NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2008 29
Every dog (and
An eye on the coast
AGED 78 many people would
be winding down, but not Ernie
Smith.
He is the newest qualified
Professional Watchkeeper with the
cat) has its day
National Coastwatch Institution
(NCI) in Gosport.
The former Master at Arms
spent 27 years in the Royal Navy,
and is well known as the author
of the excellent HMS Belfast Men
of the Sea.
SLEEK and dark, they wait
He said: “I had served in HMS
Dolphin in the early 1960s, and it
near the Fife coast for their
is certainly a nostalgia trip to work
moment to serve…
in Fort Blockhouse again.”
No, not the submarines, but
Ernie was, perhaps unsurpris-
a litter of 11 inquisitive, black
ingly, the oldest trainee in the
Labrador puppies, two of which
NCI, where he has joined a
will become explosives detection
number of other Naval veterans. ● Graham Piggett, a former Naval CPO and now one of the National
dogs for the MoD Police.
All watchkeepers must success- Coastwatch Institution watchkeepers at Fort Blockhouse
The potential new recruits are
fully complete 12 weeks of train-
still at home with their owners, PC
ing in subjects such as navigation,
hours, watching over craft with is based in the old Signal Tower at
Evelyn Hardy and her husband
tidal reaches and radio compe-
problems like engine failures, or Fort Blockhouse.
Michael, an ex-submariner who
tence before qualification.
vulnerable small craft and canoe- If perhaps a spot of sea(watching)
now works offshore.
The NCI is a voluntary organi-
ists. time appeals to you, and you are
The energetic pups are all
sation that keeps a visual watch
They log vessels, weather and aged between 18 and 80, con-
named after RN submarines, but
over UK shores with 49 stations
tide conditions – all of which tact Richard McMinn the station
still haven’t quite mastered the art
manned by 1,700 watchkeepers. information is passed on to the manager at Gosport NCI on 023
of stealth.
The fully-trained volunteers Maritime Coastguard Agency. 9258 8332 or richard_mcminn@
“We now have Superb,
man the stations during daylight The Gosport branch of the NCI hotmail.com.
Opportune, Orpheus, Onyx,
Onslaught, Odin, Oberon, Ursula,
Spartan, Swiftsure and Vigilant
running around our back garden
causing absolute mayhem,” said
Evelyn.
“We toyed with the idea of nam-
ing them after Egyptian gods, but
then my husband Michael sug-
gested submarines and it seemed
Set in 200 acres of stunning Suffolk
like a really good idea – rather fit-
ting as he’s an ex-submariner.”
countryside, the Royal Hospital School is
Two of the puppies – the aptly
a full boarding and day school offering
named Swiftsure and Vigilant – exceptional academic and extra-curricular
are heading for specialist training
provision for girls and boys aged 11-18 years.
in order to take their place as
explosives detection dogs.
They will be trained at the
Force’s dog training centre at
Wethersfield in Essex.
“It is quite likely that the dogs
may then find a permanent work
home at the RN Armaments
Depot at Coulport, which is nice
for me to think of, as that’s where
● Pest Control Offi cer John Belshaw with the injured kitten Blackie
I was a dog-handler from 1985-
Picture: LA(Phot) Gary ‘Geordie’ Weathers
92,” commented Evelyn.
“It’s a job I really loved and
John Belshaw and MoD PC David
quite miss, so to think that two
Duffton, who sped to the aid of
of our pups will be over there is
the tiny creature.
Not on the
great.”
“I have seen gulls take duck-
lings before, but never a kitten,”
■ ELSEWHERE, sailors at Clyde
scrapheap
Naval Base revealed their animal-
said John.
loving side when they launched a
The pair were later joined by SOME of you might remember the
rescue operation to save the life of
the RN’s Environmental Health Navy’s Scrapheap Challenge team
a tiny kitten.
Offi cer Surg Cdr Richard Webber.
who came so close to grabbing
Supporting its established national
The fi ve-week-old feline was While the kitten – dubbed the grand title a few years back.
reputation for musical excellence, the
Open Morning
spotted in the clutches of a savage Blackie – was fortunate, her three Well, undaunted CPO ‘JJ’ Swift School has a new £3.5m state-of-the-art
lesser black-beaked gull, which siblings were later found missing of Southern Diving Unit 1 and
music school due for completion in At 9.30am
had taken her from her litter at the from their litter. Lt Cdr Jim Ellis of FOST are
October 2008. Every pupil also has the
base. “I’d put money on it being the returning to the fray, with new Saturday 15th November
The onlookers watched as she same gull,” John added. teammate CPO Dickie Bird of
opportunity to enjoy the outstanding
was then dropped onto a barrier After having her paws stitched,
SFM Defi ance.
sports facilities, including RYA sailing
For further information, visit our website
of razor wire at the south end of Blackie is expected to make a
This time there’s a new approach tuition, and to pursue a huge range of
the base. full recovery, and has even been
www.royalhospitalschool.org
to the next series of the Channel interests and activities.

Quick to react, the sailors called offered a new home by David, the
4 show, with a fi eld of over 50
for the help of Pest Control Offi cer PC who helped rescue her.
teams contending for the top title
Or contact Admissions on 01473 326210,
in events taking place around the
Discounts for families eligible for
or email admissions@royalhospitalschool.org
country.
MOD Continuity of Education Allowance

But JJ is quietly confi dent: “I’m
hoping we’re going to do well. But Academic, Art, Music, Sailing and Sports
The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook
it’s a pretty good challenge.” Scholarships and Seafarers Bursaries
Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2RX
The new series is expected to be
broadcast in the New Year.
● The newly promoted sailors with their superiors
Making history
FORTY-TWO Engineering HMS Collingwood, presented the
Technicians at the Maritime sailors with their certificates.
Warfare School (MWS) headed
He told them: “Never before
out on summer leave after making
have we done this number in my
history.
memory and I do believe it is
Each one of the sailors has been
unlikely to be done again.
promoted, in the largest known
“There might be lots of you
requestman, and the first of the
ET(WE) Branch.
but each and every one of you has
A total of 19 LETs were
fully earned your promotion.”
promoted to APO, while five ETs
The sailors were all promoted
were promoted to LET and 18
while still on course, rather than
ETs were promoted to Acting
on completion, which makes
LET. the achievement even more
Cdre Steve Kirkby, CO of impressive.
0028-029_NN_oct08.indd 228-029_NN_oct08.indd 2 118/9/08 15:54:068/9/08 15:54:06
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