HMS Ark Royal

The Last Commission:

1976 to 1978

 

    

On passage

5-17 April 1978

 

At last Wednesday 5th April arrived and HMS ARK ROYAL was ready for her final departure from Devonport Dockyard as a commissioned ship. The Wessex SAR flight and the six Sea Kings of 824 arrived during the forenoon, and at 1645 the ship slipped and proceeded to the English Channel in the dry but quite windy conditions. HMS FEARLESS made the following signal as we left: “Farewell big sister, you will be sorely missed, very best wishes for your final deployment” and that statement probably echoed the thoughts of many throughout the country.

The 4 Gannets of 849B were embarked that evening and, after a night cruising off the Cornish coast, the heavies of 809 and 892 were all safely recovered on the 6th. By 1800 that evening the ships in company, HMS DEVONSHIRE and RFA’s OLMEDA and RESOURCE had all joined us off the Scilly Isles, and we set off towards the Azores.

 		  

As we tracked southwest it became warmer and each department use these first days at sea to perform various exercises and evolutions either on board or with other ships. It was a case of testing equipment and familiarising new people with their jobs. The flight deck was a popular place as keep fit activities got under way, and the flight deck sports became regular sights whenever Sea King flying permitted
 

By early Monday 10th we were off the Azores and in the afternoon with the Azores behind us we intercepted an SOS from the Liberian registered tanker TARSEUS III, 39,000 tons. The tanker bore 280 degrees 185 miles from our position, and she reported that she was on fire in the engine room and that there were several casualties requiring immediate medical assistance. As departments prepared for a similar sort of operations so that carried out during the Sea Inspection in March, 824 Squadron once more showed how useful it can be. Two Sea Kings with a medical team, Surgeon Lt Cdr Baldock and LMA Basson, were soon on their way to the stricken tanker. By the time the helicopters reached the ship, the Greek crew had brought the fire under control and repair work was in hand. Three casualties with burns were returned to ARK ROYAL for further medical care.

 When it was obvious that all was well with the TARSEUS, the ARK ROYAL group continued its passage across the Atlantic. After this incident, the remainder of the passage was quiet, with the ship’s company going into tropical rig on the 12th. Arms and legs soon began to change colour but for some, who decided to do it too hastily, sun burn proved painful. The exercises and evolutions continued and every  now and again the clocks went back one hour as we went into different time zones.

 
   
   
Saturday 15th in fact was a Sunday routine day, which gave many the opportunity to relax and soak up the sun in temperature of about 30 degrees C, while the more energetic took part in the Super Mess Competition on the flight deck and which was won by 4N2 mess.
   
That evening the festivities continued with the first Band Concert/Sods Opera of the deployment. A wide variety of acts kept us entertained for nearly 3 hours and all who attended enjoyed the evening.
   
  On Sunday afternoon some of the fixed wing squadrons disembarked to Roosevelt Roads so that they could fly while we were alongside. All ships in company berthed at Roosevelt Roads during the forenoon of the 17th at the start of our visit to Puerto Rico.
   

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