www.mcdoa.org.uk MINEWARFARE AND DIVING

VOLUME 8 AUGUST 1997 Official Use Only

FDU 2 ON EXERCISE

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk MINEWARFARE EDITORIAL STAFF Sponsor: Cdre. C.V. Ellison Publisher: Cdr. K. Harvey Managing Editor: Lt. Cdr. G.J. Landrock Deputy Editor: Lt. (soon to be Lt. Cdr AND (yes miracles can happen)) M. Kessler Editorial Offices: Minewarfare Section HMS Dryad DIVING Southwick Hampshire THE MAGAZINE OF THE Telephone: 01705-224782 MINEWARFARE AND DIVING COMMUNITY

VOLUME 8 NUMBER 1 AUGUST 1997 EDITORIAL CONTENTS Welcome to the August 1997 Volume 8 edition of the MAD Magazine. Foreword by Cdr Colin Welborn 1 Commodore MFP Warfare Office 2 First I would like to thank my predecessor Lt Cdr Jonathon Lee for putting much of this edition together 4 The Warfare Office - Who's Who along with Lt Mark Kessler who has, for the last 4 Minewarfare/Diving Representation at Northwood 5 years, been an enthusiastic lynch pin in the production Exercise Programming and Planning 8 of, and I quote from your feedback "this high quality, Signature Reduction and Ranging 9 informative magazine". The fact that both these officers have been given foreign appointments SW02 Shows His Hardware (Future Projects) 10 subsequent to their stints as MAD mag editorial staff is, Cdre MFP Analysis Office 11 I understand purely coincidental, and not indicative of The Fleet Diving Group 12 the requirement for a recuperative appointment! When Things Go With a Bang 14 However if you are reading this, put me down for Singapore in '99 please Mark. The Blackhawk Exchange 15 View from the Outback 17 Thanks are also due to Cdr Colin Welborn for writing the Foreword to this volume and also for his thought The Future of the English Language 19 provoking article on the Standing Naval Force Operations Officers I Have Been Through 19 Channel. An Officer Abroad 20 As most of you will now be aware, the MAD Mag will FDU2 on Exercise 22 henceforth be published annually through the Standing Naval Force Channel 24 Graphics section, HMS DRYAD. In order to maintain Romania - That's The Way We Do It 25 the standard and reputation of the MAD mag all of YOU, the readers need to be prepared to submit Divers Open 96 Appeal 26 suitable articles for inclusion. If you don't contribute, Northwood - What Exactly Do the you are ill placed to criticise when you find the articles 3 (soon to be 4) MCDOs Do? 26 boring or the mag folds from lack of material. I would Letters to the Editor 27 also make a heartfelt plea to anyone out there who has Capes Explained 31 the slightest interest in publishing to volunteer to assist All Arms Commando Course 32 me in the collation and compliation of material to enable the best possible end product. Opportunity Knocks 35 A Supervisors Worst Nightmare 36 Volume 9, August 1998 is now being compiled, so start scribbling, recording or photographing and then 37 SMOPS (MW) Barbeque send it to me, at HMS DRYAD by May 31 1998. Coniston Chronicle (C2) 38 Readers Response 39 Postcard from Abbey Wood 40 The Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officers' Association 40 Leaving the service Inside Back Cover Artwork produced by Command HQ Graphics CHG/481 Caption Competition Back Cover © Crown Copyright www.mcdoa.org.uk

1 1

www.mcdoa.org.uk

incentive for life. However, remember the trap for over confidence is still comeuppance! comeuppance! still is confidence over for trap the remember However, life. for incentive

perfection because once those concepts are thrown away, so is much of the excitement and and excitement the of much is so away, thrown are concepts those once because perfection

There is nothing so dull as the average, always aspire to greater standards, excellence and and excellence standards, greater to aspire always average, the as dull so nothing is There

Within the Force competition remains fierce but it is also the key to team building and cohesion. cohesion. and building team to key the also is it but fierce remains competition Force the Within

conqueror. conqueror.

nations views. It is worth noting that the defeated participant often learns more than the the than more learns often participant defeated the that noting worth is It views. nations

Please ensure we have learned the lessons from past conflicts and above all listened to other other to listened all above and conflicts past from lessons the learned have we ensure Please

"Experience is a jewel and it had need to be so, for it is often purchased at an infinite price." price." infinite an at purchased often is it for so, be to need had it and jewel a is "Experience

Shakespeare wrote: wrote: Shakespeare

constant vigilance and old fashioned hard work. work. hard fashioned old and vigilance constant

thereby stimulating debate and greater OE. However, maintaining high standards requires requires standards high maintaining However, OE. greater and debate stimulating thereby

to this fine magazine. It remains an excellent forum for promulgating knowledge and experience experience and knowledge promulgating for forum excellent an remains It magazine. fine this to

As the twenty first Commander of STANAVFORCHAN it is a great pleasure to write the introduction introduction the write to pleasure great a is it STANAVFORCHAN of Commander first twenty the As

Commander Standing Naval Force Channel Channel Force Naval Standing Commander

Commander C G Welborn Royal Navy Navy Royal Welborn G C Commander

Foreword by by Foreword www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

THE COMMODORE MFP WARFARE OFFICE - WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, (HOW)

By Lt. Cdr Raisbeck

In the Warfare Office we have, on occasion, heard trundled around the ocean at the whim of SPROGO!). muttered a worrying question - "What does the Warfare Office do?" This is usually followed by a diatribe about In a similar vein, CINCFLEETs aim is "to prepare and how ships never hear from us and only see us or get operate the Fleet"; from this FOSF has determined that his letters from us when things go wrong. Apart from the fact (and therefore our) aim is "to provide ships and units fit for that this generality is fundamentally incorrect, there are contingent and current tasks". Fitness for task is a phrase two reasons why you do not see as much of us (or receive which, although perhaps not common at ship level, as much from us) as you do from your squadron staff. certainly gets aired at least once a day in the Headquarters and more frequently in the higher echelons The first reason is because the command chain is working of FOSF and CINCFLEET. Some see it as just a new correctly, ie when you have a problem you pass it on to buzzword, a new management-speak phrase, which squadron for action; they either action it or pass it up the comes after a long line of others such as OE and OC and command chain to us. We then decide the policy (in which we all understand in a general sense but have consultation with our FOSF colleagues at the Parade, difficulty in defining clearly. Others see it as a phrase CINCFLEET, 2SL or whoever) and pass the response which describes quite clearly the purpose of the shore back to squadron who then disseminate to the ships. support agencies - providing support to ensure that all ships are fit to conduct the task for which they are The second reason is that we spend the majority of our programmed. time on policy matters which although in support of the ships and their "fitness for task" do not involve you This task is undertaken in a variety of different ways. directly. Some, such as OST and CAPES returns, are very visible to the ships and are recognised by all as a vital function in We in Commodore MFP, as part of FOSF, base much of keeping a ship running and "up to scratch". Others are our effort on fulfilling the requirements of the SURFLOT not so visible to you in the ships but all are necessary to Management Plan. The SURFLOT Management Plan is a ensure that the aim is both achievable and achieved. document held on board all MM/PPS and which it is recommended that you read; it will open your eyes to all One huge strand in this process is the LTC - the Long manner of things you had not previously considered and Term Costings. This is our bank balance - but on a much will be of special benefit for OPS/XO about to go on the grander scale than the account you hold with Barclays - ISC and the CO who is about to swap his chair on the which tries to forecast 10 years ahead to ensure that the bridge for one in the MOD. It sets out the way in which right funding is available and at the right time. FOSF intends achieving the tasks laid on him by CINCFLEET; it supports the Fleet Plan which in turn A few years ago the Directorate of Naval Plans and supports the Naval Management Plan and the Programmes produced "A Sailors Guide To The LTC". In Departmental Plan (and all this time you thought that you the introduction it states that the aim of the booklet is to

www.mcdoa.org.uk 2

3 3

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Collingwood). And so it goes on ...... on goes it so And Collingwood). Penzance) will soon be operational and has been fitted fitted been has and operational be soon will Penzance)

our tasks in conjunction with the Fleet Staff Authors at at Authors Staff Fleet the with conjunction in tasks our Female OM(MW)s - the first Batch II Sandown (HMS (HMS Sandown II Batch first the - OM(MW)s Female

use. This means that the BRs need updating (another of of (another updating need BRs the that means This use.

the engineers and SPROGO and develop tactics for its its for tactics develop and SPROGO and engineers the be remaining steady, as opposed to getting worse. worse. getting to opposed as steady, remaining be

then need to discuss fitting and trials arrangements with with arrangements trials and fitting discuss to need then comfort, but the size of the problem is now considered to to considered now is problem the of size the but comfort,

amended. When the equipment is finally procured we we procured finally is equipment the When amended. but the problems are going to take time to subside. Small Small subside. to time take to going are problems the but

been cut) the whole process needs to be reviewed and and reviewed be to needs process whole the cut) been of the highest priorities (and has been for nearly a year) year) a nearly for been has (and priorities highest the of

reading complex scientific reports and then (if funding has has funding (if then and reports scientific complex reading alleviate the problems. Recruitment of OM(MW)s has one one has OM(MW)s of Recruitment problems. the alleviate

to half the people listed in the MOD telephone directory, directory, telephone MOD the in listed people the half to of effort being expended in Victory Building/2SL to try and and try to Building/2SL Victory in expended being effort of

involves us attending numerous meetings, writing letters letters writing meetings, numerous attending us involves Gapping - remains a fleet-wide problem with a great deal deal great a with problem fleet-wide a remains - Gapping

(Sea)) into the equation. From a practical point of view it it view of point practical a From equation. the into (Sea))

and DOR(Sea) (Directorate of Operational Requirements Requirements Operational of (Directorate DOR(Sea) and the Clyde. NI Hunts will get the HMLU sonar upgrade. upgrade. sonar HMLU the get will Hunts NI Clyde. the

process brings DNO (Directorate of Naval Operations) Operations) Naval of (Directorate DNO brings process where the ships can use the MCM facilities in and around around and in facilities MCM the use can ships the where

you may have heard of but never really understood. This This understood. really never but of heard have may you to take the form of 2-3 day packages between patrols patrols between packages day 2-3 of form the take to

to go through the procurement process - something else else something - process procurement the through go to a degree of MCM OC whilst on NI tasking; this is planned planned is this tasking; NI on whilst OC MCM of degree a

a particular piece of equipment is required it then needs needs then it required is equipment of piece particular a notice for regeneration to the MCM role and will maintain maintain will and role MCM the to regeneration for notice

process. For example once we have persuaded Fleet that that Fleet persuaded have we once example For process. Marines. Despite these changes the ships will remain at at remain will ships the changes these Despite Marines.

of work stems from the LTC/Management Plan/MILCAP Plan/MILCAP LTC/Management the from stems work of and Ops Officer will be landed to make room for Royal Royal for room make to landed be will Officer Ops and

Apart from preparing the reports themselves, a great deal deal great a themselves, reports the preparing from Apart boats, one RCMDS will be removed and the diving team team diving the and removed be will RCMDS one boats,

their canopy deck removed to make room for the NI NI the for room make to removed deck canopy their

a defective weapon system! system! weapon defective a Cottesmore due out of refit late June. NI Hunts will have have will Hunts NI June. late refit of out due Cottesmore

pale into insignificance when put up against a frigate with with frigate a against up put when insignificance into pale Hunts to Northern Ireland - now well underway with with underway well now - Ireland Northern to Hunts

mess members to get a decent wet at standeasy" may may standeasy" at wet decent a get to members mess

making equipment resulting in lack of opportunity for all all for opportunity of lack in resulting equipment making space on influence sweeping ...... sweeping influence on space

though that your "significant shortfall in messdeck coffee coffee messdeck in shortfall "significant your that though limitations and poor cost effectiveness, but watch this this watch but effectiveness, cost poor and limitations

investigate it and take it forward if valid. Do be aware aware be Do valid. if forward it take and it investigate of factors including immaturity of technology, hull hull technology, of immaturity including factors of

equipment - contact the office for details and we will will we and details for office the contact - equipment aspects of the HMLU have been rejected due to a number number a to due rejected been have HMLU the of aspects

chain. Anyone can raise a Constraint on a piece of of piece a on Constraint a raise can Anyone chain. replacement ship class early in the next century. All other other All century. next the in early class ship replacement

equipment capability then we can't report that up the the up that report can't we then capability equipment Class with a new hull mounted, wideband sonar and a a and sonar wideband mounted, hull new a with Class

significant part - if you don't tell us you have a shortfall in in shortfall a have you us tell don't you if - part significant Hunt Mid Life Update - way ahead is to provide the Hunt Hunt the provide to is ahead way - Update Life Mid Hunt

The MILCAP is one area of our work where ships play a a play ships where work our of area one is MILCAP The

of the office on subjects which may be of interest ...... interest of be may which subjects on office the of

to amend the shortfall. shortfall. the amend to number of short, sharp ditties from the various members members various the from ditties sharp short, of number

etc and determine a priority for the limited funds available available funds limited the for priority a determine and etc To finish off this Warfare Office contribution here are a a are here contribution Office Warfare this off finish To

against all the others reported from FONA, FOSM, RFA RFA FOSM, FONA, from reported others the all against

and why, so that CINCFLEET can review that shortfall shortfall that review can CINCFLEET that so why, and phone the Ops Room for actual timings). timings). actual for Room Ops the phone

identify where ships are not able to carry out their task task their out carry to able not are ships where identify Thursday mornings (Cdre's programme dependent - dependent programme (Cdre's mornings Thursday

effort to achieve but we need to get it right. We need to to need We right. it get to need we but achieve to effort weekly briefs which usually take place on Tuesday and and Tuesday on place take usually which briefs weekly

Once again this process takes a great deal of time and and time of deal great a takes process this again Once CO/XO/OPS Officers are also welcome to attend the the attend to welcome also are Officers CO/XO/OPS

ships are expected to do as laid down in the Fleet Plan. Plan. Fleet the in down laid as do to expected are ships highly effective way to lure people into the office!). office!). the into people lure to way effective highly

capability of the Fleet, assessed against the tasks which which tasks the against assessed Fleet, the of capability support it - our coffee and donuts have proved to be a a be to proved have donuts and coffee our - it support

provides a comprehensive statement on the military military the on statement comprehensive a provides glad to see personnel from the ships (in fact we actively actively we fact (in ships the from personnel see to glad

MILCAP - the Military Capability Report. The MILCAP MILCAP The Report. Capability Military the - MILCAP ashore. We have an open door policy and are always always are and policy door open an have We ashore.

Another area where it is vital that we get things right is the the is right things get we that vital is it where area Another the office to discuss your worries/thoughts/last run run worries/thoughts/last your discuss to office the

In a similar manner please feel free to come and see us in in us see and come to free feel please manner similar a In

considerable. considerable.

input from ourselves and the Ops Room it still quite quite still it Room Ops the and ourselves from input to replace the galley buzz with hard facts. facts. hard with buzz galley the replace to

Headquarters deals with the nitty gritty of the LTC but the the but LTC the of gritty nitty the with deals Headquarters well as it should and these visits are an ideal opportunity opportunity ideal an are visits these and should it as well

Office paperclips. Luckily the Budgets Office here in the the in here Office Budgets the Luckily paperclips. Office quite often news and information does not filter down as as down filter not does information and news often quite

everything from your pay packet down to the Warfare Warfare the to down packet pay your from everything quiz us as much as we might quiz you, we recognize that that recognize we you, quiz might we as much as us quiz

money spending on them in order to function - that means means that - function to order in them on spending money you're getting on. These visits give you the opportunity to to opportunity the you give visits These on. getting you're

identify all our areas of responsibility which will need need will which responsibility of areas our all identify haven't seen you for a while and would like to see how how see to like would and while a for you seen haven't

various levels of staffing. During that process we have to to have we process that During staffing. of levels various done something wrong but simply that we feel that we we that feel we that simply but wrong something done

start to finish as it meanders back and forth amongst the the amongst forth and back meanders it as finish to start sea for less formal visits. This doesn't mean that you have have you that mean doesn't This visits. formal less for sea

The annual process takes about 9 months to staff from from staff to months 9 about takes process annual The there may be occasions when we "ask you to invite us" to to us" invite to you "ask we when occasions be may there

sense if cover cannot be provided by squadron staff but but staff squadron by provided be cannot cover if sense

plus another 18 pages of annexes! annexes! of pages 18 another plus who matter. Usually we will only searide in the formal formal the in searide only will we Usually matter. who

on the Navy". This "simple booklet" runs to 22 sides of A4 A4 of sides 22 to runs booklet" "simple This Navy". the on only to keep in touch with those of you in the front line line front the in you of those with touch in keep to only

financial machinery with particular reference to the effect effect the to reference particular with machinery financial

above we are always keen to get out to see the ships, if if ships, the see to out get to keen always are we above

"set out in simple terms the complex workings of MOD's MOD's of workings complex the terms simple in out "set Once we've finished with all the routine business outlined outlined business routine the all with finished we've Once

THE COMMODORE MFP WARFARE OFFICE OFFICE WARFARE MFP COMMODORE THE www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

THE COMMODORE MFP WARFARE OFFICE

out for female junior and senior rates, the other 4 ships system of emergency re-supply to the limit - and there is will also be capable of being mixed-manned. These also a fleetwide shortage of Navigator's Yeomans. Young bunks are likely to be filled by non-MW personnel initially Navigators do not have the time, training or experience to (comms, WE, ME) but the gates at HMS Raleigh are now correct the chart outfit whilst carrying out their normal open for the recruiting of female OM(MW)s in line with duties, yet it is a job that needs doing otherwise the outfit naval policy. quickly becomes out of date and unreliable. In an effort to build up the numbers, and also to provide insurance CAPES - Ops Officers around the Fleet will be sad (glad?) against the Nav's Yeo being drafted/landed without relief, to hear that WO Clark - "Mr CAPES" - is due to move jobs it has been decided to add a second Nav's Yeo line towards the end of this year. He is moving back to his number to the SOC for all MM/PPs. Until this change is beloved Scotland to take over from WO Baker who is fully implemented ships suffering a gapped Nav's Yeo retiring. Our best wishes for a long and happy retirement billet should develop a swift and close liaison with Lt Cdr go out to Mr Baker. Despite his move north, Mr Clark will Ray Blair (SWO(N)) on PNB 26681. Commander N to remain closely linked with the Headquarters as he will still FOSF recognises the situation is unacceptable as it be working for MFP as Staff Mining Officer; we welcome stands and will consider preventing the ship from sailing if the arrival of newly promoted WO Mulrain in his place as the chart outfit cannot be maintained in accordance with the new CAPESMAN. See Mr Clark's CAPES dit BR 45(7), or if the safety of the ship will be in jeopardy. It elsewhere in this edition for more details. is a CAPES requirement that the ship's chart outfit is inspected every 6 months by FOSF Staff Nav's Yeo (PNB Precise Navigation - Military GPS (Outfit QYF) is now 26654). The Navigation message is the same as BT's - it's accepted as being the primary PN positioning system for good to talk - so get on the phone or come into the office use within the RN. We have come a long way since if you're in Portsmouth. accuracies were measured in terms of thankfulness at having found a continent! Despite continuing to suffer Despite the manning problems, results at OST have been teething troubles with QYF the system is achieving good very encouraging with many fine assessments being results (tests at DRA Bincleaves show consistent achieved. Common weak points during Staff Harbour accuracies of approximately 8m). Incidentally, over 50% Check include poor T&Ps organisation, poor knowledge of QYF system boards returned as defective are and application of Fleet Notice to Mariners and a less than subsequently tested and found to be fault free. When thorough spot check organisation. Performances at sea MOD State 0 is reached later this year the current freeze have been generally impressive but two important areas - on QYF will stop and the new improved software version blind pilotage and chart support - leave plenty of room for will be distributed. It is planned that all MMs will be fitted improvement. Don't just hope that your chart assistant by Jan 99. will deliver the goods - train him/her to do so; EPs accurate to within 5 seconds should be possible with the When Hyperfix is finally shut down in March 2000 all MMs right training. Watchkeeper's Forums can play an will be Military GPS, Commercial GPS and Trisponder important part in this training and should be held capable. These systems, along with the fallback modes regularly; plan it into the Shortcast and get involvement of short scope buoy and radar fixing, will provide the long from all members of the Command/Bridge team. Whilst term future of MCM PN. talking to OPS about the Shortcast don't forget ROR tests/training; results have improved over the last year but Navigation - personnel problems dominate the Navigation are still not at the level which you and your fellow desk in-tray at MFP - a number of Navigators have professional Seaman officers can feel complacent about. dropped off the plot at short notice - which has tested the

THE WARFARE OFFICE - WHO'S WHO

Cdr W Cdr Sean O'Reilly 26315 SWO(N)2 Lt John Garrat 26310 (tbrb Lt J Vallis 10/97) WDCO/Cdr W PA Mrs Marilyn Knight 26314 SWO(PN) Lt Cdr Rob Lawson 26312 SWO MCD 1 Lt Cdr Paul Raisbeck 26308 SANO Lt Cdr Richard Hill 26305 DSWO MCD 1 Lt Tony McDonald 26309 ASANO Mr Tony Potts 26306 SWO MCD 2 Lt Cdr Mike Leaney 26313 RSO Lt Cdr (Rtd) Alan Bayliss 26300 ASWO MCD 2 CPO Dickie Wardrope 26307 (tbrb CPO Davis 10/97) CAPESMAN WO Nobby Clark 26311 (tbrb WO Tony Mulrain 10/97) SWO(N) Lt Cdr Ray Blair 26681

www.mcdoa.org.uk 4

5 5

www.mcdoa.org.uk

minewarfare staff officers at SHAPE and therefore, in in therefore, and SHAPE at officers staff minewarfare someone has to do it!" it!" do to has someone

there was no corresponding increase in the numbers of of numbers the in increase corresponding no was there to Europe and the US - as John says "It's a dirty job but but job dirty a "It's says John as - US the and Europe to

Headquarters Allied Forces Europe (SHAPE). However, However, (SHAPE). Europe Forces Allied Headquarters of his work and involves a considerable amount of travelling travelling of amount considerable a involves and work his of

and policy making decisions moved to the Supreme Supreme the to moved decisions making policy and DICONSTAFF or MW Cell Leader represents by far the bulk bulk the far by represents Leader Cell MW or DICONSTAFF

& Policy (Minewarfare) DSOP(MW) was therefore disbanded disbanded therefore was DSOP(MW) (Minewarfare) Policy & The planning of NATO exercises and participation as a a as participation and exercises NATO of planning The

Headquarters. The position of the Deputy Staff Officer Plans Plans Officer Staff Deputy the of position The Headquarters. perspectives and difficulties with NATO ideas and plans etc. etc. plans and ideas NATO with difficulties and perspectives

Northwood site as an Operational (vice Policy making) making) Policy (vice Operational an as site Northwood blue glasses and is in a position to consider early UK UK early consider to position a in is and glasses blue

disbandment of CINCHAN, left the NATO Command at the the at Command NATO the left CINCHAN, of disbandment the UK although he obviously views problems through dark dark through problems views obviously he although UK the

4. As discussed, the changes within NATO, principally the the principally NATO, within changes the discussed, As 4. 7. It is important to remember that John does not work for for work not does John that remember to important is It 7.

