ENDURANCE PAYS HOMAGE I
Crossing - the - line ceremonies always make amusing pictures, but when the ship's company of 1LM,S. Endurance paid homage to the Court of King Neptune in the Atlantic on her way to the Antarctic, there was an extra ingredient: sheer, cool cheek. Sec also Page 30.
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A Bird takes to water
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iger groups Atlantic tusk.'
The last of four. Bird class patrol craft for the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Sandpiper was launched by Mn. Marrack, wife of Rear. Admiral P. R. Marrack (Director of Naval Ship Production) at the Hum, berside yard of R1cld Dwistoo IAZL Three others, the Kingfisher, cygnet, and Peterel (also built at the eame yard), have already been accepted Into service. The Peterel has been allocated to the R.N.R. North Western Group, and the Sandpiper, due to commission in August, l been earmarked for the R..N.R. Channel Group.
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Eight Royal Navy ships, led by the helicopter cruiser H.M.S. Tiger, left Portsmouth on January 25 for a four-month Atlantic group deployment.
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With the Tiger are the nuclear submarine H.M.S. Churchill, and the following vessels of the 7th Frigate Squadron: Jupiter, Ariadne, Aurora, Danae, Euryalus and the Type 21
Invincible launching
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Royal Navy's first cruiser through-deck H.M..S. Invincible, which was laid down at Vickers' Barrow yard In 1973, is due to be launched in May.
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Antelope. Three Royal Fleet Auxiliaries accompanying the force are the Tidepool, Green Rover, and Tarbatness, Rear-Admiral William -, Staveley, Flag Officer Second flotilla,, is flying his flag in the Tiger, but next month is due to hand over his command to Captain Martin before Wemyss returning to become flag Officer Carriers and Amphibious Ships in succession to Rear-Admiral J. H F. Eberle. The Royal Navy force will be taking part in a big NATO exercise on the way to Gibraltar, and the programme then includes exercises and visits to the Caribbean. and North and South America. Later, calls be made at West African ports, the ships then returning home in good time to take part in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Review at Spithead.
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FRIUAIES FISH BEI
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Weft, stifke a fight! And H.M.S. Falmouth ad (or rather the fl,if leutenant fired a Very cartrtdg.). The effect was the come, and a North Sea Shell rigs gas vent had its extinguished flame fit again (bottom picture). The flame was 150 feet above the waves.
Just before a five per cent. fuel cut was announced for the Royal Navy, the Service was launched into a major new commitment in policing the 200-mile fishing limit around the British Isles, declared to operate from January 1. First to be engaged on this watch on the night-and-day nation's fishery resources were the frigates Hardy, Berwick, and Falmouth, guarding the North Sea area and the Western Approaches to the Channel.
Later ships mentioned were the Rothesay, Mohawk, and the new Island class vessel Jersey. It is unlikely that the Admiralty would use three frigates all the time, if the duties could be equally well undertaken by Island class boats.
Helping the R.N. guardians are four Nimrods of the Royal Air Force. The five per cent, fuel cut, which aroused so much Parliamentary and Press concern, is part of the overall defence economics planned for the financial year 1978-79, and would have been implemented quite independently of the additional cuts called for in Mr. Healey's minibudget statement. H.M.S. Bcrwick sailed on the 200-mile limit duties on the popular date of December 31, and was "in action." boarding a quickly French trawler on January 2. The boarding party. Lieut.-Cdr. Angus Sandford (fishery adviser and a French interpreter) and Lieut. Richard Hulley, discussed the new limit with the French skipper, whose only complaint was that it should have been brought in 20 years ago. Later the same day, the boarding went to another French party trawler, being transferred by the ship's helicopter. The French skipper on this occasion gave the best indication of friendliness by ordering a stone of fresh fish and three bottles of wine to be sent across to the Berwick. Continued in Page 40
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