10 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
Tours in
● Waves batter the shattered hull of the Fedra the day after the dramatic rescue at Europa Point Picture: Johnny Bugeja, Gibraltar Chronicle
Torbay
EVEN at the weekend in the
English Riviera, there’s no
escaping those lovely people from
FOST.
Frigate HMS Portland has
been put through the rigours of
Operational Sea Training this
autumn, and brought the curtain
down on her second phase of
OST with a weekend anchored in
Torbay.
Very nice. Except that this
● Helmand’s kitchen... Sgt Neil
wasn’t some holiday. No, the
‘Face’ Potter toils in the galley of
entire stay in the bay was
45 Commando’s FOB Sangin
monitored by the FOSTies,
who assess a ship’s ability to
undertake civic and diplomatic
commitments – important
functions both at home and
abroad.
After arriving at lunchtime on
Friday, Portland was immediately
ready to welcome more than 85
college and university students
and show them what the Type 23
is capable of.
IN THE second of an
The demonstration was based
occasional series on the
on a scenario whereby the frigate
myriad jobs in the Royal
had just been tasked to conduct
Navy and Royal Marines, we
boarding and search operations
look at the chefs (yes, that’s
on a nearby vessel.
right, they’re still chefs) of 45
Guests were shown the boats
Commando slaving away in
which are used to get to the
Helmand
vessel, the weapons carried by the
Royal Marines and the actions by WITH life in the Forward
the frigate’s Lynx. Operating Base (FOB)
They were then taken around
dependent on resupply from
the ship and shown the bridge,
air and vehicle assets, it is
operations room and fi nally the
easy to feel isolated in the vast
ship control centre (SCC) where
expanses of the desert.
all the propulsion, generation and
Rock rescue on The Rock
To sustain operations
domestic services are controlled.
continually requires hard work
They were also able to watch
QUIZ night on the Rock turned into ... just about the time that CPO ‘Fez’ Parker in, said Fez, was “fantastic – at least 60 men
from the logistics command but
fi re-fi ghting, fl ooding and damage
international rescue night on the Rock was compering quiz night at the NAAFI Lion and women went down there just dressed in
to sustain morale continually
control exercises.
when storms smashed a merchantman into Bar. whatever they were wearing”.
requires a little bit of culinary
The students fi led off suitably
Europa Point. All thoughts of questions and prizes were One of those who volunteered was WO1
imagination from the resident
imbued with a taste of Portland...
Cargo ship MV Fedra was bashed against put aside: the Servicemen rushed out into the Dermot Brennan.
frontline chefs.
and were quickly followed by
the rocks beneath the lighthouse which marks elements to help. “Some of the guys had spent over two hours
The average bootneck
120 dignitaries coming on board
the southernmost tip of Gibraltar during a A Spanish Coast Guard helicopter managed working in Storm Force 10 just wearing jeans,
appetite has already passed
for an offi cial reception and
Force 12 tempest. to winch some of the Fedra’s crew off – until a T-shirt and flip-flops,” he said.
into military folklore.
traditional ceremonial sunset.
The result was a heart-stopping, improvised a wave broke over the cab, causing an engine “We were soaked to the skin, but it was
Now add to that the high
Saturday was another busy day
but ultimately successful mission to pluck 31 flame out which led to the aircraft setting down worth it.”
calorie intake the men need to
with scores of local schoolchildren
mariners to safety. on the Europa Flats. By midnight, the makeshift rescue mission
operate in high temperatures
The Fedra had been trying to ride out the The only choice now was to rig a breeches was over – shortly before the storm broke MV
and Sea Cadets given tours of the
laden with heavy kit (typically
storm east of the colony – only for her anchor buoy – something Gib’s fire brigade Fedra in two.
frigate... and the latter enjoyed
over 50lbs) with only the
to drag. accomplished, but they needed extra manpower “The willingness of those called out from the
some impromptu parade training
option of ten-man ration packs
Despite the best efforts of the MOD tug on the lines. Lion Bar to man the breeches buoy ropes in
on the fl ight deck under the
and you begin to appreciate
Capable – which normally helps RN vessels Which is where the quizgoers – most dressed appalling conditions contributed to the rescue
direction of LS Walmsley.
the diffi culty chefs come up
into and out of harbour – Nature proved too for a night on the town rather than a night of very scared Filipino crew,” said Lt Cdr
On the fi nal day of the visit
against.
potent and Fedra eventually ran aground on exposed to the elements – come in. Nick Chapman who helped to co-ordinate the
before resuming her Sea Training,
One particular culinary
the rocks at Europa Point... The response when the emergency call came military response to the accident.
Portland opened to the general
magician is Sgt Neil ‘Face’
public.
