i%ll""

Options

Y NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT JULY 1997

ie

- -,a

s

az-

.as 4 -ket p -

-t db

\WtI..

7W

: . - - .

- -

- - . -

- .

.'

A .

d

I.a -ÀAl!

cob

Al! '. Are xQu-__ for the

HighJump

Have you had a lifetimeambition to Freefall

from an aeroplane?Perhaps you would like to give asurprise present to someone, youknow would enjoy the experience.Well Good News is on the way!

Military sport parachute ratesnow extend to wives of servingpersonnel, Reservists, ALL MODemployees and all immediatedependents of the above.

Courses on offer are:

Static Line,

Accelerated Free Fall

and Tandem.

Man at

C)n theTHE

POSITION of theoffices of Naval BaseC o itt m a it d e r

Portsmouth acts as a per-nianent reminder as to whythe base exists.

I loused in historic

Semaphore Tower. almost oilthe South Railway Jetty.Commodore Henderson is inno doubt as to the importance(if the warships which berthbelow his windows, or sI i

through the narrow mouth of,Portsmouth I larhour.

There is also no doubt in ('dre1-I ende rson's inmd that h is organi-sation can live up to high expeeta-ions, both his own and those ofthe commanding oFficers of Her

Niajestys ships.I believe that Portsmouth has

very bright future,' said CdreI lenderson."We are home for half of the

Royal Navy's surface flotilla, andthe projections for the foresee-able future show that we are

going to maintain the numbers.tnd indeed in some areasincrease our commitments."My aim first and foremost is

to make sure that it is the shipsthat are given the best possibleservice we can provide.

"I stress this as I go aroundand meet people and say that nomatter what job we are doing weare here in support of ships andwe shouldn't lose sight of it."

It has tieerr per rid of change

" Home base (aboveleft) - Semaphore Towerstands on the waterfrontof Portsmouth NavalBase (on right of fore-ground) with HMS Victory(centre left) and Number2 basin (top of picture)also visible." Quay to the future(below)-partof theLIOmworth of work being car-ried out on the NorthCornerjetties in the navalbase last year.

COMMODORE lAIN HENDERSON IS NAVALBASE COMMANDER PORTSMOUTH,RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EFFICIENTRUNNING OF A MULTI-MILLION POUNDORGANISATION.HERE COMMODORE HENDERSON TELLSNAVYNEWS HOW PORTSMOUTH ISSHAPING UP AFTER FIVE CENTURIES OFSERVICE TO THE ROYAL NAVY

and uncertainty since f'dreHenderson took over in the springof 1996. when the post of FlagOfficer Portsmouth was replacedby the one-star NBC, but withhindsight it would seem to havebeen a sound development.

"1 do believe that it has worked

extremely well."We have got a management

hoard which, I believe, reflects the

requirements of the Base. We areall pulling together very well as ateam and indeed are now lookingto April 1 1995 when we will have a

fully-integrated Naval Base."

The

plan at that point is thatthe RN Supply Depot andRN Armament Depot will

both come within NBC's remit,instead (if having two equivalentbosses - resulting in a more coher-ent structure.

"Having spell[ two years up inLondon in the Directorate ofNaval Plans, where one saw theNaval programme being puttogether each year. and very toughchoices had to be made and impor-tant projects couldn't find roombecause there just wasn't themoney, it very much reinforcedone's belief that we simply had toget the hest value for money possi-hle out of every part of the Navy."We should not he ashamed to

embrace the business culture, andto try to squeeze as much juice aswe can out of the lemon - I don'tsee why anyone should win prizesfor running a show which is lessthan highly-efficient."Of course, the more you can

save in efficiencies, the more you

can grit tiiw;r rds the I nm t tine, and

jolly important that the frontline has got what it needs.

"I run this organisation. I hope.in a businesslike way, but without

treating it as a business - becausedefence is not a business,

"And I think that bringing thebest of commercial practice intoour military structure is extremelygood.

"After all, I am also a taxpayerand I don't see why we shouldspend a pound more on defencethan we Isave to.

"It's people like me who need toensure that every taxpayer getsbest value for money."As the 211th century draws to a

close, there is a sense thatPortsmouth is finding a role foritself which straddles old and new.

"I believe that there's a very pos-itive feel in Portsmouth: there'sbeen considerable collective will toget the place looking good physi-cally, which I think is helpful

- if ithusks right, the chances are it isright - and we have been pursuinga very large number of initiatises,

including such things as 150-9011(1,Investors in People. benchmark'ing. and just generally tning to getthe best value possible for moneywhich I hope means the best valuefor ships as well.

"Besides the ships themselvesthere is a large number of lodgerunits here, and again we do ourbest to take their wislmes into con-sideration; we formed a co-ordi-

nating ciunumittee last year whichhas representation from all our

lodger units so hopefully they feel

they are involved in what is goingon in the Naval Base,

-

-

--

*%I2

Job-

a

NAVY NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT, JULY 1997 III

the To,

waterfront'And one of the other major

parts of the base of course is theheritage area, which although it isrun by other people, neverthelessstands within the Naval Base.

J welcome it very much indeed. Ido believe that heritage has gotan important part to play, and I

particularly like the fact that myoffices here in Semaphore Towerare actually within the heritage areaand therefore the British publicseestoday's Navy going to and fro - youhave ships alongside at SouthRailway Jetty - so there isn't a phys-ical divide between the oldand the new.

privileged that I'msitting here in myoffice, or drivingaround, and I seetoday's ships and alsosee HMS Victory, whichI think is the most PORTimportant representa-tiontion of the Royal

Wth the

PORT

defenceneeds inthe post~Cold War peri-od, both Faslaneand Dey portnaval bases estab-lished niches for them-selves - but CdreHenderson is content thatPortsmouth has an equallystrong identity in terms of themodern Royal Navy.

"There are three core capabili-ties in the Royal Navy; aircraft car-riers, amphibious ships andnuclear submarines."Of these, we have the carriers

and the amphibious assault shipsbased here, so we currently havetwo of the three core capabilities."We have a very good mix of the

Surface Flotilla in the form ofType42 destroyers, and we very muchwelcome having a squadron ofType 23 frigates based here - it isvery good to be able to have thenewest class of ship in the Navy."And I don't think one should

lose sight of the mine countermea-sures vessel (MCMV) force -think things such as the Gulf Warhave highlighted that they may besmall ships but they are actuallyvital - without them, you cannotget bigships through mined waters.

"Mining is a very cheap thing tohe able to do, and so MCMVs areof increasing importance, I wouldsuggest, as we are in an era ofpotential littoral warfare.

