando There are many reasons – it could
“If you wanted to create an “In addition to nearly 200 Grey Wolf were commissioned as a warship,” he explained. Helicopter Force. be children, relatives, working
ammunition depot you couldn’t ships every day, there are 3,000 HMS Scimitar and HMS Sabre “We’re a very close-knit team, “We set up a local initiative last wives or husbands.
really do better than this, because ferry crossings to and from North and sent to the Rock. and there is a lot of responsibility. year for our divers to go across and “But from my perspective
the temperature is controlled, Africa a year, and a total of about The 19-strong team work There aren’t many jobs where an train the Moroccans in counter- the vast majority of people who
there is 10,500 cubic metres of 70,000 ships passing through the in shifts and are on duty 24 engineer gets to drive a boat – but terrorist techniques, and it’s a very come here really love serving in
space, and the access is good,” Strait every year,” said Lt Jamie hours a day, 365 days a year. I do here.” rewarding relationship.” Gibraltar.
said Roy Smith, the officer in Walker, Officer Commanding The Squadron’s two ships and
charge of the Armaments Depot. Windmill Hill.
three Arctic 24 RIBS, with their
A
nother vital element of force
For divers who like the warm, “There are good facilities, the
protection is the Command
clear waters of the Mediterranean lifestyle is fantastic and it’s not
He added: “The design of the He added: “Every ship of 500
impressive top speed of 55 knots,
Diving Element’s clearance diving
and sailors who love messing as though you’re at the ends of
place means that, even packed tonnes and above has its own AIS
provide force protection and a well-
team, six divers led by CPO Steve
around in (fast) boats, the the earth – there’s a flight back to
to capacity, nothing should spark – Automatic
armed visible
‘Scouse’ Vernon.
Gibraltar Squadron seems like a the UK in two hours, and Spain
off a chain reaction. Despite Identification After a while you get
presence.
Every time a warship is
dream job – perfect weather most and Morocco are both on our
the quantity of stocks, they are System, which
to know the traffic “We put to
due alongside, they carry out
of the year, and plenty of seatime. doorstep.
unlikely to harm anyone.” tells us where
here, you recognise the
sea every day, to
preliminary safety checks of tugs
“The local population are
A
nother vital role for Gibraltar,
it’s from, and
fishing boats, and you
reassure lawful
and the berth. Once the ship B
ut like other postings in
Gibraltar, there is a surprising
incredibly supportive, they turn
which has emerged since that
where it’s
vessels and
arrives, they search the hull for shortage of volunteers.
out for parades, and you wear
post-Cold War review, is force
registered. It get a feel for something
deter would-be
suspicious objects. “I think people don’t know we
your uniform in the street.
protection.
all builds up
that doesn’t look right. terrorists and
They also do some of the work exist, so they don’t put us on
He added: “We work hard, but
Nearly 80 per cent of the world’s
a picture of
smugglers,”
that ships’ divers used to do, their preferences on JPA,” said
there is plenty of time for fun
shipping passes through the narrow
the maritime traffic through the
said Lt Toby Waite, CO of Sabre
such as engineering checks, and Lt Waite.
and adventurous training, and the
Strait, making it a vulnerable point
Strait.”
and Senior Officer of the Gibraltar
are responsible for disposing of He added: “It is a very rewarding
Navy gets to do those things that
for terrorist attacks on warships
He added: “It can be bleak
Squadron.
any unexploded ordnance found job, and offers responsibility – and
sometimes we don’t appear to
and merchantmen. It is also a
up here – you’re seeing it on a
He added: “After a while you get below the high-water mark. a bit of fun. If they saw what we
have the time and energy to do
prime spot for smuggling and
good day, but in January and
to know the traffic here, you know Lately they have been training did, I’m sure we would have more
in the UK.
people trafficking.
February the wind is so strong
what to expect, you recognise the divers from the Moroccan people coming forward.
“In some ways, Gibraltar is
Of all this shipping, 99 per
it blows seawater all over our
fishing boats and the usual vessels, Gendarmie in security and force “For anyone who enjoys
what the Navy should be like.”
cent is identified by the team at
windows even at the top of the
and you get a feel for something protection. seamanship ● Opposite page: (top) Gurkhas
Windmill Hill Signal Station.
rock. But it’s a very interesting job
that doesn’t look right.” “Morocco is
I think people don’t
and being part of 94 Squadron, Queen’s Own
Originally the station was set up
for communicators.”
The squadron’s skills range from a key country
by Lloyds of London, who paid to the UK and
know we exist, so they
of a small, Gurkha Logistics Regiment train
very close-knit in the tunnels inside the Rock;
the Navy £100 a year for their W
hile the signal station seamanship and communications
monitors the shipping from to GPMG firing – Sabre and most of our links
don’t put us on their
team, it’s an (bottom) sailors in Windmill
reports – probably a good deal in its vantage point at Windmill Hill, Scimitar are fitted with two are funnelled preferences on JPA. ideal job.” Hill Signal Station monitor the
the late 18th Century. the Gibraltar Squadron guards the General Purpose Machine Guns through The common Strait of Gibraltar; HMS Scimitar
Nowadays the information is Strait on the water. and Bowman communications. Gibraltar because of our proximity gripes about Service life in the UK patrols around Gibraltar. This
passed to the Lloyds Maritime The Rock used to have its own For CPO Dave Wade, marine and because the Royal Gibraltar – poor quarters and health care – page: (top) Stone faces of the
Intelligence Unit and the £100 guardship, but now the squadron, engineer of Sabre, who maintains Regiment have had 20 years of do not apply in Gibraltar. Rock and Sabre; and (below) the
goes to feed Scat, the ship’s cat. whose main purpose is to provide the RIBS, it is much more varied training there,” explained Cdre There is no commuting and Gurkhas land at Rosia Bay
Pictures: Cpl Ralph Merry RAF, Command Photographer and 2iC Media Ops HQBF Gibraltar
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