Potter of 45 Commando Royal
As she was at anchor, it meant
Marines who heads a four-man
numbers were limited to 600
team feeding anything up to 500
offi cers and men three meals
(all tickets from the local tourist
every day in the searing heat of
information centre were hurriedly
Helmand.
snapped up) as they had to be
The last place anyone wants
ferried out to warship.
to be in the energy-sapping
The traffi c wasn’t all one way.
dust and heat is the galley
Every member of the ship’s
of FOB Sangin, the hub of
company enjoyed a run ashore,
45’s operations in southern
and many sailors took advantage
Afghanistan.
of free hot air balloon rides on the
“The most challenging thing
seafront, allowing them to enjoy
is creating a variety of meals
the spectacular sights of Torbay
from a ten-man ration pack
from 400 feet in the air – in true
that only has four variants,”
English Riviera weather.
explained Sgt Potter.
The weekend was particularly
His team is constantly on the
special for AB Natasha Ellis, who
lookout for different foods to
hails from Paignton, and was
add to the menu.
delighted to show her friends
Flight dependent, fresh
and family – including her two
rations arrive in Sangin at the
younger sisters who are members
moment twice a month, and
of the local Sea Cadets – around ● The Red Arrows trail red, white and blue smoke over Bournemouth – and over an armada of small vessels, and one rather large one, RFA
the favourite dish amongst
her ship. Mounts Bay
the men is either curry or beef
Wellington.
US rations are also used
specialist legal advice
The Bourne (air) supremacy to add variety with macaroni
cheese being popular. Several
HOT on the heels of her appearance at Fowey troops and their military kit on to hostile (or benign) cakes and sweets to add to the
to forces personnel
Regatta, the unmistakeable outline of landing shores – for guided tours. ‘luxury’.
support ship RFA Mounts Bay could be seen A further 750,000 people watched the air displays Working temperatures can
further east. which, aside from the Crabs, also featured the reach 32˚C (90˚F) degrees on
The auxiliary ‘docked down’ off Bournemouth RN’s Lynx helicopter display team, the Black a regular basis but with winter
Suffered a Military Injury?
beach for the town’s air festival. Cats, performing their aerobatic routines in the approaching, mornings and
We deal with all types of injury claim involving For despite the title, this wasn’t purely a Dorset skies.
evenings are becoming quite
the military. celebration of machines which defy gravity. Post-Bournemouth, Mounts Bay has been cool – outside the galley that is.
We can assist you with your claim under the
In fact, 1,200 visitors were ferried out to the exercising with much of the Fleet on the Joint Afghan Locally Employed
new AFCS and advise you on whether to
16,000-tonne support ship – she can deliver 350 Warrior war game in north-west Scotland.
Contractors (LECs) assist
pursue your claim in the civil courts under our
around the galley area, washing
‘no win no fee’ specialist military legal
pots and cleaning the general
area which has proved to be a
advice scheme.
Stimulation from simulation
great help.
As for the lads, they have
Police Interview/
to fi ght the internal hygiene
Courts Martial
TWO of the RN’s most senior a naval ‘battle’ and can hook counterpart of HMS Raleigh.
battle with a constant cleaning
Nigel Burn and Gilbert
contact warfare offi cers headed across the up across the Atlantic with the Battle Stations 21 uses
Pond to see what we can learn from Maritime Warfare School in HMS Hollywood-style special effects
regime.
Blades are well known for
Nigel Burn or Tean Butcher
Not only does this combat
Bank Street, Lincoln LN2 1DR the Americans’ use of technology Collingwood. to pose real-life challenges for
their Courts Martial
Tel: 01522 512345 between 9am - 5.15pm to train sailors. It’s pretty impressive, but not trainees, including the terrorist
the ever-present dust, but also
expertise throughout the
or for Military Discipline Matters only contact Cdre Steve Kirby, CO of the as impressive as the ‘ship in a attack on USS Cole in 2000, mine
helps stave off the constant
UK and Europe. Nigel Burn Mob: 07775 860608 after 6pm Maritime Warfare School, and box’ facility run by the Center for damage to USS Tripoli during
threat of sicknesses like
diarrhoea and vomiting.
www.wilkinchapman.co.uk
Cdre Campbell Christie, Assistant Security Forces at Little Creek in Desert Storm in 1990 and the
We can also advise on: Chief-of-Staff (Training), spent Virgina – a highly-realistic board missile strike on USS Stark in the
Covering all food to keep off
insects and the use of hand-
Employment Issues
five days touring US Navy and search trainer complete with Gulf back in 1987, as well as fires
washing stations helps to
Family Problems
establishments. special sound and smoke effects. and floods.
The Americans heavily use And that in turn is not quite More than 40,000 US sailors
control illness within a densely
House Purchases
simulation and ‘synthetic training as impressive as Battle Stations undergo basic training at the ‘boot
inhabited area.
Wills
environments’ to educate today’s 21, a three-quarter scale model of camp’ each year.
Words and picture: LA(Phot)
and tomorrow’s sailors. an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Cdre Christie was the reviewing
Nick Tryon, 45 Cdo
A LEADING SPECIALIST IN MILITARY LAW The Battle Force Tactical at Recruit Training Command at officer as 950 recruits graduated marina 3 Commando Brigade in
Trainer allows personnel to fight Great Lakes – the US Navy’s in front of 3,500 guests. Helmand, pages 14-15
010_NN_Nov.indd 1 21/10/08 10:05:23
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