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3 minute read
NAVAL OVERWATCH
AS1 Robyn Baker, RAF Leeming Intelligence Analyst, recounts her time aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth II during Op ACHILLEAN.
My first ever deployment as an AS2 in the RAF was an overseas experience on HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier with the Royal Navy.
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Before beginning my deployment, there were a few different types of safety aspects I would need to be trained in first; I had to complete two variants of CBRN training courses. The training I undertook was extremely interactive and taught key skills such as teamwork and working efficiently in a highpressure environment. One of my most memorable parts of training was the submersion test, which simulated a sinking ship. For this serial, trainees were placed into a simulated ship hull, around which the wall had several large holes or cracks. As the scenario developed, the hull rapidly started filling with water; the task required the team within to prevent the inflow by sealing the inner wall gaps with wooden wedges. Whilst the water level raised to chest height, I personally enjoyed the excitement of this aspect of training.
Due to several technical faults with the ship, our deployment was slightly delayed, eventually leaving port on 10 Nov 22. The ship headed directly to the North Sea where we spent 10 days at sea sailing towards Oslo. On the 11th day, we arrived alongside at Oslo and were able to come off ship and go out and explore Norway. We were in Oslo for a total of 3 days before transiting back through the North Sea where we spent our last few days on the ship before returning to Portsmouth. As an Intelligence Analyst, the details of my work are sensitive but essentially, I acted as a J2 Watchkeeper. Our primary role was maintaining the crew’s situational awareness and assisting the ship’s Chain of Command to make intelligencebased decisions.
Compared to living on a RAF base, life onboard the QE was extremely different! As my Commanding Officer first showed me to my accommodation, it looked like a long hallway with doorways to the left and right with Navy uniforms and wash bags hanging up outside of each door. When we eventually found where I was going to be staying, I would be sleeping in an eight-person cabin. My bed was one of the top bunks, meaning that I had to climb to get in and out of bed – which sometimes proved as difficult, especially when the other girls were on a different shift pattern to me. As well as the cabins (which were only intended for sleeping and storing your personal items), the accommodation had 3 showers and 2 toilets on each end of the flat (corridor) as well as a mess room, which was used by those on the corridor to access Wi-Fi, socialise and relax. Overall, my experience of the mess was positive, but it was important to remember to be respectful of your ship mates’ shift patterns and privacy; this was a major theme across the ship, especially given the confined conditions we, as the crew, faced on a daily basis.
The same principles applied to the Galley, which is the Navy’s equivalent to the RAF Mess where personnel onboard would eat. As you can imagine, with the number of people on ship, the queue to the galley was enormous, but given the caterer’s efficiency did move quickly. When getting into the galley there would be an array of options that you serve yourself.
Laundry on ship was another aspect that took me by surprise, before leaving Leeming I was advised to bring 2 large wash bags with me to do my laundry in. Washing was delivered directly to the launderers onboard who, after finishing, would have your washing delivered directly to our corridor’s mess.
Moving on to general life and working on ship - I cannot begin to explain how big the QE actually is, I frequently found myself lost in the ship’s countless corridors. Much of the inside of the ship looked identical, however, I was quickly able to decipher the ship’s various markings to determine my whereabouts; often using the aircraft hangar as a point of reference. The walk to work would take me about 7 minutes, unless of course the weather was bad, making the sea rough and therefore leading me to walk into the sides of the walls. Lastly, we were able to spend some time in Oslo mid-way through our voyage. When we first arrived in Oslo, it was very cold as you can imagine! Oslo is a beautiful city set on the edge of a Norwegian Fjord. When I had finished work, my friend and I left the ship and made our way into the town centre to explore the Christmas markets. Whilst Oslo was noticeably expensive, it was all worth it because of the amazing memories that I had made over my time on the Queen Elizabeth at sea and alongside in Norway.
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