Tuesday 16 August 2011

Silent Service (US)


In the Pacific, US Submarines choked off the Japanese Merchant Fleet, and their tankers carrying vital petroleum products to the Homeland, to bring that country to its knees.
One statistic alone highlights the difference between the two campaigns, and that is: U-Boats lost: 781/785 dependent upon which stats one uses, versus US Submarines sunk, namely 52 ( 2 of which were lost in the Atlantic Ocean )

Shipping Losses in WW2.

Britain needed the lifeline of Merchant Ships plowing across the North Atlantic route from North American ports to both Liverpool and on the Clyde in Scotland. 75 % of all food stuffs to sustain the British people needed to be imported.

Shipping losses on the North Atlantic run totalled a staggering 11,904,954 tons.














Monday 15 August 2011

My Naval family


Dad


My Wife Hazel on our Wedding day


Full Time Reservist 2010



Falklands 1983/84 Me and a Penguin

Alan and Ken


Ken and Carolyn Griffiths


Kenneth


Kenneth the Sprog


Ken Playing with Guns


Whose turn is it to Buy the Oggies ?


Saturday 13 August 2011

A view from Above




I served as a Leading Stores Accountant, Killick Jack Dusty to the lads of the Royal Navy, for two years in 1977 and 1978 on board HMS Salisbury. One of the things that I enjoyed about my life in the Royal Navy was the variety of skills that I was trained in and the variety of tasks that I was required to perform as a result of that training.

My time on HMS Salisbury was a prime example of this as while my main job was ensuring that the ship was fully and efficiently stored with all the spares and equipment that she required to fulfil her task as an operational frigate in the Royal Navy my Action Station was Mark 2 Squid loader and I had an additional task of receiving all vertreps of personnel and equipment from helicopters operating with the ship. Salisbury was a Type 61 Aircraft Direction Frigate and her main task was to track and direct allied aircraft flying to and from our own aircraft carriers and to detect incoming enemy aircraft. She did not have a Flight Deck and she did not carry her own helicopter and, therefore, she carried no Fleet Air Arm ratings and that left an interesting little job for me.

On top of all this, because I was the senior Leading Hand on my mess-deck and I was adept at organising things I was also the Leading Hand of the Mess (LHOM) or Killick o’ the Mess in the naval vernacular. All in all I suppose I was kept quite busy with all these tasks and I enjoyed every minute of it and was well known throughout the ship as a hard-working, cheery and well-disciplined individual with a real love of the Royal Navy, or, indeed, an anchor-faced old devil, as some less gracious oppos might describe me.

I have been asked to tell you a little story about time spent at sea over the Christmas period and that is what I am going to try to do by telling you what I hope will be an amusing tale of Christmas in 1976 on board “The Sally B.” We had been designated as Fleet Contingency Ship for the month of December that year and that meant that we would be at sea for the whole of that time and if anything happened anywhere that required the presence of the Royal Navy it was our job to attend and carry out any task that was asked of us. So when we sailed from Devonport at the beginning of the month we did not expect to return until the start of January and all the Yuletide festivities would be over, and, indeed, for us Scots among the crew even Hogmanay would have been passed and uncelebrated before we came home.

The first couple of weeks at sea were fairly routine as we just toddled around mainly in the English Channel and the Irish Sea keeping ourselves occupied with the usual exercises, tests and trials and ensuring that the old girl was in good working order. In the week approaching Christmas, while we were making a steady but quite rough passage off the west coast of Scotland an excited buzz went through the ship as the main broadcast came to life with the words, “This is the Captain speaking…” This introduction always ensured everyone’s complete attention as we didn’t often hear from the Old Man and if he was going to take the trouble to say something to us then it would surely be worth listening to.

The Skipper carried on to tell us that he had been in contact with Admiralty and the Powers That Be had agreed that we could return to Devonport, our home port, for the Christmas period so long as we retained readiness for sea at three hours notice. This was treated with great glee by all the married men who had their homes, with their wife and family, in Plymouth, but I was rather ambivalent about it as if we were under sailing orders the whole time we couldn’t afford to have a decent drink even if we were allowed ashore. Anyway lots of the lads were really happy about it and we were soon homeward bound at best speed, in rough weather, but no-one was complaining of sea sickness as we were headed in the right direction.

