guide to hms st albans affiliated to the worshipful ... mk 44 miniguns ... 36 plate 30 – port ......

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HMS St Albans a Guide Hugh West, Liveryman, Vice Chairman (Navy), Armed Forces & Cadets Committee, Worshipful Company of Marketors, started December 2011, updated

monthly until June 2013

Guide to HMS St Albans

Affiliated to the Worshipful Company of Marketors

and the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers




Contents HMS St Albans ............................................................................................................................. 12

1st HMS St Albans......................................................................................................................... 12

2nd HMS St Albans ........................................................................................................................ 12

3rd HMS St Albans ....................................................................................................................... 13

4th HMS St Albans ....................................................................................................................... 13

5th HMS St Albans (Pennant Number L15) ................................................................................... 15

The 6th and Current, HMS St Albans ............................................................................................. 19

Type 23 Duke Class Frigate ........................................................................................................ 19

Intended role ............................................................................................................................... 19

Evolution ..................................................................................................................................... 20

Design Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 21

Refits ........................................................................................................................................... 22

Mid-life refit ................................................................................................................................ 22

HMS St Albans Build & Launch Details ....................................................................................... 24

HMS St Albans - Vital Statistics..................................................................................................... 25

HMS St Albans - Pennant Number ................................................................................................ 25

HMS ST Albans - Operational History ........................................................................................... 26

European Ports Visited since Affiliation with Marketors ............................................................... 32

Decommissioning and RN Home Ports ......................................................................................... 34

Propulsion ................................................................................................................................... 35

Plate 1 HMS St Albans (MOD)




CODLAG (Combined Diesel-eLectric And Gas) .............................................................................. 35

Rolls-Royce Spey boost gas-turbines ............................................................................................ 35

Paxman Valenta diesel engines .................................................................................................... 37

Power Train & Power Supply ....................................................................................................... 38

Propellers .................................................................................................................................... 42

Harpoon Anti-ship Missiles .......................................................................................................... 44

Sea Wolf Anti-aircraft Missile ....................................................................................................... 45

Magazine torpedo launch System (MTLS) .................................................................................... 47

4.5 Dual Purpose Gun Mark 8 Mod 0 ....................................................................................... 48

Fire Control Systems .................................................................................................................... 51

Sea Archer 30 .............................................................................................................................. 51

British Aerospace/Oerlikon 30mm Cannon Gun System ............................................................... 52

7.62mm Mk 44 Miniguns ............................................................................................................. 53

General Purpose Machine Guns ................................................................................................... 53

Inflatable Raiding Craft (IRC) ........................................................................................................ 54

Sonar Systems ............................................................................................................................. 55

Bow sonar ................................................................................................................................... 55

Towed sonar ................................................................................................................................ 55

Countermeasure Systems ............................................................................................................ 58

Outfit DEC Lasers ......................................................................................................................... 58

Sea Gnat ...................................................................................................................................... 58

Thales Defence's Scorpion ........................................................................................................... 59

DFL2/3 off board decoys .............................................................................................................. 59

Towed torpedo decoy .................................................................................................................. 59

Sensors and Communications ...................................................................................................... 60

Command and control ................................................................................................................. 61

Radars ......................................................................................................................................... 62

3D Surveillance Radar (Type 996) ................................................................................................. 62

Identification Friend or Foe.......................................................................................................... 63

Navigation Radars (Type 1007 & 1008). ....................................................................................... 63

Fire Control Radar (Type 911) ...................................................................................................... 65

Merlin HM1 helicopter ................................................................................................................ 66




AW101 airframe diagram............................................................................................................. 66

Merlin Propulsion ........................................................................................................................ 67

Merlin Weapon and defensive systems ........................................................................................ 67

HMS St Albans Departments ........................................................................................................ 69

Executive Department ................................................................................................................. 69

The Bridge Team .......................................................................................................................... 70

Warfare Department ................................................................................................................... 71

Anti-air Warfare .......................................................................................................................... 71

Above Water Warfare .................................................................................................................. 72

Underwater Warfare (UW) .......................................................................................................... 73

The Operations Room .................................................................................................................. 74

Marine Engineering ..................................................................................................................... 74

Weapons Engineering .................................................................................................................. 75

Flight ........................................................................................................................................... 77

Supply Department...................................................................................................................... 77

Ships Complement ...................................................................................................................... 80

