R.N's SKIING SUCCESS As a change from sliding down the side of ocean waves, Lieut. Andrew Baird's recreational skill is devoted to dashing activities on the ski slopes. This exciting shot was taken at the InterServices ski-ing championships at Obertauem, Austria, in which Lieut. Baird won the combined individual trophy.
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More harvest than cropping
HARRIER'S YEAR? Homeward
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The ice-patrol ship, H.M.S. Endurance, is home on returning March 20 This is one of a series of spectacular shots taken in the Neumayer and Le Maire channels, where the colour of the icebergs, ship and mountains was mirrored in the calm sea. (See also page 35)
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While a major statement has already been made regarding the effect of defence economies on the Royal Navy, this month's White Paper would be a surprising document if it disclosed yet further delay in the longdrawn-out saga of the maritime version of the Harrier. . Nobody denies its value - 'a tremendous aircraft" believes the Navy Minister (Mr. Frank Judd) - but as he says, "is the cost justified?" While the Services have been credited with some say in the options open to them within the financial limits laid down, it seems a pity that the Navy's Harrier should be surrounded by a near-hysteria, on an issue demanding the most serious and objective analysis.
Question of cost
As the White Paper was being written, Defence VIPs (including the Defence Minister, Mr. Roy Mason, and the Navy Minister) were still being shown the Harrier capabilities. Subsequent guarded official statements gave a cliff-hanger atmosphere to the whole business. It is heartening, however, that public awareness should be so acute on the effect of economies on the Fleet.
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Exchanging their cameras for a comb arid a pair of scissors, H.M.S. Neptune's two phot. Wrens, Veronica Evans and Jane Burridge, found some rather hirsute victims "hiding" on board the Dutch Navy ship Snellius, at Faslane. The Sriellius is used as the accommodation ship for the Netherlands submariners when they are operating from the Clyde Submarine Base.
A flurry of "Dad's Navy" headlines was an unflattcrin reaction to the immediate plans for protection of North Sea oil rigs - the interim use of a wartime tug and a fishery protection vessel. The Navy Minister has, however, carefully spelled out that while terrorist attack may be prominent in thought, a more worrying. problem in many ways s that of accidental damage. In the event of any kind of danger, the Royal Navy has general purpose warships and Royal Marine (Continued on page 48)
Reunion holiday blow and hope
Within a few days of flying out to join their husbands overseas for a reunion holiday, dozens of naval wives had to be disappointed due to a ship's change of programme. "I don't mind so much," one of them said, "but it There was no charter arrangement, the wives has been very disappointing for the children." having bought their tickets individually, and Unhappily the soaring price of air travel has in some travel agents had to deal with last-minute cancelcases doubled the fares, placing reunion holidays lations. beyond the financial reach of many naval families. The Service authorities deeply regret that the cirThe effects are a double disappointment - to cumstances made the reunion so unlikely that the the families and to the Navy's efforts to ease wives were advised not to go. "I had paid out more than ÂŁ200," said one wife to separation. Now, the Commander-in-Chief Fleet (Admiral Sir Navy News, "but the travel agents have been very Terence Lewin) has announced that consideration is good. This is borne out by what I have been told by other wives. being given to a plan for naval wives to get a subsidised ticket to an overseas port in the middle of a "The agents are getting as much as they can in nine-month voyage (usually the longest spell away refunds, and I have heard that every effort is to be from home). made officially, to make up any financial loss." The proposals involve discussions between all three Fortunately the ship may soon return to U.K. Services, though the outcome will be of particular waters, and the wives have accepted the situation importance to the Navy. stoically as "one of those things."