NATO NATO

term planning of MW. MW. of planning term

NATO. Looking at each in a little more detail we find: find: we detail more little a in each at Looking NATO. f. f. Contribute to the formation of Staff Policy in the long long the in Policy Staff of formation the to Contribute

staffed within the various Headquarters be it PJHQ, Fleet or or Fleet PJHQ, it be Headquarters various the within staffed

how Minewarfare, Diving and EOD issues are raised and and raised are issues EOD and Diving Minewarfare, how MW Policy and Planning. Planning. and Policy MW

another affected the organisation at Northwood and hence hence and Northwood at organisation the affected another COMNAVNORTHWEST Staff on all matters concerning concerning matters all on Staff COMNAVNORTHWEST

3. All the changes mentioned above have to one degree or or degree one to have above mentioned changes the All 3. e. e. Provide advice and briefings to CINCEASTLANT/ CINCEASTLANT/ to briefings and advice Provide

approximately a year of study and discussion. discussion. and study of year a approximately Groups etc. etc. Groups

agreed at the Fleet Flag Officers meeting in May 97 after after 97 May in meeting Officers Flag Fleet the at agreed at NATO Minewarfare Conferences and Ad Hoc Working Working Hoc Ad and Conferences Minewarfare NATO at

formation of a 4* Warfare Staff, at Northwood, was finally finally was Northwood, at Staff, Warfare 4* a of formation d. d. Represent CINCEASTLANT/COMNAVNORTHWEST CINCEASTLANT/COMNAVNORTHWEST Represent

affecting warfare at a 4* level was required and the the and required was level 4* a at warfare affecting

Commander-in-Chief on a whole range of subjects subjects of range whole a on Commander-in-Chief Panel 3 (Exercise Evaluation). Evaluation). (Exercise 3 Panel

it became apparent that the provision of advice to the the to advice of provision the that apparent became it c. c. Be a member of the Mine Warfare Working Party Party Working Warfare Mine the of member a Be

originally lost as a result of the Fleetman review however, however, review Fleetman the of result a as lost originally

Division within the Staff of CINCFLEET. This division was was division This CINCFLEET. of Staff the within Division Livexs. Livexs.

d. d. The ongoing re-establishment of the N7 (Warfare) (Warfare) N7 the of re-establishment ongoing The b. b. Assist in the planning of the MW aspects of NATO NATO of aspects MW the of planning the in Assist

quarters (PJHQ) within the Northwood site in April 1996. 1996. April in site Northwood the within (PJHQ) quarters area. area.

c. c. The establishment of a Permanent Joint Head- Joint Permanent a of establishment The MW for the CINCEASTLANT/COMNAVNORTHWEST CINCEASTLANT/COMNAVNORTHWEST the for MW

and MCM Plans, Agreements and Operations Orders on on Orders Operations and Agreements Plans, MCM and

Flotillas (FOSF) Staff. Staff. (FOSF) Flotillas a. a. Assist in the preparation and maintenance of mining mining of maintenance and preparation the in Assist

Staff Officer (MFP) as part of the Flag Officer Surface Surface Officer Flag the of part as (MFP) Officer Staff

COMMW at the 4* Headquarters by the position of the the of position the by Headquarters 4* the at COMMW Royal Navy. His responsibilities are as follows: follows: as are responsibilities His Navy. Royal

late 95 and the replacement of the post of Staff Officer Officer Staff of post the of replacement the and 95 late separate post filled by Lieutenant Commander John LAW LAW John Commander Lieutenant by filled post separate

b. b. The loss of COMMW's Type Commander Status in in Status Commander Type COMMW's of loss The 6. The position of DSOP(MW) is therefore now a completely completely a now therefore is DSOP(MW) of position The 6.

was to have major repercussions later. later. repercussions major have to was of a Lieutenant Commander which was eagerly accepted. accepted. eagerly was which Commander Lieutenant a of

Although this did not directly affect the UK at the time it it time the at UK the affect directly not did this Although maintain a representative within NATO, offered the services services the offered NATO, within representative a maintain

with the loss of one of the MW Staff Officers on the staff staff the on Officers Staff MW the of one of loss the with approached to fill the position and the UK, anxious to to anxious UK, the and position the fill to approached

Northwood from a policy making to an operational HQ, HQ, operational an to making policy a from Northwood NATO to re-establish the post of DSOP(MW). Nations were were Nations DSOP(MW). of post the re-establish to NATO

of 1992. This effectively changed the NATO side of of side NATO the changed effectively This 1992. of and eventually in January 97 it was formally decided by by decided formally was it 97 January in eventually and

COMNAVNORTHWEST during the NATO reorganisation reorganisation NATO the during COMNAVNORTHWEST dedicated minewarfare officer within the NATO organisation organisation NATO the within officer minewarfare dedicated

by the Principal Sub-ordinate Command (PSC) of of (PSC) Command Sub-ordinate Principal the by became apparent that the volume of work still required a a required still work of volume the that apparent became

(MNC) of CINC Channel (CINCHAN) and its replacement replacement its and (CINCHAN) Channel CINC of (MNC) This arrangement worked effectively however, it soon soon it however, effectively worked arrangement This

a. a. The disbandment of the old Major NATO Command Command NATO Major old the of disbandment The and NATO would get an additional staff officer at no cost! cost! no at officer staff additional an get would NATO and

one mighty bound the UK would get a finger in the NATO pie pie NATO the in finger a get would UK the bound mighty one

2. The principal changes over recent years have been: been: have years recent over changes principal The 2. COMMW would be dual hatted as DSOP(MW). Hence, with with Hence, DSOP(MW). as hatted dual be would COMMW

COMMW a pragmatic solution was reached whereby SO SO whereby reached was solution pragmatic a COMMW

everyone here at Northwood does - assuming we can decide! decide! can we assuming - does Northwood at here everyone following discussions between CINCEASTLANT and and CINCEASTLANT between discussions following

significant changes and developments and describe what what describe and developments and changes significant no minewarfare staff officers within NATO. Therefore, Therefore, NATO. within officers staff minewarfare no

hoped that this article will clarify what have been the most most the been have what clarify will article this that hoped 5. At the time, the Royal Navy (representing UK PLC) had had PLC) UK (representing Navy Royal the time, the At 5.

how the Command and Control of the Fleet is conducted. It is is It conducted. is Fleet the of Control and Command the how

Minewarfare, Diving and EOD is represented here or indeed indeed or here represented is EOD and Diving Minewarfare, proved a problem. problem. a proved

Headquarters at Northwood unaffected, nor the way that that way the nor unaffected, Northwood at Headquarters numbers of officers at Northwood this not surprisingly surprisingly not this Northwood at officers of numbers

through the Fleet in the past few years have not left the Fleet Fleet the left not have years few past the in Fleet the through West (CINCNW) for staffing. However, with the reduced reduced the with However, staffing. for (CINCNW) West

1. The major changes and re-organisations that have swept swept have that re-organisations and changes major The 1. passed back to Northwood via Commander in Chief North North Chief in Commander via Northwood to back passed

Background Background practice, most of the in depth minewarfare issues were were issues minewarfare depth in the of most practice,

By The Northwood 3 3 Northwood The By

NORTHWOOD NORTHWOOD

MINEWARFARE/DIVING REPRESENTATION AT AT REPRESENTATION MINEWARFARE/DIVING www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk REPRESENTATION AT NORTHWOOD

8. His address and telephone contact numbers, when he is Warden and Jural (Patrolling the No Fly Zones in Northern in the country (!) are as follows: and Southern Iraq). Other PJHQ responsibilities are: DSOP(MW) Direct Dial: (01923) 843737 a. The monitoring of designated areas of interest. Room 1.9 IVSN: 531 3737 Military: 96 30 43737 b. Contingency planning. Atlantic Building HMS WARRIOR Fax: (01923)843679 Eastbury Park c. To contribute to MOD decision-making. Northwood, Middlesex HA6 3HP d. To formulate Joint Warfare doctrine at operational level. e. Plan, Conduct and Evaluate Joint Force Exercises. The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) 9. The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) was born out f. Focus for Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF) of a need to move away from the ad hoc joint headquarters planning and exercising. that were formed whenever a joint operation reared its ugly head (Northwood 82/High Wycombe 91). It avoids the need g. Advise/access joint capabilities/standards. to draw upon staff from other headquarters and by its permanent, truly joint nature suggests that its members will 14.To understand how difficult it is to plan joint operations, be better equipped to deal with purple operations. It was each single service was asked how it would respond to the established on 1 April 1996 which, considering that the time order to "Secure a Building" - The Royal Navy replied it lag between the Secretary of State identifying the need for a would turn off the lights, lock the door and go home, the Joint Headquarters and its establishment was less than two Army said it would surround the building with a body of men, years, was quite an achievement. a passing Royal Marine responded he would rush at the building, kick the door down and take no prisoners whilst the 10.The PJHQ sits in the higher chain of command between Royal Air Force wanted to take out a long term lease with an the Ministry of Defence, which gives political direction and option to buy! the new Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) which takes operational control and fights the battle. The JFHQ is the 15.At sea you should not, on a day-to-day basis, be greatly headquarters which deploys into theatre for an operation (eg affected by the PJHQ but rest assured that this new system Dhahran during the Gulf in 91). Depending on the nature of should produce a more rapid response in the normal course the operation the JFHQ may be ashore or afloat as both however, should you be in the right place at the right time operational CVS now have an interim JFHQ afloat equipment when a crisis occurs, PJHQ will provide the strategic fit. The JFHQ has a much smaller staff than the PJHQ and (MOD/PJHQ) and operational (PJHQ/JFHQ) direction. when not deployed is based at Northwood as another division of the PJHQ. 16.The current minewarfare officer on the staff of the PJHQ is Lieutenant Commander Chris LADE Royal Navy or SO2 J3 11.Any future operation will he Commanded by a oint (M) (MW) to give him is full title who may be contacted via: Commander, who will be "The commander with OPCOM of assigned units" and who will be based in and head the The Permanent Joint PJHQ. In a small scale operation he will most likely be the Headquarters Direct: (01923) 846210 Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) who is the normal head of NCC Room 2010 Mil: 93 60 46210 (Patron) the PJHQ. In a larger operation one of the single service HMS WARRIOR Fax: 93 60 46295 (Secure) chiefs may be appointed as Joint Commander. The Joint Eastbury Park SMA: PJHQUK Force Commander is "The commander with OPCON of Northwood (Fao SO2 J3(M)(MW)) assigned units" and he will usually be based in theatre. Middlesex HA6 3HP

12.This will mean a change for each of the single service Fleet N7 (Warfare) Division organisations. In future operations CINCFLEET will retain 17.As discussed, with the nature of warfare becoming more Full Command of maritime units and will be responsible for integrated and complex not only at platform level but in providing military capability (operational readiness, training every discipline of maritime warfare and indeed across air, etc) and support to enable combat effective forces to be land and maritime warfare the decision was taken earlier this deployed sustained and recovered from an Area of year to re-form a warfare division at the Fleet HQ. The aim of Operations (A00) but will have no operational control. the new N7 (Warfare) Division will be to provide an over arching 4* level warfare staff capable of producing a focused 13.The PJHQ's primary function is therefore "To be and coherent framework for warfare development with the responsible, when directed by the Chief of the Defence Staff various Type Commanders, across all warfare disciplines. (CDS), for the planning and exercises of UK-led joint, The responsibility of the separate Type Commanders (FOSF potentially joint, combined and multinational operations, and in the case of minewarfare) to develop and maintain Military for exercising operational command of UK Forces assigned Capability (MC) at platform level and produce ships fit for to combined and multinational operations led by others, in tasks to Fleet however, will remain. order to achieve MODUK's military-strategic objectives". The PJHQ is therefore the Operational Commander for all current 18.The exact Terms of Responsibilities (TORs) of the N7 UK Joint Operations. These include Operation Lodestar staff officers are still being formulated but several key areas (Former Yugoslavia), Operation Armilla and Operations of the Divisions development are already in place. The N7 www.mcdoa.org.uk 6

7 7

www.mcdoa.org.uk

arrangements should hopefully raise the profile of of profile the raise hopefully should arrangements effective and reliable tools to do the job! job! the do to tools reliable and effective

support staff (ie 1xWriter)to an above ground office. These These office. ground above an 1xWriter)to (ie staff support to provide you with an interesting program/exercise and and program/exercise interesting an with you provide to

similar move of the MFP Northwood site administration administration site Northwood MFP the of move similar appropriate officer. In the meantime we will continue to work work to continue will we meantime the In officer. appropriate

this move will be completed by early July 97 along with a a with along 97 July early by completed be will move this with your enquiry or put you in touch with a more more a with touch in you put or enquiry your with

Surface Fleet Programming Officer (SFPROGO). Hopefully, Hopefully, (SFPROGO). Officer Programming Fleet Surface to call, SO(MFP) is a good first bet and he will either deal deal either will he and bet first good a is SO(MFP) call, to

Officer (F00) or more accurately SO1 N3 (Ops) and FOSF's FOSF's and (Ops) N3 SO1 accurately more or (F00) Officer here to help you and your ship or unit. If you are unsure who who unsure are you If unit. or ship your and you help to here

Command Centre (NCC) adjacent to the Fleet Operations Operations Fleet the to adjacent (NCC) Centre Command we work all the minewarfare staff officers at Northwood are are Northwood at officers staff minewarfare the all work we

re-locate SO (MFP) back into the underground National National underground the into back (MFP) SO re-locate 24. 24. Finally, whatever the staff title or organisation for which which for organisation or title staff the whatever Finally,

decided once the post of DSOP(MW) was re-established to to re-established was DSOP(MW) of post the once decided

See MFP Northwoods's LVA 301138Z May 97 for full details. details. full for 97 May 301138Z LVA Northwoods's MFP See

the Fleet Operational Staff that they support. It was therefore therefore was It support. they that Staff Operational Fleet the

the rest of the other Type Commanders representatives and and representatives Commanders Type other the of rest the

whilst working for NATO it did leave SO(MFP) remote from from remote SO(MFP) leave did it NATO for working whilst Middlesex HA6 3HP 3HP HA6 Middlesex

on the Northwood site. Although this was a sensible location location sensible a was this Although site. Northwood the on Northwood Northwood SMA: NWP NORTHWOOD NORTHWOOD NWP SMA:

DSOP(MW) and worked out of the NATO (Atlantic) Building Building (Atlantic) NATO the of out worked and DSOP(MW) Eastbury Park Park Eastbury Fax: (01923) 837874 (Secure) (Secure) 837874 (01923) Fax:

Northwood. As stated until April 97 he was dual hatted as as hatted dual was he 97 April until stated As Northwood. HMS WARRIOR WARRIOR HMS Fax: (01923) 838675 (Unsecure) (Unsecure) 838675 (01923) Fax:

he pays the wages - only dedicated staff officer at at officer staff dedicated only - wages the pays he Cormorant Building Building Cormorant

Mil: 93 60 38946 38946 60 93 Mil:

your, or perhaps more accurately the Commodore's - since since - Commodore's the accurately more perhaps or your, Room 16 16 Room Direct: (01923) 838946 838946 (01923) Direct:

21. 21. Finally. this brings us to the Staff Officer (MFP) who is is who (MFP) Officer Staff the to us brings this Finally.

Staff Officer Officer Staff (MFP) (MFP) address/contact numbers are as follows: follows: as are numbers address/contact

bar although the pockets are deep deep are pockets the although bar

1 1 His His

platform or operation we happen to be on/undertaking. on/undertaking. be to happen we operation or platform provide a place to change and may even buy a round in the the in round a buy even may and change to place a provide

time, but ultimately we are likely to feel its effects whatever whatever effects its feel to likely are we ultimately but time, pass, lunch etc if you don't have a dedicated host officer, officer, host dedicated a have don't you if etc lunch pass,

throughout its development, which is likely to take some some take to likely is which development, its throughout office know you are coming. He can arrange an NCC/Car NCC/Car an arrange can He coming. are you know office

20. 20. The importance of the division will continue to grow grow to continue will division the of importance The 23. 23. If you are visiting the Northwood site, let SO(MFP)'s SO(MFP)'s let site, Northwood the visiting are you If

Policies. Policies. NATO Minewarfare Conferences and working parties. parties. working and Conferences Minewarfare NATO

k. To contribute to the formation of Fleet Training Training Fleet of formation the to contribute To k. e. e. To act as the UK national representative and attend attend and representative national UK the as act To

j• To contribute to weapon system development. development. system weapon to contribute To j• JMC 972 972 JMC

Staffs (FOSF/DFOSF) a concept that was trialled during during trialled was that concept a (FOSF/DFOSF) Staffs

Directing analysis of exercises. exercises. of analysis Directing i. i. become the MW advisor on the Fleet Alternative Battle Battle Alternative Fleet the on advisor MW the become

N7(MW) in which case it is likely that SO(MFP) would would SO(MFP) that likely is it case which in N7(MW)

for minewarfare) minewarfare) for September this function may transfer to the new SO2 SO2 new the to transfer may function this September

output of MOD funded Applied Research Packages (16A (16A Packages Research Applied funded MOD of output assets required by and declared to the PJHQ. Post Post PJHQ. the to declared and by required assets

h. h. Development of Operational Requirements and and Requirements Operational of Development method by which CINCFLEET generates and supports supports and generates CINCFLEET which by method

Generation and Support Group (FFGSG) which is the the is which (FFGSG) Group Support and Generation

employment of the Maritime Warfare Centre etc) etc) Centre Warfare Maritime the of employment minewarfare/diving representative on the Fleet Force Force Fleet the on representative minewarfare/diving

g. g. Warfare development objectives (Priority/ (Priority/ objectives development Warfare d. d. To act as the Type Commanders specialist specialist Commanders Type the as act To

Audit of Military Capability through the annual Milcap. Milcap. annual the through Capability Military of Audit f. f. included Joint Maritime Courses from JMC 971 onwards. onwards. 971 JMC from Courses Maritime Joint included

into which the Royal Navy programs assets - this has has this - assets programs Navy Royal the which into

e. e. To provide advice on LTC matters at the Fleet level. level. Fleet the at matters LTC on advice provide To c. c. To plan and support NATO/National invitation Livexs Livexs invitation NATO/National support and plan To

d. d. Provision of warfare advice to CINCFLEET etc. etc. CINCFLEET to advice warfare of Provision wider warfare discussions at the 4* Headquarters. Headquarters. 4* the at discussions warfare wider

b. b. To ensure proper consideration of minewarfare in in minewarfare of consideration proper ensure To

To provide warfare input into the Fleet Plan. Plan. Fleet the into input warfare provide To c. c.

long term planning of minewarfare. minewarfare. of planning term long

To co-ordinate and direct warfare development. development. warfare direct and co-ordinate To b. b. To contribute to the formation of staff policy in the the in policy staff of formation the to contribute To a. a.

Long term policy development with the MOD. MOD. the with development policy term Long a. a. Northwood. Other responsibilities include: include: responsibilities Other Northwood.

have not been available from any other source at at source other any from available been not have

the Division are still being discussed but are likely to include: include: to likely are but discussed being still are Division the officers (Plans/Policy and Operational) which historically historically which Operational) and (Plans/Policy officers

on 9 Sept 97. As mentioned the work and responsibilities of of responsibilities and work the mentioned As 97. Sept 9 on diving/EOD and fishery protection issues to CINCFLEET CINCFLEET to issues protection fishery and diving/EOD

Lieutenant Commander Chris Ameye Royal Navy who joins joins who Navy Royal Ameye Chris Commander Lieutenant advice and guidance on specialist minewarfare immediate immediate minewarfare specialist on guidance and advice

19. The intended minewarfare staff officer (S02 N7 (MW)) is is (MW)) N7 (S02 officer staff minewarfare intended The 19. represent Cdre MFP at the 4* Headquarters and provide provide and Headquarters 4* the at MFP Cdre represent

derailed the plan slightly. His primary responsibility is to to is responsibility primary His slightly. plan the derailed

numbers will be promulgated when known. known. when promulgated be will numbers be called Chris for simplicity but unfortunately John Law has has Law John unfortunately but simplicity for Chris called be

the JHQ buildings at Fleet and the addresses and contact contact and addresses the and Fleet at buildings JHQ the cunning plan for all minewarfare staff offices at Northwood to to Northwood at offices staff minewarfare all for plan cunning

subordinates. The Division will be based above ground in in ground above based be will Division The subordinates. Commander Chris DAVIES Royal Navy - there was a a was there - Navy Royal DAVIES Chris Commander

Commanders, one ASW and one MW, working as his his as working MW, one and ASW one Commanders, 22.The current incumbent of the post is Lieutenant Lieutenant is post the of incumbent current 22.The

Warfare (UWW) headed by a Commander with 2 Lieutenant Lieutenant 2 with Commander a by headed (UWW) Warfare

number of sub-divisions one of which will be Under Water Water Under be will which of one sub-divisions of number dual hatted. hatted. dual

the MC subdivision of N8 (Policy). It will itself comprise a a comprise itself will It (Policy). N8 of subdivision MC the suffered slightly post the move to the NATO building whilst whilst building NATO the to move the post slightly suffered

Division formed on 1 Sept 96 with a nucleus of officers from from officers of nucleus a with 96 Sept 1 on formed Division minewarfare within the Fleet Operational Staff which had had which Staff Operational Fleet the within minewarfare

REPRESENTATION AT NORTHWOOD NORTHWOOD AT REPRESENTATION www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

EXERCISE PROGRAMMING AND PLANNING

By Lt Cdr C Davies

1. So its dark, raining and blowing a bastard. You are an area from the Norwegian sea to Northern Biscay. Held 100nm from land in 500m of water and supposed to be 3 yearly with the last in 96. carrying out meaningful MCM. You are being protected by DD/FFs which you haven't seen in 5 days and are seriously Linked Seas - is an NTG exercise, scheduled by starting to consider a career with IBM! So what's gone CINCIBERLANT which takes place every 2 years wrong? and how was the exercise planned in the first place? generally happening in odd years with MCM2 taking part in the latest (97) with the OCF. It aims to exercise the EXERCISE PLANNING formation and training of MNMFs which have been 2. The grown ups in the Exercise Planning Programme are formed in response to a regional crisis or limited conflict as follows: within the NATO area. It will take place between the IBERLANT AOR and the STROG. NECB - NATO Exercise Co-ord Board - This meets at 2* level every 6 months and agrees/deconflicts exercise Baritizan Hinge - another NTF Livex, similar to Northern programmes produced by SACLANT/SACEUR. This Lights which is designed to demonstrate and improve committee also ensures that most major exercises take the readiness of participating forces and HQs within the place over summer leave and stop/start back to back so NATO European Command Structure. Scheduled by a weekend transit in between will be required. CINCNW it normally takes place within the southern portion of the North Sea and the first is scheduled to be LERB/AERB - Atlantic/European Ex Review Board - held in 1997. Apart from not being able to recognise the first letter of the first word in their titles correctly, they also co-ordinate Blue Harrier - A dedicated MCM Livex held in the ex plans of their subordinate commands and the eastern North Sea/Baltic. Scheduled by produce a 5yr rolling programme. They also ensure all COMNAVNORTHWEST/COMNORTH and COMBALTAP exercises will start/stop on a Bank Holiday Monday and in rotation it is actually organised and well executed finish in ports which are gash runs ashore. alternatively by ADMIRALDANFLEET (97) and CINCGERFLEET (98). It is held every year. OSE - (Officer Scheduling the Exercise) - NATO Command responsible (that's detailed off) for sponsoring PLANNING MEETINGS an exercise, the production of the EXSPEC (See para 6) 4. These are normally attended by a National and losing the mail during the exercise. Representative of each nation that is contributing forces to the exercise and the NATO commands in whose Sea Areas OCE - (Officer Conducting the Exercise) - The poor the exercise will be conducted. The schedule is not rigid and sucker that is responsible for planning and running the is tailored to fit the scale of the exercise. For smaller exercise. For major exercises there may be several exercises e.g. Baritizan Hinge 97 (Who thinks of these OCES. which is where the first level of confusion and names!) the two CPTs are combined and known as the Main mayhem could arise. Planning Conference (MPC).

3. Once the exercise details are known each nation will then INITIAL PLANNING CONFERENCE (IPC) allocate assets dependent on their availability, perceived 5. The majority of the business of the IPC is carried out in a benefits of the exercise and other commitments - lets say 1 Plenary session with some syndicate work and the meeting MCMTA, 3MMs, 1 FDU and 1 FSU. The next stage is to plan can last up to 5 days. The primary objective is to the exercise with my job to ensure UK MCM PLC gets the produce/revise the Exercise Specification (EXSPEC) in the best value for money/runs ashore etc. The current core light of force commitments and command preferences. exercises for the UK are: Consequently, the IPC is largely a "talking shop" during which a well organised staff can have a major influence on Strong Resolve - a Bi-MNC major joint/combined the shape of an exercise. Lets say for our exercise (Amphib exercise involving the deployment of an NETF with in nature) this will include 3 Cdo Bde, the use of a CVS in the amphibious forces and both land and air elements. LPH role and the MMs et al conducting Advanced Force Conducted in early spring every 3 years with the next Operations plus follow on ops in an AOA. The IPC is scheduled for 98. normally attended, for the UK, by representatives from the MOD/CINCFLEET. Commands are usually represented Resolute Response - A Bi-MNC NTF Livex which down to TF level concentrates on supporting operations to contain/resolve a Med crisis. It exercises protection of Atlantic shipping, EXPEC (Exercise Specification) convoys and combatants to and from the Med. Once 6. This contains a broad outline of the exercise and includes: again this exercise takes place every 3 years with the next scheduled for ??. The aim Exercise Objectives Scale of the exercise Outline scenario OSE and OCE(s) Concept of Operations Northern Lights - also a NTF Livex which is designed to demonstrate and improve the readiness of participating Time frame Force Requirements forces and HQs under the current inplace NATO Geographical area. Planning timetable Command Structure. Scheduled by CINCEASTLANT in

www.mcdoa.org.uk 8

9 9

www.mcdoa.org.uk

SFTM. SFTM. afield next year. year. next afield

the information needed to effectively plan a ranging in that that in ranging a plan effectively to needed information the of this asset. Plans are in hand to deploy the range further further range the deploy to hand in are Plans asset. this of

available and how to book them. Ops Officers should find all all find should Officers Ops them. book to how and available PIKE and Exercise LINKED SEAS have proved the flexibility flexibility the proved have SEAS LINKED Exercise and PIKE

DSWO(MCD1), issued SFTM 14/97 which details the ranges ranges the details which 14/97 SFTM issued DSWO(MCD1), DG Range annually and recent deployments on Operation Operation on deployments recent and annually Range DG

harmonise procedures SIGO to FOSF, in conjunction with with conjunction in FOSF, to SIGO procedures harmonise required. Current Cdre MFP policy is to deploy the Mobile Mobile the deploy to is policy MFP Cdre Current required.

Budget has been integrated into the FOSF bid. In order to to order In bid. FOSF the into integrated been has Budget have indicated that some facility could be provided if if provided be could facility some that indicated have

Since the move down from Rosyth, the Cdre MFP Ranging Ranging MFP Cdre the Rosyth, from down move the Since ranging is currently embryonic, although DTEO Loch Goil Goil Loch DTEO although embryonic, currently is ranging

maintained by DTEO staff at Gosport. Mobile acoustic acoustic Mobile Gosport. at staff DTEO by maintained

only within ships but also at Project and platform level. level. platform and Project at also but ships within only current capability consists of the Mobile DG Range Range DG Mobile the of consists capability current

increase awareness of signature reduction and control, not not control, and reduction signature of awareness increase important with the move towards out of area ops. The The ops. area of out towards move the with important

Our profile in this area remains high. The drive continues to to continues drive The high. remains area this in profile Our In-theatre operational ranging is becoming increasingly increasingly becoming is ranging operational In-theatre

SIGNATURE REDUCTION AND RANGING RANGING AND REDUCTION SIGNATURE

And finally from Northwood Northwood from finally And

evolution's at TG/TU level. They used to be referred to as a a as to referred be to used They level. TG/TU at evolution's works - happy sailing! sailing! happy - works

10. NATO exercises normally start with 3-5 days of training training of days 3-5 with start normally exercises NATO 10. units. After this its time to put it all into practice and see if it it if see and practice into all it put to time its this After units.

briefings and conferences attended by individual ships and and ships individual by attended conferences and briefings

factors (honest!). (honest!). factors 14. 14. The final part of the planning cycle is the pre-sail pre-sail the is cycle planning the of part final The

D of the Exopord. Naturally, speed/time/distance are major major are speed/time/distance Naturally, Exopord. the of D PRE-SAIL CONFERENCES CONFERENCES PRE-SAIL

and the Conduct of Operations is documented within Annex Annex within documented is Operations of Conduct the and

detailed sequence of events is determined for each TG/TU TG/TU each for determined is events of sequence detailed requirements or other aims to be considered and included. included. and considered be to aims other or requirements

landing or the outbreak of hostilities. During the CPT2 the the CPT2 the During hostilities. of outbreak the or landing conferences thus being unable to push for their training training their for push to unable being thus conferences

requirement to meet a major event, such as an amphibious amphibious an as such event, major a meet to requirement well not be able to make some or even all of the planning planning the of all even or some make to able be not well

The timeline for an exercise is usually determined by the the by determined usually is exercise an for timeline The have a very limited number of personnel to go around may may around go to personnel of number limited very a have

sounds sensible, commands such as MCM Squadrons, who who Squadrons, MCM as such commands sensible, sounds

Pre sail sail Pre 3 Days (See para 13) 13) para (See Days 3 the exercise say MCM2) is envisaged. Whilst this initially initially this Whilst envisaged. is MCM2) say exercise the

FPC FPC 5 Months (See para 12) 12) para (See Months 5 operational planners (i.e. the commands that will undertake undertake will that commands the (i.e. planners operational

CPT2 CPT2 10 Months Months 10 the replacement of dedicated exercise planners by by planners exercise dedicated of replacement the

CPT1 CPT1 14 Months Months 14

Conferences described above are organised. In essence, essence, In organised. are above described Conferences

IPC IPC 21 Months Months 21 13. 13. NATO is attempting to change the way the Planning Planning the way the change to attempting is NATO

A typical timeline for a major exercise is: is: exercise major a for timeline typical A that will undertake the exercise. exercise. the undertake will that

presentation are the keys to achieving the best for our units. units. our for best the achieving to keys the are presentation normally attended by the Operations Officer of the Squadron Squadron the of Officer Operations the by attended normally

national representatives. Again, pre-planning and good good and pre-planning Again, representatives. national it as necessary. For the UK MCM world this conference is is conference this world MCM UK the For necessary. as it

with a daily co-ordination meeting of syndicate leaders and and leaders syndicate of meeting co-ordination daily a with a thorough review of the latest EXOPORD draft and fine-tune fine-tune and draft EXOPORD latest the of review thorough a

9. The majority of CPT2 work is carried out in syndicates syndicates in out carried is work CPT2 of majority The 9. senior staffs (common). In essence, an FPC should carry out out carry should FPC an essence, In (common). staffs senior

