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NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2002
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Black Duke flag mystery THE CHARACTERISTIC black flag flown by Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth has been taken from the ship in Rosyth, echoing the mystery of the Okatango Boot. The flag symbolises the ship's Anyone who can help identify namesake, the Duke of the individual can pass the inforMonmouth, also known as the mation to Navy News, who will conBlack Duke, and it has been flying tact the relevant authorities. continuously from her halyards The story has similar since her early days. undertones to that of the Her refit team decided the flag legendary Okatango Boot would continue to fly during the a trophy in the form of a refit - but the last time it was seen boot on a wooden plinth. on the ship was on Friday March 1. An anonymous source has told The Boot, named after the Navy News that a ransom note was American or Canadian vessel from sent to the frigate's Senior Naval which it originated, was apparently Officer declaring that the flag was stolen between NATO ships, from safe and that the perpetrators a bulkhead in the holding ship to a would be in touch. bulkhead in the new vessel. Since then, 'Wanted' posters Its current whereabouts is have appeared in the Wardroom in unknown - again, any information HMS Caledonia showing a should be directed to Nav\ News. 'Phantom Flag Stealer', though the person's identity remains a mystery. Other ships in Rosyth at present are aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, destroyer HMS Liverpool and Monmouth's sister ship HMS Iron Duke, as well as submarines Spartan and Sceptre.
Navy says 'No' to neutered Homeward ships
• In colder climes, HMS Montrose steams away from the Nordenskjold glacier in South Georgia, with the island's highest peak, Mount Paget, in the background.
bound from chilly south
WHILE Lloyd's List has chosen to turn its back on the feminine pronoun to refer to ships as "it" from now on, the Royal Navy has no intention of dropping the traditional "she". Lloyds says it has made the change to bring the publication into line with other reputable business titles and reflect cultural changes. Navy News is happy to reflect ; the true character of our ships.
PLYMOUTH'S HMS Montrose is making her way back from the frozen South Atlantic where she has been taking part in exercises. Just before she set off to leave the Falklands, freezing winds gusting to SOmph brought icy sleet - both of which delayed her planned departure. Now the crew are basking in the sunshine and warmer climate of South THE OLD Royal Naval College in America. Greenwich will provide the venue On arrival off the coast of for a unique event on July 11. Brazil, the Type 23 carried A number of maritime charities out a number of exercises with the Brazilian ship ! are getting together to stage a Golden Jubilee concert in the Old Niterori. These involved Royal Naval Chapel. ship-handling and manoeuThe Band of the Royal Marines, vres, along with replenishPortsmouth will offer an evening ment at sea tasking with of music, with the Band of the Sea the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cadet Corps also on hand. Grey Rover. The concert will be followed by HMS Montrose is dinner in the Painted Hall. expected back home at the The evening celebrates the end of this month after her Queen's Golden Jubilee. Her six-month deployment to Majesty is the patron of the King the South Atlantic. George's Fund for Sailors. • Marine Engineering Tickets for the event cost £65. Mechanic Gary Hart in the Demand is expected to be high, Upper Auxiliary Machinery and early booking is advised. Room of HMS Montrose. Contact: 020 7932 0000.
Greenwich hosts golden evening
Pictures: LA Phot Jon Hamlet
Eight rescued but two die in freezing Baltic AMID the work of Exercise Strong Resolve, a multinational exercise in the Baltic, Royal Navy frigates have come to the rescue in two capsizings - one a German fishing boat, the other a Royal Navy inflatable boat. HMS Lancaster rescued five German sailors from the Baltic after their fishing vessel capsized. The Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate was taking part in the NATO exercise when she picked up a distress call from the Danish coastguard, saying a small pleasure craft had sunk four miles east of Bornholm. Five Germans on holiday, in their 20s and 30s, had hired a 20ft cruiser for a day's sea fishing, but were overtaken by bad weather. The boat's engine had failed, and they had to take to the liferaft
when it was swamped by the waves. A Danish rescue vessel and a Swedish rescue helicopter started a search, and were joined by Lancaster and a French maritime patrol aircraft, both diverted from Exercise Strong Resolve, a major NATO work-out involving ships from more than 20 countries. The French aircraft spotted a liferaft, and Lancaster sped to the spot to recover five men in shock and suffering from the cold but not injured otherwise. They had been in the liferaft for an hour. They were treated on board the warship, given hot showers, drinks and dry clothing, then transferred to the Swedish helicopter and flown ashore to Bornholm. The Commanding Officer of HMS Lancaster, Cdr Ben Key, said the rescue was a good example of European co-operation. "All of us who go to sea know how quickly the situation can deteriorate, particularly when the waters are as cold as they are at this time of the year. We in HMS Lancaster were glad to have been able to play a part in the rescue of these German holidaymakers, which turned out to be a truly international operation." Lancaster helped Danish authorities recover the boat before rejoining the exercise. The other rescue sadly did not have such a fortunate outcome. Two German sailors died after they were thrown into the sea when an inflatable boat from frigate HMS Cumberland capsized in the Baltic. All five ratings in the boat three German and two British went into the sea as they were travelling between Cumberland and the German frigate MecklenburgVorpommcrn. The Baltic is just a few degrees above freezing at this time of the year. They were rescued and taken back to the Type 22 frigate, where medical staff tried in vain to save the lives of the two worst-affected sailors. The other three were treated for effects of the cold, and for minor injuries.