"So we've got the Hunts here,and we have Fishery ProtectionVessels - we know what an impor-tant job they do on behalf of theGovernment."

"It's true to say in order to pre-serve our front-line capabilityunfortunately the infrastructurehas not received the attention thatpeople would like to have perhapsgiven to it because of financialpressures," said Cdre Henderson.

"However, it has caught up withus now, and Portsmouth is certainlysuffering from some very old infra-structure - in particular the jetties."We have entered submisions in

order to have the jetties refur-bished - and come what may theywill have to be repaired, becausethey are getting towards the end of

their useful lives."The jetties are

historic, and ofcourse they are not

?7 cheap to repair, butin order to be able tooperate successfully

into the 21st century we

jmust have an infrast

rue-iurewhich can supporta modem fleet.

"Indeed, youcould say the

same goes forthe whole

of thenaval

'

base;that by-

and-large

knocked down old

any commer-cial practice

would

have

buildings and put up

Vmodern replacements,

which would he much morecost-effective."Of course, we have got all

these wonderful old Georgianbuildings in here which are lovelyto look at, but are very expensiveto maintain, so I'm afraid we haveto try to cope with this as best wecan."

doing better as time goes on."I walk around and speak to a

lot ofpeople and 1 am not aware ofanything other than a positiveapproach to the job.

"I think we are privileged to beon the waterfront, where we canactually see the people whowe are

PORTSMOUTH

NavalBase is a multi-faceted industrial

complex of customersand providers, to use thebusiness terminologywhich peppers militaryjargon today.One thing is paramount -

the ships of the Royal Navyare the reason why every-one is here, and all effortsare directed to ensuringthey get the best possibleservice at the best price.But delivery of that ser-

vice has changed out of all

recognition in the past twodecades, a process whichhas accelerated more

recently with the establish-ment of the Naval Bases andSupply Agency (NBS), partof Naval Support Command.

Tied In with that reorgani-sation was the embracing ofthe Competing For Quality(CFQ) programme, most vis-ibly at HMS Nelson, wherefacilities management com-

pany Amey FM has takenover a number of tasks pre-viously carried out by ser-vice personnel or cMl ser-vants.

Accordingly, Naval BaseCommander (NBC)Commodore lain Hendersonhas presided over the cre-ation of a five-yearCorporate Plan, outliningthe base's objectives and

strategies in order to meetthe requirements of thefleet.

NBC's

empire is splitinto six business sec-tors, run by senior

managers.The Naval Base Business

Manager.j Captain Fleet Maintenance.

lJ Director Fleet Maintenanceand Repair Organisation.j Captain Base Services.J Queen's Harbour Master.j Commodore HMS Nelson.

Their rolesare outlinedon

page Vi.The relationships

between agencies In theNaval Base are complicated- NBC tasks CommodoreNelson in certain areas suchas catering and stores sup-port, while Second Sea Lord- both Naval Base lodgerand ultimate owner -

requires personnel func-tions to be performed byNelson in support of thebase, ships and Naval per-sonnel worldwide.

Somewhere

between alodger unit and a partof the base is the RN

Store Depot, due to be

brought under the controi ofNBC in April next year, andwhich will eventually acethe massive Central Storageand Distribution Faculty inthe Naval Base handle 80

Porcent of the Surface

lest's supply chain - overone million transactions a

year, with stock valued at£1i5bn.The brave new world of

military business Is demon-strated by the two majorCFQ initiatives of the baseand Nelson - the market-testing of FMRO and e

ground-breaking facilities

management project byAmey FM.Workers at FMRO are still

awaiting a decision on thesuccess of their in-housebid against outside compe-tition; It was delayed by theGeneral Election, and is

expected shortly.Over at Nelson, the first

year of faculties manage-ment ends in September,end Amey FM's Phase 1success will be assessed Inten areas, Including cateringsupport, cleaning, groundsmaintenance, motor trans-

port and mail and messen-

ger services; the potentialexists to release more Navalbillets into more opera-tionally-minded employ-ment, in business parlance.Any savings which accrue

will be split between Nelsonand AFM.

serving. and consequently peoplerespond to it.

"I would like to feel that thisplace is focussed, people knowwhat direction we are going, whywe are going there and that we aretrying only to pursue the things thatare relevant and actually matter."

0ne

fly in the ointment is thefate of the FleetMaintenance and Repair

Organisation - FMRO -which hasbeen subject to market-testingunder the previous governmentand was expecting a crucialannouncement when the GeneralElection put everything on hold.

"We are now in a period ofwaiting and she outcome will heeither the in-house bid team willbe awarded the contract or one ofthe three commercial bidders,"said Cdre Henderson.

"Whatever the outcome it's veryimportant that the Navy wins inthis.

"And, whatever the outcome, Iwould like to publicly praise theFMRO in-house hid team whoworked incredibly hard in order toput their hid together.

"It was enormous dedicationand I congratulate them on it."

Other problems include the effi-cient utilisation of buildings andinfrastructure which were designedand built for a Navywhich has bogbeen consigned to history hooks.

Paradoxically.

a leaner-mannedsurface flotilla will, in CdreHenderson's view, be a good

thing for naval bases."There will always have to he

base ports for ships, and I suspectthat with ships becoming more antimore lean-manned there is goingto he more and more that a navalbase is going to have to do in termsof provision of services for ships.

"in the same way that we giveType 23 frigates a lot more person-nel support than the older Type 42destroyers, this will continue whenthe next generation of destroyerscomes in as a replacement to theType 42s and so on, so I see an aug-mented role for naval bases."On a personal level, Cdre

Henderson is happy to wrestle withthe problems both large and smallwhich he encounters daily.

"I can honestly say I cannotthink of a more rewarding joh.because every day there is some-thing to achieve; it may only be asmall thing but you do feel you aremoving forward."Of course there are a lot of

problems and difficulties, but that'sno different from anybody else whois involved in an organisation ofthis size and complexity, with anannual budget of over £100m.

"It's extremely rewarding and Isuppose one would wish to drivedown the path of being given asmuch delegation and autonomy aspossible."

Cdre Henderson is keenly awarethat his buoyant outlook is notalways shared by the workforce -but he feels it is an important facetof the base's profile.

"One must alwayshe sensitive topeople and their needs." he said.

"I am an ardent believer in thecombined role of leadership andmanagement.

