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Navy News Weekend sail SHE'S Britain's latest square rigger — yet she's 70 years old and believed to be one of only three traditional brigs in the world. After five years' meticulous restoration from the iron hull of a former Dutch topsail schooner, the Astrid makes a pretty picture as she provides threemonth voyages for young people aged 17-25. The idea came from Cdr. Graham Neilson when he left the Navy in 1982, and later the Astrid Trust was formed. The first trip was to the Caribbean, and the programme this summer includes low price all-age weekend cruises to France. The Trust is based at Ocean Village Marina, Southampton.
Big changes in training planned CAREER patterns of many of the Royal Navy's artificers and mechanics of the 1990s will be affected by farreaching changes now proposed. These result from last year's study of the Air Engineering Branch which sought to establish improvements in job satisfaction and manpower utilisation of AE ratings.
ARGUS IN LEAP-FROG RESCUE
The fine print of the proposals is still being worked on, and final approval awaited. Among the findings was that current trade boundaries do not align with the integrated systems in modern aircraft, and that there is need for fundamental changes to AE career training regardless of any possible branch structural changes. There remains a continuing need for the highly trained artificer, but in reduced numbers as they are too often employed below their skill levels. At the same time,
OPERATING in the Atlantic, RFA Argus provided refuelling stops for a Sea King helicopter which lifted a sick man from the Whitbread Round the World race yacht Liverpool Enterprise 500 miles south-west of Land's End.
Lane's away THE Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster was launched by the Queen at Yarrow's Scotstoun yard on May
The Sea King from RAF Brawdy first refuelled at Cork, then flew on lo the Argus for further refuelling as the aviation t r a i n i n g ship steamed towards the yacht. When the distance closed to about 250 miles, the helicopter, with a doctor on board, headed on towards the yacht. After lifting the 27-year-old patient, it again refuelled from the Argus before taking him lo hospital in Cork. Later he was able to return home to Hampshire.
24. After the ceremony an RAF Lancaster of the Historic Flight flew over the ship as she was manoeuvred in the river. Two days earlier the Princess of Wales watched several of the training activities during a visit lo the RM Training Centre at Lympstone, Devon.
Same base rate for sea-time Wrens THE Armed Forces Pay Review Body has recommended that from April 1 1990 all WRNS non-commissioned personnel liable to serve at sea, whether as new entrants or as volunteers from among existing members of the WRNS, should receive the rates of basic pay already applicable to male ratings. This was stated in a Commons answer by Armed Forces Minister Mr. Archie Hamilton, who also said the review body proposed t h a t volunteers should be accepted as liable for sea service once they had completed a sea safety course.
report in the light of the initiatives being laken to widen the role of women in all three Services." The Minister also said that as at May 9 283 ratings and 90 officers of the WRNS had volunteered to go lo sea ihis year.
"The Government have accepted these recommendations in full. WRNS officers already receive the same rates of basic pay as male officers of the Royal Navy.
Answering another question a few days earlier he said that of the volunteers. 147 ratings and 16 officers would be trained to serve in the first group of five ships c u r r e n t l y being prepared to provide suitable accommodation. Further volunteers would be called for in due course, and from the a u t u m n all new entrants would have liability for sea service.
"Members of ihe WRNS. in common with members of the other women's Services, will continue lo receive a rate of X factor one per cent below lhat received by men. The AFPRB has siaicd thai il intends lo review this differential in its next
Liability
the mechanic's potential is under-utilised at all levels. Among a series of major proposals are developing the Weapons Electrical and Radio categories into two Avionics categories (titles yet to be decided) with a common responsibility for systems and equip• Turn to back page
Kelly's an eyeful Riding high in the beauty stakes is the reigning Miss Kent, 19-year-old Kelly Tidman — who was also voted Miss HMS Chatham two days before the new Type 22 frigate arrived at the former Medway naval dockyard to be commissioned last month. She is seen here with some of her supporters from the last of the 14 Broadsword Class — (left to right) RO Mark Eustace, LMEM Ray Laundry, AB Alex Downie and AB Tim Bowles. See also this month's Ships of the Royal Navy feature on Page 5.
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