Commanding Officer Cdr. Andrew Block RN .............................................................................. 81

Previous Commanding Officers .................................................................................................... 82

Marketors on Board..................................................................................................................... 83

Marketors Vice Chairman (Navy) of the Armed Forces and Cadets Committee ......................... 88

Marketors & Haberdashers Liaison Officer ................................................................................... 89

Previous Liaison Officer Principle Weapons Officer (Above Water) ............................................ 89

Marketor Magazine Articles 2011 ............................................................................................. 91

Marketor Magazine Articles 2012 ............................................................................................. 92

Health and Safety on Board ......................................................................................................... 94

Affiliations ................................................................................................................................. 100

HMS St Albans Battle Honours ................................................................................................... 102

Press Releases - 2011................................................................................................................. 103

News Releases - 2012 ................................................................................................................ 117

HMS St Albans to sail up Thames 15th March 2012 .................................................................. 117

HMS St Albans has spent the past five days on the Thames - 22nd March 2012 ........................... 118

St Albans Honours Arctic Heroes at 70th Anniversary Ceremony In Iceland 09/05/2012 ............ 120




St Albans Enjoys Elbe Toast at Hamburg River Festival 16/05/2012 ............................................ 122

Royal Navy Warship Visits Home of the German Navy 22/06/2012 ............................................ 124

Freedom of London bestowed on RN Commander from Wimbledon12/07/2012 ....................... 126

HMS St Albans gets a new Commanding Officer ......................................................................... 126

HMS St Albans will be Dartmouth Guardship August 2012 ....................................................... 128

Saint and Sinner make history with Navys new submarine HMS Ambush 20.09.2012 ................ 128

Forces converge on Scotland for massive international military exercise 28.09.2012 ................. 130

HMS St Albans saves fishing boat from being driven on to Cornish rocks 17.01.2013 ................. 131

Adventurous St Albans sailors scale new heights 31st January 2013............................................ 132

HMS St Albans tests Navys future navigators around the Channel Islands 1st February 2013 ..... 134

St Albans makes history as Navy's main gun bows out after 40 years of RN service March 2013

.................................................................................................................................................. 135

HMS St Albans to visit Anglesey for Battle of Atlantic Anniversary.......................................... 136

Crew from HMS St Albans parade through the city for the first time .......................................... 138

Future Technology ..................................................................................................................... 139

Wildcat Fleet Helicopter ........................................................................................................ 139

TYPE 26 FRIGATE (GLOBAL COMBAT SHIP) ............................................................................. 140

Sea Ceptor ................................................................................................................................. 141

Bibliography (Non Academic!) ................................................................................................... 143

The Saint Logo Where did it come from? ............................................................................... 146

Index ......................................................................................................................................... 147

Other Published Books by Liveryman Hugh West ................................................................... 155

The Author ................................................................................................................................ 156




Plates

Plate 1 HMS St Albans (MOD) ......................................................................................................... 2

Plate 2 HMS St Albans at her launch in 1747 ................................................................................. 13

Plate 3 - Battle of Frigate Bay, 1782, Hood's anchored fleet (left) repels the French fleet under De

Grasse ............................................................................................................................................. 14

Plate 4 Anguilla Stamp HMS St Albans & Hector - The Chesapeake Bay Blockade - Winter 1778

(Authors Own) ................................................................................................................................ 14

Plate 5 US Naval Jack .................................................................................................................... 15

Plate 6 HMS St Albans in 1940 on route from St Johns Newfoundland to Belfast .......................... 15

Plate 7 HMS St Albans in 1941 with her pennant number L15 ....................................................... 16

Plate 8 Norwegian Naval Ensign .................................................................................................... 16

Plate 9 - The ceremony to rename US S-class submarine as Polish submarine ORP "Jastrzab". ......... 17

Plate 10 Russian Naval Ensign ....................................................................................................... 17

Plate 11 Authors 1:3000 (1) scale models of 5th & 6th HMS St Albans (Authors Own) ................ 18

Plate 12 Airfix Model box of partly-built HMNS St Albans (Authors Own) ..................................... 18

Plate 13 HMS St Albans in 2006 (MOD) ......................................................................................... 20

Plate 14 - Contours of mean (top) and instantaneous (bottom) velocity magnitude for a headwind

computer & model simulation ......................................................................................................... 21

Plate 15 HMS St Albans at sunset Lisbon November 2011 (Authors Own) ............................... 24