"If you do it properly, moraleshould remain generally good."On a day-to-day basis you will

get fluctuations, but I believe thatwithin the naval base there is asense of purpose, people dobelieve in the place and what isachieved, and they can see they are

Royal Navy to Merchant NavyConversion Courses

AMerchant Navy & Offshore SafetyCourses

(MSA& OPITO Fire Fighting,Sea Survival, First Aid)c,,\

MSA Deck & EngineCertificates of Competence

6 Contact: WARSASH MARITIME CENTREi Newtown Road, Warsash

Southampton 5031 9ZL- TEL: 01489575151 FAX. 01489573988 -

JAR5 F

NAVYSAM MORLEY [ Ton' rsapman

Sendforfree list ofR.N. books in stock. At least 25% below, bookshopprices.

WHITE ENSIGN BOOK CLUB113The Ridgway. Northaw, Hens EN64BC.

Membership free on purchase of nrss book

Do you currentlyM A fl C H TM get first choice on

-

the best healthcareh.altI,cor.services

job opportunitiesjob opportunities ?

MATCH healthcare services is the onlyagency holding contracts with all NHS Trusts

in the Portsmouth area.

We are currently recruiting trained, general,& specialised nurses, RSCNs, PAEDs & ITU

Join us now & benefit from:" excellent rates of pay, paid weekly" long & short term bookings - flexible hours to suit you" unrivalled incentive scheme with Vouchersfirst preference on the best healthcare positions

For more information, please call theMATCH team on 01705 730 222

You will find us at

27/28 Charter house, Lord Montgomery Way, Portsmouth

" Man in charge- Naval Base Commander Cdre lain Henderson.

II3IJ NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT, JULY 1997

Options Portsmouth Nal

ptsmouth NavalBase is home to

a more than 50RN vessels, from

aircraft carriersto inshore patrolcraft.Here Navy Newslook at the main

groups of shipsto be seen in

the harbour, their

roles, and howthe portsmouthcontingent mightshape U at thestart of the newmillennium.

" Sea power aircraft carrier HMS illustrious undergoing rigorous sea trials.

I

-a","At9*~O~

Smaller ships havemajor roles to playA

LARGE percentage of the shipsbased in Portsmouth may not quitemeasure up to the massive battle-

ships and carriers of old, but earn respectin different ways.The Hunt-class mine countermeasures

vessels (MCMVs) of the First and SecondMine Countermeasures Squadrons countPortsmouth as home, as do most of theFishery Protection Squadron patrol ships -bracketed together under the acronymMM/PPS.The more modern Sandown-class ships of the

3rd MCM Squadron are based on the Clyde;seven more of this outstanding vessel are being W"!built at Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton, andwill start to join the Fleet next year.Together with a fair number of the Inshore

Training Squadron (ITS) craft, mainly Archer-class patrol vessels,

1%,all work under the

umbrella of Commodornewarfare and PatrolVessels, Diving and Fishery Protection, orCommodore UP, currently Commodoreflhriefnnhar Ciiiean

S.-a

The Royal Navy is an acknowledged world-

Watching - offshore patrol vessel HMS Linclisfarne.leader in minewarfare, and even though theMinetechnology is a fast-moving art, with cheap plasticemphasis has changed dramatically over the past ten devices, using acoustic, pressure and magnetic triggersyears or so, the Navy's techniques and equipment still aided by electronic wizardry, testing countermeasuresmake it the mark which everyone else has to measure up techniques and equipment to the limit.to. The value of the Navy's Hunt-class vessels to the over-Throughout the Second World War and the Cold War, all strategy was demonstrated in the Gulf War, when theythe main task was to ensure ports remained open and sea played a leading role.

lanes, particularly those used by major warships and sub-Allied to mine countermeasures are the skills of themarines, were swept clean, divers, based at Horsea Island in Portsmouth Harbour,Now the focus has moved away from home shores to who often have to complete the tricky task of rendering a

coastal waters the world over, mine safe; again, in the Gulf, they were operating inIn simple terms, the whole idea of power projection fails extreme conditions, doing a hand-search on the shallow

at the first hurdle if the powercannot be projected. seabed in oily waters.The largest ship can be crippled by a mine, or prevent-The Fishery Protection Squadron, also based beside

ed from acting by the threat of mines, so mine counter- Number 2 Basin, claims the longest pedigree in the Royalmeasures vessels (MCMVs) become the enablers, allow- Navy, with links stretching beck to the 14th century.ing amphibious assaults to take place. Officers and senior ratings on the Island-class

ships, aided by a rota of Hunt-class ships, have togain a detailed knowledge of fishing techniquesand laws in order to carry out their role as protec-tor of fast-disappearing fish stocks, and in recentyears the ships of the FPS have carried out wellover 2,000 boardings annually to check paper-- work, nets and catches.

The picture is completed by the InshoreTraining Squadron, which generally serves ther._.JffIINO on University RN Units and RN officer training,

M'Ann though deployments have seen these small craftthough deployments have seen these small craftflying the White Ensign as far afield as Spain and

___theBaltic.

t'tSP' __t1The small-ships expertise of those working at

MFP headquarters can be augmented by the wider- pool of talent in Portsmouth Naval Base, an advan-

tage which the group did not enjoy in their former

-, -:

Scottish base.And initial fears that the 40 or so ships would be

overshadowed by the frigates, destroyers andcar-riers of the Surface Fleet which operate aroundthem proved groundless -the opposite has beentrue, in that the officers and ratings on larger ships

" Force to be reckoned with - Hunt-class mine countermea- gain a far greater understanding of the value of theMFP squadrons when the ships are there, goingsures vessel HMS Quorn.

Navy's tiexiCARRIER-borne air

power is one of theNavy's three core power

projection capabilities.The three ships - HMS

Illustrious, Invincible, and ArkRoyal - are "highly capable andflexible," according toCommander Paul .Jellyman, for-mer Public Relations Officer forIllustrious."They are floating airfields,

capable of operating without hostnation support and avoiding badweather. During operations in theAdriatic we were often the onlypeople able to fly when the Italianairfields were fogbound - we justwent and found a clear patch of

weather. ed"The fixed-wing aircraft be

embarked is the Sea Harrier FA2 - ni(aand with Harriers on board, fitted saidwith AMRAAM and Sidewinder, ˆthe Harrier is probably the most wartcapable fighter aircraft in Europe, thisand is also capable of delivering sonl,000lb bombs.' WrThe mobile airfield can also the

operate the highly-effective RAF re1i'Harrier 0R7 bombers, hugely enenhancing the ships' power projec-tion capacity over land. he i

Carriers are also excellent corn- inmand and control platforms with carthe ability to provide a Joint Force 041;

headquarters afloat. new"For an operation like the Oe

Adriatic, the carrier is ideally suit-

b.: " - a-. T'SNOThmakes Tvi'spotinPoiti*!fr. - . :-Wv". "!

