HMS Ark Royal crew come home

Jan 31 2009 by Sam Wood, The Journal

ROYAL Navy warship the HMS Ark Royal allowed a Journal reporter to cross its gangplank yesterday for a peak behind the scenes and a chat with some of the crew.

The ship which was built at the old Swan Hunter shipyards in Wallsend, is paying a five-day visit to the region.

It is like a small floating town with its own shop, doctor and dentist. It is capable of staying at sea for months at a time and it has deployed all over the world.

Geoff Hughes, of Hetton-le-Hole, Sunderland, has been in the Navy for seven and a half years.

The 28-year-old captain’s secretary said: “On a ship of 600 there is a lot of administration to do and I’m also the point of contact for disciplinary matters.

“My dad was in the merchant navy and I decided I wanted a life at sea. I’ve travelled all over the world, I’ve been to the Middle East, Djibouti in Africa, the US and all over Europe.”

Petty Officer Kenneth Patterson was born in Tynemouth and spent his younger days living in Whitley Bay.

The 43-year-old spoke of his pride at sailing back up the Tyne. He said: “It was very special when we arrived back on the river. I was on the upper deck as we came in and, being born in the area, it was very touching for me, I even saw the chippy that I used to go to all the time as a lad. We got a very good welcome.

“There were loads of people on the shoreline waving and taking pictures of us. It is my area and it was nice to be back, a very proud moment.”

On board ship Petty Officer Patterson is in charge of all the weapons, from hand-held rifles to the powerful Gatling guns, which are capable of piercing armed battleships.

He added “I’ve been in the Navy for 19 years and it’s a great life. If anyone is thinking about joining up, I would say just do it. Especially in these economic times, it is a job guaranteed for 18 years and the pay and pension is very good.”

Recently HMS Ark Royal has acted as a Commando carrier – configured to carry Sea King, Lynx and Chinook helicopters, and up to 400 Royal Marines – conducting exercises in the Arctic Circle, Norway and the United States.

Able Seaman Natalie Berry, 19, from Shildon, County Durham, said: “I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was younger, but the forces had always appealed to me, and I thought being in the Navy I would be able to see the world.” she said. “I’ve been in the Navy for three years now. It was a good decision, I’m enjoying life at the minute.”

HMS Ark Royal will be open to public today from 10am until 3pm, a one-off opportunity for people get a taste of life on the ocean wave. Entrance is free.

Fact File

Facts about the HMS Ark Royal:

• HMS Ark Royal was accepted into service on 1 July 1985 after being built in Wallsend.

• The ship’s motto is ‘Zeal Does Not Rest’.

• Larger than her sister ships, Invincible and Illustrious, she is 211 metres long, 50 metres tall, has a maximum width of 36 metres and displaces 20,000 tonnes.

• She is fitted with four Olympus gas turbine engines which propel the ship at a speed in excess of 30 knots.

• A steeper ski jump than in the other ships of her class is fitted at the forward end of the flight deck.

• The Ark Royal has a full complement of 682 sailors and can carry an additional 668 aircrew and Royal Marines.

• Aircraft Carriers are the largest ships in the fleet. Their versatility and command facilities make them key to modern warfare.

• The ship was launched by the Queen Mother in June 1981.

• The ship was accepted into service on July 1 1995 and played an important role in a number of defence exercises throughout the world over the next few years.

• In the early 1990s it was a major force during the Balkans conflict, based mainly in the Adriatic Sea.