CENTRAL PLANNING TEAM 2 (CPT) (CPT) 2 TEAM PLANNING CENTRAL the withdrawal of forces (rare) and changed perceptions by by perceptions changed and (rare) forces of withdrawal the

planning and the magnitude of unforeseen changes, such as as such changes, unforeseen of magnitude the and planning

covered in standard NATO publications. publications. NATO standard in covered necessary is dependent on the quality of the preceding preceding the of quality the on dependent is necessary

material peculiar to the exercise and should not repeat items items repeat not should and exercise the to peculiar material occasions they may not be required. The amount of work work of amount The required. be not may they occasions

conduct of the exercise. It should only contain amplifying amplifying contain only should It exercise. the of conduct 12. 12. Final Planning Conferences are variable feasts and on on and feasts variable are Conferences Planning Final

8. This contains the detailed information necessary for the the for necessary information detailed the contains This 8. FINAL PLANNING CONFERENCE CONFERENCE PLANNING FINAL

EXOPORD (Exercise Operation Order) Order) Operation (Exercise EXOPORD

by a string of signals. signals. of string a by

normally be distributed after CPT1. CPT1. after distributed be normally to STARTEX and much of the detail has to he promulgated promulgated he to has detail the of much and STARTEX to

and are included into the draft of the Exopord which will will which Exopord the of draft the into included are and inevitable that FIT programmes are in a state of flux right up up right flux of state a in are programmes FIT that inevitable

planning Exercise and Analysis Objectives are also decided decided also are Objectives Analysis and Exercise planning and to present their programme for approval at the FPC. It is is It FPC. the at approval for programme their present to and

are not careful or well represented. At this stage of the the of stage this At represented. well or careful not are their TGs, excepting inputs from subordinate commands, commands, subordinate from inputs excepting TGs, their

of focus in our training requirements will also happen if we we if happen also will requirements training our in focus of out the detailed planning of serials that will be carried out by by out carried be will that serials of planning detailed the out

the exercise is to get off the ground but this is where a loss loss a where is this but ground the off get to is exercise the which appears after CPT2. CTFs are normally tasked to carry carry to tasked normally are CTFs CPT2. after appears which

flying either! Some compromise is inevitable at this stage if if stage this at inevitable is compromise Some either! flying programme is published in the second draft of the Exopord Exopord the of draft second the in published is programme

is also at the end of an International Airport runway, so no no so runway, Airport International an of end the at also is geographical area and availability of assets, the outline outline the assets, of availability and area geographical

local fishing community, so no MCM in front of the beach. It It beach. the of front in MCM no so community, fishing local 11. 11. FIT at CPT2 level is discussed in terms of timeframe, timeframe, of terms in discussed is level CPT2 at FIT

the Marines would wish to land is also the main area of the the of area main the also is land to wish would Marines the

which has an adjacent land training area and is hence where where hence is and area training land adjacent an has which current way NATO does its business. business. its does NATO way current

problems start to raise their ugly heads. The only beach beach only The heads. ugly their raise to start problems together a Multi national Maritime Force (MNMF) - the the - (MNMF) Force Maritime national Multi a together

Exercise Oporder (EXOPORD). This is also where detailed detailed where also is This (EXOPORD). Oporder Exercise Integration Training (FIT) which is necessary to weld weld to necessary is which (FIT) Training Integration

is worked out in syndicates and documented within the the within documented and syndicates in out worked is of the tactical phase. Nowadays the trend is towards Force Force towards is trend the Nowadays phase. tactical the of

7. The CPTs are where the detailed structure of the exercise exercise the of structure detailed the where are CPTs The 7. designed to ensure units were up to speed before the start start the before speed to up were units ensure to designed

CENTRAL PLANNING TEAM 1 1 TEAM PLANNING CENTRAL Combat Enhancement Training (CET) phase and were were and phase (CET) Training Enhancement Combat

EXERCISE PROGRAMMING AND PLANNING PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING EXERCISE www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

SWO 2 SHOWS HIS HARDWARE (FUTURE PROJECTS)

By Lt. Cdr Mike Leany

Forthcoming Attractions: distribution. Further evaluation took place during Blue Harrier 97 in the Baltic, and Alcudra 97 around the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator Balearics. An American initiative to bring COT technology into service as quickly as possible, and involves the MCM IN SUPPORT OF AMPHIBIOUS OPS, AND VSW operator at an early stage of procurement. MCM 3 is MCM/EOD heading a delegation to observe and participate in These topics retain a high profile, and the DNO paper JFTEX 97-3. This demonstration takes place at the `MCM in Support of Amphibious Operations' has end of August off Camp Lejeune (E Coast USA), and circulated numerous times at many levels in the quest for will involve the following equipments: endorsement. This should be achieved in the near future. An Ad-Hoc Working Group has been set up to look at Advanced Sensors MCM/EOD in VSW. UW mine detection, classification and identification system with a high coverage rate. Objectives have been agreed, and the latest version of EXTAC 620 (Amphib Ops in a Mine Environment) has Magic Lantern (Adaptation) been issued for review. Upgraded Laser Linescan system with an 'enhanced tactical decision aid' to detect, classify and localise minefields in shallow water.

Advanced Lightweight Influence Sweep System An acoustic/magnetic sweep for use in SW/VSW.

Explosive Neutralisation Advanced Technology Demonstration Consists of a Line Charge, a Surf Zone Array, and a Beach Zone Array with a fire control system. Deployed from an LCAC by rockets, they utilise shaped charges to counter ordnance.

Near Term Reconnaissance System Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUV's) deployed and recovered by submarines for covert minefield reconnaissance.

Littoral Remote Sensing The fusion of various experimental sensor inputs to detect VSW and beach obstacles.

FLEET TACTICAL TRIAL - HMS BRIDPORT HMS BRIDPORT will be conducting trials against 2 sensor packages laid on the seabed at BUTEC late in June. Data will be collected on Ship, ROV and Diver signatures. Analysis of the results will be undertaken by DRA Bincleaves and a full report is to follow.

SANDOWN CLASS OPERATIONAL EVALUATION Good progress has been made with the OPEVAL, and the report for Stage 2 undertaken by HMS INVERNESS Confirmation that as well as his daytime job at the DDS, WO(D) and SANDOWN is almost complete. Minehunting was Piggy TROTTER finds time to tour the comedy circuit in conducted in shallow, medium and deep minefields in BRUSSELS, and has the neck to drop fly posters at the NA TO the Clyde approaches and at BUTEC, providing masses HQ of good data. The final reports will be given a wide

www.mcdoa.org.uk 10 www.mcdoa.org.uk CDRE MFP ANALYSIS OFFICE

By Lt Cdr Richard Hill In October 1995 the post of Staff Analysis Office and a get well programme is now underway with GEC became a MW/MCD appointment due to the demise of to solve these minor problems. It is expected that the the WRNS Fleet Analyst Branch. The first incumbent Batch II Sandowns will receive the updated OA was, and still is, Lt Cdr Richard HILL RN. He is assisted package first with the plan to retro-fit Batch Is in due by Mr Tony POTTS, a Civil Servant of Assistant course, Scientific Officer grade. VERSATILE EXERCISE MINE MARK 2 (VEM MK2) The Analysis Office is responsible to CDR W (Cdr DSWE is the Versatile Exercise Mine Mark I (VEM I) Sean O'REILLY RN) for the reporting of Operational Project Manager. A modification to the original VEM is Capability (00) of MMs through use of Weapon in development at present. The VEM II will have better Practice Assessments (WPA) and analysis of directed acoustic, magnetic and pressure sensors and has a NATO or National exercises. planned ISD of late 1998. A prototype version has been used on several occasions recently during OP OPERATION PIKE PIKE and JMCs and results have been very promising. HMS BRECON became the first RN minehunter to During Operation PIKE, MMs conduct minehunting recover the VEM Mk II during PIKE 2/97. and minesweeping (CIS) Weapon Practice Assessments (WPA) to assess ship's OC through the MTSS award of a Measure of Performance (MOP). The The Minewarfare Tactical Support System (MTSS) is assessments also help to identify weak areas of being provided with an OA analysis package which minewarfare systems, operations or tactics. These will replace the Minewarfare Operational Analysis Tool weak areas are passed to equipment projects or (MOAT) currently used to analyse CAAIS data. NAUTIS SWO(MCD)2 for tactical issues. In the past 20 months, data is currently analysed manually or via EXCEL 22 WPA assessments have been completed; the aim based spreadsheet programs using data recorded is for all MMs to conduct a WPA annually, although from both NAUTIS and a dedicated data logging this is not always possible due to the busy exercise laptop supplied by MWC Portsdown for specific schedule. exercises. With the introduction of an updated NAUTIS OA package all MM analysis will be conducted using NATO EXERCISES MTSS.

For certain directed exercises the Analysis Team REAL TIME PERFORMANCE MONITORING conduct analysis of ship's records forwarded at the EQUIPMENT (RTPME) end of the exercise; these records are analysed along with mine positions (passed by the exercise co- RTPME has recently been updated for both Hunt and ordinator) and a report is produced highlighting Sandown Classes; predictions are now more realistic, permanent points of the exercise, shortfalls in tactics especially if hypothetical targets are used. The RTPME or equipment. In the past 20 months the following Working Party is being re-convened shortly to discuss exercises have been analysed: Blue Harrier, Alcudra, areas of possible development; ships will be invited to Linked Seas and Purple Star. Analysis assistance has attend if available. MOM2/97 gives Sandown operating been given to COMINWARCOM in the United States procedures and BR8513(2C1) is in the process of and the Permanent Analysis Team (PAT) in being updated for the Hunts. Northwood. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS (OA) RECORDING Both SANO and ASANO are the HQ IT advisors, they The Hunt Class OA recording package has been well also assist in the selection of IT equipment for ships proven and data has been extracted and analysed for and are a useful source of advice from the use of MS many exercises and live operations. OA recording has Office to IT Security. They are there to help. been used extensively in preparation of data for the Hunt Mid-Life Update (HMLU) and has more recently The Office welcomes visitors at any time to discuss contributed to NATO planning and evaluation tools records, WPA or any minewarfare or IT related topics. (including MCM EXPERT). However the NAUTIS OA Operations Officers remember FOST (MPV) OST recording package is not as mature as its CAAIS Guide para 0733! counterpart. Some shortcomings have been identified

www.mcdoa.org.uk 11 www.mcdoa.org.uk

THE FLEET DIVING GROUP

By Lt Cdr Mike Allen RN, CO Fleet Diving Group

1< ---- - ,- •k-&-- iK:. c

.•

Introduction FDG is divided into 3 peacetime Fleet Diving Units (FDUs) with With this short article I aim to outline the FDG structure and how additional units formed during hostilities as follows: it has operated over the past year or so and then highlight some of the changes that are going to happen in the Group during FDU1 - responsible for Special Operations and diving/IEDD 1998. support to SF world-wide.

Current Structure FDU2 - deployable world-wide for general CD/MCM/EOD As outlined in DCI 181/95 (Reorganisation of FDG tasks including some specialised roles. Responsibilities) the group is the UK's prime mobile diving team capable of operating world-wide for Special Operations, Mine FDU3 - responsible for Battle Damage Assessment and Countermeasures, EOD and Battle Damage Assessment and Repair (BDAR) plus underwater engineering (UWE) world- Repair/Underwater Engineering roles'. As most are aware the wide and diving/EOD equipment trials.

Fleet Diving Unit 4/5 - dormant; formed in crisis/tension/war and may include members of the RNR diving branch.

The FDG operates from RECLAIM Building at Horsea Island under the operational command and control of FOSF although it has the benefit of a considerable amount of autonomy in the planning and execution of its commitments.

Recent Programme The 3 Fleet Diving Units are always busy with their own particular problems; FDU 1 continues to operate in its highly specialised area offering support to the SF. With a complement of thirteen they regularly take part in many short, specialised exercises such as LEMON PEEL and LOBSTER POT in addition to maintaining currency in their unique skills which include CQB with pistol, parachuting, rapid roping, climbing, 02 swimming and IEDD in addition to the usual diving work-ups.

The FDU 2 programme has a longer cycle; they need to conduct month long 75m DDWUs in Scotland three times a year in addition to their exercise commitments to retain the demanding skills of surface supported 75m diving from inflatables. Exercise commitments during the past 12 months have included deployment to the USA, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia and Turkey. Spending up to 75 percent of the year out of base they move around the world courtesy of the RAF transport force and are often the only UK element committed to an exercise. (Four days in a C-130 IS cattle class.) With a fully Photograph 1 - FDU I on :PICT Operations

www.mcdoa.org.uk 12 www.mcdoa.org.uk THE FLEET DIVING GROUP

complemented team of 18 they are also the largest of the Fleet FDU 1 will continue to support SF operations world-wide, as Diving Units. necessary, in exactly the same way as they do now - their role will not change. Fleet Diving Unit 3 have, as I am sure you all know, had a busier than usual time during the past 18 months or so with the trials of FDU 2 will train to conduct both overt and covert beach and the new CDBA. From the competitive comparison stage (when harbour clearance. there were three sets) to the final completion of the pre- production trials with just the one set, the work was relentless, FDU 3 will assume responsibility for MM, overt beach and Fort William almost became their second home and the rectal harbour clearance (standard MCM) and 80m CDBA diving thermometer a way of life!. In between they also conducted including specialised roles. They will continue lead in various other underwater trials from assessing the new BCA to SUBMISS exercises. testing suit inflation valves and whips for the DSSCCA. They also solved an underwater engineering problem on HMS FDU4/5 will continue to provide the additional flexibility SCEPTRE in St Croix and cleared an offshore weapons range needed in-theatre and their function will depend on priorities.

FDU 2 will only lose 75m surface supported diving when FDU 3 are fully worked up on CDBA for deep recovery operations and MIE. Thereafter, surface supplied diving will no longer be conducted below 50m by the RN. Overseas underwater engineering tasks will be conducted by either the Northern or Southern Diving Group, depending on which one is best qualified and available. This is a logical solution because these Groups conduct the majority of engineering tasks carried out by RN divers and they are therefore the most up to date with current practices. FDU 4/5 will not change in structure.

As a result of the VSW role FDU 2 can expect a considerable amount of new specialist training in insertion and extraction techniques along with more general military skills. Fitness will be a major factor and the Divers Basic Fitness Test will become a standard assessment for joining. There will therefore be a Photograph 2 - FDU 2 Deploying by RAF C-130 Hercules certain amount of common training between FDU 1 and FDU 2 but to allow greater flexibility FDU 3 may also benefit from cross- off Cyprus (Op UPRAISE 96). With 12 personnel they are the training when the opportunity allows and therefore all three units smallest, just, of the Fleet Diving Units. will need to be particularly fit.

What should be plainly evident is that, with only 53 clearance Conclusion divers, the Fleet Diving Units have a wide ranging set of The restructuring of the roles of all the Diving Groups prompted responsibilities. Considerable demands are placed on them due by the need to conduct VSW MCM is an evolutionary step; as to the levels of recall they are all under (FDU 1 -30 mins and 2 circumstance and priorities change so too should the hours, FDU 2/3 - both 6 hours - to re-role and deploy), and the organisations conducting them. This restructuring gives the workload can be heavy. However, they continue to fulfill all of Fleet Group a new role, VSW; spreads the other roles more their commitments. evenly and results in Underwater Engineering being done by those best qualified to do it - the ones who do it now. Finally The Future and a New Task - Very Shallow Water (VSW) trials will now be done by whoever is the best unit to do them; MCM get used to conducting operations and writing constructive Over the past few years there has been considerable interest in reports on new equipment in addition to the reports you usually VSW MCM. This stems from the Gulf conflict in 1991 when it do. became apparent that no one had the capability to clear boat lanes for an amphibious landing. This severely constrained the military options of the Coalition Commander. As a result, and after much high level discussion, the decision was taken to form a specialist VSW MCM Diving Unit along similar lines to those recently formed in Australia and America. Because of the nature of the role a considerable amount of time will have to be spent in training. New operational methods and techniques will need to be developed and new skills learnt especially from other agencies. It wasn't feasible to give this as an additional task to one of the 3 FDUs without severely impinging their existing commitments so it was decided to re-examine the tasks allocated to all the Diving Groups.

Some of the finer details are still in the planning stage and I am deliberately avoiding mention of implementation dates, however the following outlines the envisaged role changes from early 1998: Photograph 3 - FDU 3 on Operation UPRAISE in Cyprus

www.mcdoa.org.uk 13

www.mcdoa.org.uk

WHEN THINGS GO WITH A BANG

By Lt Cdr Rob Hoole Every now and then, something happens which concentrates 1408 BROKE, SLIPPED AND BUOYED BOTH CABLES. the mind. Before the incident described below, I had served on COMMENCED TOW INTO FALMOUTH HARBOUR. the Plymouth Clearance Diving Team with its usual tally of EOD 1500 ASKED BY FALMOUTH DOCK MASTER ON VHF TO jobs. During that time, I like to believe that I was extremely CONFIRM IXWORTH WATERTIGHT QUOTE WE safety-conscious and ever mindful of the hazards associated CANNOT LET YOU IN IF YOU ARE GOING TO SINK with wartime ordnance. But to be honest, at times I possibly UNQUOTE. deluded myself that something which had rolled around on the 1507 SLIPPED TOW IN SHELTER OF FALMOUTH BASIN. seabed for forty years would not go bang very easily, at least BERTHED SOUTH SIDE KINGS JETTY WITH not without the help of a 41b PE Pack. The events below put paid ILCHESTER ASSISTANCE. to any such delusions for all time. 4. LIST OF OBVIOUS DAMAGE: P R 261746Z APR 83 A. SWITCHBOARD SEVERELY DAMAGED. FM FDT IXWORTH B. MAIN ENGINE LUB OIL COOLER DISCHARGE TO FO PLYMOUTH PIPE FRACTURED. INFO MODUK NAVY C. MAIN ENGINE SALVAGE PUMP SUCTION CINCNAVHOME VALVE FRACTURED AT MANIFOLD. CINCFLEET D. MAIN ENGINE GOVERNOR CONTROL ARM FO PORTSMOUTH BRACKETS FRACTURED. VERNON E. AFTER BALLAST TANK SUCTION VALVE BT DAMAGED. UNCLAS F. HP AIR FLASK MOUNTINGS BROKEN. SIC ILL/OAL G. BRIDGE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE MOUNTINGS SHEARED. A. FO PLYMOUTH ILL/OAL 251942Z APR 83 H. HOT WATER TANK RUPTURED. I. LIGHT FITTINGS SHEARED/SHATTERED. 1. REPORT BY LT R J HOOLE RN, LONG COURSE J. REFRIGERATOR DOOR SHEARED. TRAINING OFFICER, HMS VERNON IAW REF A. ALL TIMES K. HEADS, SHOWER AND SINKS SHATTERED. ZULU. L. NUMEROUS PIPES, FITTINGS AND FURNISHINGS FRACTURED AND BROKEN. 2. AT 251221 APR, FDT IXWORTH WAS DAMAGED BY UNDERWATER EXPLOSION WHILST WEIGHING ANCHOR IN 5. VERNON TECHNICAL TEAM ETA PM 26 APR. HP AIR POSN 50 DEG 05 MIN 24 SEC NORTH 005 DEG 00 MIN 54 SYSTEM DRAINED. SEC WEST. THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES AND THE HULL REMAINED WATERTIGHT. 6. STBD CABLE RECOVERED BY RMAS HEADCORN AND RETURNED IXWORTH. ANCHOR MISSING AND JOINING 3. NARRATIVE. READ IN TWO COLUMNS: SHACKLE (19MM) SPLAYED TWICE NORMAL DIAMETER. 0730 FDT IXWORTH (RN MANNED BASED HMS VERNON) PORT ANCHOR AND CABLE NOT FOUND. SAILED FALMOUTH WITH LONG MCD OFFICERS' COURSE AND STAFF EMBARKED FOR DIVING 7. CONCLUDE ANCHOR ACTUATED IMPACT FUZED TRAINING FALMOUTH BAY. BOMB 250KG APPROX. 0800 ANCHORED IN 48 METRES USING STBD ANCHOR WITH 4 1/2 SHACKLES. COMMENCED DIVING FROM 8. INTEND SUBMIT DETAILED WRITTEN REPORT TO THE THE STERN. CAPTAIN HMS VERNON ON RETURN PORTSMOUTH. 1151 TERMINATED DIVING OPERATIONS DUE DETERIORATING WEATHER. WIND SE FORCE 4 SEA I for one prefer not to think of the consequences had the divers STATE 4. still been in the water. 1217 SHORTENED TO 2 1/2 SHACKLES WITH ENGINE IDLING. VIOLENT UNDERWATER EXPLOSION LIFTED SHIP, SET ENGINE RACING ASTERN, SEVERED BRIDGE CONTROLS AND CUT ELECTRICAL POWER 00 EXCEPT 24 VOLT BATTERY SUPPLY. BOTH MAN ? OVERBOARD MARKERS ACTUATED IN BRIDGE WING STOWAGES. 1225 MUSTERED PERSONNEL CORRECT. COMMENCED CHECK FOR LEAKS. 1230 USED ENGINE ROOM FUEL COCKS TO SHUT DOWN AFTER FAILURE BRIDGE EMERGENCY STOPS. 1236 RE-ASSEMBLED VHF AND RAISED FALMOUTH CG CHANNEL 16. REQUESTED ASSISTANCE AND RMAS ILCHESTER RESPONDED HAVING BEEN ALERTED BY MOB MARKER SMOKE. 1240 LET GO PORT ANCHOR TO STOP SHIP'S DRIFT. 1300 ILCHESTER ARRIVED SCENE. LTO AND IXWORTH COXSWAIN TEMPORARILY TRANSFERRED FOR DISCUSSION. 1407 SECURED ILCHESTER TOW. Oops!

www.mcdoa.org.uk 14

15 15

www.mcdoa.org.uk

other diving, SEAL and EOD teams. On our first day in, LT. LT. in, day first our On teams. EOD and SEAL diving, other to be a really good system as we could spend either the the either spend could we as system good really a be to

USN's main diving school, experimental diving unit and various various and unit diving experimental school, diving main USN's split up into two groups, an AM and PM group. This turned out out turned This group. PM and AM an groups, two into up split

that the Coastal Systems Station Panama City was home to the the to home was City Panama Station Systems Coastal the that two more exams to pass. As the course was so large we were were we large so was course the As pass. to exams more two

jetty, divers I thought. After a bit of detective work I found out out found I work detective of bit a After thought. I divers jetty, The second week was all practical, in the pool and tank, with with tank, and pool the in practical, all was week second The

me. As we pulled into the dockyard, I noticed a chamber on the the on chamber a noticed I dockyard, the into pulled we As me.

Course members at the tank top top tank the at members Course out it's part four acceptance trials, it sounded like hard work to to work hard like sounded it trials, acceptance four part it's out

Florida. This was the area in which the ship would be carrying carrying be would ship the which in area the was This Florida.

party and on our way to Panama City on the west coast of of coast west the on City Panama to way our on and party

We were soon back to sea, after a good Independence Day Day Independence good a after sea, to back soon were We

would come out with us and go drink for drink!! drink!! for drink go and us with out come would

on board. It's a funny old thing, but after that none of the crew crew the of none that after but thing, old funny a It's board. on

to know what I had done to his lads, as they were carried back back carried were they as lads, his to done had I what know to

was just getting the taste for a session. The Ops. officer wanted wanted officer Ops. The session. a for taste the getting just was

couldn't walk. I don't call myself a big drinker, but at this point I I point this at but drinker, big a myself call don't I walk. couldn't

two of them were sick one couldn't talk and the other one one other the and talk couldn't one sick were them of two

out for a D.T.S. and show me how to drink! Within three hours hours three Within drink! to how me show and D.T.S. a for out

Fort Lauderdale. Four members of the crew decided to take me me take to decided crew the of members Four Lauderdale. Fort

ranging. The week soon flew past and we were again back in in back again were we and past flew soon week The ranging.

MUPPET!!" We sailed on the Monday for five days noise noise days five for Monday the on sailed We MUPPET!!"

he didn't take any shorts or T shirts with him 'BLOODY 'BLOODY him with shirts T or shorts any take didn't he

Spider must have thought we were going to the North Pole as as Pole North the to going were we thought have must Spider

100 Degrees Fahrenheit and at times rose to as high as 120, 120, as high as to rose times at and Fahrenheit Degrees 100

surf and beer and we were back at school. school. at back were we and beer and surf American beer (impossible). The temperature on average was was average on temperature The (impossible). beer American

as six of the course failed. Another hazy weekend of sand, sea, sea, sand, of weekend hazy Another failed. course the of six as Fort Lauderdale soaking up the sun and trying to get drunk on on drunk get to trying and sun the up soaking Lauderdale Fort

I came joint first, which really rubbed their noses in it, especially especially it, in noses their rubbed really which first, joint came I places to hide from the bosun. The next 2 days were spent in in spent were days 2 next The bosun. the from hide to places

time. Needless to say, as the course was made up of LMCDO's, LMCDO's, of up made was course the as say, to Needless time. Within a day I had found every route to my rack and lots of of lots and rack my to route every found had I day a Within

down at the beach. The first week passed and it was soon exam exam soon was it and passed week first The beach. the at down

for the theory exam, while he was jet skiing and parascending parascending and skiing jet was he while exam, theory the for required, a damn good idea if ever I've heard one. one. heard I've ever if idea good damn a required,

find me neck high in BR's revising partial pressure formulas etc., etc., formulas pressure partial revising BR's in high neck me find diving team onboard and that they only embarked a team when when team a embarked only they that and onboard team diving

first week was all theory, LT. Howgill found it highly amusing to to amusing highly it found Howgill LT. theory, all was week first large PAP. I was quite disappointed to find that there was no no was there that find to disappointed quite was I PAP. large

started at 0600 with a muster followed by 2 hours of sport. The The sport. of hours 2 by followed muster a with 0600 at started SQQ 32 variable depth sonar and one vehicle, resembling a a resembling vehicle, one and sonar depth variable 32 SQQ

naval reservists and myself, a total of 26 students. Each day day Each students. 26 of total a myself, and reservists naval system onboard comprised of a Raytheon/Thompson Sintra Sintra Raytheon/Thompson a of comprised onboard system

The class was made up of an LMCDO's course a couple of of couple a course LMCDO's an of up made was class The clear that at times the crew were stretched, The mine hunting hunting mine The stretched, were crew the times at that clear

and seeing how the Americans utilised their manpower, it was was it manpower, their utilised Americans the how seeing and

joined the course. course. the joined not much longer than a Hunt, but after a short period aboard aboard period short a after but Hunt, a than longer much not

joining 9630 MK.16 course. The weekend flew past and I soon soon I and past flew weekend The course. MK.16 9630 joining crew of 51, which at first seemed very large considering that it is is it that considering large very seemed first at which 51, of crew

Howgill had 2 days diving Superlight 17 and I hit the jackpot jackpot the hit I and 17 Superlight diving days 2 had Howgill similar to our single roles, minus the bow thrust. The ship has a a has ship The thrust. bow the minus roles, single our to similar

promising lots of beer. After a bit of negotiating with the ship, LT. LT. ship, the with negotiating of bit a After beer. of lots promising design with 2 Voith Schneider props as her propulsion, very very propulsion, her as props Schneider Voith 2 with design

course starting on Monday." I looked over to LT. Howgill Howgill LT. to over looked I Monday." on starting course U.S.S. Blackhawk is an Osprey class mine hunter, an Italian Italian an hunter, mine class Osprey an is Blackhawk U.S.S.