-- Ct.

tact that they 'The 4th EniU.-.

strong, but evi-it- -t :----------------- Type 23softht'rand wide, dent~

1~ aa:: . ..

'.

advanced warslaOn one day 'I

in the Gulf (anlshe was due to ,t

t

- on operational \

.j was in refit inRussia with cca ' - Singapore and-- - returned from hon a series of cat

:, \*coast of Amcix

Graftoo - tv- . mission in Port r

-sea trials, and eed to join the 'a':- - "k - 'it was a poitsplit the ship'

--?

t)cvonpnrt.' a

squadron Stall )-He also hcl

I those who sen-' choice of hais I

available to th )L

Devonport ha- . Commander Cia

Weapon Engire- "There are ta-

Navy had to loA

port these ships'a"4th Frigate S

use 1)1 the shoitget first -cta',s SC)

Latest mode!- HMS iron Duke. MaintenanceMaintenance a

U

I

-I-

NAVY NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT JULY 1997 V

val Base Ships

Entering the twilight zone

to he the command centreruse of of its security,commu-tions fit, space and flexibility,"Cdr Jellyman.further role is anti-submarine

rare. Whilst the emphasis ontype of warfare has declinedcwhat with the endofthe Cold

there is still, a significantat which is ncreasing inonal conflicts, as regional pow-dart acquiring submarines.fhc carriers can also act as:opter assault ships, embark-1,000 or more men and troop-ying helicopters for short pen-to amplify the capability of thecommando carrier HMS

an."teh carrier weighs in at 20,000

C stealth technology, that23 frigates so difficult to;mouth Harbour- it's there so often at sea.e Squadron - currently six-ually comprising half the 16leet - has ships deployed farnstrating the rules of this

lune, HMSWestminster wasas Nary News went to pressthe first Duke-class frigate

rmilla patrol), Marlboroughevonport, Richmond was incan Wave, having visitedKorea, Lancaster had juste Falklands, Iron Duke wasagcments taking in the easta, and is now conductingercises in the Baltic.last major warship to com-nouth this century - was onnt and St Albans are expect-Ladron in the next century.ive decision by the Navy tobetween Portsmouth andd Lt Cdr Mark Stuttard.ffieer Operations.yes it is an advantage forin the ships. as they have aort - an opportunity noton kpe 22s and Type 42s.rpe 23s in due course.become overloaded," saidham Peach, the squadron'sring Officer.)ther three in build, and the

in advance at how to sup-nd share the base-port toad.quadron ships make muchacilities in Portsmouth -weort from the Captain Fleetteam and the Fleet1 Repair Organisation. Our

tonnes and is 200 metreslong, with a ship's company of650, augmented by an air group of450, giving a total of around 1,100people.

With

a Joint Force HOembarked this could swellto perhaps 1,200

Up to 22 aircraft can be carried,with the mix determined by thetype of operation undertaken.A 22-aircraft mixed Harrier

force provides the most significantcapability.

Although smaller than previousclasses of Royal Navy carriers, it iswidely accepted that these threeships "punch above their weight."

own in-squadron support is limited, so we dorely on Naval Base manpower.

"It really is a first-class relationship wehave with the Naval Base agencies."

Type 23s were built as specialist anti-sub-marine warfare platforms, to patrol the deepsea corridors around Iceland and the Farocs.but they were always intended to be upgrad-ed as technology improved, and now, accord-ing to squadron staff, have a command sys-tem which is possibly the envy of the world."They are also quiet, stealthy ships, with

low signatures." said Cdr Peach. "Probablyonly one or two other general-purpose shipsare more stealthy - the French La Fayetteand Canadian Halifax classes - hot they arethe next step.

"Certainty nothing else currently compareswith this ship in the numbers that the Navy isoperating them."

Lt Cdr Stuttard said: "There's a lot ofinterest in these ships."The quiet diesel-electric propulsion sys-

tem is being looked at by an awful lot ofnavies for their next generation ships.

"And they are not yet at their peak,because ship and systems have been designedto adjust and expand as the world situationdictates.'

A1

' 'h intended to be 1ean-'~'.,un'~d**, added capabilities haveeen ships' companies gradually

increasing -the original size of 143 has risento a typical 172 plus nine trainees, just six offthe maximum of 187.

Type 23s also have "long legs" - they cancruise from their home base to the Falklandswithout the need to refuel, for example.The Dukes are numerically the largest

major warship class the Navy has built forsome time, and the last of the class shouldserve the country well into the second quarterof the next millennium - hearing in mind thatthe first, HMS Norfolk. will have been serv-ing the Navy for ten years by the year 2(X)t),

PORISMOUTH

is home to a num-ber of RN ships which are comingto the end of their active lives -

and the question of replacementsremains a thorny subject.

Perhaps the hottest potato at present is thefuture of the Royal Yacht, future and present.As Nosy News went to press, Britannia was

approaching the furthest point of her finaloverseas deployment, sailing the South ChinaSea, and the will shortly return to homewaters for a farewell cruise.

She is due to decommission at the end ofthe year, but beyond that her fate is undecid-ed - several ports have expressed an interestin giving her a final berth, includingPortsmouth, her home since she entered ser-vice.As for a replacement, again there are

numerous plans and proposals for designs,footing the bill for running costs, and provid-ing a home port. Portsmouth believes it has asstrong a claim on her as anywhere.

With a new government settling in, the

Ministry of Defence line is that there are

"plans to take a close look at the requirementfor and provision of a new Royal Yacht,

including the option for privately financingsuch a ves.scl."No announcement on such a decision is

expected in the immediate future.Two more Portsmouth stalwarts are in the

twilight of their careers - and their replace-ments will be heading west for a base port.Amphibious assault ships HMS Fearless

and Intrepid. or Landing Platforms Dock togive them their correct title, are both morethan 30 years old but are still working hard.

arless was the subject of much media

speculation over her participation inExercise Purple Star last year, but con-

founded the doubters by playing an effectiverole in proceedings.

This year, just to ram home the point, thesteam-powered veteran warship - one ofonly

three Navy steamships, the others beingIntrepid and the Royal Yacht - has led the

amphibious arm of the Ocean Wave deploy-ment to the Far East on a punishing series ofexercises with allied navies.

I ntrepid has been a feature of the NavalBase for some time now, but she is stiltexpected to be ready to sail within 31) days

of receiving the necessary orders.One ship which should he around well into

the next century is HMS Endurance of theSurveying Squadron - though she spends agood deal of time half a world away fromPortsmouth.The distinctive red-hulled Antarctic patrol

ship undertakes an annual deployment to theSouth Atlantic and Southern Ocean, return-ing to the UK for the summer.

