• Cdr Gardner - CO, Cdre Jess- NBC, Babcock Senior Managers Chris Tomkins and Mike Weekes.
• Petty Officers Mess HRH views deployment photos.
• HRH meets female sailors.
• With the Royal Marine Detachment.

• On the bridge.
• Sharing a joke with Mr Peter Seddon from Babcock.
• Presentation to CSGT Dave Young.

The Princess Royal received a very warm welcome when she visited the amphibious warship HMS Albion in HM Naval Base Devonport today.

Her Royal Highness flew into Devonport and was greeted by Commodore Ian Jess, the Naval Base Commander. The Princess Royal is the official sponsor to the 22,000 ton assault ship and takes a close interest in the ship's and her crew's activities.

Having been introduced to the ship's Commanding Officer, Commander John Gardner she met Babcock Marine senior management, Director Surface Warships Chris Tomkins and Project Manager Mike Weeks. HMS Albion is undergoing a £30 million maintenance period in Devonport under main contractor Babcock. Her Royal Highness was delighted to hear how successful the partnering arrangement has been between Babcock and the Ministry of Defence.

The first stop was to view the petty officers' accommodation where Her Royal Highness could see some of the improvements made to the living spaces during the maintenance period. Space on warships is always at a premium and home to about 300 sailors and Royal Marines, so the work to improve living quarters has been very welcome.

The Princess met members of the ship's company who told her about the ship's most recent deployment to West Africa . This being the first visit to HMS Albion in almost a year, the Princess heard how the presidents of Sierra Leone and Nigeria had been hosted onboard as well as how members of the ship's company had taken part in small community projects ashore.

Her Royal Highness visited the junior sailors' dining hall to meet members of the Royal Marines Assault Squadron - several of the marines have been on operations in Afghanistan . The Princess was also told how last year HMS Albion embarked marines from the Netherlands as part of the regeneration of the long-standing partnership between the Netherlands and the UK involving marines from both countries working closely together.

On the ship's bridge the Princess met Commander Ian Atkinson and other engineers, including Babcock employees. The Princess asked specifically about some of the package of enhancements and was told that among other work, the ship had a newly painted hull with special paint which should improve fuel efficiency, as well as being more environmentally-friendly.

The next event in the packed visit programme was a series of medal and award presentations including Long Service clasps to Lieutenant Commander Mark Simpson and Warrant Officer Jimmy Jewell and a Joint Commander's Commendation to Colour Sergeant Dave Young (Royal Marines), the latter for an act of bravery while he was in Afghanistan in early 2008 when he pulled a wounded marine to safety while under enemy fire.

In recognition of the day and noting Her Royal Highness's love of Scimitar sports cars, Commander Gardner presented the Princess with a letter opener in the shape of a scimitar sword, fashioned onboard by Warrant Officer Jewell.

Commander Gardner said: "Her Royal Highness was very knowledgeable about the ship. It was a memorable morning for many of the ship's company and Her Royal Highness had clearly appreciated the opportunity to discuss the maintenance period and the ship's eventual return to the operational fleet."

After a quick lunch Her Royal Highness left for her next engagement in Exeter .

HMS Argyll has returned to her home port of Plymouth after 2 months overseas in the Mediterranean in the Royal Navy's biggest overseas deployment for 10 years. The ship played a key role as the Advanced Force Commander for Operation Taurus 09 - a large amphibious exercise involving Turkish, American, French and Dutch navies. The ship also had a series of visits to Malta, Turkey, Greece and Spain.

The Taurus 09 Task Force Commander, Commodore Peter Hudson, summarised: " The main objective was to exercise the UK 's Amphibious Task Group in a testing, challenging multi-threat environment - for both the ships and the Royal Marines. In completing Exercise Egemen with our US , Dutch and Turkish partners we have fully achieved this, enabling nearly 2500 Royal Naval personnel to hone their skills, to refine procedures and to demonstrate what a powerful capability the Amphibious Task Group can deliver."

Commander Peter Olive, the Commanding Officer of HMS Argyll, said: "Taurus 09 is the culmination of several months of hard work and training by my Ship's Company so that we were ready for everything that could be thrown at us. The deployment has seen us hunting submarines, covertly landing troops at night, visiting places like Malta which have such a history with the Royal Navy, as well as working in a large Task Group. It has been a rewarding time and one the Ship has come through with flying colours."