He looked down at his weekly planner, "There's a 2 week week 2 a "There's planner, weekly his at down looked He We arrived at the ship at 22:00 local, just as it got alongside. The The alongside. got it as just local, 22:00 at ship the at arrived We

diving we wanted to do, I mentioned the MK.16 with little hope. hope. little with MK.16 the mentioned I do, to wanted we diving

The School School The

and 300 students. The Master Chief Diver asked what sort of of sort what asked Diver Chief Master The students. 300 and

diving school, it was a big and well organised unit, with 250 staff staff 250 with unit, organised well and big a was it school, diving

were left behind to organise the diving. We walked into the the into walked We diving. the organise to behind left were

for a PR exercise to show off the new ship. LT. Howgill and I I and Howgill LT. ship. new the off show to exercise PR a for

On the Friday the ship sailed to Pensicola, west of Panama City, City, Panama of west Pensicola, to sailed ship the Friday the On

at least a week to come through. through. come to week a least at

not to let me on it. The parts were not available and would take take would and available not were parts The it. on me let to not

next day we were back alongside, sonar tits up. I did tell them them tell did I up. tits sonar alongside, back were we day next

and disappeared "OOPS". Most of the crew thanked me and the the and me thanked crew the of Most "OOPS". disappeared and

didn't touch a thing, but within fifteen minutes the screen flashed flashed screen the minutes fifteen within but thing, a touch didn't

of the crew gave me a quick run round and left me to it, I swear I I swear I it, to me left and round run quick a me gave crew the of

hour watch soon arrived and I sat down in front of the set. One One set. the of front in down sat I and arrived soon watch hour

almost wished Cags had won the head to head. Well, my first six six first my Well, head. to head the won had Cags wished almost

myself. myself. thing, but to no avail. Three weeks in the Ops. room I thought, I I thought, I room Ops. the in weeks Three avail. no to but thing,

really hit us, this is going to be a good month I thought to to thought I month good a be to going is this us, hit really a clue about the Ops. room and divers didn't do that sort of of sort that do didn't divers and room Ops. the about clue a

Lauderdale and walked outside, it was at this point that the heat heat the that point this at was it outside, walked and Lauderdale on the list of sonar operators!! I tried to explain that I didn't have have didn't I that explain to tried I operators!! sonar of list the on

long flight, with a few technical problems, we landed at Fort Fort at landed we problems, technical few a with flight, long was written, as you can imagine I was horrified to find my name name my find to horrified was I imagine can you as written, was

Gatwick, the two other lucky members of the exchange. After a a After exchange. the of members lucky other two the Gatwick, The trials started and a watch and station bill for mine hunting hunting mine for bill station and watch a and started trials The

Heathrow. I met up with Lt. Howgill and LS(MW) Webster at at Webster LS(MW) and Howgill Lt. with up met I Heathrow.

my place and I was soon on a flight from Kiel back to sunny sunny to back Kiel from flight a on soon was I and place my confirm. confirm.

holy golden Scottish water to the Coxn (Jas Garlick) guaranteed guaranteed Garlick) (Jas Coxn the to water Scottish golden holy days, but would pop in to see him at the end of the week to to week the of end the at him see to in pop would but days,

head to head with Cags Lacy and a promise of a bottle of the the of bottle a of promise a and Lacy Cags with head to head Diver and arranged to join an engineering class for a couple of of couple a for class engineering an join to arranged and Diver

a months exchange to the U.S.S Blackhawk, in Florida!! A quick quick A Florida!! in Blackhawk, U.S.S the to exchange months a some minutes in during our stay. We spoke to the Master Chief Chief Master the to spoke We stay. our during in minutes some

It was a close call, carry on with STANS on the Inverness or take take or Inverness the on STANS with on carry call, close a was It Howgill and I slipped off to the diving school, hoping to get get to hoping school, diving the to off slipped I and Howgill

By AB(D) Taylor Taylor AB(D) By

THE BLACKHAWK EXCHANGE EXCHANGE BLACKHAWK THE www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

THE BLACKHAWK EXCHANGE

morning or afternoon at the beach playing volleyball and generally taking it easy. The first dive was just a familiarisation dive in the schools swimming pool, practising reports and general operating drills. The second day was the first practical exam, demonstrating our knowledge of emergency procedures and reaction to these. This dive was also carried out in the pool. On the fourth and fifth day we moved to the schools diving tank, it was very similar to the old one at Gunwarf, with a depth of 50 feet.

Surfacing after the final practical

for us, with the use of a ski boat and a couple of jet skis. Overall we had a really good time, although my bank manager wouldn't agree. No sooner had we arrived than we were on our way home, via Atlanta, back in the UK just in time for summer leave. "It's a hard life!!"

Me prior to one of the tank dives

Here we were taught tactical deployment of the set in a mine hunting scenario and were also again examined on our emergency procedures. The E.B.S. (emergency breathing system) was introduced to us, it was a twin set that stayed on the surface with a length of hose that went up and down with the lazy shot. If diving with a free mouth piece a second stage reducer was fitted and if diving with an AGA full face mask a Q.R.F. was fitted and could be connected to a fitting on the mask. It was used as an alternative air source should the MK.16 fail. We all had 2 dives in the tank and everyone passed the practical exams.

The last day was spent clearing up. I was a bit disappointed to find out that the school would not give me the course certificate, due to the fact that the course costs a lot of money and I was on it as a freebie. I at least got all the dives logged and have got some experience when our variation of the set comes out. We all parted, with the LMCDO's course carrying on to their EOD phase at India Head, Maryland. There were no open water dives on the course, which seemed strange, as the students were expected to gain experience on the job! Overall I found the MK.16 a vast improvement over our current set, bringing us back into the 20th century. Although at a first glance it looks very complicated, after a while it all falls into place and is fairly easy to set up and operate. The two criticisms that I would make is that it is a very large set for swimming long distances with and that in shallow water it tends to force feed you with gas, although this soon disappears as you descend.

I left the school to rejoin the Blackhawk, for our last weekend in Florida. The crew had organised a farewell B.B.Q. on the beach Course members carrying out pre dive checks on the Mk.I6

www.mcdoa.org.uk 16

17 17

www.mcdoa.org.uk

decompression rules and the DCIEM diving tables; the RN RN the tables; diving DCIEM the and rules decompression the dive must be aborted. Not generally a problem here in in here problem a generally Not aborted. be must dive the

supervisors, it acquaints them with the new omitted omitted new the with them acquaints it supervisors, Secondary Display. In the event that he cannot see it then then it see cannot he that event the In Display. Secondary

Divers to the use of the A5800. Additionally, for the diving diving the for Additionally, A5800. the of use the to Divers jacket). The set requires the diver to be able to see the the see to able be to diver the requires set The jacket).

course is 2 weeks long and aims to convert Clearance Clearance convert to aims and long weeks 2 is course Secondary Display (a LCD attached to the Buoyancy Control Control Buoyancy the to attached LCD (a Display Secondary

Instructed at the RAN Diving School, HMAS PENGUIN, the the PENGUIN, HMAS School, Diving RAN the at Instructed his Primary Display (a LED attached to the face mask) and a a and mask) face the to attached LED (a Display Primary his

have with the A5800 is that it relies on the diver monitoring monitoring diver the on relies it that is A5800 the with have

Canada, the A5800 conversion course was developed. developed. was course conversion A5800 the Canada, set I can thoroughly recommend it. The only concern that I I that concern only The it. recommend thoroughly can I set

Defence and Civil Institute Environmental Medicine (DCIEM), (DCIEM), Medicine Environmental Institute Civil and Defence was WO(D) Crang's MAD Mag article. Having now dived the the dived now Having article. Mag MAD Crang's WO(D) was

Canadian Navy and adopting the diving tables of the the of tables diving the adopting and Navy Canadian the subject of the new CDBA available in the public domain domain public the in available CDBA new the of subject the

capable of going to 300m. Working closely with the Royal Royal the with closely Working 300m. to going of capable before I left the UK, especially since the only document on on document only the since especially UK, the left I before

will require a diving depth capability of 90m; the set itself is is itself set the 90m; of capability depth diving a require will were a lot of buzzes flying around the bazaars about it it about bazaars the around flying buzzes of lot a were

Based on a number of studies, the RAN decided that they they that decided RAN the studies, of number a on Based I had my reservations about the set before diving it. There There it. diving before set the about reservations my had I

BERKELEY BERKELEY

will all know soon? soon? know all will

Lt Cdr Baz Everest RAN (Ex-XO HM Ships QUORN and and QUORN Ships HM (Ex-XO RAN Everest Baz Cdr Lt

which routine the RN have or will be adopting. No doubt we we doubt No adopting. be will or have RN the routine which

the procedures as I'm not sure what tables and therefore therefore and tables what sure not I'm as procedures the

adopted routine very easy to use. I do not intend to go into into go to intend not do I use. to easy very routine adopted

decompression routine in my diver's brain, I found the new new the found I brain, diver's my in routine decompression

able to place to one side the well ingrained RN omitted omitted RN ingrained well the side one to place to able

for the surface decompression to worry about. After I was was I After about. worry to decompression surface the for

of the old 5 minutes then 2 minute run-over and what depth depth what and run-over minute 2 then minutes 5 old the of

new RAN omitted decompression procedures. There is none none is There procedures. decompression omitted RAN new

is based primarily on the requirement to fully understand the the understand fully to requirement the on primarily based is

up with preparation for the supervisor's practical test, which which test, practical supervisor's the for preparation with up

wetsuit!! (Av water temp 22°C). The final few days are taken taken are days few final The 22°C). temp water (Av wetsuit!!

hood or, worse still, a wetsuit jacket over my RAN issue 3mm 3mm issue RAN my over jacket wetsuit a still, worse or, hood

BBQ steak going to be, and whether I would have to wear a a wear to have would I whether and be, to going steak BBQ

had to make whilst on the course were, how rare was my my was rare how were, course the on whilst make to had

diving and supervising. Some of the more difficult decisions I I decisions difficult more the of Some supervising. and diving

that the EPs can be carried out correctly, then it is full on on full is it then correctly, out carried be can EPs the that

Emergency Procedures (EPs). Once the staff are satisfied satisfied are staff the Once (EPs). Procedures Emergency

diver's decompression requirements. requirements. decompression diver's

days are taken up with learning and carrying out the sets sets the out carrying and learning with up taken are days

a significant advantage over the former when calculating the the calculating when former the over advantage significant a

the classroom studying the set and how it works. The next 2 2 next The works. it how and set the studying classroom the

CDBA is set at 1.3 Bars Absolute. The latter therefore having having therefore latter The Absolute. Bars 1.3 at set is CDBA

next few weeks. As with all diving courses the first day is in in is day first the courses diving all with As weeks. few next

A5800's PPO2 is set at 0.75 Bars Absolute whereas the the whereas Absolute Bars 0.75 at set is PPO2 A5800's

since the beginning of 1996, and are due to complete in the the in complete to due are and 1996, of beginning the since

is that of the partial pressures of oxygen (PP02). The The (PP02). oxygen of pressures partial the of that is

supervisors and 4 divers. The courses have been running running been have courses The divers. 4 and supervisors

class. The principal difference between the A5800 and CDBA CDBA and A5800 the between difference principal The class.

school caters for a maximum of 10 CDs per course; 6 6 course; per CDs 10 of maximum a for caters school

platforms on-line by 2004, is moulded from the Italian Lerici Lerici Italian the from moulded is 2004, by on-line platforms

Tables no longer being used except for therapeutics. The The therapeutics. for except used being longer no Tables

Incidentally, the Huon class hull, of which there will be 6 6 be will there which of hull, class Huon the Incidentally,

(MHC) which comes into service with the RAN in 1998. 1998. in RAN the with service into comes which (MHC)

`The Perpetual Exchange Officer' Officer' Exchange Perpetual `The

specifically on the new Huon Class Mine Hunter Coastal Coastal Hunter Mine Class Huon new the on specifically

Lt Cdr Dave Tristm-Rattay USN (Ex-Chatenden EOD staff) staff) EOD (Ex-Chatenden USN Tristm-Rattay Dave Cdr Lt

number. The set is used in an MCM environment, and more more and environment, MCM an in used is set The number.

Mix A5800. A5800 being the first part of the set's project project set's the of part first the being A5800 A5800. Mix ------

brought into service in 1993. It was designated the SCUBA SCUBA the designated was It 1993. in service into brought

US Mk 16 Mod 0 was selected as the replacement set and and set replacement the as selected was 0 Mod 16 Mk US

Spiro Heliox set; the US Mk 16; and a locally made set. The The set. made locally a and 16; Mk US the set; Heliox Spiro

the Canadian Siva +; an up-dated Drager FGT 1A; an Inter Inter an 1A; FGT Drager up-dated an +; Siva Canadian the

number of replacement options were considered including: including: considered were options replacement of number

FGT 1A MCM mixture diving set in 1990. As with the RN, a a RN, the with As 1990. in set diving mixture MCM 1A FGT

The RAN identified a requirement to replace their Drager Drager their replace to requirement a identified RAN The

Australian Navy (RAN) are with their new mixture Diving Set. Set. Diving mixture new their with are (RAN) Navy Australian

something together on the subject of where the Royal Royal the where of subject the on together something

the colony for some 4 months now, I thought I would put put would I thought I now, months 4 some for colony the

Clearance Divers in Australia. So, having been over here in in here over been having So, Australia. in Divers Clearance

1 Jul 96) was read with enormous interest by a number of of number a by interest enormous with read was 96) Jul 1

The "Yes!!! It's CDBA" article by WO(D) Mo Crang (Vol 7 No No 7 (Vol Crang Mo WO(D) by article CDBA" It's "Yes!!! The

By "Flash Mack from Outback", aka Lt Martin Mackey RN (MCD) (MCD) RN Mackey Martin Lt aka Outback", from Mack "Flash By

DIVING - 'VIEWPOINT' RN (EXCHANGE) (EXCHANGE) RN 'VIEWPOINT' - DIVING

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY NEW MIXTURE GAS GAS MIXTURE NEW NAVY AUSTRALIAN ROYAL

VIEW FROM THE OUTBACK OUTBACK THE FROM VIEW www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk VIEW FROM THE OUTBACK

Aus, but we all know that there are some waters around the considerable achievement to date however is that all their UK where the water visibility is nil, even with a torch, and CDs will soon be converted to the set; the FGT 1A being therefore diving with the A5800 would not be possible. defunct. The intention is that only those CDs posted to the Overall, the set, which is easy to put together: is comfortable new MHC will be trained in Heliox diving to 90m. The plan is in the water; has excellent endurances; is easy to prepare for that the MHC teams will undertake a 4 week heliox deep dive another dive; requires minimal maintenance; and most PJT in both Australia and New Zealand. The 2 shore based importantly, feels very safe. clearance diving teams will continue to use LAR 5, LAR 6, SDDE and SCUBA sets. They also have the A5800 but will not dive to the same depths as those at sea.

Overall therefore, it would seem that the RN and RAN are not so far apart in the development and introduction of their new deep diving MCM sets. I only hope that the distance between our two countries does not stifle the flow of

Lt Mackey RN dressed in SCUBA Mix A5800 rig. Went for the hood but didn't really need it. So where are the Aussies going from here?

Sending Clearance Divers back to sea (they have all been shore based since HMAS CURLEW, the last RAN Ton', decommissioned in 1989). Better still, they are sending Chief divers back to sea, at least on the first few A5800 2/97 course. Rear Standing (Left to Right) Lt Cdr Triston- MHCs. Rattay USN (SOCD staff), Lt Paul Doble RAN (XO HMAS DUBBO), Lt Cdr Barry Everest RAN (CO CD Team 4), Lt Cdr Reviewing divers pay and allowances to such an extent `Paps' Papalia RAN (SOCD), Lt Mackey RN (2I/C, MW that they might earn more than we do. Faculty). Seated Rear (Left to Right) LSCD 'Blue' Graham (Course 2nd Dickie), LSCD 'Blue' Ellarby (Diving School Staff). Studying the management of diving operations and Front Seated ABCD 'Dolly' Gray (HMAS CERREBERUS - vehicle runs during Defence Watches in their 'Lean Recruit Training School). Manned' ships. information and learning opportunities that are quite obviously available. The potential for us all to exceed Conducting 90m diving conning runs with the aim of - ourselves in this new and exciting era of MCM is enormous. being able to have a diver placed charge on or at a mine for demolition or recovery and exploitation purposes. Finally, I would like to add that it was a pleasure being able to undertake the RAN's A5800 conversion course and thank Reviewing exactly how the organic CDE will be deployed them for giving me the opportunity to do so. I would also like tactically if in-water stops are the preferred method of to wish those who are continuing with the training and decompression after deep diving. Is there much choice? development of the RN CDBA the best of luck and hope that all is going well. - The whole concept of conning runs using an icos and anchor to 90m. Is there a better method? 1 Pull from the Diver!!! The Health and Safety implications of a 90m icos recovery. What gadget to fit to the bow of the gemini (or `zod' to use the Aussie parlance)?

- Who will need to dive to 90m and how will they remain worked-up?

Does most of this sound familiar?

In the meantime however, the RAN is procuring the ancillary equipment to support the deeper diving and closely studying the techniques which will be employed to safely conduct the evolution in a live MCM theatre. They are working hard on developing the capability of diving to 90m. Their most RAN jackstay swim. Tough for the surface crew.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 18 www.mcdoa.org.uk THE FUTURE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Bye Annon Having chosen English as the preferred language in the henseforth be written Y. This would make words like 'fotgraf EEC, the European Parliament has Commissioned a 20 per sent shorter in print. feasibility study in ways of improving efficiency in communications between Government departments. In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reash the stage where more komplikated European officials have often pointed out that English shanges are possible. Governments would encourage the spelling is unnecessarily difficult: for example: cough; removal of double letters which have always been a plough; rough, through; and thorough. What is clearly deterrent to akurate spending. needed is a phased programme of changes to iron out these anomalies. The programme would, of course, be We would al agre that the horible mes of silent `e's in the administered by a committee at top level by participating language is disgrasful. Therefor we kould drop thes and nations. kontinu to read and writ as though nothing hapened. By this tim it would be four years sins the skem began and peopl In the first year, for example, the committee would suggest would be reseptiv to steps sush as replasing `th' by 'z'. using, 's' instead of the soft 'c'. sertainly, sivil servants in all Perhaps zen ze funktion of 'w' kould be taken by 'v', vitsh is, sities would resieve this news with joy. Then the hard 'c' after al, half a 'w'. Shortly after zis, ze unesesary 'o' kould be would be replaced by 'k' sinse both letters are pronoused dropd from words Containing 'ou'. Similar arguments vud of alike. Not only would this klear up konfusion in the minds of kors be aplid to ozer proseses yer after yer. Ve vud eventuali klerikal workers, but typewriters kould be made with one less hav a reli sensibl riten styl. After tventi yers zer vud be no key. mor trubls or difikultis, and evrivun vud fin it ezi to understand ech ozer. Ze drms of ze Guvemment vud finali There would be growing enthusiasm when in the sekond hav kum tru. year it could be announsed that the troubklesome 'ph' would

OPERATIONS OFFICERS I HAVE BEEN THROUGH!!

In the mighty ship LEDBURY the Gunnery Officer shares the complete the weekend duty in order to relieve the CO as 00D. forward cabin with the Operations Officer (Ops). The Navigator Number 3 went to hospital and that was the last we saw of him. is left to fester with the YOs poor YOs. On joining LEDBURY in Another one bit the dust! April 95 I shared a cabin with Ops number one. A man with a unique ability to communicate telepathically with women, or I Lt MCD big watch wearer sports car driver diver joined straight think that was what he was doing as every time he went up to a from course. He was on loan as a Temp Ops just in time for our woman he just stood there and said nothing. To my complete COST one week later, lucky man. Number 4 (I'm not borne for surprise he never got so far as a smile from any girl he watchkeeping duties) to his credit, managed to get the Ops `communicated with'. Dept ready for OST. The carrot throughout COST was a visit to Swansea on completion. What a run! so many students, so Number one left the Ship to pick up a diving phase of the Long much beer and an opportunity for Ops Officer number 4 to Course to become a MCDO in the summer of 95. Ops number 2 prove how rich he was by paying £850 for a sparkly watch and was his relief, a man whose reputation and stories preceded then continue to strengthen RN/Swansea relations with the sales him. He was an MWO and was claustrophobic when in the Ops assistant. Yes the money was for the watch. Room, not so good for an MWO. Usually as 00W I bore the brunt of his frustration. He was first and foremost a rugby player, The appointer still hadn't managed to appoint a permanent Ops secondly a drinker and womaniser, of sorts, who could pull a Officer when number 4 had to return to his own ship. As a table along the floor with a drawing pin and a certain part of his replacement we got the Fleet ready ROMFT MWO. Ops Officer anatomy. He was a regular user of Anusol cream and would go number 5 joined in Jan 97 and was notched up on my to great lengths to ensure that his fellow mess members were headboard. Since he only had to compile the shortcast and the aware of this fact. He did not enjoy being at sea and after much First Lieutenant had daily orders to do, all his other duties had talking and bribery he was appointed somewhere else (a cushy been dumped on GUNZ and NAYS. number). My final and sixth Ops Officer joined on a permanent basis on Ops number 3, another MWO, diver groupie and fashion victim 27 Jan 97 after having just completed MW phase. The MCD/MW joined the ship in Norway in Feb 96. I was slowly coming to the appointer had him by the short and curlies and there was no conclusion that there are no happy MWOs out there and that all getting away. Ops Officer number 6 with only 3 weeks left in the of them have some sort of medical problem to do with their LEDBURY for me. No dits on this one yet as I'm still breaking backsides!! Storms (as he became known) was not a very him in. patient man in the Ops Room. In real life, Hunt Class MCMVs do not respond the same as the Arcturus Simulator in DRYAD. The As Julio Iglesias once sang "For all the Ops Officers I have throwing down of headsets and storming out of the Ops Room known before". heading for the bridge was not uncommon. Number 3 developed a boil on his cocyx and whilst on weekend duty in the That will teach you to shout at me about the hover!!! autumn of 96 this decided to explode. Muggins was called in to

www.mcdoa.org.uk 19 www.mcdoa.org.uk

AN OFFICER ABROAD

By Lt Tim Lambie RN

X16747._- Ooh

lJ

There has been an Exchange Job at Toulon for some years maintenance periods as UK ships, but the philosophy is now. The first here was Lt Simon ELLERMAN, followed by Lt based on days at sea and not fuel expenditure, so they are John LAW and now me. The job has seen a great deal of generally less limited in scope. Participation in National and changes since its conception from sea service to shore International exercises is frequent. There is usually a major service and back again. It is now more in line with a true exercise (CACHALOT) in the spring and autumn organised exchange. Before coming to France I was the Ops Officer in specifically for the 3 hunters, with 1 or 2 Italian ships invited. HMS CROMER. My relief was Lt Thierry ARNAULT FN, so it Lasting 3 weeks, they are split into 3 phases; surface seemed logical that I should embark in the next French exercises, diving and minewarfare. A spontaneous MW Hunter available, as Ops. exercise usually takes place late spring which lasts a week and isn't that spontaneous! As well as this, 1 or 2 of the After 3 months language training at BRNC, with little Tripartites are invited to ALCUDRA and MINEX, hosted by the background in the language before, I came to France. I was Spanish Navy and sometimes ARIADNE in Greece. So there very warmly welcomed by John LAW and after a brief is never a shortage of work, quite apart from the frequent handover period I was sent to Brest to undergo the French route surveys clearance operations and Individual training Navy's equivalent of the MCMG course. Based entirely in the periods. classroom the 2 weeks were basically a refresher of MW theory and tactics, but more importantly served as a The Tripartites are very capable ships, where everything has supplementary language course. been made simple. The minehunting system is easy to use, if a little dated, reliable and generally achieved good results in On my return to Toulon a 3 week course was arranged for me exercises. The sonar DUBM 21B is well proven, providing a at the Ecole de Plongee to familiarize myself with the different similar sonar picture to the Hunts. One display is dedicated to diving sets and techniques. The whole concept of French the Det with a max range of 900m whilst the 2nd display is diving is so completely different to ours, that it really isn't the Class. Split in 2 the Class has a max range of 300m on worth trying to explain it in this article. It is worthy of note the lefthand display and a footprint of 28m on the 'Loop", however, that the limits are a little different although the which is a magnification of the area around the marker. The mixtures remain the same: classification process is a little different to ours. Whilst shape and form come into the process, they are not formalized, Air 60m Free swiming instead they rely on a flash from the echo. No flash - no mine. DC55 60% 25m Buddied, free swimming The flash is the luminesence reflected from the echo which DC55 40% 45m Buddied, free swimming goes right across the Loop. For some targets, it only appears DC55 30% (32.5) 55m Buddied, free swimming at 150m but for others it can be seen at 200m without even MIXGERS 23% 80m Buddied, free swimming switching to high power. The other major factor in the CORAILLEUR 18% 80m Buddied, free swimming process is of course the shadow, which is measured by eye, but gives accurate results as to length and height. There is no The Mediterranean Region has 3 Tripartites based at Toulon such thing as auto-classification. (PERSIUS. LYRE and EAGLE). They follow roughly the same