At 6.500 tonnes, she dwarfs the otherSurvey Squadron craft based in Portsmouth -

the 22-tonne HM Survey Motor LaunchGleaner, which has a complement of five plusone spare bunk.

THE

ROYAL Navy's 12 City classdestroyers seem to have beena fixture of the Surface Flotilla

for more than 20 years - yet thenewest is only 11 years old.The first ship of the class Is HMS

Birmingham, which first commissioned21 years ago.The latest Batch 3 ships are 13 metres

longer than the first eight ships, givingthem improved sea-keeping qualities.

"This is a fully-proven and operationalwarship, and provides the Navy's sur-face ship area air defence capability,"said Commander Stephen Farrington,Squadron Marine Engineer Officer forthe 5th Destroyer Squadron.

"With excellent command and controlfacilities, these ships routinely operatewith other NATO units, and particularlyships of the US Navy."Recent upgrades to the Combat

System have ensured that these shipswill continue to provide credible airdefence capability well into the next cen-tury.The battle-tested Sea Dart anti-air mis-

sile system is being fully exploited by

the use of new software which fully inte-grates the comprehensive suite ofradars.

Whilst these ships are fully employedin the Fleet they require steady mainte-nance to ensure their continued avail-abilty - a careful balance has to bestruck between time spent in port andthat deployed.

At

present, RN destroyers can befound in Australasia, the WestIndies and standing NATO forces,

while others have been exercising, com-pleting Armliia duties In the Gulf or

undergoing refit."Manchester recently operated oft

Brest with the French on anti-submarinewarfare exercises, where she acquittedherself very well - Type 42 destroyers,like their counterparts in the frigateforce, are equipped wIth hull-mountedsonars and anti-submarine torpedoes.When the Type 425 are decommis-

sioned early in the next century, AAWcapability will be provided by theCommon New Generation Frigate.

This is a fri-national collaborative pro-ject with Francs and Italy which is based

around PAAMS, the Principal Anti-AirMissile System.

Significantly more capable than SeaDart, PAAMS will counter 21st centuryanti-ship missile threats.The 12 Type 42s are spilt into two

squadrons, the 3rd and 5th, with anequal number of Batches 1, 2 andstretched Batch 3 in each.With around 270 people in each ship's

company, these ships can be self-sus-taIning away from port for extended pen-ads.They have also proved to be reliable,

and In Cdr Farrlngton's 18 months withthe squadron no ship has missed a sail-

ing date.

Type42s have a good track record and

thereby underpin the reputation of the

Royal Navy around the world.

Many navies comment on and areimpressed by ships like the Type 42s,which are seen displaying all the bestqualities of a blue-water navy.These ships operate away from home

for prolonged periods at see and delivereffective area anti-air defence for theFleet.

ible fopce

" Southern climes -Antarctic patrol ship HMSEndurance on deployment in the southern hemisphere.

Hard acts to follow

ifficult to spot

Options

NY NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT, JULY 1997

other grey fleetFalklands and Gulf Wars, andalso played a significant rolein the British contribution tooperations In the formerYugoslavia.Most RFA ships carry, or

can carry, Royal Navy heli-

copters and their supportteams, and because the

ships are often required tooperate in war zones in sup-

r rt of the RN, most have aimolited weapons-fit for self-defence.

Ships

often become par-ticularly associated witha certain task or deploy-

ment - small fleet tankerGrey Rover is usually to befound supporting the RN'sFalklands activities, whilesister ships Gold Rover andBlack Rover generally servethe West Indies Guard Shipend Flag Officer Sea Trainingrespectively.COMRFA's HQ in the Naval

Base comprises 103 people,of whom 30 are uniformedRFA personnel.COMRFA has four divi-

sions - Operations andWarfare, Engineering andSystems, Policy and Financeand Personnel.With the move to

Portsmouth from varioussites around London andBath at the end of 1994, thesedivisions were brought underone roof for the first time,allowing planning of pro-grammes and operations tobe carried out more efficient-

ly.

PORTSMOUTH NavalBase is home to theCommodore Royal Fleet

Auxiliary's headquarters- but the ships them-selves are not so evident.The RFA fleet of 21 ships Is

not base-ported in the sameway as RN ships, and can beaway from home waters formonths or years on end.Manned by civilians, the

flotilla is managed by theCommodore, who is direct Ityresponsible to Commander-in-Chief Fleet for day-to-dayoperations.The primary role of the

RFA is to supply RN ships atsea with the food, fuel,ammunition and spare partsthey need to operate awayfrom base-

I n addition, the RFA pro-vides the Navy with sea-borne aviation training

facilities, aswell as securelogistical support andamphibious operations capa-bility for the Royal Marinesand the Army.Some 2,300 UK-registered

officers and ratings are

=edby the service, fol-

career paths broadlysimilar to the merchant navy,while incorporating special-ist training to meet the needsof operating with the RoyalNavy.The RFA has earned many

battle honours - the flotillawas deployed in support ofBritish forces during the

NAVALRESERVE

THINK YOU'REGOOD ENOUGHFOR THE NAVY?

WELL, DON'TGIVE UP

YOUR DAY JOB.The hours are part-time but the commitment isn't.Serve with the Royal Navy Reserve and you could soonfind yourself manning a frigate in gale force winds, orscanning a radar for enemy craft.Fbr the few hours a week you give up, you'll gain muchmore. You'll have the benefit of thorough training, onboth land and sea. You can specialise in any area, fromseaman to medic. And If you really Impress, you'llhave the chance to rise up through the ranks.This isn't playing at being in the Navy. Like anyimportant job, you'll be paid for being a reservist.You could even qualify for an annual tax-free bountyofup to £900. So make the moot ofyour free time. Sendoff the coupon or CsU us now on 0345 300 123.

READY TO TARE YOU ON. AND ON.--------------------------------------------------

The Royal Naval Reserve is looking for men and women to fillvacancies now. Find out more at your local Jobcentre or sendto: The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Careers Service, Dept(AS98522), FREEFOST 4335, Bristol BSI aRt No stampneeded. http:/Iwww.royal.navymod.nk

Name (Mr. Mrs. Miss)

Address

Postcode ____________ Date of birth

Telephonewe are equal opportunities employers under the Race Relations Act andwelcome enquiries and applications from all ethnic groups. Normallyyou should have been a UK resident for the past five years.

Portsmouth

Ships readied foilTHE

Commander-in-Chief Fleet commandsall the ships and sub-

marines of the Royal Navy, andthe Flag Officer SurfaceFlotilla (FOSF) is responsiblefor making sore that morethan 100 surface ships areready and able to carry outthose tasks.

