HMS Quorn

Extract from the April Newsletter
Steve Dainton, Lieutenant Royal Navy, Commanding Officer

(When the short article that appeared in the last issue of "The Quorndon" was written, HMS Quorn was deployed to the C/yde. Following that period an urgent request sent the ship back to Portsmouth.)

On  completion of an unplanned (and welcome) extra weekend in Portsmouth, the ship had to transit straight back up to Scotland to take part in a major NATO exercise. In extremely bad weather the ship's sonar dome came off whilst off Milford Haven. After much urgent consultation, we came rowed the Gower Peninsula at slow speed and sheltered from the worst of the weather to dock in Swansea.

After two weeks to arrange and effect repairs, we resumed to Portsmouth for an international Navigating Officers Course. Operating in the Solent and around the Isle of Wight, the ship afforded navigators from several Gulf States, Greece and Trinidad, the opportunity of practical training at the end of their course.

The following week the ship made passage to Falmouth for a trial of a new piece of equipment designed to enhance the ship's ability to avoid mines in her path when not involved in minehunting. The weather could not have been described as favourable, but the ship was fortunate enough to finish the trial on the one day of acceptable weather. After a weekend off in Falmouth the ship stopped off at Portland for 48 hours on the return journey. As part of the Royal Navy's ongoing effort to clear Portland Harbour of the detritus of many years use, Quorn was tasked to relocate and dispose of some ordnance that had been discovered.

After Easter Leave the ship sailed immediately for Exercise Blue Harrier, a major NATO MCM exercise in the Baltic Approaches. The exercise has been very useful in working the ship up after a long break from prolonged MCM operations. It has also been useful for developing and practicing multinational procedures.

On completion of the exercise we will be returning to Portsmouth for maintenance and then Navy Days. In the period up to refit the ship will be conducting further weapon training and another MCM exercise in the Clyde before heading around the north of Scotland back to Rosyth.