www.mcdoa.org.uk 20 www.mcdoa.org.uk AN OFFICER ABROAD

Contacts are plotted on a table a little like an Ops Room dive with a passion, but particularly on the ecological and Tactical Plot on tracing paper. Called the EVEC 20 system it environmental side of life. Now both in their 90s and still both is a refinement for the Tripartites of the EVEC 10 system that diving, they are considered very much national heroes was fitted in the Tripartites forerunners. Whilst not the most making regular appearances on TV. They also regularly visit precise way of doing things, it works, and repeatability is the Navy at Toulon, where I had the opportunity to meet them obtained. Radio Navigation is provided by Syledis which has both. The GERS organisation at Toulon was for a long time at an error of 15m. The French MW Flotilla has the same the forefront of world diving technology, particularly in problem as ours in convincing budget holders that DGPS is pushing further the depth barriers. Now replaced by an essential investment. Whenever the ships deploy on COMISMER, Toulon remains the centre of French diving as exercise they only have normal GPS (50m) or radar danning the equivalent of RNSUPDIV. methods! The tracing paper plots are treated ashore where the relative changes are incorporated in a computer system The most enjoyable thing about being here is the enornmous and updated. Certainly nothing in comparison to MTSS in potential for demolitions training and diving on live ordnance. sophistication, but for its day 24 years ago, was a concept I will explain by giving you a bit of background information. that they were way ahead of us on! The EVECs can talk to During the last war an area of 14,000 square kms was mined each other in much the same way as the Hunts, with a in the Mediterranean almost exclusively consisting of moored computer generated Reliefrep, not just between French mines. An immense sweeping effort was conducted to clear hunters, but the Dutch and Belgian as well. The whole world the approaches of St. Raphael, St. Tropez, Toulon, Nice and has been divided up into squares the size of the tracing Marseille before and during the allied landings consisting of paper plot, which means they are completely deployable. some 100 sweepers from America, Britain and France (recaptured from the Germans with POWs as crew). From The diving system onboard is worth a mention. The divers Oct 44 to Nov 46 a national force of sweepers dealt with the are treated very much as an embarked diving team. Whilst rest of the coastline, destroying 1790 mines. In some areas they operate the PAPs, they have very little other role up to 16 coverages were necessary. Of some 1200 men, 35 onboard apart from diving. They certainly don't keep lost their lives and 16 were wounded during the ops. These watches. When in minehunting watches, they work during the ops were of course conducted in what was then peacetime. day and sleep at night, with a guaranteed minimum of 8 The crews of the sweepers were almost forgotten by the hours sleep. The way they are treated does of course differ nation, and certainly weren't considered the heroes that they according to whether the CO is a diver or not, but there is were. In all it took three and a half years to clean up the generally not very much disparity. The ships are equipped French and Corsican coastline. with 3 diving stores/workshops on 2 deck where the maintenance is conducted. On 1 deck there is a Coming back to the demolitions potential, all the moored changing/locker area, a drying room and a ready use mines that were dealt with were simply punctured and left to equipment store, which is where the sets are kept. Each ship sink to the bottom. With the advent of minehunters these has its own 2 man recompression chamber and 2 zodiacs, so mines now offer superb training. In my time aboard PERSEE the diving system is very much a part of the minehunting we have dealt with 17 mines type GY/GV/GZ/IJ. But it doesn't system. end there. Before leaving Toulon the Germans disposed of their entire stock of GCs which they didn't have time to lay, in The DC55 their equivalent of DSSCCD, brought into service 100m of water just off Toulon. So, 3 or 4 times a year we go in 1955 has recently been modernised and is now predicted and find one and do a live PAP run against it. They are still in to last until 2005. It is extremely comfortable and easy to use, superb condition, a testament to German workmanship. We with the very minimum of maintenance required. The CO2 have dealt with 5 in my time, and we know the positions of 12 scrubber contains twice the amount and only needs to be more. Quite apart from the mines, the coast is littered with changed after the 3rd dive or 3 hours. There is no wrecks of allied and German aircraft as well as Ships, requirement for a bypass, because it works on a completely Torpedo Boats, mortars and the occasional torpedo. Such is different system, and everything is contained in a GRP the availability of mines, that we haven't even thought of container like the Siva 55, including the counterlung, that was starting on the torpedoes! There are also several stories of designed in the 50s. All French diving is wet suit diving, so minelayers that sank with their cargo of mines intact off their additional buoyancy is provided by a stab jacket, which Marseille and Bastia in Corsica, which we have yet to find. has complete interoperability with all their different sets. The Belgians used the same set, although I believe they have So life here is certainly different to that aboard my last Ship committed themselves to the SIVA, and are regretting it, where I spent most of my time on trials. In the last diving particularly in view of its modernisation. quarter I achieved 714 minutes underwater in 32 separate dives. The average quarter for a Diving Officer here is about The French diving community is very proud of its capabilities 450 minutes, which means the lads are diving almost twice and heritage and rightly so. It was only 5 miles from Toulon as much as that. So, if there is a potential MCDO out there that COUSTEAU and his best friend Phillipe TAILLIEZ spent who has a spare couple of years to spend on the south coast much of their early years snorkel diving for fish. In their of France starting from around Jan to Aug 97, drop me a line constant search to go deeper for longer they co-invented the care of The Editor. Whilst they might not be very receptive to aqualung. They both joined the Navy and continued their our beef, the French are actually a very friendly race who will research, until COUSTEAU left as a Lt Cdr to work in his warmly welcome you. Having whet your appetite, the next organisation, the results of which made him a household article will concentrate much more on techniques and name in 1954 with The Silent World at The Cannes Film equipment. A bientot. Festival. When TAILLIEZ left as a Captain, he continued to

www.mcdoa.org.uk 21 www.mcdoa.org.uk

FLEET DIVING UNIT TWO - EXERCISE STAR FISH 96 & EXERCISE FLYING FISH 97

By CPO (D) A J Wheeler

Having left the organised daily chaos of SDU1, I looked forward and then spend 8 hours trying to return to your parent unit. to the relative calm of an organised but busy two year period Maybe more thought will be put into the next Exercise.! ahead of me with FDU2. It commenced by joining FDU2 on the Monday and departing through that well known modern terminal located at RAF LYNEHAM on the Tuesday. As usual all the Team's equipment passed through the export terminal under the easy to follow, never changing and straight forward Air Cargo Transport Regulations (JSP 335)! Now that the team was safely ensconced upon the C-130, it was time to settle down for the next four days whilst speeding towards Exercise Star Fish 96.

After a fairly non eventful flight we arrived in Singapore eager to embark our equipment onto MV Ocean Explorer (O.E). All equipment was embarked onto O.E in record time thus enabling us to return to the hotel for a shower and possible last orders. Next day, with all the team embarked upon O.E, we sailed for Tioman Island to rendezvous with the other diving teams participating in the Exercise and the Fleet. During the passage to Tioman Island Tatty and I spent the night in mortal combat Teloj Juara Bay against an army of cockroaches, maggots and rats. You have no idea how much we were looking forward to breakfast. Not.

On completion of the command briefs all units disappeared over the horizon to their respective parts of the ocean in order to commence the exercise. FDU2 were detailed with the Singaporians, Malaysians and Kiwis. The Kiwis were embarked in a vessel called MANAWINUI (a sister ship to the CLANSMAN for those who remember those glorious days) and proceeded to an area called Juara Bay.

International Beach Clearance Team

In conclusion, Exercise Star Fish was an enlightening experience and valuable lessons were learnt by all team members. The driving force of the exercise proved to be mainly the Kiwis and ourselves. The Singaporians were keen to learn MCM Diving Ops but due to the size of their team they were limited in what they could achieve. The Malaysian Diving unit are obviously on the first rung of the ladder but equally keen. Manawinui seen from OE

Juara Bay proved to be a small tropical horse shoe shaped bay, Working off of MV Ocean Explorer proved to be an excellent with that post card type beach. The four dive teams worked way to loose weight. Our Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners together and collectively searched and cleared 75% of a 1000m consisted of the same fish heads and rice. The Heads and x 800m box during the exercise phase. The tactical phase was a bathrooms were located in the same bucket. However, I have similar area in size to be searched and with the aid of a MCMV been told that the next time we will be working off of RFA towards the deep end of the box a 100% search was completed DILIGENCE. Things are bound to be better next time! locating several mine shapes by all nations. EXERCISE FLYING FISH 97 In conjunction with the Diving Ops, two EOD serials were Having now completed 8 months within the unit, encompassing attempted. Although it was beneficial for the respective ships two 75m work ups and an exercise in the Dardenelles, I was from a damage control point of view, it was clear that little now presented with the second Exercise in the Far East. thought had been put into the EOD teams physical participation However, this was to be a completely different kettle of fish! within these serials. It was difficult to generate enthusiasm to RSP two empty 105 shells, execute the task within 30 minutes It was decided to provide an explosive demonstration during the www.mcdoa.org.uk 22 www.mcdoa.org.uk FLEET DIVING UNIT TWO

exercise. The main charge consisted of a M.D.D.0 and a the wayside on the last exercise was realistic EOD scenarios. suitable amount of white noise would be used to initiate it, in This was now being addressed by WO(D)FDG who had taken conjunction with a D.R.F.D. Sounds simple enough I know but dummy ordnance to be placed on different ships to respond to. once again the RAF played a blinder. The initial intention was to Dickie and John deployed on the Sunday for a two day scenario take a C.M.D. Pack No 1 & No 2 which is more than adequate to and were not seen again for the rest of the exercise. Meanwhile, deal with any EOD incident and conveniently packaged you the remainder of the diving units progressed in searching the would have thought. Not so, the RAF did not recognise any exercise area looking for mine contacts. CMD packs in their regulations. Consequently after numerous Unfortunately, the planned gas supply for the Kiwis and phone calls between Bath, High Wycombe and RNAD Gosport, Singaporians turned out to be defective and therefore our own a compromise was achieved in taking individually packed Det supply of gas was shared amongst three nations. This Cord, PE4, Safety Fuse, Flash Dets and Elec Dets. You will be drastically reduced the capability of all three units. _ pleaed to know that in future the RAF will now recognise the Approximately 75% of the areas were searched with snag line CMD packs. and Hand Held Sonar (2 Alpha) search techniques. The remaining 25% once again being cleared by a MCMV. There This time the equipment was split between a C-130 and a VC 10 were several other equipment shortfalls but once again FDU2's and departed UK with the usual smoothness. Upon arrival in autonomous approach ensured that the exercise continued Singapore we were meet by a helpful RNLO staff and all smoothly. equipment and personnel were transferred to RFA DILIGENCE (DIL), First impressions when you see DIL is that she will easily accommodate any diving team and be a useful asset on site. I was surprised at the lack of space in which a diving team had to set itself up to work in, never mind three dive teams. Once again we were working with the Kiwis, Singaporians, Malaysians and this time the Australians turned up. When all teams were safely onboard we departed for Tioman, without OC Diving and his WO(D) who were on a culture mission in Athens.

When we arrived at Tioman the usual briefing ensued but Boss FDU2 became OC Diving and I became Mr fix it. Yorkie and Dickie shared a work load that they were totally unprepared for. With the other nations looking to us to take the lead on the situation the best was made of an unfortunate situation and the spirit of the branch shone through.

When DIL finally arrived at the intended exercise area the respective units made themselves ready to commence Diving Ops. However, a certain amount of disruption was experienced because all the other ships found DIL to be a very useful alongside berth which gave rise to the age old problem of diving units working from ships used for purposes other than just diving. As a result Diving Ops for the first week were severely disrupted

Once again Juara Bay played host to all the diving units and the same area of sea bed was once again searched. The tactical phase began and the teams quickly fell into the routine dictated by Diving HQ. It was disappointing from the Divers point of view that apparently only one mine shape had been laid in the whole area. (long way to come for one contact) One area that fell by EOD Serial

With the diving phase completed and our impending return to Singapore all efforts were concentrated on locating Dickie and John. It later came to light that they had been kindly taken care of by HMS GLOUCESTER and they had finally smuggled themselves back into Singapore under their on initiative. Now was to pass a three day period waiting for our RAF flight home. However, this turned into a five day stint for the majority of the team with the assistance of the High Commission, who incidentally begged us to leave as they were running out of ready cash! Dickie, having only just recovered from his EOD experience, was volunteered to baby-sit the cargo whilst the rest of the team flew back Com Air. The cargo was received twelve days later and FDU2 are to have a whip round to fund Dickie's return eventually!

RFA Diligence Conclusion: Two well planned, satisfactory exercises.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 23 www.mcdoa.org.uk

AN IMMEDIATE REACTION FORCE - STANDING NAVAL FORCE CHANNEL (SNFC)

By Cdr Colin Welborne

I took Command of Standing Naval Force Channel (SNFC) during a standards of personnel integrity, old fashioned good manners such memorable change of command ceremony In May 96 at Portsmouth as courtesy and consideration are essential and note emotional Naval Base and what follows are my thoughts 12 months later responses set dangerous precedents. I was often asked for an having been deployed for over 300 days. It was a notable time to anecdote about nations and the only one I really noticed was that visit much of Europe because the only thing being thrown out of German soccer teams tended to win most competitions. Europe faster than English beef was our soccer teams. The Force consisted of 26 units, with a maximum of 15, steaming over twenty Language is words, so beware humour and certainly forget irony thousand miles, to undertake 18 exercises with ships from 12 and sarcasm at all costs. Equally take care with literal translations, nations and remained sustainable as an Immediate Reaction Force which at best cause amusement at worst offence. The lady in (IRF). The variety of the classes was impressive and ranged from the Stockholm certainly wondered why I mentioned her genes (jeans) . familiar Tripartite and Hunt class through Oksoy, Flyfisken, 332 and The former East German officer (whose second language was a Sandown. Russian) was alarmed by a Commanding Officer stating that his National Commander "was an absent lunatic". However that is how Standing Naval Force Channel has been in existence for over 22 "out of sight out of mind" can be translated. I have forgiven the years. The Commanding Officer of the first ship assigned was young officer who, when asked in a restaurant if he would like to Lieutenant (now Admiral) M P Gretton and while its name may be an order "a la carte" declared he would logic at the sweet trolley once anachronism the Force has evolved and reflects both the he had ordered the main course. Language is also manners, dress technology and vitality of the contributing nations. Indeed, she and body language. Therefore, recognising cultural differences has reflects her age, like a young person recently graduated from a to be the starting point because it will avoid misunderstandings. The prestigious university: fresh, proud, highly qualified and self skill is to use it constructively. Do not push things but allow them to confident whilst still willing to learn. She can only retain credibility if unfold because constant intervention will be seen as interference. the Force remains highly trained, totally integrated, well equipped The Force has its own culture, which newcomers have to adapt to, and readily available. As such she is a symbol of Nato's maritime and the reality is that it is 'the way we do things around here'. The efficiency and cohesion. understanding of the work ethic varies but it is not how hard people work but how effectively. Equally do not jump to conclusions, you The Force is under the Operational Command (OPCOM) of probably misunderstood what was said and it is easy to see Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General G A questioning as mistrust; actually its a teaching opportunity. It is in Joulwan, who has delegated Operational Control (OPCON) to the perceptions of behaviour that misunderstandings occur. In all Commander Naval Forces North West Europe (COMNAV this remember your achievements are actually the work of others; NORTHWEST) Admiral Sir Peter Abbott and commanded without his army Napoleon was a man with a hat! At the end of the rotationally by officers from the United Kingdom, Denmark (97/98) day an individual's worth is as a Team member and that is how Norway (98/99), Netherlands (99/00), Germany (00/01) and Belgium people and, in our Force, Units were judged. (01 /02). The UK staff consisted of the Commander, Force Medical Officer, Multi-national operations, be they under NATO/UN or PfP auspices, Chief Radio Supervisor, Communications Yeoman, Leading Steward are an increasing reality but they remain amongst the most complex and a Leading Writer. The Operations Officer comes from another and unpredictable of all military operations. The cornerstone of nation and changes six months after the Commander to ensure success remains dialogue between different cultures. Too frequently continuity. Therefore the staff and the mix of the Force achieve the reaction to other nationalities is judgmental, patronising or synergy but this is a word which should be used with caution worse. However, our response originates as much from our own because not all such relationships are positive. Think of the attitudes and values as from actions. There is considerable cross relationship between animal feed and a degenerative brain disease pollination between units, both at sea and in harbour, but the (CJD/BSE) or aerosol sprays and the ozone layer. However, each disappointment was that individuals generally had to be detailed off. nation brings a set of skills to the Force which can be utilised. Invariably when they came back, they enthused about their experience but it would have been marvellous to have had There is a need to keep all war fighting skills up to speed and while volunteers! it is the Commanding Officers responsibility to prepare their ship and people for war, sustainability is a constant concern. Much has There are inevitably many generalisations but the aspiration has been written about poise operations in the Adriatic and an IRF such been to achieve a rich blend with the talent available. SNFC is an as SNFC reflects much of that. The need for a balance between example of mature co-operation between NATO members but keeping the Force ready for IRF short notice operations and human relationship can only flourish where it is possible for people maintaining the Force for longer periods and therefore at a lower to live together in honourable disagreement and we need to ensure readiness for immediate operations. The balance is a potential that the Force remains credible. conundrum and has a fairly fundamental effect on training, maintenance and resources. Training is cyclical not least when Command of a multi-national group is much more than ships join the force. Integration is achieved by a varied programme management of forces because the scale and scope of of multi-ship activities in a weekly training schedule. The responsibility is underestimated, as is the aggregation of power. The requirement is for high quality, balanced and frequent military multi-national make up of the Force means that this power must be training. After a maintenance period, training will initially focus on exercised with discretion. A number of factors need additional units to preserve vital and highly perishable skills. There is a risk that thought, not least leadership style, because co-operation and trust the Staff become adept at peacetime programming, as opposed to are vital. Indeed, they are more important than individual running a risk reducing mine countermeasures operation. The Force performance. This means that one-upmanship is to be frowned do however take part in every major NATO/National exercises where upon, to avoid embarrassment, but overt co-operation does not the command estimate and table topping can hone traditional preclude rivalry. Any interference in the COs sphere of responsibility expertise and is all part of continual professional development. will be viewed as an infringement of trust because the relationship However, lessons 'learned' in exercises should be treated with can only flourish based on equal independence, collective caution not least that exercise minefields are designed to be found dependence, reciprocal obligations and mutual respect. The highest and that the planning of a mining campaign is a lost art for most www.mcdoa.org.uk 24 www.mcdoa.org.uk AN IMMEDIATE REACTION FORCE (SNFC)

European navies. There are also other opportunities on passage heresy! My point is that we have to make use of what we have. which are utilised. However, training uses up equipment hours, Hence BULLDOG was the Command platform for a period. She spares and makes people tired. Be aware live operations could brought her unique additional skills not least meteorology and commence at the end of a 5 day stimulating training programme. beach survey but also my Medical Officer and senior rates had a bunk to call their own! A dedicated platform offers much more than The Royal Navy units acquitted themselves well, generally in the van the sum of its individual parts, particularly balance, mobility but and never knowingly in the rear but an MCMV is not a Command above all sustainability and the deployment of one is a skill platform for 15 units in a multi threat environment. In the end neither particularly if an FSU is to be embarked. It has recently been agreed role (MCMV/Command) is fulfilled in the way which we know it has that SNFC will always have a dedicated command/support ship and to be done. On the support side it was fascinating to witness a Hunt nations will provide this rotationally for a minimum of 3 months. class provide both water and oil to another MCMV. The regular absence of a dedicated command and/or support ship challenges Whenever instability threatens, those in need generally turn to NATO the capability of the force and embarking 9 additional staff in an because of all the Western institutions she remains the most relevant MCMV for several months compromises principles. Whilst the role of and maritime forces are at the heart of any operation. Multi-national a Command and/or support ship appears less well understood in force operations are the most stimulating available. They are at the the United Kingdom, when compared to the Alliance and some PIP very heart and soul of NATO maritime policy. The aim is both a countries (notably Sweden), please rehearse the arguments and dynamic and exhilarating responsibility. The challenge, to leading an understand the requirement (military communications etc etc). effective team, is to know the people across the Force and to be Whilst no one could justify daughter of ABDIEL and accepting there equally well known by them. Only then can their abundant talent be are examples of good practise eg DILIGENCE, it is of note that our released. To miss-quote Churchill. The Force have the lions heart European allies MCM support ships have several roles. There is one Commander SNFC has the luck to give the roar. nation where it is also the Royal Yacht but I stop short of promoting ROMANIA - THAT'S THE WAY WE DO IT

By Corporal J Hurst

It was with a heavy heart and an even heavier dive bag that I unit are Para trained and spend a lot of time running around the made my way to the SMI's office, desperately racking my brains mountains on exercise. Their role, amongst others, included for which minor misdemeanour I had been caught and which truly covert insertion, beach clearance and counter-terrorism on oil rigs believable excuse I could give. in the Black sea. I needn't have worried. "Well done, Cpl Hurst, You've been picked Whilst Lt Foster briefed the EOD divers about mine clearance in from a cast of one to go on an exchange visit to the Romanian the Gulf, I had the combat divers waiting on my every word with Navy diving school. Here was my chance to represent the Army, tales of tough Engineer divers in 3m deep, nil visability, raging the Corps, the Defence Diving School and a small town in torrent rivers searching for highly expensive bridging stores clips, Lancashire called Radcliffe. I was to go with a naval lieutenant, a kerbs and the like. Lt Foster. The next few days were spent discussing the various differences Arriving in Constanta in temperatures roughly equivalent to the in training and the courses the two respective diving schools ran, sun we were taken to the Military Hotel, fed, watered then left to for example, the Romanian aptitude course lasts a month and is our own devices for the night. We took the opportunity to boldly nearly all physical so, those of you who grumble about our two go where no 'joint service' mission had gone before, Lt Foster day aptitude test, think yourselves lucky. Their fitness standards taking up the old cry of "Follow the Sapper' as, apparently, they seemed on a par (if not higher) than ours but almost all their only serve tomato juice on Her Majesty's minesweepers. potential divers meet these standards, possibly because their recruits have to pass an equivalent of the BFT before leaving Next morning at the base we were introduced to Cdr Chiron, the training, unlike ours. Romanian diving centres XO (that's Navy for 2IC), an extremely capable man who could do just about anything and had a badge Along with differences in training, we also got to see the to prove it. Besides, anyone who welcomes you with a vodka at difference in equipment and try it first hand. Apart from the initial 0930hrs is OK by me! He personally showed us around the centre shock of the bright orange wetsuits, the sets were roughly the which had an array of one-man compression chambers, wet bells, same twin-cylinder, although the way of operating the reserve did small diving vessels and a chamber so large you could compress differ considerably. The equipment itself was French, and Jacque all the Corps divers at once down to 500m and, no, that isn't a Cousteau undoubtedly did his training on it. Once under the typing error. water, the breathing resistance was quite hard. Seven seconds seems a long time to wait before getting a lung full of air but, After the visit we were given an introductory meal (with vodka) being a hardy Engineer diver, I would rather have drowned than then it was off to the Midia Ship base and on to a rather large lose face, so I carried on as if this was normal. As I climbed out of diving vessel for more food and vodka. The afternoon progressed the water I couldn't help but have a quiet chuckle to myself as Lt with discussions about the differences in equipment and diving Foster kitted up and asked me if there had been any problems methods. The Romanians were very interested in any new with the kit. "No problems at all", said I, but afterwards Lt Foster methods they could implement as some of their entry and exit and I celebrated being alive with another hearty meal washed methods had come from Hollywood films, 'Navy Seals' being one down with our new favourite drink. of them. The Romanian divers are basically split into two groups, the- combat divers and the. EOD divers, the latter being roughly As the week drew to- a close we discussed our conclusions and equivalent to Navy clearance divers but without access to said our thank yous to our hosts for their excellent hospitality. On rebreathers, searching equipment and all the resources available the final day plaques were exchanged, photographs taken and a on Her Majesty's minesweepers; the former are loosely based on date set for the return match. Then we left for Alcoholics a boat troop from Sch..., you know where! All the members of this Anonymous via Bucharest and Gatwick.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 25 www.mcdoa.org.uk

DIVERS OPEN 96 APPEAL

The clearance divers annual golf championship took place at Southwick Park on the 26 Jul 96, this years competition was in aid of the "ROCKY APPEAL" raising moneys for an MRI scanner to be sited at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth. The event raised £600.00 on the night with further donations of £40.00 being received the next day; the Rocky appeal is hoping to fund the purchase of the MRI scanner (£2,000000.) purely from fund raising events and personal donations, as yet they have raised £300,000.

The photograph shows the fund raising team (group photograph)

Back Row: CPO(D)ROGERS*, WO(D) CRANG, MR M LYONS MBE, CPO(D)SIZER, MR YOUNG. *(Charity Organiser) Front Row: Staff nurses from the radiography department.

NORTHWOOD - WHAT EXACTLY DO THE 3 (SOON TO BE 4) MCDO's DO?

A recently released document gives us a clue

RE: Is there a Santa Claus? — Now we know This means that Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound. For purposes of As a result of an overwhelming lack of requests, and with comparison, the fastest man-made vehicle an earth, the research help from that renown scientific journal SPY Ulysses space probe, moves at a poky 27.4 miles per magazine (January, 1990) - I am pleased to present the second - a conventional reindeer can run, tops, 15 miles per annual scientific inquiry into Santa Claus. hour.

1) No known species of reindeer can fly. BUT there are 4) The payload on the sleigh adds another interesting 300,000 species of living organisms yet to be classified, and element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a while most of these are insects and germs, this does not medium-sized lego set (2 pounds), the sleigh is carrying COMPLETELY rule out flying reindeer which only Santa has 321,300 tons. not counting Santa, who is invariably ever seen. described as overweight. On land, conventional reindeer can pull no more than 300 pounds. Even granting that "flying 2) There are 2 billion children (persons under 18) in the reindeer' (see point #1) could pull TEN TIMES the normal world. BUT since Santa doesn't (appear) to handle the amount, we cannot do the job with eight, or even nine. We Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Buddhist children, that reduces need 214,200 reindeer. This increases the payload - not the workload to 15% of the total - 378 million according to even counting the weight of the sleigh - to 353,430 tons. Population Reference Bureau. At an average (census) rate of Again, for comparison - this is four times the weight of The 3.5 children per household, that's 91.8 million homes. One Queen Elizabeth II. presumes there's at least one good child in each. 5) 353,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates 3) Santa has 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to enormous air resistance - this will heat the reindeer up in the the different time zones and the rotation of the earth, same fashion as spacecraft re-entering the earth's assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This atmosphere. The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 works out to 822.6 visits per second. This is to say that for QUINTILLION joules of energy. Per second. Each. In short, each Christian household with good children, Santa has they will burst into flame almost instantaneously, exposing 1/1000th of a second to park, hop out of the sleigh, jump the reindeer behind them, and create deafening sonic down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team will be presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left, vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, get back up the chimney, get back into the sleigh and move meanwhile, will be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 on to the next house, Assuming that each of these 91.8 times greater than gravity. A 250-pound Santa (which seems million stops are evenly distributed around the earth (which, ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh of course, we know to be false but for the purposes of our by 4,315,015 pounds of force. calculations we will accept), we are now talking about .78 miles per household, a total trip of 75-112 million miles, not In conclusion - If Santa ever DID deliver presents on counting stops to do what most of us must do at least once Christmas Eve, he's dead now. every 31 hours, plus feeding and etc.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 26

27 27

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Somerset Somerset

ways of proving if someone is fit, ask at your local gym. gym. local your at ask fit, is someone if proving of ways Yours Aye Aye Yours

from the water. I believe there are better and more high tech tech high more and better are there believe I water. the from

become a lifeguard, she is just taught how to remove a person person a remove to how taught just is she lifeguard, a become boost and improve our profile within world diving. diving. world within profile our improve and boost

have to prove she can do numerous upper body exercises to to exercises body upper numerous do can she prove to have introduction of the new set that will give us a much needed needed much a us give will that set new the of introduction

exercises, is the answer? After all a sixteen year old girl does not not does girl old year sixteen a all After answer? the is exercises, proud to be a Clearance Diver and look forward to the the to forward look and Diver Clearance a be to proud

was promulgated with ridiculous reasons for performing certain certain performing for reasons ridiculous with promulgated was importance of my final remark. I, as we all are, am extremely extremely am are, all we as I, remark. final my of importance

the branch? And do we believe that the current fitness test, that that test, fitness current the that believe we do And branch? the the mark on any points then perhaps that highlights the the highlights that perhaps then points any on mark the

annual requirement, another rumour, would we not lose half of of half lose not we would rumour, another requirement, annual others, who feel it not necessary to write, think. If I am way off off way am I If think. write, to necessary not it feel who others,

current divers fail the fitness test. If this was to become an an become to was this If test. fitness the fail divers current unfavourable remarks. However I am only stating how I and and I how stating only am I However remarks. unfavourable

I understand that a large number of prospective divers and and divers prospective of number large a that understand I will generate much sucking of teeth and perhaps some some perhaps and teeth of sucking much generate will

I make no apologies for the length of the letter and I am sure it it sure am I and letter the of length the for apologies no make I

profile? profile?