We arrived at the Breakwater in Plymouth Sound early on the morning of Christmas Eve and the whole ship’s company were in jubilant mood. Ominously, instead of the anticipated pipe for special sea duty-men to fall in for entering harbour the Jimmy, or First Lieutenant to the uninitiated, came on the main broadcast and in a puzzled and anxious voice informed us that the Captain had signalled the Port Admiral requesting permission to enter harbour but had received the response, “Your request is denied, maintain station and stand by for further orders.” Well that short little statement caused a really excited buzz throughout the ship, there is nothing as unnerving as not knowing what the Hell is happening.

We weren’t kept in suspense for long though as the Captain was soon to inform us that the offer of going alongside in Guzz for Christmas was cancelled and we had to make our way as fast as our old diesel engines would take us to a point off Milford Haven where a Greek freighter had been abandoned by her crew who had been rescued by the RNLI. Our task would be to rendezvous with the abandoned vessel and put a scratch crew on board her in order that she could be steered and taken into harbour by a tug that would meet us when we got there. We were then told that the weather was horrendous in the area and we would be unable to use the sea-boats to transfer our lads to the freighter because of the heavy seas. This meant that we would be met by an RAF helicopter which would assist in transferring our personnel onto the freighter and this required my oppo and me to take on our role as Biggles’ Buddies and help get our blokes away in the helo.

Normally all the helicopter transfers were conducted back aft on the quarterdeck, which I considered to be my second home as the Squid was back there as well, but on this occasion the weather was really rough and with a heavy sea on the port quarter that area was almost permanently under six feet of water. So we mustered in the port waist, just abaft the forecastle, to await the arrival of Crabair. This also meant that the blokes who were being airlifted across to the freighter could keep relatively dry until it was their turn to be winched into the helicopter. So it was just me and Banjo, the other Killick Dusty, who got soaked to the skin. In Banjo’s case it was a waste of time as well, as his job was to use the “Earthing Pole,” to capture the static electricity before I grabbed the strop. This time we were assured that this was unnecessary as each of our guys was accompanied by the helo’s RAF aircrewman who had a magical airy fairy method of dispersing the static. So when the operation was completed I went down below, soaked to the skin, but happy because of a job well done but Banjo was dripping like a drain because his particular expertise was un-required and unused but he was just as wet as I was.

I knew that it would only be a matter of two or three hours before I was required to repeat this procedure all over again as our chaps were all coming back the same way once the recovery of the freighter was completed and before we left the area but we were freezing so we sloped off for a hot shower and changed into clean Number 8’s before having a nice cup of hot char and a lovely meal. It didn’t seem very long after that meal that the call to “Vertrep Stations,” came again and I was off to get my second soaking of the day. This time the weather had eased off just a little and we were back to our normal location on the quarterdeck. Banjo had also switched on and, as we realised that the clever crab would not require his assistance to clear away the static he stayed inside and kept dry while I ended up as soggy as Neptune’s starboard flip-flop once again. Everything went well and at the end of it my boss, the POSA, told me I might as well secure and clean into night clothing. Thanks George, I think you rewarded me with an extra ten minutes off for all my efforts there, very generous of you.

Very soon we were on our way north and the First Lieutenant, ever anxious to keep the ship’s company informed, announced that we would not be returning to Devonport but would proceed to the Clyde Submarine Base at Faslane to take on fuel before carrying on to sea to fulfil an as yet un-named task that their lordships had in store for us. The weather was still very rough, about Force 9 or 10, all the way and the good news was that we would arrive in Faslane on Christmas Day and Christmas Dinner would be postponed so that we could have it in harbour and nobody would have to chase their turkey over the table as the roll of the ship tried to throw their dinner across the messdeck. It is tradition in the Royal Navy for the ratings to be served Christmas Dinner by the officers but this wasn’t really feasible on Salisbury as we didn’t have a dining hall, as modern ships do, and we all had to collect our meal on our individual platters from the galley counter. Our officers and senior rates did join us for the meal though and the wardroom supplied the beer and a tot of rum to help us celebrate and that was fine by me.

