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2 NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008
HMS Dasher
HMS Pursuer
HMS Roebuck
3 Cdo Bde/Naval Strike Wing/
HMS Ledbury
Vikings/845 NAS/846 NAS/
847 NAS/Fleet FS(Air)
HMS Sabre/Scimitar
HMS Grimsby/Pembroke
539 ASRM/EOD Team
HMS Portland
RFA Wave Ruler
HMS Lancaster
HMS Echo
HMS Ramsey
HMS Blyth
HMS Atherstone
HMS Chiddingfold
857 NAS
RFA Cardigan Bay
RFA Wave Knight
FASLANE
HMS Montrose
ROSYTH
HMS Northumberland
Joint W
arrior
HMS Edinburgh
HMS Cumberland
HMS GANNET
HMS Kent
800/801 NAS
RFA Black Rover
HMS Iron Duke
HMS Illustrious
HMS Clyde
YEOVIL
TON
Plus one ballistic missile submarine on patrol somewhere beneath the Seven Seas
DEVONPORT HMS Endurance
CULDROSE
PORTSMOUTH
HMS Ocean
Satellite imagery courtesy of NASA
Fleet Fleet FocusFocus
‘Huge in stature’
SO that was 2008, then
This time last year, Royal Marines were locking horns with the
THE coward’s way of war – a booby trap – killed two
Taleban; British sailors were safeguarding Iraq’s oil platforms
Royal Marines and gravely wounded a comrade on
and HMS Endurance was punching her way through the Antarctic
ice.
patrol in Afghanistan.
What goes around...
Mnes Neil Dunstan and Robert ‘Frank’ McKibben died
But not entirely: there’s a new point of main effort (Schwerpunkt
when their Jackal vehicle struck an explosive device while on
in military terminology) for RN ops currently: anti-piracy.
patrol with Aghan troops near Garmsir in southern Helmand.
HM Ships Cumberland, Northumberland and Kent are
Despite the best efforts of comrades, the two green berets
leading the British charge against increasingly brazen pirates
were pronounced dead at the scene. An Afghan soldier was
who have been striking with seeming impunity against merchant
also killed by the blast.
Duck’s found
shipping around the Horn of Africa.
Both men were aged 32 – and both joined the Corps at the
Cumberland’s boarding party was involved in a fire-fight with
relatively-advanced age of 27.
pirates, while Northumberland drove off suspected brigands (see
Mne McKibben from County Mayo in Ireland had already
in Falklands
page 8). HMS Kent has just joined the duo after working with the
completed one tour of duty in Afghanistan before joining
the Brigade Reconnaissance Force; he was on the verge of
AFTER soaking up the
navies of New Zealand, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia (see
becoming a member of the UK Special Forces.
Caribbean sun (and receiving
page 4) and crossing the Indian Ocean (see pages 23-25).
Comrades described the Irishman as the archetypal “larger-
the odd battering from the
Soon arriving east of Suez is HMS Portland which has just
than-life character” who viewed life “as a glass half-full” and
storms), HMS Iron Duke now
departed Devonport on a lengthy security patrol (see page 4).
spoke constantly of his beloved Ireland and his family. He
fi nds herself on patrol around the
And just back in Devonport from east of Suez is HMS Chatham
was also “a strong soldier” irrespective of circumstances, who
Falklands.
(plus one plastic mouse) which has safely protected Iraq’s oil
could always be relied upon.
The Atlantic Patrol (North) has
terminals, KAAOT and ABOT (see page 7). Those structures are ● Mne Robert McKibben – ‘huge in stature
“Frank was huge in stature and in personality. He will be
become Atlantic Patrol (South)
now under the equally capable guardianship of HMS Lancaster and in personality’
sorely missed by all who knew him,” said BRF Sergeant Major
with the Type 23 frigate providing
(see page 6).
WO2 ‘Ginge’ Booth.
reassurance to the good folk of
HMS Blyth and Ramsey are about to bow out of the Gulf after
His comrade from Bournemouth had his heart set on
the remote British dependency.
two years (see page 4) while sisters HMS Pembroke and Grimsby
becoming a Royal Marines mountain leader after working with
Getting to know the Falklands
head out from Faslane to replace them (see page 9). They will join
the elite unit in Norway and Switzerland.
began with a ten-day patrol
HMS Chiddingfold and Atherstone to maintain a four-strong RN
He was due to marry his fiancée Kate Miller next summer.
around the islands, taking in
mine countermeasures force in the region (see page 4).