Plate 16 - The Type 23 frigate HMS ST ALBANS in the covered assembly hall at BAE Systems

Scotstoun shipyard (BAE) ................................................................................................................. 24

Plate 17 Commemorative 1st Day Cover - Commissioning (Authors Own) ..................................... 25

Plate 18 Commemorative 1st Day Cover 4th Anniversary of her Commissioning (Authors Own) .. 25

Plate 19 Damage to Pride of Portsmouth after striking HMS St Albans (John Eastham) ................. 26

Plate 20 A crew Member of HMS St Albans examines the damage after the Collision (BBC News)

........................................................................................................................................................ 26

Plate 21 - HMS St Albans arriving at Portsmouth, 2009 (Peter Trimming) ......................................... 28

Plate 22 - HMS St Albans leaving Portsmouth 9th June 2011 (Navy News) ........................................ 28

Plate 23 HMS St Albans and the Tower of London March 2012 (Authors Own) .......................... 29

Plate 24 HMS St Albans alongside HMS Belfast March 2012 the Shard in background (Authors

Own) ............................................................................................................................................... 30

Plate 25 First Call Lowering the Ensign, London 2012 (St Albans Sea Scouts) .............................. 30

Plate 26 HMS St Albans flight deck tribute to the Queen (MOD) ...................................................... 30

Plate 27 HM Naval Base Portsmouth from 2,000 feet HMS St Albans at Fountain Lake Quay (BAe

Systems) .......................................................................................................................................... 34

Plate 28 - The effect of those Spey engines, HMS Edinburgh, also on Speys, in background (Authors

Own) ............................................................................................................................................... 35

Plate 29 Diagrammatic Installation (Rolls Royce) ........................................................................... 36

Plate 30 Port Spey Marine Gas Turbine Engine (Authors own)...................................................... 36

Plate 31 One of Paxman Valenta diesel engines as fitted to HMS St Albans (Paxman) ................... 37




Plate 32 Motor on Propeller Shaft (Coverteam) ............................................................................ 38

Plate 33 Reduction Gearbox (Coverteam) ..................................................................................... 38

Plate 34 Power Train Schematic Electrical & Mechanical (Authors Own) ................................... 40

Plate 35 About to start the Marine Spey Gas Turbines (Authors Own) .......................................... 41

Plate 36 - Type 23 propeller, specially designed to reduce underwater noise (National Maritime

Museum) ......................................................................................................................................... 42

Plate 37 A type 23 Propeller removed during maintenance at HMNB Portsmouth (UMC

International) .................................................................................................................................. 42

Plate 38 HMS St Albans Systems (Authors Drawing) ..................................................................... 43

Plate 39 Harpoon Anti-ship Missile (MOD) .................................................................................... 44

Plate 40 Harpoon Launching Tubes (Authors Own) ...................................................................... 44

Plate 41 Sting Ray Launchers in fog in the Atlantic (Authors Own) ................................................ 45

Plate 42 Sea Wolf launched from foredeck of a type 23 Frigate (BAe Systems) .............................. 45

Plate 43 Sea Wolf in flight (MOD) .................................................................................................. 45

Plate 44 Launching of Sting Ray Torpedo from HMS St Albans (MOD 2009) ................................... 47

Plate 45 Sting Ray on deck of HMS Westminster, HMS Richmond in background (Navy Day 2010 -

MOD) .............................................................................................................................................. 47

Plate 46 - HMS St Albans 4.5 gun being fired December 2011 (Authors Own) ............................. 48

Plate 47 The Mod 1 Gun and Turret to be fitted to HMS St Albans (HMS Northumberland - MOD) 49

Plate 48 HMS St Albans 4.5 Dual Mod0 Purpose Gun Lisbon 2011 (Authors Own) .................... 49

Plate 49 - TMF Ammunition Feed Ring (BAE Systems) ............................................................. 50

Plate 50 Optical Pod above Sea Horns (Authors Own) .................................................................. 51

Plate 51 Multipurpose Camera on angled deck with Raiding Craft Covered (Authors Own) .......... 51

Plate 52 Starboard Side 30mm Cannon (Authors Own) ................................................................ 52

Plate 53 Trail of ScanEagle on HMS Richmond............................................................................... 52

Plate 54 7.62mm minigun (Authors Own) .................................................................................... 53

Plate 55 GPMG (Author Firing) ...................................................................................................... 53