Almost immediately after our dinner the ship was off to sea again and it was time for the Captain to tell us how we would be deployed. He told us that a Soviet destroyer was at sea, just outside UK territorial waters, off the northern coast of Scotland and it would be our job to follow her around, take pictures, and see what she was up to for the next week or so. This was much the same as the Russians did when we were on exercise in those days of the Cold War but many of our lot thought they went to sea on purpose just to bugger up their Christmas. Now that it was clear what we would be doing and that we would certainly be at sea over the festive period we were advised that we should keep a close eye on morale and especially among the family men who might feel the strain of missing the wife and kids at this time.

The next day was, of course Boxing Day, and everything was settling down to just being a normal time at sea. I was quite surprised when Jan Weeks, one of the young chefs came rushing down the store to tell me that Old Soapy was down the mess supping on a can of beer and crying his eyes out and it was my job to go and sort it out. This came as a bit of a surprise to me as Soapy was a rough old Three Badge Killick Chef with, as far as I knew, a heart of stone and I couldn’t imagine what could be upsetting him. By the time we had walked forward and descended into the messdeck I had decided that I was being a bit harsh on Soapy, he was, after all a loving husband to his wife and the proud and devoted father of four lovely children. So I arrived in the mess ready to comfort the distressed parent and calm the situation down.

There was Soapy, sitting in the after end of the mess, consuming his fifteenth can of McEwans Scotch Ale and sobbing loudly. I went up and sat beside him and asked what the matter was. I was ready for him to tell me how sad he was that he was missing the company of his wife and family and was sorry to miss seeing his sons and daughters playing with their new toys, but that was not what was troubling Soapy. Through the tears and the beers he exclaimed, “That bitch! She’ll have scuppered all the booze by the time we get back! I paid for it but she’ll drink it!” Grins appeared on all the worried faces of our messmates and the whole place erupted with laughter as I mumbled, “Bloody Hell, Soapy, buck up,” and headed off back to my work. Soapy went away for a kip, sobered up and the incident was never mentioned again until now.

The rest of that little trip passed without much incident as we followed our Russian pals across the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, taking happy snaps along the way. We returned to Devonport on the second of January and I for one, was quite pleased to have missed all the commotion and drunkenness of Christmas and the New Year. It was the first time that I had been sober over that period in years and I’d be able to get ashore and sink as much beer as I wanted without being encumbered by the amateurs who always appeared out of the woodwork for their annual piss up at this time of the year.....


More available on Jims Blog >> Hms-salisbury-1977

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Submariners Remembrance



At the core of the machine,
The sleek and black submarine,
Lie the men, of flesh and blood,
It needs no air, or drink, or food,
It suffers not from lack of sun,
Nor rain, nor love or hearty fun.

Each depends upon the other,
To rise again, a father, lover.
While half asleep, the others watch,
Turn about, until the hatch,
is cracked open, at last, again,
to release the once imprisoned men.

Why should such brave men choose,
This life, when all there is to lose?
To keep you safe, away from harm,
To patrol the sea, and prevent alarm,
Young men arrive, and old retire,
The old an ember, the young a fire.

When at last, their spirits gone,
the physician seeks to find the wrong,
his heart has fled its boney cage,
to sink below the stormy rage,
and return to where it longed to be,
beneath the dark and brooding sea.







Dedicated to the memory of AB(Sonar)SM Adam “Bomber” Twells, HMS Sceptre

And, PO(Sonar)SM Andrew "Frank" Spencer, HMS Sceptre

And, CPOWEA(SM) Jonnie Barrett

And, CPOMEM(SM) George "Soapy" Watson, a really nice bloke.

And, Lt.CDR Ian Molyneux, WEO, HMS Astute

RIP Shipmates.

By Ex CPOWEA(CEW)SM Carl “Robbie” Robinson


Patti Chebetar Lynn ...  John Lynn EM1 (SS) June 20, 2010 on Eternal Patrol.
Patti Chebetar Lynn ...LT. CMDR. Vincent J. Moore, (SS) Eternal Patrol June 9, 1972.