Pebble Island, Port Stanley, Fox
3 Commando Brigade and its various constituent formations
As a warrior, he possessed “commando qualities in
Bay, and San Carlos Water.
continues to try to put the screw on insurgents in Helmand,
abundance, always prepared to go that extra mile for his
And it was a patrol, not a
ably assisted by the fliers of the Commando Helicopter Force.
comrades”.
cruise. The Iron Duck’s crew
Our Afghanistan round-up focuses on the work of the latter in
Fellow Royals branded him ‘Old Man Dunstan’; they
carried out weapon-loading drills,
particular (see pages 14-15).
admired his calm professionalism, his fluency in French, and
adding and removing Sea Skua
Not everything happens east of Suez. The RN’s quite busy
his ever-cheerful attitude.
anti-ship missiles to the frigate’s
west of it, too.
“He is what all young marines should aspire to be,” said Sgt
Lynx, while the gunnery team let
HMS Endurance is punching and crunching her way through
‘Banjo’ Haigh, team commander BRF.
loose with the 4.5in main gun in
the ice (see page 10), while a few hundred miles to the north,
“It was a pleasure to know and work with Neil – he
a mock ground-support mission.
HMS Clyde has been marking her first birthday in the Falklands
encapsulated the commando spirit. He would have made an
The ops room was kept
(see page 5), where she’s been joined by HMS Iron Duke (see excellent mountain leader and will be sorely missed by all.”
busy when two of the four F3
right) fresh from the Caribbean. The Iron Duck has taken over ■ Royal Marine Jonathan Wigley was killed by friendly fire
Tornadoes based in the Falklands
from HMS Liverpool, which has returned to Portsmouth after from American jets, a Board of Inquiry has determined.
simulated air attack.
seven months away (see page 5). Without the presence of those F/A18 Hornets from the USS
In San Carlos, the sailors paid
In home waters, HMS Illustrious has been in Liverpool and in Dwight D Eisenhower on December 5 2006, however, the
● Mne Neil Dunstan – ‘what all young their respects to the men of 1982
London (see page 13), after taking part in Joint Warrior war games plight of Zulu Company, 45 Cdo, would have been far graver.
marines should aspire to be’ – as they did at Pebble Island, the
with a sizeable RN and international fleet (see pages 26-27). The Arbroath marines were involved in heavy fighting with
closest landfall to the last resting
HMS Edinburgh visited Scotland’s two largest cities – in the insurgents near Garmsir who were strafing the commandos’
place of HMS Coventry.
space of one week – (see page 7) while further up the east coast, positions with small arms and RPG fire.
Acts of remembrance
HMS Montrose visited Angus before heading for refit in Rosyth The Hornets made six runs over the battlefield, strafing and
continued in Stanley, which Iron
(see page 6). bombing positions. On the sixth and final pass, 21-year-old
Duke visited during the armistice
Edinburgh’s not been the only destroyer moving on the Clyde. Mne Wigley was fatally wounded.
weekend.
HMS Dauntless has begun sea trials, HMS Daring is readying to The BOI has recommended that friendly forces have better
“We have very high
head to Portsmouth for the first time and HMS Dragon, the fourth identification markers to distinguish their positions from the
standards for the operation of
of the Type 45 warships, has been launched (see page 13). enemy’s wherever possible.
our equipment and through
One destroyer which will not be sailing again is HMS Exeter; But overall the board believes that those involved in the
practice we maintain these
she’s laid up in Pompey ahead of formally decommissioning. tragedy “acted in good faith throughout”.
levels,” explained CO Cdr Mark
Her ship’s company bade a fond farewell to the county town of In peacetime exercises, a similar incident would probably
Newland.
Devon (see page 10). not have occurred.
“I am also delighted, of course,
Helicopter carrier HMS Ocean is on the cusp of returning to The report concludes: “War is a very different environment,
to be able to land members of the
front-line action; she’s enjoying the rigours of Operational Sea
where risks must be taken to achieve one’s aim. ship’s company to places such as
Training before she leads an amphibious task group in the new
“Perhaps the most telling statement is that of Z Company’s San Carlos and Pebble Island.
year (see page 7).
Sergeant Major who wanted to send the aircrew a message “Each one has its own unique
That group won’t be quite as large as the Overlord force which
after the incident. This was never actually sent, but it was going history and it is important to
sailed for Normandy in 1944. Students from the Joint Services
to say that it had not been a good day in the office for any of me that I expose my young
Command and Staff College headed across the Channel to
them, but had the F18s not been there, they would probably ship’s company to this key role
learn more about the greatest invasion in history (see page 22).
have lost far more men that day.” the Royal Navy had during the
And finally... may we wish our readers – and all members of the
The report can be found at www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/ Falklands Confl ict of 1982.”
Naval Service past and present – a Merry Christmas and the very
AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/BoardsOfInquiry/
● Mne Jonathan Wigley, killed by ‘friendly
■ See pages 28-29 for a round-
best for 2009. We’ll see you next year.
BoardOfInquiryIntoTheDeathOfMarineJWigley.htm
fi re’
up of remembrance services
002_NN_Dec.indd 1 20/11/08 15:03:51
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