Taurus has also provided the chance to show non-sailors what life in a modern warship is like. Soldiers from the Ship's affiliated Regiment, the 5 Scots (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), were onboard for the first part of the trip, and took part in the Egemen exercise as "enemy" forces. As Captain Archibald, the senior soldier onboard, said: "It's been a good mix of sea and shore - not only finding out how the Navy does their stuff but having the chance to show how we do ours."

On the trip back, some relatives of Ship's Company, as well as members of the Worshipful Company of Paviors, joined for the 5 days passage from Gibraltar to Plymouth , and saw a variety of demonstrations of the Ship's capability and firepower as well as the arrival into Plymouth .

It's not been all work, with a raffle to be "Captain for the Day" raising £125 towards the Ship's Charities. Leading Engineering Technician Craig " Milo " Garstang won, with his first order being to raise the flag of his favourite Tottenham Hotspurs Football Club. Milo , who also hosted his brother onboard HMS Argyll for the first time, said: "It's been great, like 2 worlds meeting. The 2 separate lives - home and work - don't normally see each other, and I've really enjoyed it. "

Having returned to the UK , the men and women of HMS Argyll will have a short period of leave before beginning a busy programme of exercises and training around the UK and northern Europe . The highlight of this will be a visit to the Western Isles of Scotland to coincide with the Highland Games at the end of July.

HMS ARGYLL is a Type 23 Frigate launched in 1989. Her weapon systems include the Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile System, the Seawolf Point-Defence Missile System, Stingray torpedoes, Sea Skua missiles, a 4.5-inch Gun, 30 mm cannons and Machine guns as well as a Lynx helicopter. Her main propulsion comes from 4 diesel engines for cruising and 2 Spey Gas turbines for fast sprints. This gives the ship a maximum speed in excess of 28 knots. The Ship displaces 4,500 tons and has a length of 131 metres. She has a complement of about 180 officers and sailors.

HMS Talent, as part of a Royal Navy Task Group which forms the biggest deployment to the Far East in more than a decade, is preparing to head into some of the busiest sea lanes of the world, notorious for pirate attacks.

The nuclear-powered Trafalgar-class HMS Talent has a long standing affiliation with the town of Shrewsbury and is one of the 12 ships of Exercise Taurus 2009, having left her base in Devonport, Plymouth, in January ahead of the main Task Group. The Group has been undertaking a period of training and multi-national exercises in the Mediterranean, practising amphibious and anti-submarine warfare in large-scale exercises off the coasts of Cyprus (Exercise Wader) and Turkey (Exercise Egemen), as well as conducting maritime security operations.

The task group has reduced in numbers for the next phase, but maintains its full capability to transit through the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, culminating in an intense, multi-national training package in the primary jungles of Brunei. This will provide crucial training for the Royal Navy and its Royal Marines, many of whom have more recently been serving in-land during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Riverine training will also be conducted with the Bangladeshi Navy. The first in more than a decade.

Speaking from his amphibious flagship HMS Bulwark as Phase One draws to an end, Commodore Peter Hudson, Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, said: "The main objective of the first phase of this deployment was to exercise the UK's Amphibious Task Group in a testing, challenging multi-threat environment - for both the ships and the Royal Marines.

"In completing Exercise Egemen with our US, Dutch and Turkish partners we have fully achieved this, enabling nearly 2,500 Royal Naval personnel to hone their skills, to refine procedures and to demonstrate what a powerful capability the amphibious task group can deliver. It has been a very successful period which sets the right tone of the next phase of work in the Indian Ocean ."

Taurus 09 aims to maintain the Royal Navy's fighting capability as well as develop the UK 's capacity to operate with key partners and allies from NATO countries and other nations, enhancing interoperability and demonstrating the UK 's commitment to the stability and security of the Mediterranean, Middle East and South East Asia . In exercising its ability to deploy globally. The task group will remain available for a range of potential missions as required, such as anti-piracy, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

The task group sailed from the UK with 12 ships, including a US Navy destroyer and a French Navy frigate, a nuclear powered submarine, Royal Marines from 40 Commando in Taunton, the Fleet Diving Unit, Assault Squadron Royal Marines from Plymouth, elements of 820 and 857 Naval Air Squadrons (NAS) from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, 847 Naval Air Squadron and Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) Sea Kings based in Yeovilton and support helicopter force Chinooks from 18 Squadron at RAF Odiham. It will be joined by ships, troops and aircraft from other nations as it transits towards South East Asia.