Sean Nunley ...To my dad, ET1(SS) Robert W. Nunley, Sr., On Eternal Patrol March 24, 2001.

Richard 'Kavz' Kavanagh ...  to my dad Lt Jon Kavanagh who joined eternal patrol on 14/9/2004 run silent run deep

Graham Bridger ... Leading Seaman Kevin Gregory & Able Seaman Kevin "Killer" Whale, both of HMSM Valiant ship's company - Road traffic accident on Helensburgh to Dumbarton road 1980 .... RIP oppos

Graham Bridger  ... Leading Medical Assistant William "Bill" Russell .... HMSM Valiant

Graham Bridger ... CEM Robert "Bob" Stevens .... HMSM Churchill

Alan Gough ... MEM(L) Eric Wilkins, HMS/S Spartan, in Benbow Block HMS Drake, RIP Buddy

Robert Adler ... LCDR Dan Westhusin. Best Chief/LDO I ever worked for, Dec 1, 2004 Rest your Oar Danny, Fair winds and following seas.

Alan Gough  ... A/B Knocker 2 deck scrubber White, M/C accident

Kevin Williams ...  CPO(MEM) Bill Lefevre - HMS/m Conqueror crossed the bar. Hope you're having a whale of a time me olde shipmate.

Kevin Macaskill ... Leading Seaman (Sonar) Graham Liptrott tragically killed in East Clyde Street, Helensburgh - I remember Lippy from Valiant, countless others will remember him from other Platforms. Genuine nice guy. RIP

Graham Bridger ... LSA Franky Rann .... Motorcycle accident returning to Chatham from I.O.W after weekend leave .....HMSM Valiant
Scott Spragg  ...Lom (WSM) Paul Tinny McCann & Om (WSM) Anthony Huntrod tragically died at sea on board HMS/M Tireless 21/03/07 R.I.P Fella's gone but never forgotten.


Graham Bridger ... CPOMA Fred "Happy" Day ..... HMSM Conqueror


Martin Cosgrove ... PO MEM Ian Haddow......Hms Courageous.


Joe Ronald ...  LWEM(R) Alastair Ramsay, (Alf) killed on board Hms/m Spartan Nov 7th 97 a genuine gent prob 2 nice 4 subs, rip m8y "


Douglas Erskine ... ab Paddy Murrels ex Repulse (s)
Douglas Erskine  ... Big Tom Janes Tasi

David MacLeod ...  Sad to hear Bill LeFevre and Ian Haddow passed on, heard that CMEM Monty Banks crossed the bar a few years back after I had visited his old pub in Dunfermline

Peter 'George' Cunningham ... WEM(R) Jed Evans. Washed overboard on HMS Turbulent early 1993. RIP mate.


Alan Upton ... Cook Paddy Donoghue, HMS Superb, lost at sea, as a loanee to HMS Fittleton, during a jackstay transfer with HMS Mermaid in 1976. Fittleton turned turtle. Leading Cook Brigham Young, also from HMS Superb survived & was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for using his SETT training to save the lives of 3 skimmers.

Andy Rhodes ...  MEM 'Taff' Leakey on his way home for xmas leave 1989 Hms Otter.

More Tributes and Remembrance Here in the Group >> Submariners Lounge


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A Submariner's Prayer


O Father hear our prayer to Thee
From your humble servants beneath the sea:
In the depths of ocean oft we stray,
So far from night, so far from day;
We would ask your guiding light to glow
To make our journey safe below.
Please oft times grant us patient mind,
Then ‘ere the darkness, won’t us blind.
We seek thy protection from the deep
And grant us peace whene’er we sleep.
Of our homes and loved ones far away
We ask you care for them each day,
Until we surface once again, to drink the air and feel the rain.
We ask your guiding hand to show
A safe progression, sure and slow.
Dear Lord please hear our prayer to Thee
From your humble servants beneath the sea. Amen

Monday 8 August 2011

THE DEMISE OF JACK TAR (Author unknown)



The traditional male sailor was not defined by his looks. He was defined by his attitude.