FOSE at present Vice-AdmiralSir John Brigstocke, has around200 staff located in the Parade andSouth Terrace, although repairwork to the Parade may require theHQ to he relocated within theNaval Base.

Vice Admiral Rrigstoeke will berelieved by Rear Admiral Franklynthis month.

FOSF's primary purpose is to

r'drov.ie ships and diving units fit

u. t C, r operational tasks.His responsibility covers the air-

craft carriers and amphibiousships, six squadrons of frigates anddestroyers, half based inPortsmouth and the rest inPlymouth, five squadrons ofminewarfare and patrol vessels, theHydrographie Survey Squadron

and the Fleet diving groups.Today, many are deployed

worldwide, from the Far East toAustralasia, through the MiddleEast. Persian Gulf andMediterranean to the North andSouth Atlantic and as far as theeast coast of America.

FOSF has a very wide-rangingremit covering practically allaspects of support for surface ships

NBC"s captains 01 businessTHE DAILY routine of theNaval Base is handled byNaval Base Commander'ssenior business sector man-agers, who each have a well-defined role in the smoothrunning of the whole.The former North Corner

Group, which was split away fromthe Fleet Maintenance andRepair Organisation (FMROIprior to market-testing, is theresponsibility of Captain of FleetMaintenance, Capt John Wright.His team of boll uniformed per-sonnel look after the plannedmaintenance and operationaldefects of ships based inPortsmouth. This engineeringsupport is available to Portsmouthships anywhere in the world.

]'lie second main task of CFrvtis as a ship's agent, providing gen-eral waterfront support such asarrangements br ships arriving,arranging shore power, telephonelinks, transport and so on.

This is all handled by the PortServices Manager. and visitingforeign warships are offered thesame assistance if required.

Riggers also fall within the PortServices Managers domain,berthing and unherthing ships.and moveing them within the bar-hour without the use of togs.

The remainder of FMRO is, asNavy. News went to press. awaitingthe decision over whether their in-house hid. in conjunction withJohnson Controls and Lisnavelnternaeional, was successful -

three rival bids came in from's'osper l'hornyeroft/tJEC Marine,Baheoeks/Sereo/A&P. and DML.FMRO's wocklorec stands at

just over l.tX)tl civilians plus ll)tlapprentices, who are responsiblefor maintaining, repairing andenhancing RN warships.The waterfront services provid-ed by FMRO under the Director

FMRt), Constructor CaptainJohn ('romp. include pro-grammed shipwork, unplannedwork such as emergency dry-dock-ing, facilities management of suchsupplies as water, electricity andsteam, and commercial shipwork.FMRO has docks up to bttm

lone, and can handle vessels of upto 2s.oott tonnes.

Naval Base Business ManagerAlex Benney is responsible for theoverall planning. finance and con-tracting activities of the NB('Crganisalion, includingCompeting for Quality initiatives.

Mr

Benney'd team is over-seeing the mt rottnction ofmanagement and account-

ing techniques which are appropri-ate for the Base's business - partic-ularly the introduction of outputcosting. giving a far clearer pictureof efficiency than the old cash-input method, allowing easiertracking of costs.Captain of Base Services

Captain Ed Searle heads a depart-ment of 44t) people, regularlydoubled in size by additional con-tractors, which provides andmaintains the infrastructure forthe base, covering some 31)11 acres,with three miles of wharfage and

'.1'

e- I'nta -1h I.

5rW

'1/4asai;.

fl" 3/4

" Ship work - RFA Gold Hover in EMBOs hands

thousands of woikeis.Among ('apt Searle's responsi-

bilities are rebuilding jetties,clearing rubbish, Provision ofsecurity, health and safety func-tions, and communications,including the sophisticated 5.000extension telephone exchange.The Queen's Harbour Master,

Cdr Peter Chapman-Andrewsmaintains freedom of movementfor the thousands of vessels, mili-tary and civilian, in Portsmouth.There are more than h4.(X)tt

"significant" moves each year. tosay nothing of the 4.500 yachts,

fish ill, l'oats and numerous plea-sure craft based around the areaNo craft over 20 metres can

move without OHM HarbourControl's permission. OH NI'steam also overseas RN harbourmoves and berth allocation, main-tenance of dredged channels andnavigation lights, and commandof maritime emergencies in hispatch. which stretches front'owes to the Nab Tower and

Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight.The sixth business sector man-

ager is Commodore HMS Nelson- see page VII.

Finding the right peopleONE of the 'lodgers' to hefound at Portsmouth NavalBase is the man who mans theFleet.Second Sea Lord and

Commander-in-Chief Naval HomeCommand - or 2SL to those in ahurry - has an empire which

embraces 3.OtXl officers, more than8,3(X) ratings or other ranks, andnearly 4,OtXl civilians, and he is inbroad terms the man at the head ofthe Navy's shore establishments.The task sounds deceptively

simple - "to ensure that sufficient,motivated uniformed manpower.trained to the required standards.

is available and is deployed inpeace, crisis, major crisis or war."Not quite such an easy task

when you get down to details.The organisation expects to

recruit around 5.1)11(1 people ayear, and to put some 9.IXXJ per-sonnel through a range of trainingprogrammes.

It arranges around l5.1XXI offi-cers' and 52,000 ratings'/otherranks' appointments and drafts ayear, and oversees the terms andconditions of 45.000 people in theNaval Service,

It operates on a budget of£490m.

Again, the figures alone do nottell the whole sto.

Ensuring ships" have the rightbalance of personnel at all times isnot enough -251. is also seeking toensure everyone has a structuredcareer progression. with elementsof sea time and a variety of billets.

']'here should also be a certainamount of predictability for thosewho wish it.Helping 2SL achieve these tar-

gets are two agencies, owned by2SL but with more delegatedpower than a Royal Navydirec-torate.The current 2SL, Admiral Sir

Michael Boyce. moves on tobecome Commander-in-ChiefFleet in September, and is underno illusions about the way thecorn-madshould proceed.

Introducing his five-year corpo-rate plan this year. Admiral Boycesaid: "Business practice methodscannot on their own underpin themanagement of Naval personnelwho need to he fit to fight and win.

"Nevertheless, there are somecommercial skills we need to applyif we are to aehive the most cost-effective way of conducting our

" HMS Lancaster's ship's eorrtpaoy, present and correct - Second Sea Lord's organisation ensuresthat ships get the right number of people, and balance of skills, to fulfil their obligations.

