UK: HMS Atherstone Begins 2013 With Bang in Gulf

Minehunter HMS Atherstone celebrated 2013’s arrival with bangs and fireworks aplenty in the Gulf. Her dive team blew up unwanted old plastic explosives, while her gunners took part in a fiery night-time shoot to keep the skills of all aboard fully honed on New Year’s Day.

THIS is how you bring in 2013. With a bang. A big one.

While many of you were recovering from the previous night’s exertions on January 1, HMS Atherstone marked the turn of the year by getting rid of some old plastic explosives.

That unwanted ordnance was held aboard RFA Cardigan Bay, the ‘mother ship’ for the four Royal Navy minehunters deployed long-term to the Gulf (the force has just notched up six years in the region).

Atherstone’s clearance divers – experts in diving operations and explosive ordnance disposal – headed across to the large Bay-class ship to pick up the explosives.

The amphibious support ship opened her stern doors and flooded her cavernous loading dock – more used to accommodating large landing craft and Mexeflote power rafts than Atherstone’s small diving boat which sailed inside and made a ‘beach landing’ on the sloped deck.

Once safely ‘beached’ the divers set about preparing the quantity of plastic explosives before heading back out to sea.

Once clear of RFA Cardigan Bay, the team made up a floatation device which was rigged to leave the explosives about ten metres (32ft) below the surface of the water.

With everything ready, a five-minute safety fuse was lit. The dive boat then retreated to a safe distance and waited for the inevitable outcome.

BOOM! Happy New Year.

“Explosive ordnance disposal is one of the core parts of our job as clearance divers and this was a great opportunity to prove our capability at sea – and with style – on New Year’s Day,” said Atherstone’s lead EOD operator and ship’s coxswain, 34-year-old PO(D) ‘Daz’ Carvell.

Watching proceedings from the bridge of the Crazy A was CO Lt Cdr Ben Vickery. “This was a great opportunity for the EOD team to get some good hands-on training with live explosives. This procedure is similar to what we would do if required to clear a floating sea-mine.

He continued “It is never great being away from home at this time of year but we are working hard and keeping busy with lots of training.  Most people managed to either phone or email home and wish their families a Happy New Year.”

Later on the same day, Atherstone’s gunners then set about honing their skills with some target practice which went on into the evening and allowed them to test their state-of-the-art night vision goggles.

With tracer rounds aplenty and flares all ablaze, HMS Atherstone was awarded third prize by RFA Cardigan Bay in the New Year’s firework contest, narrowly beaten by London and Sydney…

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Naval Today Staff, January 3, 2013; Image: Royal Navy