enjoyable. Should we not therefore give this tasking higher higher tasking this give therefore not we Should enjoyable. entire branch informed on issues that will affect us all. all. us affect will that issues on informed branch entire

maintains water fitness, familiarity with UW tools and is is and tools UW with familiarity fitness, water maintains basis, issued, when something noteworthy happens, to keep the the keep to happens, noteworthy something when issued, basis,

it is both challenging for the diver and supervisor. It also also It supervisor. and diver the for challenging both is it Elements, perhaps a solution would be a Six, on an irregular irregular an on Six, a be would solution a perhaps Elements,

achievement and progress can readily be seen and appreciated, appreciated, and seen be readily can progress and achievement group IC's works well but is not viable with embarked Diving Diving embarked with viable not is but well works IC's group

a regular basis whilst undertaking a "live" task where where task "live" a undertaking whilst basis regular a left out. S of D's visits to teams and regular correspondence with with correspondence regular and teams to visits D's of S out. left

means of maintaining skills) allows Divers to get in the water on on water the in get to Divers allows skills) maintaining of means those of us outside the DDS and Group environment feel slightly slightly feel environment Group and DDS the outside us of those

do it. Although BDAR is a secondary task UWE (the peace time time peace (the UWE task secondary a is BDAR Although it. do rumours and information is passed via "Chinese Whispers" so so Whispers" "Chinese via passed is information and rumours

with UWE others are turning it away because they don't want to to want don't they because away it turning are others UWE with long time to filter to those embarked on Ships. This generates generates This Ships. on embarked those to filter to time long

Secondly, so I have heard, whilst some Units are over stretched stretched over are Units some whilst heard, have I so Secondly, procedures and on general issues affecting the branch take a a take branch the affecting issues general on and procedures

It seems to those of us at sea that information on trials, new new trials, on information that sea at us of those to seems It

the coveted Blue Beret with pride. pride. with Beret Blue coveted the

maximum depth most service divers can go and we should wear wear should we and go can divers service most depth maximum reverse this decision? decision? this reverse

Royal Navy Clearance Divers whose first stop is deeper than the the than deeper is stop first whose Divers Clearance Navy Royal has been proved by the issue of the UNISUIT. Can we not not we Can UNISUIT. the of issue the by proved been has

after a short PJT. We should be proud of the fact that we are are we that fact the of proud be should We PJT. short a after People take more care of equipment that is personal issue as as issue personal is that equipment of care more take People

and not strut around like a Boy Scout showing off his Tea badge badge Tea his off showing Scout Boy a like around strut not and abused with many being lost with the inevitable C126 action. action. C126 inevitable the with lost being many with abused

wear a Green or Red Beret should join the requisite regiment regiment requisite the join should Beret Red or Green a wear the stores system and personnel loan that will no doubt be be doubt no will that loan personnel and system stores the

and make it with SF. However those individuals who want to to want who individuals those However SF. with it make and clearly are the more obvious recipients. Instead we have left it to to it left have we Instead recipients. obvious more the are clearly

to be fit as a Diver and I support those individuals who volunteer volunteer who individuals those support I and Diver a as fit be to Supervisors and not to RN Clearance Diver Supervisors who who Supervisors Diver Clearance RN to not and Supervisors

with an enormous pack on our backs. Obviously it is important important is it Obviously backs. our on pack enormous an with allow the personnel issue of Stop Watches to Army Diver Diver Army to Watches Stop of issue personnel the allow

want to wear Multi coloured Berets and be able to run 30 miles miles 30 run to able be and Berets coloured Multi wear to want Whilst we are on equipment, I feel that it was a crass decision to to decision crass a was it that feel I equipment, on are we Whilst

Why is it that we are becoming a branch of SF groupies who who groupies SF of branch a becoming are we that it is Why

modified. This applies equally to the infamous "Fish Board". Board". "Fish infamous the to equally applies This modified.

items and answer a couple of questions at the same time: time: same the at questions of couple a answer and items the ability of our Divers to scrounge containers that can be be can that containers scrounge to Divers our of ability the

write in the hope that you can put me straight on a couple of of couple a on straight me put can you that hope the in write For years we have had to put up with home made efforts and and efforts made home with up put to had have we years For

vacuum for information than VERNON used to be. However I I However be. to used VERNON than information for vacuum containerised lazy shot and a container for the ICOS and line. line. and ICOS the for container a and shot lazy containerised

concern. It also appears that the DDS has become more of a a of more become has DDS the that appears also It concern. need of improvement. They are the Lost Diver Marker, Marker, Diver Lost the are They improvement. of need

dit value" added but with this subtracted there is still cause for for cause still is there subtracted this with but added value" dit widely, by every Group, Unit and element that are in desperate desperate in are that element and Unit Group, every by widely,

nation, no doubt some have had more than the normal 10% "for "for 10% normal the than more had have some doubt no nation, course. However there are items of kit that are used more more used are that kit of items are there However course.

have been beating yet again with tales of woe from around the the around from woe of tales with again yet beating been have of equipment it is only used by one or two Units and whilst on on whilst and Units two or one by used only is it equipment of

A letter from a concerned Clearance Diver. The jungle drums drums jungle The Diver. Clearance concerned a from letter A board is undergoing trials and whilst this is an important piece piece important an is this whilst and trials undergoing is board

met with open arms. As I understand it a new high tech swim swim tech high new a it understand I As arms. open with met

Dear Sir Sir Dear Onto equipment, any improvements on equipment should be be should equipment on improvements any equipment, Onto

Idirevs , ,

..,mss

_ _

Letters to the Editor Editor the to Letters

www.mcdoa.org.uk

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Letters to the Editor

Dear Ed Dear Sir,

I was interested to read in your magazine (volume 7 number 1) I was interested to read about CPO's Divers Jack Diamond and how strongly CCWEA Newman's opposition to 'glossies' was, Bob Clements by Doug Bruce Jones. Both were Gunners Mates and actually wondered why he had targeted Minewarfare and and, I believe were qualified in Deep Diving. Diving for his vitriolic attack. During my time as the officer in charge of Devonport Diving Of course I do agree with him, but only on the understanding School on the transfer of the school from HMS Drake to that should such views force you to close down, then your Defiance, in 1946 I had the privilege of both men serving with highly talented contributors should continue to write, and send me from 1947 - 48 as diving instructors. their articles to me. Both men were excellent, as were many of the senior diving staff EDITOR - Review of Naval Engineering, HMS Collingwood. in Defiance at that time. For me the highlight was the day the "procured" a boiler from a cruiser in the dockyard and erected P.S. This Weapon Engineer approves of your magazine, but our first diving tank at Wilcove. then I can lay claim to being a ships diver from 1964 until I retired from active service in December 1994. In the current Yours sincerely issue I did enjoy Cpl Andrews article in diving in Antrim, and feel A. Wardle I was not alone in admiring the courage shown in your obituary on Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Hedges. PS. I missed the visit to Horsea Island on 3rd May. I would appreciate a visit as convenient to the Officer in Charge.

Dear Mr Hughs, Dear Ed, I hope that you don't mind my writing to you, blame the photo in the Navy News (May) of AB(D) Dicksen & AB(D) Sirs, newly An old Leading Diver once told me, and I've really no idea how qualified divers, and some old equipment of mine, a pump and he came by the information, that a number of ghostly figures helmet, inhabit what used to be the wardroom at HMS VERNON. From lunchtime onwards they take up residence in the far corner of I am 82, and was a Stoker PO, and qualified Diver in Dec./Jan. the bar, backed up against the fireplace. Amongst their number 1936/7 at the Diving School H.M.S. Drake, Devonport, and had they boast a former Superintendent of Diving, a Surgeon my last dive from H.M.S. Implacable in the Clyde, September Captain and at least one retired Special Duties officer. If this is 1944, as it was so called periodic compulsory dive it was down purgatory then they have made it their very own. Younger to my limit 30 fathoms. readers would not be able to recognise them and, if they will forgive my ageist advice, would do well to skip the rest of my Two months after I went down with pulmonary TB and out of the warblings and surface at the next letter or article. Service Mid 1945. Of course I made a complete recovery and have not been particularly effected by It. Let me declare here and now that, for my part, I aspire to nothing greater than a stool at the corner of the bar nearest the I have very many happy memories of that Course, unlike main entrance so that I can make a sharp exit if the call should Pompey which had the luxury of a tank in H.M.S. Dolphin, we come. And although I have never witnessed these apparitions had to do our stuff anywhere in the Tamar from Saltash down to myself I can tell you, albeit rather ashamedly, that I hear their the Sound. voices from time to time. The last such visitation occurred only recently. There were many wet cold forenoons spent out in the river in an open boat, (I think we were towed out and left) piled high with I recall the incident quite clearly. Nurse had parked my bath bods, pipe lines, breast ropes etc. chair in its usual sheltered comer and tucked a napkin under my chin to collect the pool of drivel that habitually forms there. I was In spite of the many wet cold hours we spent out there it was just dozing off when I was startled by their discontented babble. great to get into Depot, and although we were junior rates our They were discussing the latest issue of MAD magazine and the tot was in neaters at the Guard Room, and then into Jagos for a pictures of the new CDBA on the front cover in particular. huge dinner, it was no wonder that with that lot under our belt According to them, something with a similar moniker had we could not keep awake during the lectures in the afternoon, entered a cocoon 20 years before and what they saw emerging but I never felt fitter in all my life. now amazed them. Surely the metal spheroids at the base of the set were fitted back to front they said. These must have been As I mentioned before it is over 60 years since I had my last intended to house the diver's testicles for only someone with dive, and I know nothing of the physics, methods or even the balls that big would be brave enough to put this set on in the suit used in mdern diving, they just seen to leap into the water, first place. how about decompression stops without a shot rope and is a stray line still used on the bottom, do hand signals still have to Ah me, halcyon days be memorised?, Bubbles Yours sincerely Thomas G. Shirley Ex S.P.O. D/KX8177G Vice Presdent Stone RNA

www.mcdoa.org.uk 28

29 29

www.mcdoa.org.uk

HMS KINGFISHER KINGFISHER HMS

Jack Smith Smith Jack

Yours sincerely, sincerely, Yours

Keep up the good work, a great magazine. magazine. great a work, good the up Keep

It was part of the ships christmas card in 1956. 1956. in card christmas ships the of part was It

I would like the photograph returned as it is the only one I have. have. I one only the is it as returned photograph the like would I

R.E's at Marchwood. Marchwood. at R.E's

Rainham Kent, and Sam Stanley a civilian instructor with the the with instructor civilian a Stanley Sam and Kent, Rainham

1948-50 and when he retired he became mine host in a pub in in pub a in host mine became he retired he when and 1948-50

C.P.O. Bob Clements was the Chief Diver on H.M.S RECLAIM in in RECLAIM H.M.S on Diver Chief the was Clements Bob C.P.O.

carried out in the Irish Sea. Sea. Irish the in out carried

defect list for rectification during the refit. This was usually usually was This refit. the during rectification for list defect

tested to 850ft en route and all defects included in the ships ships the in included defects all and route en 850ft to tested leading CPO. (Bob, after retirement from the RN formed a very very a formed RN the from retirement after (Bob, CPO. leading

south to Chatham for a refit, the rescue chamber had to be be to had chamber rescue the refit, a for Chatham to south excellent assortment of very good divers. Bob Fraser was the the was Fraser Bob divers. good very of assortment excellent

Submarine Squadron, and every time the ship went back down down back went ship the time every and Squadron, Submarine whose names escape me. My Diving team was made up of an an of up made was team Diving My me. escape names whose

KINGFISHER was based in Rothesay as part of the 3rd 3rd the of part as Rothesay in based was KINGFISHER Searle Williams, Wendy, Edna, Pauline, Barry and many others others many and Barry Pauline, Edna, Wendy, Williams, Searle

his deputy Lt Cdr Jackie Warner, Ray Common chief scientist, scientist, chief Common Ray Warner, Jackie Cdr Lt deputy his

inboard end being secured to the buoy. buoy. the to secured being end inboard Experimental Diving Team. I met the S of D Cdr Phil White and and White Phil Cdr D of S the met I Team. Diving Experimental

ship, the outboard end being secured to the cable and the the and cable the to secured being end outboard the ship, relief for Lt Jackie Re, Officer in Charge of the Admiralty Admiralty the of Charge in Officer Re, Jackie Lt for relief

made up of wire hawsers stropped alongside, each side of the the of side each alongside, stropped hawsers wire of up made At the Admiralty Experimental Diving Unit, I reported aboard as a a as aboard reported I Unit, Diving Experimental Admiralty the At

maximum working depth 850ft), the rest of the mooring was was mooring the of rest the 850ft), depth working maximum

of cable. Depending on the depth of water, (SQUALUS (SQUALUS water, of depth the on Depending cable. of morning paper. paper. morning

the quarter deck were 4 cable lockers, each holding 8 shackles shackles 8 holding each lockers, cable 4 were deck quarter the Officers do not talk while having breakfast and reading their their reading and breakfast having while talk not do Officers

anchors were hung over the stern on gantries, and sited below below sited and gantries, on stern the over hung were anchors This was met with a few disdainful looks and perhaps a grunt, RN RN grunt, a perhaps and looks disdainful few a with met was This

mooring buoys were housed each side of the foremast. Four Four foremast. the of side each housed were buoys mooring everyone and saying good morning in a loud and cordial way. way. cordial and loud a in morning good saying and everyone

photograph. The ship carried its own moorings, two ton ton two moorings, own its carried ship The photograph. mess I attempted to be a friendly cheerful Yank, greeting greeting Yank, cheerful friendly a be to attempted I mess

under the main derrick as can be seen from the enclosed enclosed the from seen be can as derrick main the under At my first breakfast I didn't fare much better, on entering the the entering on better, much fare didn't I breakfast first my At

KINGFISHER. The chamber was carried on the upper deck aft, aft, deck upper the on carried was chamber The KINGFISHER.

SQUALUS RESCUE CHAMBER and named H.M.S. H.M.S. named and CHAMBER RESCUE SQUALUS years. years.

in 1953-4 to a submarine rescue vessel to carry the U.S.N U.S.N the carry to vessel rescue submarine a to 1953-4 in the night before, "Bloody Hell I've been in the wrong Navy for 25 25 for Navy wrong the in been I've Hell "Bloody before, night the

Another of the A.S.V's, which one I do not know, was converted converted was know, not do I one which A.S.V's, the of Another I immediately replied using my best English that I had learned learned had I that English best my using replied immediately I

without knocking and said "Good morning Sir, your morning tea" tea" morning your Sir, morning "Good said and knocking without

her but not at one time, I hasten to say. say. to hasten I time, one at not but her sleeping nearly in the raw when a wardroom WREN entered entered WREN wardroom a when raw the in nearly sleeping

1946-7 H.M.S. RECLAIM, a great ship. I served about 8 years on on years 8 about served I ship. great a RECLAIM, H.M.S. 1946-7 The next thing that I remembered was waking up in my cabin cabin my in up waking was remembered I that thing next The

laid up during hostilities on the Clyde and finally completed completed finally and Clyde the on hostilities during up laid the mess, no easy task even for an experienced Diving Officer. Officer. Diving experienced an for even task easy no mess, the

launched just before the war but was never completed, and was was and completed, never was but war the before just launched working me, I was attempting to have a drink with every officer in in officer every with drink a have to attempting was I me, working

following will help Bruce-Jones. A.S.V. SALVERDANT was was SALVERDANT A.S.V. Bruce-Jones. help will following chits and welcoming me aboard. Too late I realized they were were they realized I late Too aboard. me welcoming and chits

I found "More Collections" interesting reading and hope that the the that hope and reading interesting Collections" "More found I order of the day, my generous hosts were continually writing writing continually were hosts generous my day, the of order

Dear Sir, Sir, Dear assigned a cabin: immediately, refreshments at the bar were the the were bar the at refreshments immediately, cabin: a assigned

My next stop was the Wardroom at HMS Vernon where I was was I where Vernon HMS at Wardroom the was stop next My

G. A. Franklin Franklin A. G. this was in the days before the breathalizer. breathalizer. the before days the in was this

long enough to make the return voyage to New York. I might add add might I York. New to voyage return the make to enough long

modifications, served the Divers well for many years. years. many for well Divers the served modifications, an excellent way to get acquainted, in fact we almost lingered lingered almost we fact in acquainted, get to way excellent an

universal approval. However, the 1951 CDBA, with some some with CDBA, 1951 the However, approval. universal possess, they knew the lounge bar on the ship was open. It was was It open. was ship the on bar lounge the knew they possess,

individual sets were lost, and the result did not meet with with meet not did result the and lost, were sets individual realized that through some mystical sense that only Divers Divers only that sense mystical some through that realized

The combined requirement meant that certain advantages of the the of advantages certain that meant requirement combined The mission was to provide me with transport to HMS Vernon, I later later I Vernon, HMS to transport with me provide to was mission

Jackie Re and Lt Cdr Bill Filer. At the time I believed their primary primary their believed I time the At Filer. Bill Cdr Lt and Re Jackie

Water Divers. Divers. Water I noticed two RN Officers on the dock, they turned out to be Lt Lt be to out turned they dock, the on Officers RN two noticed I

Hi) Salvus Breathing Apparatus as used by the then Shallow Shallow then the by used as Apparatus Breathing Salvus Hi) to arrive in Southampton. August 1967. Docking in Southampton Southampton in Docking 1967. August Southampton. in arrive to

Class passage aboard the SS United States at minimal expense expense minimal at States United SS the aboard passage Class

ii) ii) Underwater Swimmer's set also used in WWII WWII in used also set Swimmer's Underwater initial difficulties I, in good Diver fashion, manoeuvered a First First a manoeuvered fashion, Diver good in I, difficulties initial

Diving Officer to the UK from here in the Colonies. After some some After Colonies. the in here from UK the to Officer Diving

i) i) `P' Party set as used in WWII WWII in used as set Party `P' I had the pleasure and distinction of being the first exchange exchange first the being of distinction and pleasure the had I

three sets in service: service: in sets three excellent "Minewarfare And Diving" publication. publication. Diving" And "Minewarfare excellent

equipment, manufactured by Dunlop was designed to replace replace to designed was Dunlop by manufactured equipment, Association, I thought it time that I make a contribution to your your to contribution a make I that time it thought I Association,

associated with the trials of the first CDBA in 1951. This This 1951. in CDBA first the of trials the with associated Being a member in good standing in the MCD Officers Officers MCD the in standing good in member a Being

the CDBA". It was of particular interest to me because I was was I because me to interest particular of was It CDBA". the

Full marks to Mo Crang on the very informative article " Yes it's it's Yes " article informative very the on Crang Mo to marks Full LCDR Jim Bladh USN (Ret) (Ret) USN Bladh Jim LCDR

Dear Editor. Editor. Dear DIVING OFFICER EXCHANGE DUTY WITH THE ROYAL NAVY NAVY ROYAL THE WITH DUTY EXCHANGE OFFICER DIVING

Letters to the Editor Editor the to Letters www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

Letters to the Editor

successful business "Fraser Diving" in Singapore. He has since One final note, in your Volume 6 Number 2 November 1995 retired from commercial diving and lives in Hampshire). issue of Minewarfare And Diving, Phil White alludes to the fact that Divers appear to have more female children than male. While serving as OIC of the AEDT I soon learned the secrets of Perhaps these are divers without imagination and need a of obtaining flights through the RAF movements in London, a them. lunch with the two old dears that handled quota assignments resolved my transportation problems. I solved the I am still employed by the US NAVY and am still in the communications problems by getting a telephone credit card Supervisor of Salvage Office assigned as the Head of from the USN and local travel with a book of travel warrants from Operations Branch. the RN. (A conductor on the Portsmouth Harbour-London Waterloo train advised me unceremoniously that I was not to Thirty years active duty followed by twenty three years civil bring my wife on a RN Travel Warrant). My experiences were service. I believe that I have got Bill Filer beat. wide varied and interesting, I will relate a few:

* Diving training in Alderney, Channel Islands, I remember Dear Editor the water being quite cold and the diving very interesting. Presently I am a serving Canadian Naval Clearance Diver who one of my favorite recollections was Stu Honor, Jackie has taken a keen interest in our diving history. I am currently Warner and I having drinks with the Mayor of Alderney. I attempting to write an article on this history, which our training vividly remember that the Mayor always had a drop of department will eventually give to the new diver trainees. moisture hanging precariously from the tip of his nose, one immediately became absorbed waiting for the drop to fall Although, the Royal Canadian Navy was established in 1910, the into his glass of gin. Royal Canadian Navy's Diving branch origins can only be dated back to the early 30's. Before WW II Canadian Naval personnel * While in Gibraltar, Cdr White telephoned me to say that I who wished to become divers were sent and then underwent had made the promotion list to Lt Cdr. I am sure that had the training at Whale Island, England. promotion board seen and heard Jackie Warner, Peter Messervey and myself walking down the middle of the street We would be very interested in obtaining any information with at midnight in Gib after escaping across the border from regards to the types of training that these people endured. What Spain singing at the top of our voices "ME NO LIKEE types of equipment where these people being trained in? After BRITISH SAILOR, YANKEE SAILOR COME ASHORE" the training, what kind of diving duties did these divers perform board would have had second thoughts. once they where posted back to their ship's and what where the different classifications of divers during those times? * At sea in HMS RECLAIM Lt Cdr Peter Messervey commanding. Lt Peter Coby trained and qualified me as What we also lack are any period photographs of Whale Island Diving Officer of Reclaim while conducting salvage training school and the training of these Naval Divers during this operations off of Tusker Rock, Ireland. Peter Messervey was period. Any light or information that you could provide us on tough but magnificent, I have said many times since that if I these topics would be greatly appreciated. had to go into harms way, I would hope to see Peter's bull dog face on the bridge in command. Sincerely yours B Clarke * Deep Trial Unit at Alverstoke. Working with Lt Cdr Bill Filer Master Seaman B. Clarke through many hours of tedious trials was a great learning FDU(P) experience. Bill ran a tight quarterdeck and maintained the DTU ship shape and ready at all times. When the American Navy was running trials that required altering the pressure THE DAY THE TELEVISION BROKE chamber they crossed swords with Bill, as you surely will You might be hard pressed but if you manage to find an old and when you are using his equipment, I had to sit down with Bill bold killick such as Steve Westby or Smudge Smith they will tell and drink a glass or two of his home made wine to settle him you that at one time the junior rates didn't stare at the TV all down. His wine was not really a "Nuit St George" from night being as how there was't one. This circumstance was to France, but it was good. Some of the other officers and men come about once more to the Junior Rates Fwd mess of HMS that I particularly remember are my two Chiefs, Bob Fraser Hurworth. and Ginger Andrews, then there was Wolfey Dodd, Shiner Wright, Harry Wardel, Johnny Gratan, Patrick Dowland and One night in rough seas off the west country, passing south in Bill Filer who had difficulty counting beyond four while on order to carry out a dawn strike on an unsuspecting foreign the golf course, Peter Messervey had the same problem Beamer (NO! NO! WE WILL SURPRISE THEM, HONEST. THEY when we played at Rowlands Castle at Havant. Lt Cdr Stu DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WE'RE COMING!!). As usual, nearly Honor was one of my closest friends, Stu looked like the everyone had binned the mess in favour of anywhere American movie stereo type of a RN Officer, monocled and whatsoever to sleep and dream of shooting Hunt Class very distinguished. Stu has left us, I miss him, he will always designers. One person remained up forward, an infamous be remembered. legendary character only spoken of in whispers, OM(MW) 'Bullet' Wilton. He faithfully carried on watching the television My tour with the RN is one of my Fondest memories, I shall through the roughers until it fell out of its stowage, then with always remember it. One of my proudest possessions is a nothing else to do, he went to bed. cartoon caricature of myself that was presented to me on my last mess night in Vernon, stating that I may retain my mess life A day passed and people were beginning to fall apart. How was and that this was recorded in the Vernon Mess Grant Mitchell shaping up with his newly found nineties man

www.mcdoa.org.uk 30

31 31

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Plan (6 monthly and annual). annual). and monthly (6 Plan

b. b. used for inputs to the Surface Flotilla Management Management Flotilla Surface the to inputs for used

Happy CAPESing. CAPESing. Happy

System (FLEETMIS) (3 monthly). monthly). (3 (FLEETMIS) System

at CROMBIE and Tony Mulrain (ex MCM1) takes over. over. takes MCM1) (ex Mulrain Tony and CROMBIE at

a. a. transferred to the FLEET Management Information Information Management FLEET the to transferred

Thats all folks, I move on in October to the Mining Team Team Mining the to October in on move I folks, all Thats

Command to evaluate own Unit OC, CAPES data is: is: data CAPES OC, Unit own evaluate to Command

Manager in Diving Units. Units. Diving in Manager

Other uses of CAPES data. Apart from allowing the the allowing from Apart data. CAPES of uses Other

OA records at Platform level and then as CAPES CAPES as then and level Platform at records OA

aim being to ensure the best value for money is obtained. obtained. is money for value best the ensure to being aim PO(D)s are similarly involved with the responsibility for for responsibility the with involved similarly are PO(D)s

and what is being achieved with those resources. The The resources. those with achieved being is what and Manager; Flotilla level is of course a WO(MW) post. post. WO(MW) a course of is level Flotilla Manager;

the FLEET and help show how resources are being used used being are resources how show help and FLEET the and at Squadron level (CPO(MW)) as the CAPES CAPES the as (CPO(MW)) level Squadron at and

level 'scores' (EA/OA/SP) are used to assess the OC of of OC the assess to used are (EA/OA/SP) 'scores' level are exposed to CAPES as the ships FCD3 co-ordinator co-ordinator FCD3 ships the as CAPES to exposed are

CINCFLEET who reports to the NAVY Board. CAPES top top CAPES Board. NAVY the to reports who CINCFLEET CAPES as careers evolve. At Senior Rate level, PO(MW)s PO(MW)s level, Rate Senior At evolve. careers as CAPES

FONA, FOSM, COMRFA and CGRM) are scrutinised at at scrutinised are CGRM) and COMRFA FOSM, FONA, gained in MM/PP/DU eases the transition to big ship ship big to transition the eases MM/PP/DU in gained

quarterly reports from all Flotilla Users (FOSF, Cdre MFP, MFP, Cdre (FOSF, Users Flotilla all from reports quarterly will also benefit from the same introduction. Experience Experience introduction. same the from benefit also will

reports to CINCFLEET; all transactions are on Disk. The The Disk. on are transactions all CINCFLEET; to reports (CAPES Officers in ISLANDs, CASTLEs and NI HUNTs) HUNTs) NI and CASTLEs ISLANDs, in Officers (CAPES

Commanders are forwarded to Cdre MFP who in turn turn in who MFP Cdre to forwarded are Commanders LMCDO course and shortly Small Ship Navigators Navigators Ship Small shortly and course LMCDO

to correct them. Quarterly reports from Squadron Squadron from reports Quarterly them. correct to Operations Officers are given instruction during the the during instruction given are Officers Operations

any downward trends or anomalies and actions initiated initiated actions and anomalies or trends downward any paramount. To this end, a training structure is evolving. evolving. is structure training a end, this To paramount.

records are examined at Squadron and Flotilla to identify identify to Flotilla and Squadron at examined are records (seagoing units) but the measurement of OC will remain remain will OC of measurement the but units) (seagoing

and Cdre MFP (Flotilla) on Disk at monthly intervals; intervals; monthly at Disk on (Flotilla) MFP Cdre and incorporated in CHOTS(shore units) and OASIS OASIS and units) CHOTS(shore in incorporated

are forwarded to Squadron Commanders (SofD for DU) DU) for (SofD Commanders Squadron to forwarded are instead of disk transfer and the system will be be will system the and transfer disk of instead

DU). These data plus Commanding Officers' comments comments Officers' Commanding plus data These DU). for transfer of data may change, modem/phone link link modem/phone change, may data of transfer for

achievement of FCD3 training serials, BR 5063 serials for for serials 5063 BR serials, training FCD3 of achievement There is no doubt that CAPES is here to stay. The vehicle vehicle The stay. to here is CAPES that doubt no is There

Performance (SP) (SP is more commonly known as the the as known commonly more is (SP (SP) Performance

evenings. evenings.