Portsmoi

Naval Base

seaof the Royal Navy." said Cdr PaulJellyman, FOSF Public RelationsOfficer.At includes management of a

£350m per year budget, and pro-gramming units to undertake theoperational tasks directed by('INCFLEEI as well as exercisingdelegated responsibility fromCINCFLEET for policy through-out the whole Fleet in manydif-ferentfields."These include such diverse

subjects as explosive safety, supplypolicy covering catering, clothing.stores and food, young officerstraining at sea, ceremonial, datalink,,. navigation and so on.''

Tlie

FOSF HO staff containsa wealth of experience,including many officers who

have had their owncommand, andnearly everyone straight from sea.They deal daily with ships at sea

around the world, working toresolve any difficulties that arise.He also has a small group of

officers and ratings who co-ordi-nate. 24 hours '. day throughoutthe year. the support and repairwhen necessary for ships deployedworldwide.

F()SF's responsibilities do notend there.'We have a team of sea-going

experts. 'sea riders', whovisit shipsof all classes to give help, guidanceand training in warfare matters.

''Tlics provide continuationtraining, following up that provid-ed by the Flag Officer SeaFrai ii ing."The sea riders also form the

core of the Flotilla Battle Staff. orFIJS."COMUKTG (Commander

UK Task Group is the primaryBattle Manager, and for a navaltask group FOSF with the FBSwould take over on a roulementbasis for a protracted operation,and is also ready to command asecond operation anywhere else inthe world or act as a Joint ForceCommander.

"The FBS trains regularly for itsrole during major exercises, and is

currently deployed as a TaskGroup command staff for theJoint Maritime Course offScotland.---

NAVY NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT JULY 1997 VII

Everything you needin a town called NelsonYOU

CAN get yourteeth filled, your carMOT'd, study an A-

level or pick up a pizza -without ever leaving theconfines of HMS Nelson."We are really the town

within the wider Naval Base,"said Commander of Nelson,Commander John Wills.The old demarcation lines

that existed when the sitebecame a naval barracks

in 1903 have longgone, and to describethe place as anaccommodation cen-tre would be to do it agreat disservice.

"Our top priorityhere is to supportships and theNaval Base

- --,--- " Commander inhis task of support-ing ships," said CdrWills.Hotel services to

[ the Navy in general is also- given high priority in the

immediate future.Nelson, named such in

j 1974, can accommodate2,000 ratings, and achievesaround 2,000 bed movesper month,

of officers'- and senior rates'

Occupancycapacity is aroundc 85 per cent; for junior rates

the figure is 42 per cent,

b which includes a built-inmargin for contingencies

)such as ship in dry-dock,or the extreme instance ofNelson fulfilling its role asthe Navy's war mobilisa-r tion centre.The current junior rat-

ings' single living accom-modation in the 12-storeySaumarez and Keppelblocks is due to be demol-ished, possibly next year,

" Naval figurehead - a teakrepresentation of Admiral LordNelson watches over the maingate of the establishmentwhich bears his name,

and replaced by modern I

quarters at a cost of some£20m, providing space for1,000 people with en-suitefacilities.

The aim is to provide thisthrough a Private FinanceInitiative route.Other facilities for junior

rates have recently beenupgraded, the most promi-nent being the revamp of theNaati complex which was offi-cially opened by Second SeaLord Admiral Sir MichaelBoyce last month.The new arcade features a

Naafi shop run by Spar - thebiggest grocery chain in theworld, and whose first branchin the UK was in Portsmouth -a fast-food element and the"Twilight Zone" of slotmachines.Customersnow have a cos-

mopolitan choice of food at

Scooby's, managed for Naafiby Eurest, from pizza to tilledbaguettes, with Burger Kingopening shortly.Beyond the hotel service

Nelson's influence stretchesout into the Naval Base andinto every corner of the worldvisited by the Navy.

For

example, amongst the"outputs" Nelson man-agementhas identified as

being their core task to sup-port is pay and personnel,running personal payaccounts for 8,500 servicepersonnel in Portsmouth,London, Bath and worldwide,from South Africa to Siberia,the West Indies to Korea.Nelson's Cash Office deals in

for the task Weapons expertise

" Hi-tec lessons -newfacilities such as the Amethyst bridge train-er at HMS Dryad ensure RN training is second to none.

work such that we do not imperil customers and a higher level ifeither the size of the Front Line or feedback.our renowned high standards." But the 2SL organisation is notThe NRTA - Naval Recruiting about facts and figures

- asand Training Agency

- came into Admiral Boyce says, the Royalbeing in 1995, and hasbeen negoti- Navy's most vital asset is its menating a partnering arrangement and women.with commercial groups to open Accordingly, Admiral Boyce'sspare capacity at Navy training team also oversees pay and eondi-establishments to outsiders. lions, which influences both

'I he Naval Manning Agency recruitment and morale, providesNMA) isayear old this motcih. wider welfare and spiritual supportand approaches the task of filling to Naval personnel :oid their taini-

billets with a different emphasis. lie's. and is .ilsic responsible flr the

.ctih .c greater insilscmciit N5 its Royal N.iyat t(t'scis,

EVER since naval warfaremoved on from the cannon,there has been a need to evalu-ate fighting capability - a taskfulfilled by Captain WeaponsTrials and Acceptance (CWTA),based in Portsmouth.The team conducts trials,

assessments and inspectionsof the entire Navy arsenal,including new systems, forsurface ships and submarines.

Safety is a major part oftheir remit, including stowage

and handling of explosives.Foreign navies who buy or

refit warships in the UK alsomake use of CWTA's ser-vices.CWTA - the title came in

1994, though the originalNaval Weapons Trials team

began in 1970- consists of amainly Service-manned trialsgroup, often away on duty, amixed Service and civilianassessment group, plus sup-port staff.

I 'V "The Mounthatten- . tJ Festival of Music"1997

4 1/c Massed 1/u t.c if liii Mapso s t*sucl

Mania's under the t/inrci:nn of

L',/ qça lJColRAWalercr,IJ1AM,RM

wS C "L .icI CD's-f12,00

Superb Wall ShieldA handsomely cratied shield on polishedwood with gold effect detailing to the crest- Choice of two scrolls.

Eg: Royal Marines Band Service

Royal Marines School of' Music

£22.00 please state which scroll when urderrngboth items iructusive cit P&P i,c Ilk,

overseas please add 2tt'4 I

Most major credit cards acceptedTel: 01705 726173

Please make u'tsnqccs'/t't )s pavabte icc IlL'lOse blarsl Slicia,lice and k'rward atUoc Band iIagaiine. Eastnco ittccrk.