His name was Jack Tar. He was a happy go lucky sort of bloke. He took the good times with the bad.

He didn't cry victimisation, bastardisation, discrimination or for his mum when things didn't go his way.

He took responsibility for his own sometimes, self-destructive actions.

He loved a laugh at anything or anybody. Rank, gender, race, creed or behaviour, it didn't matter to Jack.

He would take the piss out of anyone, including himself. If someone took it out of him he didn't get offended. It was a natural part of life. If he offended someone else, so be it.

Free from many of the rules of a polite society Jack’s manners were somewhat rough.

His ability to swear was legendary

Jack loved women. He loved to chase them to the ends of the earth and sometimes he even caught one (less often than he would have you believe though). His tales of the chase and its conclusion win or lose, is the stuff of legends.






Jack's favourite drink was beer, and he could drink it like a fish. His actions when inebriated would, on occasion, land him in trouble. But, he took it on the chin, did his punishment and then went and did it all again.

Jack loved his job. He took an immense pride in what he did. His radar was always the best in the fleet. His engines always worked better than anyone else's. His eyes could spot a contact before anyone else's and shoot at it first.

It was a matter of personal pride. Jack was the consummate professional when he was at work and sober. He was a bit like a mischievous child. He had a gleam in his eye and a larger than life outlook.

He was as rough as guts. You had to be pig headed and thick skinned to survive. He worked hard and played hard. His masters tut-tutted at some of his more exuberant expressions of joie de vivre, and the occasional bout of number 9's or stoppage let him know where his limits were.



The late 20th Century and on, has seen the demise of Jack. The workplace no longer echoes with ribald comment and bawdy tales. Someone is sure to take offence.

Whereas, those stories of daring do and ingenuity in the face of adversity, usually whilst pissed, lack the audacity of the past. A wicked sense of humor is now a liability, rather than a necessity. Jack has been socially engineered out of existence.

What was once normal is now offensive. Denting someone else's over inflated opinion of their own self worth is now a crime




"AND SO A CULTURE DIES."




Royal Navy in Afghanistan


The Royal Navy deploys some 1,000 personnel every year to support UK operations in Afghanistan in a variety of roles. Though many will not leave their bases during a tour, all must be fully prepared for any eventuality.
Royal Navy staff serve in Afghanistan across a range of medical, administrative, logistical and tactical roles, both at the main operating bases, such as those at Camp Bastion and Kandahar, and the smaller forward operating bases.
The Royal Navy ensures that every naval serviceman or woman preparing to deploy to Afghanistan receives the same rigorous package of individual pre-deployment training (also known as OpTAG) as that undertaken by the Army.


Royal Navy Ships and Submarines are also Deployed in and around the Region .. For Security reasons they cannot be named here,they are there to back up the Land and Air Forces as required.The RFA also plays an important roll as well Delivering Logistical support.


The Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade is the Royal Navy's amphibious infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a core component of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Together the Royal Navy's amphibious ships and the Brigade represent a highly mobile, self-sustained and versatile organisation, with a strategic power projection capability that is unique among the British armed services.


Having arrived in Afghanistan and completed a final course of training and acclimatisation to prepare them for their six month deployment, the Marines headed from Camp Bastion to their base in Shahzad – which will be their home until October.During that time, 42 Commando (Cdo) will be working alongside members of the Afghan National Army  and Afghan National Police.
 

The unit, who are deployed as part of 3 Commando Brigade on Operation Herrick 14, have now assumed responsibility of Combined Force Nad-e Ali South, which they will command until September 2011.
They took over authority from The 1 Royal Irish, who have completed their tour of duty.


Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines (CLR RM) is situated at Chivenor in North Devon. It is home to about 620 personnel from all three services, including Mechanical Engineers, Medics and Logisticians. No other unit has such an eclectic mix of cap badges working together.
857 Naval Air Squadron consists of 3 Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC) Mk 7 helicopters which traditionally embark in the duty Aircraft Carrier as part of a Typed Air Group (TAG). The Squadron  currently operates with 5 Pilots, 10 Observers, 1 Air Engineering Officer, 1 Intelligence Officer and 40 Maintenance and Support Personnel and are based at RNAS Culdrose, in Cornwall.