Availability (EA), Operator Availability (OA) and System System and (OA) Availability Operator (EA), Availability

Commanders and SNONI take up any spare time in the the in time spare any up take SNONI and Commanders

(MM/PP/DU) level in three categories: Equipment Equipment categories: three in level (MM/PP/DU)

Practice Ammunition Allowance to Squadron Squadron to Allowance Ammunition Practice

How does CAPES work? Data is entered at Platform Platform at entered is Data work? CAPES does How

ordination documents and the distribution of the Annual Annual the of distribution the and documents ordination

enabling the FOSF mission statement. statement. mission FOSF the enabling FCD3, MXTIs, MCM Operators handbooks, STUFT co- STUFT handbooks, Operators MCM MXTIs, FCD3,

CAPES provides the wherewithal to evaluate OC, thus thus OC, evaluate to wherewithal the provides CAPES software). The additional non-CAPES tasks of managing managing of tasks non-CAPES additional The software).

and upkeep of MM/PP OC (SofD for Diving Units). Units). Diving for (SofD OC MM/PP of upkeep and maintenance and defect rectification (both hardware and and hardware (both rectification defect and maintenance

Section of Cdre MFP is responsible for the monitoring monitoring the for responsible is MFP Cdre of Section CAPES activities, including presentation of records plus plus records of presentation including activities, CAPES

'TO PROVIDE SHIPS FIT FOR TASK'. The WARFARE WARFARE The TASK'. FOR FIT SHIPS PROVIDE 'TO summary: complete responsibility for SURFLOT(MFP) SURFLOT(MFP) for responsibility complete summary:

MFP? The answer is simple. FOSFs mission statement is is statement mission FOSFs simple. is answer The MFP? (CAPESMAN) do. The list appears endless but in in but endless appears list The do. (CAPESMAN)

Why CAPES and why in the WARFARE Section of Cdre Cdre of Section WARFARE the in why and CAPES Why But enough of the PR, what does the CAPES Manager Manager CAPES the does what PR, the of enough But

units, Ships Flights and FLEET/Area Diving Units. Units. Diving FLEET/Area and Flights Ships units, the question is clearly defined). defined). clearly is question the

escapes, this includes Ships (RN/RFA), Submarines, RM RM Submarines, (RN/RFA), Ships includes this escapes, e. e. available on demand for any purpose (providing (providing purpose any for demand on available

excluding the RIVER and P200 Classes. No other Unit Unit other No Classes. P200 and RIVER the excluding

Status. Status.

constituent Units, CAPES is to be found FLEET wide, wide, FLEET found be to is CAPES Units, constituent

d. d. used as indicator aligned with Platform Readiness Readiness Platform with aligned indicator as used

the Operational Capability (OC) of the FLEET and its its and FLEET the of (OC) Capability Operational the

the CAPability Evaluation System. Designed to evaluate evaluate to Designed System. Evaluation CAPability the defect trends. trends. defect

What is this mystical thing I hear you cry, it is of course course of is it cry, you hear I thing mystical this is What (monthly). EA data is used for monitoring equipment equipment monitoring for used is data EA (monthly).

Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of CAPES. CAPES. of world wonderful the to welcome and Hello c. c. transferred to the Ships Support Agency (SSA) (SSA) Agency Support Ships the to transferred

By WO(MW) Nobby Clark (The Capes Crusader) Crusader) Capes (The Clark Nobby WO(MW) By

CAPES EXPLAINED EXPLAINED CAPES

their heads down as usual, still the thought was there. there. was thought the still usual, as down heads their HMS Hurworth Hurworth HMS

about a quick game of Snakes and Ladders but decided to get get to decided but Ladders and Snakes of game quick a about AB(MW) Nobby Hall Hall Nobby AB(MW)

the experimental diving dits YAWN YAWN) The RO's thought thought RO's The YAWN) YAWN dits diving experimental the

pounds in Monopoly (no change there and yes we've heard all all heard we've yes and there change (no Monopoly in pounds repaired. Still it was good while it lasted. lasted. it while good was it Still repaired.

took over the world in risk, divers suddenly held thousands of of thousands held suddenly divers risk, in world the over took Eventuafiy of course we had a stand off and the television was was television the and off stand a had we course of Eventuafiy

"Fancy a game of cards?" It snowballed from there. Muppets Muppets there. from snowballed It cards?" of game a "Fancy

Just when it was beginning to got too much somebody said said somebody much too got to beginning was it when Just the killickt' would ever turn to or not - he didn't. didn't. he - not or to turn ever would killickt' the

and back again. The stokers started a sweep stake on whether whether on stake sweep a started stokers The again. back and

Mavis been up to ? How was everyone going to cope ? ? cope to going everyone was How ? to up been Mavis from Muppets are not thick to divers are not all "prima donnas" donnas" "prima all not are divers to thick not are Muppets from

nice guy image ? What antics had that crazy pair Derek and and Derek pair crazy that had antics What ? image guy nice The games carried on, the heated high profile debates moved moved debates profile high heated the on, carried games The

Letters to the Editor Editor the to Letters www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

ALL ARMS COMMANDO COURSE 4/96 (POLAR BEARS ONLY NEED APPLY)

By Lt Dave Hunkin RN

b) Complete Assault Course in under 5 minutes. COMMANDO TRAINING CENTRE c) Fireman's carry of 200m in under 90 seconds d) A full regain ROYAL MARINES 3. 6 msm - 60 mins 4. 12 mile load carry - 4 hours with 681bs 5. Final exercise 6. Endurance Course - 72 mins followed by 6 from 10 shots at a fig 11c target at 25 metres. 7. 9 msm - 90 mins 8. Tarzan & Assault course - 13 mins 9. 30 mile march - 8 hours 10. All physical tests are conducted carrying 221bs plus weapon unless otherwise stated.

The Commando Tests start after only 2 weeks on course. There "We were now on the downhill stretch and the end was in sight is no time to train once on course therefore it is imperative that as passing the Avon Dam meant there was only a few kilometres candidates arrive fully prepared both physically and mentally. to go. Eight weeks of pain and suffering were soon to be over as Failure of a Commando Test may lead to a re-test if time allows our 14 man syndicate formed up for the march to the finish. but generally results in immediate RTU (Returned to Unit). Caps were straightened, webbing and buttons were done up as we forgot our swollen feet and bleeding backs. Putting that Passing In green beret on your head for the first time is quite an emotional Before the joys of Commando Tests however, candidates must moment, one that only those who wear it can understand. You first 'pass in' to the course. Day 1 - Basic Fitness Test is as it had joined an elite 'club', the right to wear a green beret and no- states - basic! 50 sit ups in 2 mins, 5 pull ups, 1.5 mile squaded one can take that away from you." run followed by a 1.5 mile individual run in under 12 minutes. All tests are conducted in denims, t shirt and boots. The RAF left us On 28 October 1996 sixty five members of the Royal Navy, Army at this point! and Royal Airforce started All Arms Commando Course 4/96. On 19 December, some eight weeks later, only 34 of those original After the Royal Marines Swimming Test, basic for any bubble 65 received the coveted green beret in a windswept, rain lashed head, day 2 heralds the first real physical test that sets nerves field somewhere on Dartmoor and luckily, I was one. trembling. The Combat Fitness Test consists of marching 8 miles in 1 hr 50 mins carrying 351bs, a rifle and helmet. At a The aim of this article is twofold, firstly to dispel some myths that glance it may not appear too hard a test however, when the surround this 'cloak and dagger' course and secondly to assist squad forms up and sets off at a lightning pace uphill, it soon those who may be considering undertaking the course in the dawns that this test is designed to weed out the weaker future. Forewarned is forearmed! members of course.

The All Arms Commando Course (AACC) is split into 2 phases, The first 4 miles are all uphill and encouragement for those phase 1 - 2 weeks Pre Course, followed by phase 2 - the 6 week failing behind is forbidden as the PT staff increase the pace and Commando Course. The course is run by the Commando everyone is forced to run as hard as they can. More candidates Training Centre, Royal Marines, Lympstone (CTC) to train are lost during this test but there is some satisfaction to be had officers and men of other services, already trained in their on returning to CTC knowing that the first real physical test is specialist skills, for service with Commando Forces Royal over. The following day the course deploys for Exercise Marines. The course has now been extended to include a 2 COUNTRYMAN. 3 days designed to introduce the basics of field week 'beat up' at CTC, all courses are now 10 weeks long. craft to those with no field experience - step forward the 8 matelots! The exercise started with a vengeance as the course During the welcoming address by the course officer the course formed up carrying full Combat Equipment Marching Order are left in no doubt as to what they are about to undertake. (CEMO) weighing some 65Ibs plus the ubiquitous 141b SA80 Described by CTC as "eight of the hardest weeks of Commando rifle. Suddenly the staff leads off at a frightening pace and yet training put back to back" it is widely accepted as the hardest again the course is forced to run as fast as they can as falling way to earn the green beret, the reasons for which will become behind would mean being RTU'd. Surely you're not supposed to clear later. run carrying 701bs? But there is no one around to ask and 40 lung tearing minutes later the course arrives at Woodbury The course takes the form of lectures and instruction in the field Common in a state of exhaustion and shock. followed by practical application and assessment. Of the eight weeks, six are spent in the field culminating in the final exercise Many lectures are given in various military skills such as shelter in week seven. Interspersed with the field exercises are the building, night navigation and basic tactics but this exercise Commando Tests which start at the beginning of week three. remains memorable for one particular treat; Field Inspections. There are 9 Commando Tests to be passed, all with their own Usually at 0730 the course muster in a clearing with all their kit absolute criteria: laid out in a strict format ready for inspection. Each course member stood nervously behind his kit as the staff approached 1. 4 mile speed march (msm) - 40 mins bellowing at people to stand still and issuing press ups to 2. Battle Physical Training Pass Out. anyone drawing attention to themselves. Before long kit is a) Climb 30 foot rope strewn about and the whole course is put 'on the flank'. A

www.mcdoa.org.uk 32

33 33

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Week 4 is probably the hardest week in many many in week hardest the probably is 4 Week respects. Exercise Exercise respects. Assault Course Training Training Course Assault

Trenches! Trenches!

0730 on Monday morning. morning. Monday on 0730

slight sting in the tail is the 4 msm, the first Commando Test, Test, Commando first the msm, 4 the is tail the in sting slight

be learnt, more tactics and everyone's' favourite, BPT. The only only The BPT. favourite, everyone's' and tactics more learnt, be

introduced to foreign weapons. There are also helicopter drills to to drills helicopter also are There weapons. foreign to introduced

and practising the principals of marksmanship and being being and marksmanship of principals the practising and

excellent 3 days is spent on the ranges at Tregantle learning learning Tregantle at ranges the on spent is days 3 excellent

strenuous one, week 3 is quite enjoyable by comparison. An An comparison. by enjoyable quite is 3 week one, strenuous

Following the pattern of 2 hard weeks followed by a less less a by followed weeks hard 2 of pattern the Following

continue! continue!

speak for physical exercise) is typically intense. The 'flankings' 'flankings' The intense. typically is exercise) physical for speak

night. Sleep is virtually non existent and the 'phys' (Bootneck (Bootneck 'phys' the and existent non virtually is Sleep night.

aspects of soldiering all of which are practised by day and by by and day by practised are which of all soldiering of aspects

skills already taught. There is a greater emphasis on the tactical tactical the on emphasis greater a is There taught. already skills

Week 2 consists of a five day exercise practising and enhancing enhancing and practising exercise day five a of consists 2 Week

never be asked to climb that damned 30 ft rope again! again! rope ft 30 damned that climb to asked be never

sigh of relief when the BPT Pass Out was over as you would would you as over was Out Pass BPT the when relief of sigh

resulted in numerous minor injuries. There was an immense immense an was There injuries. minor numerous in resulted

The sessions on the Assault Course were hard, dirty work and and work dirty hard, were Course Assault the on sessions The

aggression took over mind and body. An extreme example of of example extreme An body. and mind over took aggression

combats, a rifle and 221bs of webbing. webbing. of 221bs and rifle a combats, The stretcher race was predictably an emotional affair as as affair emotional an predictably was race stretcher The

most difficult technique to master made all the more difficult by by difficult more the all made master to technique difficult most

exhausted is paramount! The rope climb and regain proved the the proved regain and climb rope The paramount! is exhausted wet, waiting for 40 soldiers to squeeze through one tunnel. tunnel. one through squeeze to soldiers 40 for waiting wet,

are willing to give `that little extra'. Technique when you're you're when Technique extra'. little `that give to willing are hungry, grew even colder as they stood in a bitter wind, soaking soaking wind, bitter a in stood they as colder even grew hungry,

conducted when you are physically drained to show those who who those show to drained physically are you when conducted During the instructional phase the course, already cold, tired and and tired cold, already course, the phase instructional the During

aggression alone wouldn't suffice. The Commando Tests are are Tests Commando The suffice. wouldn't alone aggression

and take the hit but discretion being the better part of valour valour of part better the being discretion but hit the take and

I) I)

techniques and it soon became apparent that endless endless that apparent became soon it and techniques back gets them in!" (It was very tempting to offer my diving pay pay diving my offer to tempting very was (It in!" them gets back

need after a week in the field! Much time is spent learning learning spent is time Much field! the in week a after need the course carrying a stretcher and 3 filled jerrycans. "Last one one "Last jerrycans. filled 3 and stretcher a carrying course the

and intense and all are on a Friday afternoon. Not what you you what Not afternoon. Friday a on are all and intense and twice! First as an instructional period followed by a race around around race a by followed period instructional an as First twice!

the Assault Course before the Pass Out so the periods are long long are periods the so Out Pass the before Course Assault the `Friday surprise' for us: We were to run the Endurance Course - Course Endurance the run to were We us: for surprise' `Friday

period of Battle Physical Training. There are only 3 sessions on on sessions 3 only are There Training. Physical Battle of period carrying out troop attacks, patrols etc, the staff had a special special a had staff the etc, patrols attacks, troop out carrying

afternoon to be sent down to the Assault Course for a 90 minute minute 90 a for Course Assault the to down sent be to afternoon Having completing an exhausting week in the trenches and and trenches the in week exhausting an completing Having

The Stretcher Race Race Stretcher The

Lecturer explaining maintenance of arms arms of maintenance explaining Lecturer

the staff were looking for. for. looking were staff the

some time before the course became the coherent fighting unit unit fighting coherent the became course the before time some

Troop attacks were to become second nature but it took quite quite took it but nature second become to were attacks Troop

enemy activity an formed the basis of the daily dawn attack. attack. dawn daily the of basis the formed an activity enemy

(OPs) were established. These brought back information on on information back brought These established. were (OPs)

Patrols (Recce Patrols) went out and Observation Positions Positions Observation and out went Patrols) (Recce Patrols

The daily routine could now begin. Each night Reconnaissance Reconnaissance night Each begin. now could routine daily The

exposure which was to become evident later in the week, week, the in later evident become to was which exposure

howled. Not surprisingly some soldiers suffered from mild mild from suffered soldiers some surprisingly Not howled.

hours after starting, and the rain still poured and the wind wind the and poured still rain the and starting, after hours

"Quality training!" By 1500 the trenches were dug, some 18 18 some dug, were trenches the 1500 By training!" "Quality

cold and a little hungry. The staff couldn't believe their luck - luck their believe couldn't staff The hungry. little a and cold

now soaked to the skin, covered in mud not to mention freezing freezing mention to not mud in covered skin, the to soaked now

break most trenches were dug down to 3 or 4 feet, all were by by were all feet, 4 or 3 to down dug were trenches most break

Shelters were not allowed and it made a sorry sight. By day day By sight. sorry a made it and allowed not were Shelters

The course returned from a tiring 3 days in the field on a Friday Friday a on field the in days 3 tiring a from returned course The dug while 2 men huddled behind their bergans out of the wind. wind. the of out bergans their behind huddled men 2 while dug

Friday, week 1 brought the next shock, Battle Physical Training. Training. Physical Battle shock, next the brought 1 week Friday, all twelve inches deep in water. In the four man trenches 2 men men 2 trenches man four the In water. in deep inches twelve all

dug continuously throughout the night and by 0300 they were were they 0300 by and night the throughout continuously dug

allowances were made! made! were allowances sleet blown by a gale force 8 easterly wind. The trenches were were trenches The wind. easterly 8 force gale a by blown sleet

to start the course as it eats into the energy resources. No No resources. energy the into eats it as course the start to specially by the staff. It came horizontally, mixed with hail and and hail with mixed horizontally, came It staff. the by specially

administration" up to the required standards. Not an ideal way way ideal an Not standards. required the to up administration" to, it was a winter course after all, no, this rain had been ordered ordered been had rain this no, all, after course winter a was it to,

the first two weeks as we struggled to bring our "personal "personal our bring to struggled we as weeks two first the It then started to rain. Not the normal rain we had grown used used grown had we rain normal the Not rain. to started then It

contingent found themselves 'on the flank' almost every day for for day every almost flank' the 'on themselves found contingent

tunnels of the endurance course. Needless to say the Naval Naval the say to Needless course. endurance the of tunnels course arrived at its defensive position on a bleak hillside. hillside. bleak a on position defensive its at arrived course

'the bog of eternal stench' or a run through the water filled filled water the through run a or stench' eternal of bog 'the the usual 751bs. By 1730 it was dark and 4 hours later the the later hours 4 and dark was it 1730 By 751bs. usual the

physical pain by uphill grid sprints, leopard crawling through through crawling leopard sprints, grid uphill by pain physical on Monday the course sets off to Woodbury Common carrying carrying Common Woodbury to off sets course the Monday on

takes many forms but always results in a period of intense intense of period a in results always but forms many takes in defence and patrolling. Defence means trenches and at 1700 1700 at and trenches means Defence patrolling. and defence in

'flanking' meant standby for about an hour of "therapy" which which "therapy" of hour an about for standby meant 'flanking' DIGGING MAN is a defensive exercise where lessons are given given are lessons where exercise defensive a is MAN DIGGING

ALL ARMS COMMANDO COURSE COURSE COMMANDO ARMS ALL www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

ALL ARMS COMMANDO COURSE

this was one officer who suffered severe hypothermia. He had become separated from his group during the run back and was found by the staff as he zig zagged down the road. In a daze he finally ran into the side of the approaching Landrover and was rushed to the sickbay at CTC. Diagnosed as suffering from hypothermia his core body temperature had dropped to 33°C and was minutes from unconsciousness. 30 minutes after being admitted he started to shiver and he spent the weekend in sickbay re-warming and receiving treatment for frostbitten fingers. (Top tip: Don't do a winter course!)

Dartmoor Week 5 brought the second of the Commando Tests and one which filled most with a little anxiety, the 12 mile load carry. This is carried out at night carrying a minimum of 681bs over open moor and tracks to be completed in under 4 hours. Woodbury Common Orders wiere given at 1830 on Sunday night and dinner was taken in the Officers' Mess on completion. The mess felt The Endurance Course Pass out was a particularly unpleasant particularly warm and inviting that night as we sat in our affair. Days of sub sero temperatures had left the water combats chatting, concerned that none of us had managed to obstacles frozen and the officers' syndicate was chosen to get our kit to weigh less than 75Ibs. However, the inevitable break it! The wade through Peters pool was done in record time soon came and the course were flown by Sea King to a bleak, as the ice broke on our chest and we sprinted to the other dark Dartmoor ready to start at 2200. The course set off lead by obstacles. Soon extremities were numbed by the cold, which the staff at the now familiar brisk pace. The quick pace across had its advantages as it meant you couldn't feel the gravel and the moonlit moor carrying 751bs soon took its toll and before rocks in the bottom of the tunnels as they ground into hands long most had twisted ankles. One course member was and knees. As the sun was only just rising, the air temperature suffering froom food poisioning and tried to make frequent stops was still below freezing and combats and webbing froze during to be sick. Sometimes he was able to stop, sometimes he the run back, apart from below the knee. Shoot complete, the wasn't. The fear of falling behind and being collected by the staff Endurance Course was over, a painful, unpleasant experience. Landrover was motivation enough and all passed the test in 3 hours 50 minutes. By 0200 Sections were being given orders `Interest Week' and ammunition for the forthcoming 4 day exercise. Most had a Week 6, loosely called an interest week, gets the course away 4 hour yomp to their OP's which were to be up and running by from CTC with Amphibious Drills at RM Poole, Dunker Training, 0730. There then followed the first full week on Dartmoor climbing, and a very good field firing package. Yet again, carrying out the tactics taught on Woodbury Common. This time however, Monday begins with a Commando Test - the 6 msm. however distances were increased, the weight carried was Overall an excellent week and one that finally introduces the increased and Dartmoor threw its best winter weather at anyone 'Commando element' with amphibious Ops and roping.i foolish enough to venture across its boggy undulating terrain in December. The Final Phase Week 7 begins the final and most intensive phase of the course: The Endurance Course Having collapsed into bed late on Friday night after a week on Wk 7 Sun-Fri Final Exercise Dartmoor, waking at 0500 on Saturday to run the Endurance Sat Endurance Course Pass Out Course demanded 'Nirvana' at full blast! After an early breakfast Sun Rest the course marched the 4 miles to Woodbury Common in the Wk 8 Mon 9 msm dark ready to start the course at 0745. 72 minutes is allowed to Tues Tarzan/Assault Pass Out complete the course consisting of water filled tunnels, the Wed 30 miler - Green Beret! 'sheep dip', Peters Pool and the run back followed by a shoot. Final Exercise has 2 aims: To assess candidates in all that they have been taught on the course and to 'prepare' them for the final Commando Tests. It is also described by the Marines as being "Yomptastic" as that is what most of the week is spent doing, yomping from one position to another, carrying out attacks, patrols, OPs and more yomping. This ensures that candidates approach the final Commando Tests tired, foot sore and devoid of energy, however for most, this had happened weeks ago

But the end was in sight, and nothing, bar serious injury, was going to stand in the way of the course getting their green berets. Or so it was thought. In the end, even at this late stage, 4 failed the Tarzan Assault course. Three passed a re-test after the 30 miler but one failed on the penultimate day of course.

In total, 34 passed the course including: Look Mum no hands! 3 Officers from 9 starters (including 1 x MCDO!) www.mcdoa.org.uk 34

35 35

www.mcdoa.org.uk

NEBSM qualifications bring confidence, prestige and greater greater and prestige confidence, bring qualifications NEBSM suggested solution. solution. suggested

need to solve problems and subsequently write a report on a a on report a write subsequently and problems solve to need

managers' decisions work in practice. practice. in work decisions managers' commerce, and which may be of interest to anyone faced with the the with faced anyone to interest of be may which and commerce,

trained supervisor is the person who has the skills to make senior senior make to skills the has who person the is supervisor trained human relations, which are commonly found in industry and and industry in found commonly are which relations, human

the person who can 'make or break' top management plans. The The plans. management top break' or 'make can who person the for improvement. This invariably includes costs and the effect on on effect the and costs includes invariably This improvement. for

NEBSM believes that the supervisor is the key front line manager - manager line front key the is supervisor the that believes NEBSM happening, reaching conclusions, and making recommendations recommendations making and conclusions, reaching happening,

desinged to show ability in examining a problem, analysing what is is what analysing problem, a examining in ability show to desinged

in association with City and Guilds. Guilds. and City with association in This project, similar to the PO's Leadership Course Exercise, is is Exercise, Course Leadership PO's the to similar project, This

in Supervisory Management and Management at Levels 3, 4 and 5 5 and 4 3, Levels at Management and Management Supervisory in

Management at Level 3 and in Management at Level 4 plus NVQs NVQs plus 4 Level at Management in and 3 Level at Management together with material to support the NVQ and SVQ programmes. programmes. SVQ and NVQ the support to material with together

NEBSM offers its own SVQs and NVQs in Supervisory Supervisory in NVQs and SVQs own its offers NEBSM transparencies, role play exercises, assignments and case studies studies case and assignments exercises, play role transparencies,

NEBSM tutors to run high quality programmes are overhead overhead are programmes quality high run to tutors NEBSM

and training. training. and a programme leading to NEBSM awards. Also available to assist assist to available Also awards. NEBSM to leading programme a

1993/1994 is the largest single provider of management education education management of provider single largest the is 1993/1994 Pergamon Open Learning. These materials can be used as part of of part as used be can materials These Learning. Open Pergamon

recognised Centres in the UK and with over 32,000 candidates in in candidates 32,000 over with and UK the in Centres recognised supervisory management, Super Series 2, which is published by by published is which 2, Series Super management, supervisory

Certificate and Diploma through a network of over eight hundred hundred eight over of network a through Diploma and Certificate NEBSM produces the UK's best selling open learning materials for for materials learning open selling best UK's the produces NEBSM

NEBSM currently offers awards at three levels - Introductory, Introductory, - levels three at awards offers currently NEBSM

Information are used to develop NEBSM programmes. programmes. NEBSM develop to used are Information

and assessment". assessment". and Management of Products and Services and Management of of Management and Services and Products of Management

effective supervisory and management education, development development education, management and supervisory effective Human Resources, Management of Financial Resources, Resources, Financial of Management Resources, Human

mission statement is "To facilitate the best methods of flexible and and flexible of methods best the facilitate "To is statement mission Approvals Panel. The four basic groupings of Management of of Management of groupings basic four The Panel. Approvals

NEBSM was set up in 1964 by the British Government. The current current The Government. British the by 1964 in up set was NEBSM who wish to submit a proposed programme to the Board's Board's the to programme proposed a submit to wish who

NEBS MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT NEBS organisation or area. Guidance is offered to prospective Centres Centres prospective to offered is Guidance area. or organisation

NEBSM programmes can be tailor made to suit the industry, industry, the suit to made tailor be can programmes NEBSM

(NEBSM) certificate. certificate. (NEBSM)

National Examinations Board in Supervisory Managements Managements Supervisory in Board Examinations National their personal experience of management. management. of experience personal their

participate in an individual written project which qualifies for the the for qualifies which project written individual an in participate in Supervisory Management education and training together with with together training and education Management Supervisory in

During this 10 week course all students are encouraged to to encouraged are students all course week 10 this During Verifiers who are appointed by the Board by virtue of their interest interest their of virtue by Board the by appointed are who Verifiers

NEBSM standards are monitored by a team of Assessors and and Assessors of team a by monitored are standards NEBSM

DRYAD. DRYAD.

qualify in the Mine Warfare PO's course currently held at HMS HMS at held currently course PO's Warfare Mine the in qualify employers' training needs. needs. training employers'

There is a great opportunity for those candidates selected to to selected candidates those for opportunity great a is There promotion prospects for employees and a cost effective answer to to answer effective cost a and employees for prospects promotion

By Mike Stannard MoD NEBSM Verifier Verifier NEBSM MoD Stannard Mike By

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS! KNOCKS! OPPORTUNITY

Trained! Trained! Course wash up & dispersal dispersal & up wash Course

yourself part of an exciting, challenging future, get Commando Commando get future, challenging exciting, an of part yourself 30 mile march march mile 30