Plate 56 Commanding officer with his Royal Marine Detachment ................................................. 54

Plate 57 Inflatable Raiding Craft (Authors Own) ........................................................................... 54

Plate 58 Royal Marine Badge ........................................................................................................ 54

Plate 59 Type 2050 Bow Sonar on Type 23 Frigate (bigredvolvos.co.uk) ....................................... 55

Plate 60 Towed Sonar (Yellow) Stowed on Quarterdeck at Lisbon (Authors Own) ........................ 56

Plate 61 Towed Sonar (Authors Own) .......................................................................................... 56

Plate 62 Handling System for Towed Array (Think Defence) .......................................................... 57

Plate 63 Sea Gnat Launching Tubes (Authors Own) ...................................................................... 58

Plate 64 Still in use! 254mm Signal Lamp Projector (Authors Own) ............................................ 60

Plate 65 Astrium SCOT Satellite Dome, London Docklands Skyscape (Authors Own) ..................... 60

Plate 66 Type 996 3D Surveillance Radar (BAE Systems) ................................................................ 62

Plate 67 Navigation Radar on Port Side [with wind speed & direction anemometer](Authors Own)

........................................................................................................................................................ 63

Plate 68 Kelvin Hughes Navigation Radar Display on Bridge (Authors Own) .................................. 64

Plate 69 Type 911 Fire Control Radar (Authors Own),................................................................... 65




Plate 70 Type 911 Radar on top of bridge Stavanger (Authors Own) .......................................... 65

Plate 71 HMS St Albans Merlin on its Flight Deck with Tower Bridge in Background (Authors Own)

........................................................................................................................................................ 66

Plate 72 Merlin dropping a Stingray Torpedo (MOD) ..................................................................... 67

Plate 73 GPMG fitted to Army Merlin (Guncopter) ........................................................................ 68

Plate 74 Flight Deck of HMS St Albans Merlin (Authors Own) ....................................................... 68

Plate 75 929 Squadron Crest ......................................................................................................... 68

Plate 76 Vice Chairman (Navy) John Freeman with past Vice Chairman (Navy) Hugh West aboard

Sinner (Liveryman John Freeman) .................................................................................................. 68

Plate 77 The Second Sea Lord addresses Ships Company (Authors Own) ..................................... 69

Plate 78 Captains Day Cabin (Authors Own) ................................................................................ 69

Plate 79 The Executive Officer on Watch (2011) (Authors Own) ................................................... 70

Plate 80 The Principal Weapons Officer (Above Water) on Starboard Bridge Wing (2011) (Authors

Own) ............................................................................................................................................... 71

Plate 81 Positional Board used during docking shows last instruction, steering and engine data -

Stavanger (Authors Own) ............................................................................................................... 72

Plate 82 Operations Room Type 23 Frigate (not HMS St Albans) (bigredvolvos.co.uk) ................... 72

Plate 83 Manned Operations Room (not HMS St Albans)(BAe SEMA) ............................................ 73

Plate 84 HMS St Albans Officers (less Commander) (Authors Own) .............................................. 74

Plate 85 Marketors listening to the Mechanical Engineering Officer in Control Room (Authors

Own) ............................................................................................................................................... 74

Plate 86 Gas Turbine on HMS St Albans (Authors Own) ................................................................ 75

Plate 87 No2 Deck runs the full length of the ship - Softwood from Pine or Douglas Fir is still

considered the best material for shoring because it is strong, light, and can be easily shaped

(Authors Own) ................................................................................................................................ 76

Plate 88 Sea King landing on HMS St Albans to collect Air Engineers (Authors Own) ..................... 77

Plate 89 Merlin above flight deck of HMS St Albans fast rope inserting Royal Marines (MOD) ....... 77

Plate 90 Armed Deck Guard awaiting Visitors at Plymouth Sound (Authors Own) ........................ 78

Plate 91 Single Galley for two dining halls and wardroom (Jeremy Flack) ...................................... 79

Plate 92 Relaxing in the Wardroom after successfully docking in Amsterdam (Authors Own) ....... 79

Plate 93 Executive Officer and Cdr Tom Sharpe (Authors Own) .................................................... 80

Plate 94 - Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal (Author's Own Medal).................................................... 80

Plate 95 Cdr. Andrew Block RN (MOD) .......................................................................................... 81

Plate 96 HMS Cambeltown (Ships & Harbours) ............................................................................. 81