854 re-formed as a Squadron in December 2006.  Prior to this the Squadron had been working as 849 A Flight.  Operating the Sea King MK7; fitted with the Cerberus Mission and the powerful Searchwater 2000 Radar, the Squadron forms one half of the Royal Navy’s frontline Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) capability.


847 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates the Westland Lynx AH7 helicopter and provides armed reconnaissance and light assault support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. The squadron was previously known as 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron, from which it re-formed on 1 September 1995.The squadron is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.



After Operation Veritas, the attack on Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, it emerged that HMS Trafalgar was the first Royal Navy submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles against Afghanistan,.HMS Triumph was also involved in the initial strikes.







Tuesday 2 August 2011

International Submariners Club

Royal Navy
United states of America

Royal Australian Navy
 
 
 
 



Patrol Pins

UK
Gold
Silver

Every submariner who has sailed on deterrent patrol for more than 30 days are awarded a silver pin – gold pins are Awarded to submariners who have served on 20 or more patrols.

USA

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Faslane Naval base





 Situated on the Gare Loch, and the RN Armaments Depot Coulport on Loch Long, are the primary components of HM Naval Base Clyde. The Naval shore establishment at Faslane is HMS Neptune. Both the Gareloch and Loch Long are sea lochs extending northwards from the Firth of Clyde. The base serves as home base to the United Kingdom's fleet of Vanguard-class nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines, as well as conventionally-armed nuclear powered submarines, supported by the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines.

In command of HMNB Clyde is the Naval Base Commander (Clyde), Commodore C J Hockley. The base is home to a number of lodger units including Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland (FOSNNI) (who is also Flag Officer Reserves/FORes), the Northern Diving Group and the Scottish Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency. It is base to 3,000 service personnel, 800 of their families and 4,000 civilian workers, largely from Babcock Marine, forming a major part of the economy of Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire.

Faslane was first constructed and used as a base in World War II. During the 1960s, the United Kingdom began negotiating the Polaris Sales Agreement with the United States regarding the purchase of a Polaris missile system to fire UK-built Nuclear weapons from five specially constructed submarines. In the end, only four were constructed; Resolution, Repulse, Renown and Revenge. These four submarines were permanently based at Faslane.

Faslane itself was chosen as the base at the height of the Cold War because of its geographic position, which forms a bastion on the relatively secluded but deep and easily navigable Gare Loch and Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland. This position provides for rapid and stealthy access through the North Channel to the submarine patrolling areas in the North Atlantic, through the GIUK gap to the Norwegian Sea. One boat was always on patrol at any given time. In times of political instability, sometimes two boats would be deployed at sea.

Vanguard class SSBNs
In the 1980s, the British Government announced plans to replace the Resolution class submarines carrying UGM-27 Polaris with the newly developed Trident missile system on the new Vanguard class submarines, also to be based at Faslane. These submarines were named:

•HMS Vanguard
•HMS Victorious
•HMS Vigilant
•HMS Vengeance

Astute class SSNs
HMS Astute (S119) arrived at home port, Faslane, for the first time on the 20th November 2009. Faslane will be home port to the Astute class submarine SSNs for the foreseeable future.
HMS Astute is the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered Fleet submarines. Commissioned in August 2010, Astute is one of the most "advanced submarines in the world".

Helensburgh
Helensburgh today acts as a commuter town for nearby Glasgow, with a population at the 2004 census of 20,626, and also serves as a main shopping centre for the area and for tourists attracted to the seaside resort. Helensburgh is also influenced by the presence of the Clyde Naval Base at Faslane on the Gare Loch, a major local employer. The town is a popular destination for day trippers.

The town is served by three railway stations, Helensburgh Upper on the West Highland Line, Craigendoran, on the North Clyde Line and Helensburgh Central, the terminus of the North Clyde Line.