Endurance course pass out out pass course Endurance Tarzan/Assault Pass Out Out Pass Tarzan/Assault be in the forefront of this. So don't be left on the shelf, make make shelf, the on left be don't So this. of forefront the in be

Final exercise exercise Final 9 mile speed march march speed mile 9 Joint Operations are the future. Clearance Divers will and should should and will Divers Clearance future. the are Operations Joint

Week 7 7 Week Week 8 8 Week and with an ever increasing budget, Amphibious and therefore therefore and Amphibious budget, increasing ever an with and

enhance your position within these expanding areas of warfare warfare of areas expanding these within position your enhance

Tarzan/Assault course course Tarzan/Assault

talents of a Clearance Diver. Being Commando trained can only only can trained Commando Being Diver. Clearance a of talents

6 mile speed march march speed mile 6

holds many joint projects with RM Poole that require the unique unique the require that Poole RM with projects joint many holds

Endurance course course Endurance

Live firing firing Live

leaders in Very Shallow Water MCM (VSW MCM) and the future future the and MCM) (VSW MCM Water Shallow Very in leaders

Survival training/exercise training/exercise Survival

Roping & abseiling abseiling & Roping

encouraged as the Clearance Diving Branch are becoming becoming are Branch Diving Clearance the as encouraged

Tarzan/Assault course course Tarzan/Assault

Amphibious training training Amphibious

physical preparation. Personally, I think it should be actively actively be should it think I Personally, preparation. physical

12 mile load carry carry load mile 12

Dunker drills drills Dunker

Divers are capable of passing AACC with the right mental and and mental right the with AACC passing of capable are Divers

Week 5 5 Week

Week Week 6 6

But why do the course in the first place? Undoubtedly almost all all almost Undoubtedly place? first the in course the do why But

Helicopter training training Helicopter

etc. etc. BPT BPT Tarzan course course Tarzan

in order to practice various techniques on the Assault Course Course Assault the on techniques various practice to order in Range work work Range Endurance course course Endurance

information and advice and can arrange essential visits to CTC CTC to visits essential arrange can and advice and information Tactics Tactics Patrolling exercise exercise Patrolling

Run by Commando trained Instructor Officers they are a mine of of mine a are they Officers Instructor trained Commando by Run 4 mile speed march march speed mile 4 BPT Pass Out Out Pass BPT

early contact should be made with the Education Centre at CTC. CTC. at Centre Education the with made be should contact early

Week 3 3 Week Week 4 4 Week

running, getting 'boot fit' and improving upper body strength, strength, body upper improving and fit' 'boot getting running,

Phase 2 The Commando Course Course Commando The 2 Phase

least three months prior to it starting. A part from the obvious, obvious, the from part A starting. it to prior months three least

Anyone considering attending the course must start training at at training start must course the attending considering Anyone

Battle Physical Training (BPT) (BPT) Training Physical Battle

Basic fieldcraft exercise exercise fieldcraft Basic Fieldcraft Exercise Exercise Fieldcraft

the course. course. the

Passing In Tests Tests In Passing

BPT BPT

had carried out a thorough 'beat up' and were well prepared for for prepared well were and up' 'beat thorough a out carried had

Week 1 1 Week Week 2 2 Week

A 52% pass rate is considered good for a winter course. Most Most course. winter a for good considered is rate pass 52% A

Phase 1 The Pre Course Course Pre The 1 Phase

28 Army Ors from 49 starters (including 4 x RE Divers) Divers) RE x 4 (including starters 49 from Ors Army 28

3 RN Jrs Jrs RN 3 from 7 starters ( 1 x LCK, 1 x LPT & 1 x AEM) AEM) x 1 & LPT x 1 LCK, x 1 ( starters 7 from AACC Course Programme Programme Course AACC

ALL ARMS COMMANDO COURSE COURSE COMMANDO ARMS ALL www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

A SUPERVISORS WORST NIGHTMARE

By PO(D) McKeever

The Training to enter the water. Shortly after, AB(D) KELLOW brought up Ships Divers Course 673 had a successful week one & two an unconscious diver with a facemask full of white foam. at Horsea Island with all divers achieving all the requirements to continue the course to week three, this The stand-by diver was instructed to get the diver off air and included a companion diver drill assessment at the end of get him to the gemini. Once in the gemini I checked for a week two. pulse, no pulse was present. His airway was checked for obstructions then the casualty was put on Ambu with a 15 They started week three on the bottom of HMS Bristol, with LPM flow set. From the diver arriving on the surface to the all searches getting round with minor problems. LWEM point where he was put on Ambu was between 10-15 Bunker was involved in both dives. seconds. ECC & AV was conducted by myself and LT WILLIAMS while AB(D) SILCOX drove the gemini to the jetty. Day two of week three was allotted to HMS MANCHESTER, the 5 Mar 96, but due to all the activity on HMS ECC & AV was conducted for 6 minutes both in the gemini MANCHESTER this arrangement was changed so that diving and on the jetty until the LMA of HMS RICHMOND and the would take place on the hull of HMS RICHMOND instead. POMA of HMS MANCHESTER turned up. The LMA and POMA took over giving ECC & AV and at the same time, The Dive using their specialist equipment, emptied what little water All divers, having checked for leaks, left surface at 1135 with there was out of the casualty. LWEM Bunker being positioned as No4. There were only four divers on the search, plus one acting as surface In those 6 minutes we did manage to get a heart beat of nine swimmer. per minute. Within ten minutes of the incident happening we had two Ambulances on the scene and the medical staff Once all the divers were in position the No1 diver gave two from HMS NELSON led by POMA PEARCE. pulls to start the search which the surface swimmer answered to the No4 diver. The search started as planned. The Paramedics worked on the casualty with all manner of medical equipment until he was in a stable condition to The search continued well down the Port side of the ship move, he was then moved to the Accident & Emergency Unit with all divers staying together to the point of it reaching a at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham. Dockyard barge. Four bells was passed down to the No4 in order to take the float down to clear the obstruction, at which Once stabilised at the Accident & Emergency Unit he was point the No4 took the float under the ship. moved to the Intensive Care Unit and later that night transferred to Haslar Hospital. The barge was larger than normal and the search continued at a pace that was considered normal for a course at this LWEM BUNKER was making a good recovery with his stage of their training. heartbeat and core temperature back to normal and breathing unaided, he was however put on a ventilator so he Once the divers bubbles had passed the obstruction and could direct his energies elsewhere. 24 hours later the after had reached the surface swimmer, four bells was given on affects of drowning took place resulting in his brain swelling the hull by the surface swimmer using his knife to instruct the to a point where he was diagnosed as brain dead. His life No4 to release the float. The four bells was given three times support machine was switched off on the 7 Mar 96. and even though the divers were making good progress the float still hadn't arrived back on the surface. At this stage I The autopsy report concluded that LWEM BUNKER died due was positioned at the bow of HMS RICHMOND to check for to a non diving related illness, namely, a Cerebral Infarction. bubbles on the starboard side. No bubbles were sighted by my staff, or myself A year has passed now, but there isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about LWEM BUNKER and the events that Shortly after this, 10m from the bows, the bubbles moved happened that day. Could I have done more or done from the port side to the starboard side under the keel, at something better, I don't think I could have done, I just did which point I took over the dive from the trainee supervisor, everything that my training taught me to do. I am thankful LT WILLIAMS. The time was 1149. that I had very competent staff with me who reacted in the manner that was both calm and professional, the result of The stand-by diver was brought to immediate notice and a which gave LWEM BUNKER the chance of life. thunderflash deployed. The first thunderflash did not activate so another one was deployed, this one did activate correctly. No matter how well you think you're prepared, even in Shortly afterwards, a diver appeared on the surface who controlled conditions like this day was, things out of your turned out to be the No2 diver, CPL HUNT. CPL HUNT was control can go wrong. All I can say is that if things do go waving his coupling line indicating that he was detached wrong, go with your training even though it looks like it may from the rest of the search. be in vain.

A third thunderflash was deployed and the stand-by diver, I would personally like to thank AB(D) KELLOW & AB(D) AB(D) KELLOW, sent away having been briefed to proceed SILCOX for their professional support in this incident. Thank down the divers bubbles. AB(D) KELLOW took 36 seconds you.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 36

37 37

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Special mention must go to the Chefs de Cuisine A/PO(MW)s A/PO(MW)s Cuisine de Chefs the to go must mention Special

Muppets from around the country with more arriving later. later. arriving more with country the around from Muppets A/PO (MW) John Gunter Gunter John (MW) A/PO HMS CATTISTOCK CATTISTOCK HMS

Within a couple of hours the numbers had swelled to around 60 60 around to swelled had numbers the hours of couple a Within A/PO (MW) Neil Clark Clark Neil (MW) A/PO HMS CATTISTOCK CATTISTOCK HMS

who travelled up from Dartmouth (apparently on a duty trip!?). trip!?). duty a on (apparently Dartmouth from up travelled who A/PO (MW) Sleepy Gelder Gelder Sleepy (MW) A/PO HMS QUORN QUORN HMS

Northwood, closely followed by Ex WO(MW) Barney Barnett, Barnett, Barney WO(MW) Ex by followed closely Northwood, A/PO (MW) Stu Esplin Esplin Stu (MW) A/PO HMS DULVERTON DULVERTON HMS

First to arrive was WO(MW) Pete Cawsey, down from from down Cawsey, Pete WO(MW) was arrive to First A/PO (MW) Baz Hunt Hunt Baz (MW) A/PO HMS CHIDDINGFOLD CHIDDINGFOLD HMS

A/PO (MW) Andy Kidd Kidd Andy (MW) A/PO HMS HURWORTH HURWORTH HMS

respects to commence the evolution. evolution. the commence to respects A/PO (MW) Geoff Palmer Palmer Geoff (MW) A/PO HMS INVERNESS INVERNESS HMS

with all the preparations completed we were ready in all all in ready were we completed preparations the all with

and it seemed to arrive quicker than we would have liked, still, still, liked, have would we than quicker arrive to seemed it and Where we are all off to.- to.- off all are we Where

The day of the barbecue fell in week 10 of this 14 week course course week 14 this of 10 week in fell barbecue the of day The PO(MW) 67 COURSE COURSE 67 PO(MW)

overall it was encouraging. encouraging. was it overall ROLL ON THE NEXT ONE! ONE! NEXT THE ON ROLL

mainly due to the number of ships away on exercises, but but exercises, on away ships of number the to due mainly

The response from those in the real world was rather slow, slow, rather was world real the in those from response The of the tunnel, sweeps at long stay, ready to down kite etc. etc. kite down to ready stay, long at sweeps tunnel, the of

All we have to do now is finish the course, the light is at the end end the at is light the course, the finish is now do to have we All

who did not receive an invite. We did our best to find you!!. you!!. find to best our did We invite. an receive not did who

take this opportunity to apologise to any members of the branch branch the of members any to apologise to opportunity this take event, with increased numbers next year. year. next numbers increased with event,

swing with approximately 150 letters having been sent out. We We out. sent been having letters 150 approximately with swing evening. We hope that this jamboree will become an annual annual an become will jamboree this that hope We evening.

a few retired members). One week later and we were in full full in were we and later week One members). retired few a who could not make it, you missed out on a highly enjoyable enjoyable highly a on out missed you it, make not could who

MINEWARFARE Senior Rates and Officers of the fleet (including (including fleet the of Officers and Rates Senior MINEWARFARE fond memories and renewed acquaintances. For those of you you of those For acquaintances. renewed and memories fond

should boost numbers a little by opening the invitation to all all to invitation the opening by little a numbers boost should We thank those of you who attended and hope you left with with left you hope and attended who you of those thank We

Geoff Palmer. SEA DAD to the course decided maybe we we maybe decided course the to DAD SEA Palmer. Geoff

hoof' is not one of the course's strongest attributes. attributes. strongest course's the of one not is hoof'

seven experienced Acting PO(MW)s to accomplish. Wrong! Wrong! accomplish. to PO(MW)s Acting experienced seven and a folk singing demo by Geoff. It is fair to say that "shaking a a "shaking that say to fair is It Geoff. by demo singing folk a and

SMOPS. This first appeared to be a simple leadership task for for task leadership simple a be to appeared first This SMOPS. with the muppets formation handbag dancing championship, championship, dancing handbag formation muppets the with

organise a barbecue for the entire MINEWARFARE section at at section MINEWARFARE entire the for barbecue a organise During this phase of the evening we decided to liven things up up things liven to decided we evening the of phase this During

that one of the many tasks we were to undertake was to to was undertake to were we tasks many the of one that during the last 10 Hunt Boat COSTs covered by FOST(MPV)! FOST(MPV)! by covered COSTs Boat Hunt 10 last the during

course. Course instructor CPO(MW) George Hogg informed us us informed Hogg George CPO(MW) instructor Course course. more Minesweeping was achieved in the vicinity of the bar than than bar the of vicinity the in achieved was Minesweeping more

The plan was first formulated during week one of PO(MW) 67 67 PO(MW) of one week during formulated first was plan The As the night progressed and dits became even more fantastic, fantastic, more even became dits and progressed night the As

Mess at SMOPS, HMS DRYAD. DRYAD. HMS SMOPS, at Mess (Truffle Hunter) Thores. Thores. Hunter) (Truffle

barbecue. The venue was the Warrant Officers and Senior Rates Rates Senior and Officers Warrant the was venue The barbecue. We would also like to thank "Chief Food Taster" PO(MW) Olen Olen PO(MW) Taster" Food "Chief thank to like also would We

June 18th was the date set for the inaugural Minewarfare branch branch Minewarfare inaugural the for set date the was 18th June Baz Hunt, Stu Esplin and Geoff Palmer for an excellent scran. scran. excellent an for Palmer Geoff and Esplin Stu Hunt, Baz

By PO(MW) 67 67 PO(MW) By

SMOPS(MW) BARBECUE. PO(MW) 67 COURSE. COURSE. 67 PO(MW) BARBECUE. SMOPS(MW) www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

CONISTON CHRONICLE (C2)

By Lt Tony Silva RN, MW3

Another training year has passed since the MW Section's completing the training cycle from baby OM on the last MAD Mag article and since then, the Section has sweepdeck up to SOO in the MCMTA. tirelessly continued to train MW personnel from OM up to Squadron Commander level. In fact, over the past 12 URSA months, trainee through-put has increased beyond all URSA, the SANDOWN COT, has successfully completed the expectations with 0M2 courses expected to continue at 2 rigorous demands of its first Structured Command Team above maximum until further notice and all courses full. The Training which in conjunction with CDREMFP should training of foreign personnel has also markedly increased increase in frequency in order to utilise both the COT and with Flagship bringing officers and ratings from countries the associated CBT to its full potential. (literally) all around the world. So far the section have seen Canadian, American, Australian, Saudi and Portuguese The increasing global acceptance of NAUTIS and 2093 has personnel, with the expectation of contingents from Japan, enhanced our training commitments and our future Italy and Korea within the next year. programming looks healthy. Indeed, due to the forecast training requirements, 'Flagship' has been sub-contacted to However, before we embark on the nif-naf trivia of everyday assist with the increased load. We therefore welcome the Coniston life, the following are highlighted as worthy of all appointment of Mr Tony Bassett (a retired CPOMW) who our congratulations for their recognition by various selection completed the SRMH PJT earlier this year and has been boards. appointed as Flagship's representative trainer.

Queen's Birthday Honours: ARCTURUS MBE: 1076 has undergone a major hardware upgrade. The old Peter Hitchcock Argus system has been replaced with VME busses and the Exercise controller system has been brought up to date and Officers Promotion is now mouse driven. Commander: Chris Ameye MAS has been incorporated into the sonar system and is up Chris Lade Simon Neil Adrian Cassar and running. The reliability of the trainer has vastly improved, a complete system re-boot takes a bare two minutes. Lieutenant Commander: Tony Griffiths Nigel Hill The Hunt Class CBT has undergone a software 're-write' Mark Kessler Rob Cornick which has incorporated a number of moving of moving scenarios and remains a useful tool for learning keyboard Senior Rate Promotions skills. This facility is available to all comers and proved particularly beneficial to those seeking promotion to POMW. Warrant Officer: Peter Whitehead Tony Mulrain As with URSA, ARCTURUS will also be used for the revised CTT packages with CDREMFP scheduling the training Chief Petty Officer: programming. Ian Cook Priddy Hattie Simon Chapman WARFARE TRAINING Jan Tackel Charly McKloskey Max Coffey The integration of Minewarfare into mainstream Warfare Steve Blaydon training continues to develop. As a section within the 'U' Department of SMOPS, it is possible to inject Minewarfare awareness and training into the Officer of the Watch 20E: George Hogg Paul Campbell upwards. The PWO Course now receive comprehensive George Coyle Steve Downey introduction or refamiliarisation to Minewarfare, including a Simon Mansell full awareness of our capabilities and limitations, and then progress onto an appreciation of the role and methods of TRAINING the MCM Cdr. MW inputs are being increasingly fed into the In Aug 96 the PO(MW)(0) career course training was myriad of simulator, table top and carpet top exercises that reactivated after a period of 21/2 years. Three LOM and four are the bread and butter of SMOPS warfare training. General OM courses have graduated and Sep 97 will see the first awareness for our discipline is growing, helped on more LS(MW) course for 3 years albeit running with 11 instead of than one occasion by a serial not achieving the usual or the maximum of 8 students. Initiating any training from a expected result due to the students ignoring, or failing to 'cold start' is difficult, however, the grounding laid by our fully appreciate the implications of the mine threat. predecessors has stood the test of time and we look forward to reactivating this important course. LMCDO courses Conversely, SMOPS is also educating us to improve our continue to thrive and Lt Yvonne Gray, has just qualified as understanding of FF/DD capabilities, procedures and the first female MWO. As an aside, the first female OM is requirements. Whilst we do not aim to make LMCDO expected on course around Christmas time. students mini PWOs we are overtly aware that a basic warfare knowledge is critical for our MW0s if they are to A slow trickle of Advance Minewarfare students wrestle with operate effectively and safely in company with the broader the vaguaries of MCM evaluation each term, enjoying the warfare community for whom, after all is said and done, we new, enhanced computer run wargame in Eguermin and are supposed to be providing the service.

www.mcdoa.org.uk 38

39 39

www.mcdoa.org.uk

Signed Signed

Yours Yours

Committee. Committee.

5. 5. I understand that inclusion of my contribution, in whole or in part, is at the discretion of the Editorial Editorial the of discretion the at is part, in or whole in contribution, my of inclusion that understand I

4. 4. I would/would not like my material/contribution returned on completion of printing. printing. of completion on returned material/contribution my like not would/would I

article in today it will arrive at least six weeks before the next edition is due. due. is edition next the before weeks six least at arrive will it today in article

3. 3. I realise that the Magazine publication date is 1 Aug and that by sending my my sending by that and Aug 1 is date publication Magazine the that realise I

(c) (c) less than RESTRICTED in classification classification in RESTRICTED than less

❑ ❑

of of

(b) (b) a photograph U /slide U /diagram U No. of items: l l items: of No. U /diagram U /slide U photograph a

(a) (a) a written article/Letter to The Editor, typed, double spaced and word-counted. word-counted. and spaced double typed, Editor, The to article/Letter written a

❑ ❑

Magazine. It is: is: It Magazine.

Please find attached my contribution towards the continued success of "Minewarfare And Diving" Diving" And "Minewarfare of success continued the towards contribution my attached find Please

(c) (c) It's no good — because because — good no It's

❑ ❑

(b) (b) It's OK — but you need more more need you but — OK It's

❑ ❑

(a) (a) It's terrific — keep up the good work work good the up keep — terrific It's

❑ ❑

1. 1. I have read this edition from cover to cover and I think: think: I and cover to cover from edition this read have I

Dear Editor, Editor, Dear

Tel: 01705 284782 284782 01705 Tel:

Hants P017 6EJ 6EJ P017 Hants

Southwick, Fareham Fareham Southwick,

HMS DRYAD DRYAD HMS

School of Maritime Operations Operations Maritime of School

Coniston Block Block Coniston

"Minewarfare and Diving" Magazine Magazine Diving" and "Minewarfare

The Editor Editor The

Your Fax No No Fax Your

Your Tel No No Tel Your

Your Address Address Your

Your Unit Unit Your

mi/e4oPE' mi/e4oPE' Your Job Title Title Job Your

A A PRE-PAZ PRE-PAZ

FIRSTaia FIRSTaia Pfot> Pfot>

EAJIA5 'AO 'AO EAJIA5

S06 cast bu bu cast S06

Your Rank/Rate Rank/Rate Your aw aw

A SV6 KR SV6 A

(lo w w

You a Fe* A.ska A.ska Fe* a You

Your Name Name Your

READERS RESPONSE PAGE PAGE RESPONSE READERS www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk

POSTCARD FROM ABBEY WOOD By Lt Cdr Jon Chapple RN, WE123N SHIPS

Dear fellow MAD readers, Just a quick line to let you know that WE123 (minewarfare) and MCM/EOD - LSE (CDBA for short) completed successful production WE128 (Diving & Life Support) groups ("Project" to the uninitiated) proving trials earlier this year and is due to enter service late 97. The are settled into their new home at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol. We first Transportable Manned Compression Chamber (TMCC - aka finally moved from the Portland area in Mar 97 and are now Type C) is due for delivery 97/98 and Project staff have been liaising swimming with the tide of communications technology that keeps closely with the Sandown and Hunt Class platform managers to Abbey Wood running (networked E-mail, desk top PC signal develop the ship fitting plans for both (more of this next time I write). message drafting etc.) Quite a change from those far off halcyon A myriad of minor items of Divers Ancillary Equipment (eg divers days at Southwell! Still, the ornamental gardens and fountains are personal lights, lost diver markers, rigid flag Alpha etc) will be pleasant at this time of year. formally introduced when stocks are available. Oh yes, we spent a thrilling weekend at the DERA range, Weston-super-Mare, for live Recent organisational changes within Naval Support Command MDC trials of the German version just a few weeks ago (I love the mean that we are part of the MOD's Ships Support Agency (hope smell of cordite and Bristol Channel mud in the morning). you like our new logo!). However, Project's role remains unchanged: our prime task is to support in-service equipment but, For the record the Naval Applications staff (with tel nos - just dial due to the discrete nature of MW and Diving equipment, we also 9352 + extn) are: procure new items and bring them into service. To assist with this, we formed up as a multi-disciplinary group on arrival at Abbey Lt Cdr Jon Chapple - WE123N Senior Minewarfare & Diving Wood and now have the stores commodity teams from Copenacre Applicator (38216) working alongside us. This concept is working well. WO(MW) Dixie Dean - WE123N2 Minewarfare Applicator (38218) CCWEA Andy Cockram - WE123N1 MW Technical Support I thought you might like a snapshot of the current projects that are Manager (38217) keeping the WE123/128 groups busy. In no particular order, (tbrb CCWEA Ian Forrest Sep 97) Minewarfare Tactical Support System (MTSS) will receive a major WO(D) Graham Petrie - WE128N Diving Applicator (38231) software update in late 97. Route Survey Data Base (RSDB), fast CPOMEA Neill Scott - WE128N1 Diving Technical Support approaching acceptance testing, is due for delivery to the Manager (38234) Hydrographic Office in Spring 98. A second buy of RCMDS 2 vehicles is underway (the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train) That's all for now. Will write again soon. Don't be afraid to call or together with a formal 6 month trial of recovery methods (Hero, visit. Skipping Rope and Happy Hooker). MSSA Mkt (the venerable TAG) is heading for a trial of the Mk3 version late 97 - the end of the tale Yours aye. Bristol (Jon, Dixie, Andy, Graham and Neill) that began with endorsement of the staff requirement in 1958?

THE MINEWARFARE & CLEARANCE DIVING OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

By Lt Cdr Rob Hoole Chairman The Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officers' Association (MCDOA) Cdr John Arrow was founded five years ago. Far from being another club for 'old Lt Cdr Rob Hoole Vice Chairman fogies,' its membership numbers 140 serving officers and 88 retired Lt Cdr Martyn Holloway Serving Officers' Representative (1) but extremely energetic officers from the MCD, MW and QDD sub- specialisations. The membership also includes several officers from Lt Cdr Bob Hawkins Serving Officers' Representative (2) foreign navies who have undertaken the appropriate RN courses. Associate membership is also offered to exchange officers serving Cdr David Edwards Retired Officers' Representative (1) in RN Minewarfare and Diving billets and REDE officers on the staff of the Defence Diving School. Cdr Mike Kooner MBE Retired Officers' Representative (2) The association's objectives are to promote the interests of the Commander Frank Ward Honorary Secretary Minewarfare and Diving community and to foster the esprit de corps Lt Cdr Chris Baldwin Honorary Treasurer of its membership. Whilst there is an active social programme, which includes the annual party or ladies night normally held in If you are a member and have an item to raise, please contact the March/April and the annual dinner held in November, the appropriate representative. If you are not yet a member but feel you association also looks after its own by providing a ready response are entitled and wish to join, please contact: The Honorary where there is need such as hardship, illness or bereavement. As Treasurer, MCD Officers' Association, Castlewood House, 77-91 another example, the association has joined forces with the New Oxford Street, LONDON WC1A 1DS, or telephone him on 0171 Association of First Class Divers in the refurbishment and care of the 829 8536. The privileges of membership cost only £10 per year, diving helmet font in which many a 'paddler' has been christened which also entitles retired members to a regular copy of the over the years. A regular newsletter of activities is published. Minewarfare & Diving Magazine. Association ties costing £5, and other memorabilia are also available from the Hon secretary or Hon The association's president is Richard Moore, recently retired from Treasurer. the Navy as Commodore MFP. Activities are organised by a committee of the following officers elected at the AGM for 1995/6:

www.mcdoa.org.uk 40 www.mcdoa.org.uk

LEAVING THE SERVICE?

1. Are you an ex MCDO or CD due to leave the service? If so, have you considered a part-time career in the Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) Diving Branch? Can you think of a better way of keeping in touch with your old shipmates once a year and being paid for doing it? At the present moment there are 30 "Ex" RN CD's on the books of the RNR with room for more, all rates are required, Senior and Juniors alike so come along and join us. You will be directly administered by the Superintendent of Diving's organisation and do not have to join an RNR unit. 2. If you are interested and would like to know more about the RNR, then please give us a ring or drop us a line. Point of contact is, CPO(D) HALL, Inspector Ship's Diving and RNR co-ordinator, on Portsmouth Naval Base Ext: 4116 or BT (01705) 224116. I look forward to hearing from you.

MINEWARFARE AND DIVING is published annually by the MW Section of SMOPS.

Service units requesting copies of the Magazine should forward their applications to the Editor. Contributions of Minewarfare or Diving interest and correspondence are invited and should be addressed to the same location.

This Magazine is issued by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for Official Use Only. The contents are not to be released to the public and are not to be discussed with the Press or anyone outside the Military Services without the specific authority of the Directorate of Naval Operations, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

www.mcdoa.org.uk www.mcdoa.org.uk CAPTION COMPETITION

Who was saying /doing what to whom, when and why?

Suggestion on a postcard please, the best entry will receive 1 years free subscription to the MAD Magazine.

www.mcdoa.org.uk