| From |
To |
Place |
Comments |
|
|
thanks
to Tony Mizen Lt 1976-78
& Michael Green PO(MEM) 1975-77 |
Dits
by Tony Mizen |
| At
the start of 1977 F172 was in Southampton dry-dock having repairs
done to the main shafts. Apart from the duty watch the crew were
billeted in DAEDALUS and bussed to and from the ship each day. |
|
Shakedown
activities off the south coast before sailing for to join STANAVFORLANT
|
|
17th Mar |
29th
Mar |
Den
Helder |
During
the stay we had a local bar named after the ship and took part in
various sports competitions with other squadron ships. I also recall
we played rugby against a Den Helder side that comprised mostly
ex-pats working in the Dutch gas & oil industry. Other ships
of the squadron included NNS OSLO, USS MILLER, KOLN, CNS MARGAREE,
NLNS ...... (Flagship), PNS Almirante GIEGO COUTINHO (?) |
| 2nd
Apr |
4th
Apr |
Kristiansand |
Everywhere
was closed on Sunday! |
| 7th
Apr |
12th
Apr |
Hamburg |
Excellent
run ashore. Well beaten by the local St Pauli district rugby team. |
|
On
sailing we tagged the Russians who were exercising off North Norway
- got our Blue Nose |
|
1st
May |
Anchored
of Unst -Shetlands |
Lads
went ashore to use landline telephone to home. Some conned Chinese
laundryman that there was a large casino on Unst. He was not too
pleased on arriving ashore with his case of money to find just a
postoffice at Haroldswick!! |
| 7th
May |
11th
May |
Bremen |
Crew
discovered that 5p pieces could act as German 1 Mark pieces in the
local telephones!!! |
| 12th
May |
19th
May |
Wilhelmshaven |
|
| 22nd
May |
23rd
May |
Lista
Fjord (at anchor) |
Wardroom
took barge for run ashore (sight seeing!!). RN Photographer joined
us to take shots for RN promotion material while we sailed through
various fjords. |
| |
25th
May |
Frederickshaven
|
postal
deliveries & banking |
| 27th
May |
30th
May |
Oslo
|
Becks
Beer and Acquivit (schnaps/liquor) |
|
3rd
June |
Hardanger
Fjord |
photo
opportunities and Navex in confined waters |
| 1st
June |
3rd
June |
Bergen
|
|
| 4th
June |
6th
June |
Narvik
|
the
'can man', Frank, managed to swap our Watneys light ale (Urgh!!)
for crates of Becks and that the Wardroom managed to get some great
wine off a neighbouring French ship |
| 9th-10th
June |
at
sea off Lofoten Islands . Disengaged from the squadron so
that we could celebrate Queen's Jubilee day. We held a 'Village
Green' party on the flightdeck that included: tug-o-war, apple bobbing,
fancy dress parade, fancy hat competition, BBQ, and sods opera.
It was freezing on deck but we had plenty to do & drink to keep
us warm. Fancy dress was won two stokers dressed as Robinson Crusoe
and Man Friday while the hat competition was won by the Chief of
the Flight with a hat built like a castle (when he pulled a cord
the queen appeared on a veranda and waved - brilliant).
|
| 11th
June |
Tromso
(at sea) - we passed under the harbour bridge but didn't go alongside |
| 13th
June |
23rd
June |
Rosyth
|
USS
Miller left to be replaced by
USS
Richard E Byrd |
1977 Family Newsletter  |
30th
June |
St.
Johns |
not
planned but Junior Seaman Tingle had suspected appendicitis. Great
Wardroom party with local nurses and trip to 'hole-in-the-wall'
bar. |
| 7th
July |
11th
July |
Roosevelt
Roads
(Puerto Rico) |
Very
very hot - lots of limers drunk by gangway party. On sailing we
went to do live shoots at Vieques Island and take part in major
exercise with US Fleet. In San Juan played cricket against ex-pats
- played in park opposite the 'Black Angus' house of ill repute. |
| 20th
Jul |
23rd
Jul |
Charleston
South Carolina |
Good
run ashore.... |
| 25th
Jul |
13th
Aug |
Norfolk
Virginia |
carried
out engine change (I think it was the Tynes) had lots of banyans
at Virginia Beach. Won the squadron Sports Trophy (included beating
the yanks at Basketball). Went to sing-along at the US Marine base
at Little Creek. Held ships company dance in the NCOs mess at Breezy
Point (in the Norfolk Naval Base) with live band lots to drink and
lots of local nurses etc. On sailing we refuelled and munitioned
at Jamestown before an another large exercise. |
| 25th
Aug |
28th
Aug |
Bermuda
|
Squadron
tied up at US port while we went alongside in HMS MALABAR. Fantastic
island with great beaches. |
| 29th
Aug |
5th
Sep |
Halifax
|
10
Cooks & Stewards took part in exped to Kejimkujik National Park
(bigger than Wales!!). |
| Sailed
for home. Half way across Atlantic diverted to RFA ....... to pick
up 21 year old Irish National shipwrecked on single-handed crossing
in dinghy (!). Signal gave name a Edna OKeneen - resulting in ship
smelling like Turkish brothel from aftershave, etc. What a surprise
when the jackstay delivered a man - his name was Enda OKeneen. After
exercising with submarines off Rockall we went through the
Irsh Sea and on to Plymouth. On 25th September we had up-channel
night with usual Sods Opera, sing-along and plenty of booze. I recall
that we did a 'This is Your Life' for the First Lt., Tom Sunt |
|
26th
Sep |
Devonport |
|
