The Last Commission:

Passage to Toulon and Exercise Isle D'OR

12-18 November 1977

Remembrance Day

After an early fixed wing flyex on Sunday 13^th just to give the air crew a chance to see if they could remember how to fly, the rest of us settled down to peace and quiet. However, being Remembrance Day, a non-denominational service was held on the Quarter Deck with the Royal Marine Band accompanying the hymns and the Captain gave the address and led the Act of Remembrance.

During the day, to the north of us, the well known MISTRAL wind was gathering strength off the Mediterranean French Coast, and in the early hours of Monday 14^th the ship ran into gale force winds and high seas. This retarded our progress and prevented us from anchoring in Toulon harbour. Instead of our expected vist to Toulon we remained at sea, riding out the rough conditions, and quite a number seemed happier about us being there than at anchor.

While off Toulon, the exercise briefs took place in Toulon in preparation for the French sponsored multi-national exercise “Isle D’or”. Besides the French and UK forces taking part, the other countries invited were America, Italy, Holland, Greece and Canada. HMS ARK ROYAL and USS SARATOGA were the only carriers taking part in the exercise, but there was a lot of air activity from ashore.

The official start to the exercise was 1200Z on Wednesday 16^th November but very little seemed to happen, and, although some flying did take place, a number of departments continued repairing the damage sustained during the previous few days.

The first part of the exercise was classed as a work up phase where each ship tended to do its own thing. Once more the darken ship canvas screens went up and the groping sessions began. Throughout this phase we operated off the west coast of Corsica. The tactical phase began on the 20^th and as hostilities escalated we became more involved in the exercise with all four squadrons doing their own speciality. Towards the end of the exercise we were directed away from our operating  off Corsica and Sardinia to the southeast of the Balearic Islands.

While the exercise went on, the ship was having her own private war with the elements. The sea caused by the Mistral which blew on and off throughout the exercise caused the flight deck to go out of  limits on several occasions; thus curtailing the flying programme at times.

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