The Task Group is expected to return in August 2009. Engagement and exercises will be conducted with countries including: Malta, Gibraltar, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei.

Ten submariners from the Plymouth-based Trafalgar class submarine HMS Triumph have almost completed their training for an outdoor adventure expedition in New Zealand.

In three weeks the team will complete three unguided treks across the remote and challenging 'Southern Alps' region of the South Island. The sailors will be completely self-sufficient during the treks, which will include highlights such as crossing high mountain passes, wire bridges and jet boat rendezvous.

Led by Petty Officer Phil Blight - a Joint Services Mountain Expedition Leader, said: " Exercise Kiwi Summit is an ambitious adventurous training expedition from April 22 - May 15. The primary aim of the expedition is to help forge HMS Triumph's crew into a cohesive team, who are motivated and ready to face the challenging transition from overseeing the refit of the submarine, to her becoming a fully operational submarine."

The terrain of the South Island's "Southern Alps" region is similar to the European Alps, and the three treks cover over 200km of mountainous tracks, including ascents equal to Scotland 's Ben Nevis . Early snowfall, flooding caused by heavy rainfall, steep ground and challenging navigation are just some of the hazards that may be encountered. All this on tracks that will be several days' walk from habitation.

The majority of the team are novices to mountaineering and have undergone comprehensive training, beginning last year with a week in North Wales including camp-craft, navigation and emergency procedures. The week also gained them a Summer Mountaineering Proficiency qualification.

Subsequently two of more experienced members of the team completed a Mountain Leader Training course at the Joint Services Mountain Training Centre Indefatigable in North Wales . There has also been a team-building day at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth ; with a practice day walk and final equipment check to take place on Dartmoor in early April.

Apart from the mountaineering challenges the team are also looking forward to meeting Servicemen and women, as well as veterans from the New Zealand defence forces at a commemoration service to mark ANZAC day during their visit. The intrepid sailors will enjoy well-earned rest with a chance to explore Queenstown, the "adventure capital" of the southern hemisphere.

The crew of the Devonport-based Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland sailed into their home port today for a long-awaited reunion with friends and families. The ship has been on deployment for the last 6 months on humanitarian duties and on the counter-piracy mission Operation Atalanta, as part of the European Union's Naval Force.

HMS Northumberland was the first ship in this force to safely escort World Food Programme ships and had to be at high alert for long periods of time to stop the humanitarian aid from being taken by pirates operating in the region. During this period the ship escorted ships along the 1,500 mile length of the Somali coastline delivering food to the ports of Mogadishu , Boosaaso and Berbera.

When not on escort duties, the ship operated in the Gulf of Aden to ensure safe passage of merchant vessels by her presence and where appropriate, boarding of suspect vessels.

On their return, HMS Northumberland's Commanding Officer, Commander Martin Simpson, said: "We had many successes in the Gulf of Aden on counter narcotics duties and general policing the sea to counter destabilising activities, basically anything illegal on the water."

"Northumberland managed to ensure the delivery of 50,000 tonnes of food which was enough to feed 2.5 million people for one month. Delivering food aid was my proudest moment. I am especially proud of my ship's company for the way they rose to the challenge, they responded magnificently."

Leading Regulator Ken Stokes, from Bridgend, Wales , was surrounded by his family on the jetty as soon as he stepped on land. His son Ethan leapt into his arms and he also proudly showed off his second son Dylan who was born just after his ship left on deployment. Ken was expecting the birth and had to delay his departure and fly out to meet his ship in Mombassa when given permission to stay for the birth.

Ken said: "It's great to see the family again, especially little Dylan because he'd just been born when I left. The deployment was very rewarding because we did the World Food Programme which was a very good cause. One of the non-operational highlights was spending Christmas and New Year in Dubai ."

Ken was also met by his wife Sarah, his mother Val and her daughters Jodie and Ceri and his mother-in-law Suzanne and her husband Brian, who were 'overjoyed' to see him again.

