S C Apps (H/A. 1942-46) writes...

S C Apps (H/A. 1942-46) writes that he was the guest of the Wardroom on HMS Ocean for a week on passage from Barcelona to Devonport.
Submitted Winter 2002

On 28 May 2002 he and three other Liverymen from the Worshipful Company of Farriers, which adopted the ship after it was launched in 1995, travelled from Gatwick to join the ship at Barcelona. HMS Ocean is the largest ship in the Royal Navy with a displacement of 21,578 tonnes, 208m in length, with a beam of 34.4m and a draught of 6.6m.

She is designated an Amphibious Helicopted Carrier. The ship's primary role is to carry an embarked military force of Royal Marines, who are supported by 12 medium support helicopters, 6 attack helicopters and 4 landing craft. She permanently carries on board No 9 Assault Squadron of the Royal Marines. She was returning to the UK from Oman, where she had disembarked 45 Royal Marine Commando with all their equipment and stores for service in Afghanistan. Her secondary roles include afloat training, limited anti-submarine (ASW) platform and a base for anti-terrorist operations.

During the course of the voyage all these and other roles were fully demonstrated with talks and visits to every part of the ship, together with practical experience from driving vehicles on the flight deck to going out in landing craft in the Bay of Biscay.

The Fleet Air Arm with their helicopters demonstrated their various roles from transporting Royal Marines ashore, air sea rescue to landing an RN boarding party on another ship.The amphibious assault in which the 800 Royal Marines and other units are landed is achieved by using support helicopters and landing craft from HMS Ocean. The Operations Complex is the focal point for all operational tasks, especially the management of air space and the control of aircraft operated by HMS Ocean. There are three primary tactical areas, namely the Operations Room, the Amphibious Operations Room and the main Communications Office.

The ship is conned and navigated from the bridge, which is very spacious. It is equipped with its own radar displays and an automated plotting table on which the position of the ship moves across the chart from the Global Positioning System. I had the privilege of taking the wheel for a short distance up the English Channel from the Lizard. The catering on board is excellent and the same food is served from the main galley below to the Wardroom and the two adjacent dining halls above.

A few facts and figures illustrate the supply task on board with the custody and issue of some 17,000 line items of stores, the 24 hour provision of up to 4,000 hot meals a day, the control of 16 tons of operational ration packs, apart from a large amount of cash including sterling and 6 foreign currencies.

At the time of our visit the ship had over Ł400,000 in the ship's safe. Almost 4,000 cheques had been cashed on board since February and Ł32,000 had been spent during its stay in Barcelona. They had handled over 1,000 bags of mail since leaving the UK with over 400 official letters. We were very privileged to be on board for a week which included the Queen's Golden Jubilee. After the Wardroom dinner that night, I presented a suitably engraved cut glass decanter in appreciation and to mark the occasion.

The home-coming to Devonport on 6 June 2003 was another memorable occasion. Having embarked the Flag Officer, the ship was led into Plymouth harbour by its four landing craft to be met at the dockside at Devonport by the Royal Marine Band and a great crowd of families and friends of the crew, who had been away for 240 days. It was a unique and memorable experience, which was outstanding due to the kindness and hospitality of all members of the ship's company, all of whom were very professional and a credit to the services.

At the time of our visit the ship had over Ł400,000 in the ship's safe. Almost 4,000 cheques had been cashed on board since February and Ł32,000 had been spent during its stay in Barcelona. They had handled over 1,000 bags of mail since leaving the UK with over 400 official letters. We were very privileged to be on board for a week which included the Queen's Golden Jubilee. After the Wardroom dinner that night, I presented a suitably engraved cut glass decanter in appreciation and to mark the occasion.

The home-coming to Devonport on 6 June 2003 was another memorable occasion. Having embarked the Flag Officer, the ship was led into Plymouth harbour by its four landing craft to be met at the dockside at Devonport by the Royal Marine Band and a great crowd of families and friends of the crew, who had been away for 240 days. It was a unique and memorable experience, which was outstanding due to the kindness and hospitality of all members of the ship's company, all of whom were very professional and a credit to the services.

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