29 January 2014
Minehunter HMS Brocklesby today left Portsmouth under leaden skies to join her NATO counterparts in the Med.
The Hunt-class ship will take her place alongside NATO allies in Standing Mine Counter-Measures Group 2 ranging around the Middle Sea until the late spring.
Pictures: LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU East
NOW that’s a forlorn look which says ‘Daddy’s gone’.
And he has.
Wrapped up well on a bitter January morning, young Islay Vickery looks out from Portsmouth’s historic city walls into the Solent as HMS Brocklesby heads off for four months – commanding by dad, Lt Cdr Ben Vickery.
Two days later than planned due to stormy seas – a very lumpy five-metre swell in the Bay of Biscay – the Hunt-class ship departed her home base today bound for the (hopefully) warmer waters of the Mediterranean to join a NATO minehunting force.
A small band of families braved the less-than-clement weather and gathered on Pompey’s seafront to bid farewell to the 44 souls aboard.
Nicola Clark and her 14-month old daughter Betty-Rose wave off Brocklesby’s LS(CIS) Thomas Clark
Until late spring, Brocklesby will be the RN’s representative in the international force – currently led by the Germans – ranging around the Middle Sea.
It’s job is to be ready to deal with any present-day mine threat should it arise, as well as get rid of any historic ordnance the ships come across.
After six months in the Gulf last year aboard Brocklesby’s sister HMS Atherstone as part of the rotation of minehunting crews in the Middle East, the ship’s company went through thorough training back in the UK ready for NATO duties.
“Having only recently joined Brocklesby – my first ship – it has been brilliant to put all my training immediately into practice and learn from my ship mates,” said 23-year-old AB(D) Ben Gaskell.
“I’ve been doing lots of diving and underwater bomb disposal. Now I am really looking forward to deploying and doing the job for real.”