Lieutenant Dawn Chatterley, 30, of Nottingham , is the deputy logistics officer on board.  She was met on the jetty by her parents Jacqueline and Arthur.  Arthur said: "It's lovely to have her back and she hasn't changed a bit."

Dawn said: "This is my second deployment. My first was with the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious when I was a rating. This was a special challenge and particularly rewarding. We were the first ship out in theatre for the World Food Aid Programme  which meant we had to initiate the supply chain from scratch, which was where I was involved, being a logistics officer.

"The deployment was very fulfilling and a success. Other than that we had a fantastic time when not on duty.  I learned to dive and gained my open water qualification in the Seychelles and we had ship's barbecues and visited Eilat for four days.  On the humanitarian side we also helped with an orphanage in Mombassa and my role was to paint pictures for the children on the walls."

The ship will now enjoy four weeks leave.

HMS Northumberland is a Type 23 frigate built at Swan Hunter's on the Tyne in North East England and launched in 1992. Although primarily an anti-submarine warship, the ship has a wide range of capabilities. Propelled by 2 Spey Gas turbines for sprinting, and 4 diesel engines for cruising speeds, displacing 4800 tonnes, she is 133 metres long with a top speed of approximately 28 knots and is armed with a variety of missile, torpedo and gun systems.

Over 110 Army Commando Engineers from Devon have returned home after a demanding six month tour in Helmand - helping supporting Coalition and Afghan forces in southern Afghanistan.

The unit is the first major 3 Commando Brigade unit to return home early this morning to the United Kingdom and the soldiers were welcomed home late last night to their Chivenor barracks after flying into Exeter Airport.

Over 360 troops from 24 Commando Engineer Regiment deployed on Op HERRICK 9 to Afghanistan last Autumn and their return sees the start of the return of over 6,500 3 Commando Bde troops and their replacement in Helmand by 19 Brigade.

The Commando Engineers have been heavily involved in a wide range of front-line military engineering task as well as rebuilding and reconstruction work with specialists taking the lead in everything from countering roadside bombs to building forward operating bases and refurbishing local Afghan orphanages and nurseries.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Weeden, the Commanding Officer of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment said: "It has been a very busy demanding tour and I'm delighted with what we have achieved. In addition to our normal role of keeping 3 Commando Brigade moving, fighting and living on operations we have been heavily involved with reconstruction and development work, dealing with roadside bombs, constructing bases and fortifications, and mentored the Afghan National Army's military engineers.

He added: "Our bomb disposal teams have been risking their own lives daily, saving the lives of both Coalition Forces and Afghan civilians, and leading in the fight against improvised explosive devices. This pernicious and lethal threat has become the Insurgents' favoured method of attack. Our training and equipment is now better than it has ever been, and we are finding more and more of these devices before they can kill or injure our own forces or Afghan people."

He continued: "The excellent work of our reconstruction and development team, who have been helping the Afghans to rebuild their country, often goes unreported because it is not headline grabbing, however it is key to campaign success. They have been mentoring Provincial Government departments, delivering infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, and roads, whilst also building the Afghan's capacity to do it themselves. All of this has been carried out as a catalyst for Afghan Governance, a feature that will be required if Afghanistan is to stand on its own feet in the future".

He added: "In spite of the challenges, we are making the lives of the Afghans in Helmand better - providing better security and a chance for a better future. The men and women of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment have trained hard, and they have all brought their wide range of skills to bear with ingenuity, unswerving determination, courage, fortitude and humour; I feel genuinely humbled by their efforts and achievements, and I am immensely proud of them. If young people are looking for role models, they could do worse than follow the example of these fine young people on operations in Afghanistan.

Amongst their achievements the Commando Engineers were involved in:

• Opening a new military Forward Operating Base (FOB)
• Building 19 new Command Posts
• Building 16 Patrol Bases
• Deploying 126 miles worth of protective HESCO barriers
• Installing some 50 km of protective razor wire
• Implementing $8Million worth of rebuilding and reconstruction projects
• Filled 625,000 sandbags
• Used enough flooring to cover Wembley pitch three times over and enough corrugated iron to roof it.

UK forces are in Afghanistan as part of a multinational mission designed to help stabilise Afghanistan and bring security back to the region.

The arrival of elements of the TAURUS 09 Task Group in the Grand Harbour of Valletta had a special significance for the Gooding Family from Plymouth, allowing Father and Son to enjoy a foreign run ashore together for the very first time.