Cumberland and MecklenburgVorpommern were also taking part in the annual Exercise Strong Resolve. An investigation into the accident is to be held by the Royal Navy and their German counterparts. The sea was thought to be rough at the time of the incident.
• AWAY from the cold seas of Europe, personnel on 820 Squadron A Flight were at the centre of a dramatic rescue of 14 crew members from the MV Parvin Sagar, a 50ft dhow on passage from India to Aden. The RNAS Culdrose-based Flight was embarked on RFA Fort George when two Sea King helicopters, Rescue 15 and 16, were called to the last known position of the dhow. When the first helicopter arrived on the scene, some 97 nautical miles from Fort George, the ship was sinking and without power or steering. The ship was rolling in the heavy swell, and the crew was ready to abandon their endangered hull. Leading Aircrcwman 'Jonah' Jones was winched to the heaving deck to supervise the recovery of the crew. But on the fourth winching operation, the dhow suddenly twisted violently, pitching LA Jones and one of the survivors over the side, where they found themselves swinging on the winch wire 80ft below the hovering helicopter. Both were winched safely back on to the helo without injury, and LA Jones returned to the dhow to rescue one more survivor before a malfunction in the winch forced Rescue 15 to abandon its attempt. Rescue 13 was now on the scene, and Petty Officer Aircrewman Bob Middleton was winched to the deck to manage the safe recovery of the final nine crcwmembers. On joining Fort George, the survivors were found to be in good medical condition. They were landed in Muscat later the same day.
MARINES TO FIGHT TERROR
- From page one Admiral Boyce added: "This will be a demanding and dangerous mission, and provides further evidence of our commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners in the fight against international terrorism." 45 Commando is one of three commando units which spearhead 3 Commando Brigade RM, and specialises in difficult terrain, from jungle to Arctic tundra. 45 Cdo was the first unit to specialise in the mountain and cold-weather warfare role in the early 1970s. Britain also has around 1,800 troops deployed with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, which reached full operational capacity, with 4,600 personnel from 18 different countries, on February 18.
Salvage money still unclaimed PEOPLE involved in salvage operations on the ships listed below may not have received the salvage money to which they arc entitled: RMAS Cockchafer and Criccieth - Lochalsh Ferry, December 1985 HMS Hermione - MV Atlas, March 1989 RMAS Sealyham and Capable - Eastern Falcon, March 1989 HMS Hermione and RFA Olna - MV Drasterios, June 1989 HMS Soberton - MT Fair Play, October 1989 HMS Brilliant - MV Mercs Horana, March 1991 HMS Shetland - Our Holly Anne, March 1991 HMS Campbeltown and RFA Gold Rover - World Hitachi Zosen, April 1992 HMS Plover - Tanker Seastar, April 1992 RMAS Bustler and Powerful P&O Pride of Winchester, August 1992 RMAS Salmoor and Collie, helo crew HMS Gannet, Diving Team and Salvage Officers MV Danica Green, May 1993 RMAS Rollicker, Powerful and Bustler and Pilot Boat L8303 Avon, July 1993 RMAS Capable and Sealyham, HMS Trumpeter and Gibraltar Defence Fire Service - River Breeze, September 1995 HMS Sheffield, RN Sea King R193, RMAS Forceful, Careful, Moorfowl and SAL Diving Group - Marianne Danica, February 1995. If you think that you have a claim for any of these efforts, please contact: Mrs D.A. Ott, EDS AFPAA Centurion, NPP(Acs)2B, Centurion Building, Grange Road, Gosport, Hampshire, POO 9XA.