Visit to HMS Manchester
We were very privileged to be invited to the Affiliates Day aboard HMS Manchester on the 24th October. Our party of World Traders was lead by the Master and his wife along with John Lecutier, the Company's Liaison Officer.
Other guests on board included representatives from the Lancashire Regiment many of whom had recently returned from service in Iraq, the old and new HMS Manchester Associations, the great grandson of a former captain of the Second World War HMS Manchester that had sunk in controversial circumstances in the Mediterranean, and the Lord Mayor of Manchester.
Our hosts for the day were Lieutenant Commander Chris Hefford, the Logistics Officer and the Ship's Affiliation Officer to the World Traders, and Surgeon Lieutenant Jayne McKinlay, the Ship's Medical Officer. The organisation throughout the whole visit was outstanding.
We sailed out into the Solent on a glorious, crisp autumnal morning for demonstrations by the Ship's helicopter, a Lynx Mk8, and a firepower demonstration by the main Vickers Mk8 4.5" gun. Before the gun was fired considerable care had been taken to ensure the range was clear of other vessels, once all the safety checks were complete the warfare team got to work and 12 rounds were fired in quick succession landing some 2 miles away at an imaginary target. The noise, repercussion and vibration were quite something and throughout the demonstration the Master had the prime spot on the Bridge, sitting in the Captain's Chair! This was followed by a fire-fighting demonstration by members of the Ship's Emergency Party and a demonstration by the Ship's Boarding Team, using techniques for searching a container ship.
After a very pleasant buffet lunch in the Wardroom where the Captain hosted the affiliates, the Ship's Operations Officer gave a briefing regarding the Ship's capabilities and its role in Air Defence including its armaments and communication facilities. He also explained Manchester's capabilities in providing humanitarian support in disaster areas and in protecting trade routes from the ever-increasing threat of piracy.
Some of the statistics were staggering not least of which is that they have 33,000 separate stores items and reckon to be able to deal with 95% of any breakdowns or equipment failures.
HMS Manchester will shortly be sailing to the Gulf for where she will become part of a US Carrier Battle Group providing protection to an American aircraft carrier, patrolling and protecting Iraqi oil installations in the area as well as many other roles.
A warm thank you is due to Chris and Jayne and all the rest of the Ship's Company, in particular the Captain, Commander David Dominy, for making this visit possible and for the high standard of hospitality that all the Affiliates enjoyed on the day.
Our thoughts and prayers will be with them on their seven month assignment to the Gulf and we look forward to meeting up on their return to the UK in Summer 2008.