Warrant Officer Richard Gooding, having served for 30 years, is on his final deployment with the Royal Navy as the Weapon Sensor Engineer in HMS Somerset. His son Lieutenant Dave Gooding has recently joined the TAURUS 09 Flagship HMS Bulwark as an Officer of the Watch and Damage Control Officer.

Although both are serving in Devonport-based ships this is the first time they have served together whilst wearing uniform.

Speaking as they met up in Malta , Warrant Officer Gooding said: "I am really proud that my son has been commissioned as a Naval Officer. The opportunity to have this reunion and participating in this deployment in my final year in the Royal Navy will ensure TAURUS 09 will be fondly remembered for many years to come".

The Goodings, who live in Plymstock, will have further opportunities for pictures for the family album as HMS Somerset will be accompanying HMS Bulwark throughout the deployment to the Far East as the ships conduct essential regeneration training whilst supporting 40 Commando Royal Marines in their key environmental training in the jungle areas of Asia.

Picture 1: Periscope photograph of a T23 Warship conducting a charging run during the "eyes only" phase of the Submarine Command Course.

Picture 2: HMS Trenchant alongside RFA Diligence at Mahe Island in the Seychelles.

HMS Trenchant the Nuclear Powered Trafalgar Class Submarine (SSGN 17) returned to Devonport today following a very busy year. Deployments to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and more recently, East of Suez have kept the submarine almost consistently at sea or at immediate readiness for ten out of the last twelve months.

She sailed from Devonport in February 2008 and spent the next 5 months completing a variety of exercises and operational tasking, interspersed with visits to Bergen and Den Helder. This period included embarking 5 aspiring Submarine Commanding Officers, including one United States Naval officer, for the sea assessment phase of their Submarine Command Course.

Returning to base port in July 2008 for some mandatory maintenance and leave, the Ship's Company soon learnt that the boat would be deploying to the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean regions for the Christmas period.

HMS Trenchant then headed down to the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal and spent the next 4 months undertaking further tasking in much warmer climes. During this period, run's ashore were enjoyed at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and at Mahe in the Seychelles, in company with RFA Diligence.

The submarine passed many significant milestones during this deployment. In January 2009, she reached her twenty first anniversary since first commissioning the reactor and she has steamed more than half a million miles. Her Commanding Officer, Commander Kevin Gomm commented that the ability of the submarine to achieve such high levels of readiness throughout a very demanding operational programme in the last year is a tribute to the commitment, resilience and professionalism of the crew.

Rear Admiral Chris Snow CBE is the new head of the Devonport based Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) organisation. He succeeds Rear Admiral Richard Ibbotson CB DSC who has moved to a new appointment as the Deputy Commander in Chief Fleet in Portsmouth.

Admiral Snow has held six command appointments during his Royal Naval career including the Plymouth based warships Iron Duke, Coventry, and Ocean. Most recently he commanded NATO's maritime response force HQ as COMSFNMARFOR based in Naples. He took command of the FOST Organisation this week at Devonport Naval Base. As well as being in charge of collective sea training, he is also responsible for all individual shore training establishments, including Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, Cornwall, and the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone in Devon as well as training establishments in Portsmouth.

Admiral Snow's appointment as Flag Officer Sea Training means he can now live at home with his wife Helen and two children after years of being away at sea. His heart and home is in the West Country where he has lived for the last 21 years with his family. Talking about his new job Rear Admiral Snow said: "After spending a lot of my naval career at sea or away from Plymouth, it is great to be working in the West Country again, and I am very much looking forward to commanding FOST and leading training in the Royal Navy. I know it will be a challenge, but very rewarding too".

As well as operational and sea command, Rear Admiral Snow has also worked as the Military Advisor to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, and when working at the Ministry of Defence he coordinated the Royal Navy resource and future planning programme. Whilst working at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, Admiral Snow was awarded the CBE in the Operational Honours list in October 2002 for his leadership of the multi-national operations team overseeing operations after 9/11 and in Afghanistan.

Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) today marks its 50th year as the premier Royal Naval training organisation at HMS Drake in Plymouth. The Commander in Chief Fleet, the Second Sea Lord, and thirteen other Admirals who formerly commanded FOST will put to sea aboard HMS Cornwall to witness again the arduous training for which FOST is world-renowned - keeping the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary at the peak of professional and operational efficiency.