The seafront has an indoor swimming pool, an esplanade walk and sailing facilities including Helensburgh Sailing Club.and the nearby marina at Rhu just beyond the town boundary. The streets are built on a gentle slope rising to the north east, and at the brow of the hill a golf club has views looking south out over the town to the Clyde, and to the north across nearby Loch Lomond to the Trossachs hills.

In a recent study, Helensburgh was shown to be the second most expensive town in which to buy property in Scotland.
The town is used extensively for the local Naval Base, Faslane which is the site that houses the British nuclear deterrent fleet of Vanguard class submarines. The base is only six miles away from the town. A significant amount of income for the town is generated by the base, its submarines and visiting vessels alike.

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Click to Enlarge

The Holy Loch seen across the Firth of Clyde from Tower Hill, Gourock, with Hunters Quay on the left, and Strone to the right

The Holy Loch (Scottish Gaelic "An Loch Sianta/Seunta") is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
During World War II, the loch was used a submarine base. From 1961–1992, it was used as a US Polaris nuclear submarine base. In 1992, the Holy Loch base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the Soviet Union and subsequently withdrawn.

US Navy

Between 1961 and 1992, Holy Loch was the site of the United States Navy's "FBM Refit Site One". It was the home base of Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 14, part of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. To make maximum usage of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) deterrent force, American military had determined that it required an overseas base for refit and crew turnover.

Holy Loch was one of several locations on or near the
Firth of Clyde considered for the refit site. Others were Faslane, the channel between Largs and Cumbrae, Rosneath Bay, and Rothesay Bay. Site selection criteria included the requirements for a sheltered anchorage, relative proximity to an international airport, and sufficient shore facilities to provide housing for military personnel and their families. Agreement for the use of Holy Loch was reached near the end of 1960 and the arrival of the first tender, USS Proteus (AS-19) scheduled for December. Divisions within the British government and concerns about protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) caused her arrival to be rescheduled to 3 March 1961.



USS Proteus AS-19

Between 1961 and 1982, the Naval Support Activity ashore was administered by US Naval Activities London. In 1982, Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT), Forward Base, Holy Loch, Scotland became its own command. NAVSUPPACT ultimately managed 42 facilities and leased 342 housing units for Navy personnel and their dependents.
A person of note who served at the Holy Loch was
Laurel Clark, known to her shipmates as “Doc Salton”, who was assigned as the Radiation Health Officer and Undersea Medical Officer at SUBRON 14. “Doc” was one of the astronauts who perished in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
on 1 February 2003.
In 1992, the base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the Soviet Union and subsequently withdrawn. The last submarine tender to be based there, the
USS Simon Lake (AS-33), left Holy Loch in June 1992 leading to a major downturn in the local economy and prompting protest from local taxi drivers and publicans. However, the area is becoming vibrant again with new homes having been built and the population expanding once more.

Polaris Tartan

In the 1968 film Ice Station Zebra, reference is made to the Navy base. The 1988 film Down Where The Buffalo Go was centred on the base and focussed on the life of a Navy Shore patrol officer. It was filmed around the base and in Greenock.
Holy Loch is mentioned in both the novel Red Storm Rising by
Tom Clancy and Larry Bond and the computer game from MicroProse based on the book. It is mentioned in the 1982 film Who Dares Wins.
It is mentioned in The Apocalypse Troll by
David Weber as the site that Captain Richard Aston USN sails to after rescuing Ludmilla Leonovna, Terran Marines. He also notes that the tender on duty is the USS McKee (AS-41), and that it now 'nurses' Los Angeles and Seawolf subs, not missile boats. (The McKee was decommissioned on October 1, 1999).


Wiki Here >> Holy Loch US Navy

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Monday 1 August 2011

Personal Security Online

RN Uniform and Badges


Claude Choules in his Royal Navy uniform during World War I (left) and sitting in the Gracewood Retirement Village in Salter Point, Western Australia.






Logistics Branch

Engineering Branch

Changes to Royal Navy uniform

A uniform is a set of clothes worn to help identify somebodys job. People working in the Royal Navy wear different types of uniforms depending upon their position in the Navy, the job they are doing and where they are working in the world. During the 20th century naval uniforms changed many times, especially in the way people made them and the materials used to make them.