ISIS Nelson, t'iiosccs,nitc. lasts P01 tIlt I

U-NEED-USFor a large selection of Bunting, Pennants, Flags and

Balloons, Fancy Dress Props and Accessories, Hats, Masks andMake up. Cloak Room and Tornbola Tickets and Fundraisers.

Fullprice list available, SFPO Orders Welcome30 Arundel sheet, Portsmouth, POllNw() Phone: 01705 823013. Fax: 01705 736943E.stsbltshed In Poetemouffi oler 70 aaago

(7

NA4N

receipt and payment of Lim amonth.Personnel support is a

major element of Nelson'sremit, through the NavalPersonal and Family Service

(NPFS), where there is also aworldwide remit coveringthose serving abroad.

Nelson's Sick Bay and den-tal department are both thebiggest In the Navy, with aver-age monthly attendances of3,000 and 1,100 respectIvely.On the disciplIne side,

Nelson is home to the NavalProvost, and holds more than50 courts martial a year.

Nelson runs 40 acres ofsports fields, Including a

county-standard cricket pitchat Burnaby Road, andwill host events for the1997 Special Olympics.

he Nelson educa-tion centre Is alsothe biggest in the

Navy - and boasts aGSCE success rate of75 per cent, The figuresare even better in theresettlement organlsa-tion, with an 82 per cent

re-employment rate forservicemen within threemonths of leaving thearmed services.Another arm of the

management strategydeals with the support

I

of the lodger units -

Nelson has a total of 25,which means 95 percent of the office spaceis full, though Cdr Willssaid he has a nice little30-desk space going atthe rIght price...Among Nelson's

lodger units are the

Royal Marines School ofMusic, the RN School ofEducation and TrainingTechnology,

theDirectorate of Foreignand CommonwealthTraining - and NavyNews.

cwdGolden

Jubilee Pack£33.49 IncPostage & Packing

Caxsette.s - £8.01)Acelebration of Royal NavalFleet Air Arm History captured on11 a Fuse Bone China Collectable Plate presented with anillustrated History ofCuidrose

f/fl/fl) " 1997 is the 50th commissioning anniversary ofthe Royal Naval Air Station CuldroseActual Size 8.7" (hand gilded)Designed & Manufactured with theapproval ofRNAS CuidroseSend your cheques/postal orders to:Marque, P0 Box 50, Redruth ,"ornwall. TRill 6Th

" Scooby's snack - the Second Sea Lord enjoys a bite to eat anda chatwith Leading Chef David Everson after officially opening Nelson's newNaatlrestaurant and shop, run in conjunction with Spar and forces' cater-ing group Eurest.

M

VIII NAVY NEWS PORTSMOUTH SUPPLEMENT, JULY 1997

Naval Heritase

• Tourists' delight (above) - historic spars and rigging against a red sky at Flagship Portsmouth (above).• Industrial heritage - Marc Brunei's pioneering Block Mills (left).

To be the bestTHE MAN helping steer Flagship

Portsmouth into the next millenni-um has a simple ambition.

David Geddes, Flagship's general man-ager, wants the Portsmouth naval her-itage area to be the best in the world.

Flagship Portsmouth encompasses theMary Rose, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior1860, the RN Museum and Portsmouth NavalBase Property Trust, marketing the elementsunder one banner.

"Since the creation of Flagship Portsmouthin 1993 we have been pulling together as ateam in pursuit of our aim; that is to be uni-versally recognised as the world's greatestmaritime heritage attraction." said MrGeddes.

"We are lucky enough to have three of the

greatest warships ever built here."If you trawled history to select any three

warships illustrating the rise and peak of theRoyal Navy, you would have difficulty in doingbetter than the Mary Rose, Victory and Warrior.

"And in addition we are very lucky here inthat this dockyard was, in the 18th century, thegreatest industrial complex in the world."

The heritage area is now known as FlagshipPortsmouth, and the majority of visitors - 70 percent - now buy a site ticket covering all themajor attractions.

To complement this, a new general guidebook is launched this month, although specificguides for each element will still be available.

But there is still much to be done if the targetof world supremacy is to be firmly established.

The heritage area is the centrepiece of theRenaissance of Portsmouth HarbourMillennium scheme, bringing a promenade

from Old Portsmouth to HMS Victory, with asimilar one on the Gosport side.

And more than £12m will be spent on a Navyin Action centre, a high-tec attraction featuringa big-screen re-enactment of a NATO exercise.

There are also plans to improve the streetfurniture, to floodlight ships and buildings,open until late in the evening - and to provide anew home for the hull of the Mary Rose, underthe same roof as the artefacts reclaimed fromthe bed of the Solent.

Further ahead, Flagship would love to bringother historic buildings and artefacts under itswing, including Marc Brunei's 1802 Block Mills,the first fully-automated factory in the world,making wooden pulley blocks for ships' rigging,the reservoirs and culverts beneath, used to con-trol water flow in and out of dry docks, and a"serious" 20th century warship to enhance thecollection.

seafarers aged 8-12

/; juAlTOi/^ to hove Funto make Friends

to save Cash to win PrizesThis is your lucky day! I'm launching

something extra special and I'm on thelookout for volunteers.If you are ready to join me and the gang, fill

in the membership application form. It will cost you £3.25,but that is a small price to pay for what I have got in store foryou. I will be shipping to you all sorts of treasure - startingwith a goodie bag for all new members.

Don't go sending me money without asking an adult firstthough.

Oh, and don't forget to have a go at the competition. You^L might land yourself a CD player.

Captain Plank can't make up his mind what to call

his new club. So he wants you to suggest a name A0

of your own and design a logo. |

He'll be awarding a prize of a Sony Discman |

CD player and music voucher to the best entry. |

Closing date 31 August 7997. One entryonly perperson. |

Entrants must be aged 8-12. No purchase necessary. |

Membership Application FormPlease enrol me as a member of Captain Plank's newclub. I enclose a postal order/cheque (payable to NavyNews) for £3.25.Name

Address

Postcode

BirthdayAge

t Special interests: Sport LJ Music LJ Film/TV LH

Friends LJ Reading LJOther _

Do you have any brothers or sisters? Yes/No

Names/AgesWho does this copy of Navy News belong to?

Parent LH Grandparent LH Other

Name Your Club CompetitionWrite your suggested name for the club here:

Draw a logo (a simple picture or symbol) for your suggested name ona separate piece of paper and attach it to this form. Sorry your drawingcannot be returned.Send your completed form, together with postal order/cheque for £3.25,to: Captain Plank's Club, Navy News, HMS Nelson, PortsmouthPO1 3HH. If you would like any further information before applying,call 01202 679989.