Later, a Mess Dinner in the wardroom at HMS Drake will host FOST staff 'past and present' and the Guest of Honour is Admiral Lord Boyce. This takes place on the same day that Rear Admiral Ibbotson hands over Command of FOST to Rear Admiral Snow.

Commenting on the training, Rear Admiral Ibbotson said: "In half a century the Royal Navy has witnessed enormous changes in the demands placed upon it, from peace to war, to cold war, counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and disaster relief. In that time Flag Officer Sea Training has maintained the highest level of expertise and training ensuring that our sailors and those of our Allies master themselves and their technology in an ever-changing world. Those celebrating today represent a unique body of people with an international reputation and my successor and his team will remain much in demand by our Navy and navies from around the globe."

Established in 1958 by the visionary Lord Louis Mountbatten (the then 1st Sea Lord), almost every Western European Navy and navies the world over have and continue to send ships to FOST. Their performance is honed, tested and assessed in order to meet the most exacting standards of peacetime diplomacy, humanitarian, patrol and war fighting operations.

FOST relocated from Portland to Plymouth in 1995 where shore-based training facilities include a simulated hurricane disaster site. The collective training, which lasts for up to eight weeks, is vital to ensure that ships are fully prepared to support UK and coalition tasks around the world - ready for any eventuality.  Damage-control and full war-fighting scenarios are a particular feature in the training area off-shore and culminates in the weekly exercise known colloquially as the 'Thursday War' .  

The crew of Devonport based Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland have completed the first 4 ship convoy of Operation Atalanta, the European Union's (EU) first military expedition of naval forces. The ship's company were on high alert with her sea boats and a detachment of Royal Marines in close support of merchant vessels.

The ship spent 10 days escorting 4 merchant vessels along almost the entire length of the Somali coastline. Despite the ever present threat of piracy, the ships were safely delivered to the ports of Mogadishu, Bossassoo, and Berbera. All the merchant vessels carried cargos vital to the relief of the humanitarian situation in Somalia . Since commencing her EU mission, HMS Northumberland has safely escorted a total of:

• 43,743.92 mtn of assorted relief food
• 6 vessels
• 3 voyages

According to the World Food Programme, the above quantity will feed 2,550,000 people for a month.

HMS Northumberland left the port of Mombasa on the 26 January in company with the MVs Sea King, Victoria, Ryong Gang II, and Kwan Mo Bong. The ship's then began a journey of over 1000 miles up the coast of Somalia with the ever present threat of piracy. The MV SeaKing was the first to be safely escorted into the port of Mogadishu in the South of Somalia. The remaining vessels then continued on the much longer journey round the horn of Africa and into the northern ports of Bossassoo, and Berbera. For the higher risk areas as the merchant vessels came close to port, HMS Northumberland was on high alert. The ship remained ready for any hostile action but fortunately the handover to Somali and World Food Programme security forces went smoothly and without incident.

The ship's Commanding Officer, Commander Martin Simpson, said: "This has been the first large convoy escort task during Operation Atalanta and I am pleased to say that like our previous escort missions, this one was successful and without incident. We remain committed to our humanitarian and security mission and the benefit it brings to the people of Somalia in their time of need."

The ship has been part of the European Union Operation Atalanta since early December and has completed a number of World Food Programme escort missions into Mogadishu.

The Royal Navy's newest warship HMS Daring will pay a brief visit to Plymouth Sound on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The world's most capable air-defence destroyer and her crew will be starting the year-long trials process to test her equipment and the cutting edge technology on board.

HMS Daring will be conducting trials with the Royal Marines in the Sound to practise the embarkation and disembarkation of troops heavily laden with equipment. Landing craft from Devonport's HMS Ocean and the Royal Marines' Offshore Raiding Craft will carry out the transfers which play an important part in HMS Daring's tactical development.

The ship's Commanding Officer, Captain Paul Bennett has been impressed with what he has seen so far. He said: "I feel enormous pride at being the first commanding officer of such an exciting and truly modern warship. She has performed beyond expectations in the trials undertaken thus far and both myself and my crew will work hard over the next 12 months to ensure we maximise the potential of HMS Daring."

HMS Daring is primarily a Type 45 Air Defence Destroyer designed to protect UK and allied/coalition forces at sea against the full range of enemy aircraft and anti-ship missiles. In peacetime however, she is such a capable and flexible ship that she will undertake a wide range of defence tasks around the globe supporting civil authorities in the UK and abroad through maritime security operations, while maintaining a high readiness to respond with humanitarian aid or civilian evacuation operations.

Commander John Payne has been appointed Commanding Officer of the frigate, HMS Sutherland, which will deploy to the Caribbean this summer on the front line in the global war against drugs.

Commander Payne's interest in a life at sea was raised when a Royal Navy presentation team came to visit his class at school. He said: "It looked like a great life, full of adventure and challenge. I haven't regretted a day of it." John convinced his parents to let him apply to join up as soon as he could and he won a sponsorship from the Royal Navy to help him through university before going to Officer training at Dartmouth.

Since joining, John has travelled the world, learning his trade at sea as a Gunnery Officer, Navigator, Principle Warfare Officer and Executive Officer. He has now been given command of his own warship.

When he is home from sea John is a keen supporter of his local Rugby Football Club, where he is now one of the Vice Presidents after playing in the centre for 20 years. John said: "Being able to play sport and keep fit is one of the best things about the Navy. Not many jobs give you time off to play rugby every week. In the Royal Navy it is encouraged."

HMS Sutherland is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate which has just emerged from refit with some of the most modern and capable weapons and sensors of any ship in the world. Her role in the Caribbean this summer will be to provide visible support to the local authorities in the international fight against drugs whilst using her cutting edge to locate, track and apprehend personnel smuggling narcotics.

Commander Simon Huntington has taken over the Command of the Type 22 Frigate HMS Chatham, at her base in Devonport, Plymouth.

Simon Huntington was born in Southern Scotland in 1969 and raised in Cumbria. He went to the Trinity School in Carlisle and then studied Marine Biology at Newcastle University as a Royal Navy Bursar, while also training as a Seaman Officer in the Royal Naval Reserve. He joined the Royal Navy in 1990 and during training was awarded the Queen's Binoculars in 1991 and the Queen's Sword in 1992.

He served as the Assistant Navigator in HMS Illustrious during a challenging period that included two operational deployments to the Adriatic contributing to United Nations, and then NATO operations in Bosnia . In 1996 he returned to Newcastle , commanding the patrol boat HMS Example and the Northumbrian Universities' Royal Naval Unit, conducting sea training in home waters and the Baltic Sea.

After training as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, he joined HMS Cumberland in 1999 as Operations Officer for a seven month deployment to the Arabian Gulf enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq . He was then appointed to the Joint.

Task Force Headquarters in 2001, based at Northwood. In 2002 he was closely involved in planning for Operation TELIC in the United States European Command Headquarters at Stuttgart , before deploying to the Middle East as part of the UK National Contingent Headquarters during the conflict in 2003.

Advanced Command and Staff Course followed and he graduated in 2004 with an MA in Defence Studies. After spells in Fleet Headquarters, where he was promoted to Commander, he assumed command of HMS Chatham on 7 January 2009.

On taking charge of HMS Chatham, which is affectionately known as the 'Up and at 'em', Commander Huntington said: "I am both delighted and extremely proud to take command of such a fine Ship. HMS Chatham has a distinguished history and a reputation built on success in recent operations around the globe."

Commander Huntington devotes most of his free time to his young family and, during rare periods of solitude, enjoys a range of sporting and outdoor pursuits; particularly fell walking, diving and sailing.

Members of the crew of Devonport based Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland completed a gruelling 'Iron Man' challenge to raise money for the Tumaini Children's Home in Mombasa, Kenya.

The challenge involved 3 'half-marathons', or 21,300 metres each of rowing, running, and cycling at the Mombasa sports club. In addition, members of the ship's company visited the children's home and carried out essential repairs to buildings and drainage systems, as well as giving a new coat of paint to anything that didn't move quickly enough.

The team of athletes, both male and female endured blistering heat and pain to complete their epic challenge. The rowing was universally acknowledged as the 'killer' event with many members of the team having to pause and walk round the machine until leg cramps gave way. The fastest time for all 3 events was achieved by Sergeant McCaffer of the ship's Royal Marine detachment in a time of 3 hours 26 minutes.

The afternoon finished with Rugby and Football matches against local Mombasa teams. The whole event raised over £5000 for the Tumaini home, which looks after children with HIV/AIDS. The home has capacity for 60 - 70 children and has plans for a hospice and laboratory, as well as a school and workshop.

The Commanding Officer, Commander Simpson said: "I know that I speak for the whole ship's company when I say that we have been delighted to be able to help this most worthwhile cause. In return, I know that the memories and enormous spirit of the children, staff, and local Kenyan's will stay with us forever. It really has been an honour for us to help."

At a presentation onboard HMS Northumberland, Joan Smith, who founded the Tumaini home paid tribute to the work of the ship's company and hoped that the memories of the home and the work of the crew would last a lifetime.

HMS Northumberland is a T23 Frigate built at Swan Hunter's on the Tyne in North East England and launched in 1992. Although primarily an anti-submarine warship, the ship has a wide range of capabilities. Propelled by 2 Spey Gas turbines for sprinting, and 4 diesel engines for cruising speeds, displacing 4800 tonnes, she is 133 metres long with a top speed of approximately 28 knots and is armed with a variety of missile, torpedo and gun systems.

HMS Northumberland left the UK over 4 months ago and has been recently engaged in escorting World Food Programme ships into Somalia as well as more general missions to deter and disrupt piracy and other illegal maritime activity.

HMS Drake have played host to Plymouth Argyle Football Club for a teambuilding and training session to help them prepare for their next match.

The team, under the watchful eye of Sergeant Steve Perry and the training staff, spent an hour teambuilding on the climbing wall before going to the swimming pool.

Steve Perry said: "It was really great to see the team working well together when faced with the unfamiliar challenge of scaling the climbing wall. The level of encouragement and friendly banter between the players impressed the staff."

In the pool they were all pushed to their limits by the Royal Navy's Physical Trainers. All the players gave 110% effort in a gruelling aqua-circuit, which included swimming interspersed with press-ups and sit-ups. Leading Physical Training Instructor Danny Fallon said: "I was really impressed with the way the players got stuck in and this has to be a good sign for the rest of the season."

Commander Malcolm Pollock, who hosted the players at the Wyvern Centre at HMS DRAKE in Devonport Naval Base said: "There's a huge amount of support for Argyle right across the Naval Base. Opportunities like this, to see the lads training hard and being thoroughly tested are good and they underline the excellent relationship between the Naval Base and Argyle."

Crew members from HMS Northumberland are to attempt a gruelling 'Iron Man' challenge to raise money for the Tumaini Children's Home in Mombasa, Kenya, which looks after children with HIV/AIDS. The challenge will involve 3 'half-marathons' or 21,100 metres each of rowing, running, and cycling at the Mombasa sports club on 25 January 2009.

On a previous visit to Mombasa the Commanding Officer, Commander Martin Simpson, found out about the Tumaini Children's Home. It started in 2003 when a visitor to Mombasa , Joan Smith, was asked to help a small orphaned girl who was extremely ill.  She arranged for hospital treatment after which the child was entrusted to the care of an Uncle. On returning to Kenya she learned that the child, diagnosed with HIV/AIDS had been taken out into the bush and left to die.  Joan sold everything and moved to Mombasa to help other children in this situation. The home now has capacity for 60 - 70 children and has plans for a hospice and laboratory, as well as a school and workshop.

Commander Simpson said: "Tumaini is the Swahili word for Hope. I and members of my ship's company were deeply moved and impressed by Joan's actions, and those of her staff, and decided to come up with a novel way to assist in raising money for the home. As we have a duty to keep fit in the Royal Navy it was decided to combine this with a money raising event."

HMS Northumberland is a T23 Frigate built at Swan Hunter's on the Tyne in North East England and launched in 1992. Although primarily an anti-submarine warship, the ship has a wide range of capabilities. Propelled by 2 Spey Gas turbines for sprinting, and 4 diesel engines for cruising speeds, displacing 4800 tonnes, she is 133 metres long with a top speed of approximately 28 knots and is armed with a variety of missile, torpedo and gun systems.

HMS Northumberland left the UK over 4 months ago and has been engaged in escorting World Food Programme ships into Somalia as well as more general missions to deter and disrupt piracy and other illegal maritime activity.