Plate 97 Cdr. Steve Dainton RN in 2004 (123people) ..................................................................... 82

Plate 98 - Commander Adrian Pierce RN in 2008 (St Albans Sea Cadets) .......................................... 82

Plate 99 Cdr Mark Newland RN (MOD).......................................................................................... 82

Plate 100 Cdr. Tom Sharpe OBE RN (MOD).................................................................................... 82

Plate 101 Cdr. Andrew Block RN (MOD) ........................................................................................ 82

Plate 102 Freeman Jeremy Stern and Liveryman Hugh West with the coast of Gosport in sight

(Authors Own) ................................................................................................................................ 83

Plate 103 Marketors on board in Pool of London March 2012 (Authors Own) ............................... 83




Plate 104 Marketors boarding ferry to HMS St Albans in the Pool of London (Authors Own) ........ 84

Plate 105 Marketors about to disembark at Gravesend whilst still travelling at 12 knots! (

Haberdashers) ................................................................................................................................. 84

Plate 106 HMS St Albans reversing under Tower Bridge supported by Svitzer Mercia (Authors Own)

........................................................................................................................................................ 84

Plate 107 Master and Cdr. Sharpe at the latters Freedom Ceremony - July 2012 (Authors Own) . 85

Plate 108 Citation of Award to the Ships Press Officer RN (Authors Own).................................... 85

Plate 109 Past Master Jim Surguy presents the Marketors Trophy to the Ships Press Officer

(Authors Own) ................................................................................................................................ 85

Plate 110 Lady Essenhigh, Ship Sponsor at Awards Lunch on board HMS St Albans (Authors Own)

........................................................................................................................................................ 86

Plate 111 Cdr Sharpe OBE RN leaves HMS St Albans in style! ........................................................ 86

Plate 112 About to land Sinner onto HMS St Albans (Liveryman John Freeman) ............................ 87

Plate 113 Last ever shell from an RN MOD 0 4.5 gun (Authors Own)........................................... 87

Plate 114 4.5 shell case ............................................................................................................... 87

Plate 115 Amsterdam Central Station Marketors about to be dropped-off in style! (Authors Own)

........................................................................................................................................................ 87

Plate 116 Liveryman Hugh West Vice Chairman (Navy) 2011-2013 (Authors Own) ....................... 88

Plate 117 Liveryman John Freeman, Vice Chairman (Navy) AFCC WCM 2013 - (John Freeman) .... 88

Plate 118 Marketors Liaison Officer 2012-2013 ............................................................................ 89

Plate 119 Our Liaison Officer 2011-2012 (Authors Own) .............................................................. 89

Plate 120 Our Liaison Officer 2011-2012, happy as ever, welcoming Marketors during their visit to

the Pool of London (Authors Own) ................................................................................................. 90

Plate 121 Our Liaison Officer 2011-2012 with Marketors Master John Flynn in the Wardroom

(Authors own) ................................................................................................................................ 90

Plate 122 Marketor Summer 2011 ............................................................................................. 91

Plate 123 Marketor - Autumn 2011 ............................................................................................... 92

Plate 124 Front Cover of Marketor, - Summer 2012 ...................................................................... 92

Plate 125 Summer 2012 Marketor all pictures by Author ........................................................... 93

Plate 126 March 2012, Marketors listening to the Officer of the Watch describing the Functions of

the Bridge (Authors Own) ............................................................................................................... 95

Plate 127 Gangplank Hazards (Authors Own) ............................................................................... 96

Plate 128 Exchange of Plaques at Captains Dinner (Authors Own) ............................................... 96

Plate 129 Overhead Hazards Deck 2 (Authors Own) ..................................................................... 97

Plate 130 The Officer of the Watch fielding questions from Marketors in the Wardroom, February

2012 (Authors Own) ....................................................................................................................... 98

Plate 131 Hatch Closed down with just night-hole available (Authors Own) ................................. 98

Plate 132 Accommodation is tight! Marketor occupied middle bunk in cabin built for six!

(Authors Own) ................................................................................................................................ 99

Plate 133 Haberdashers Liveryman Elspeth Fimpel (left) on board for final leg into Portsmouth

from Plymouth (Authors Own)...................................................................................................... 100

Plate 134 Haberdashers Livery .................................................................................................... 100




Plate 135 Haberdasher Liveryman Mr Adamson presenting the Haberdashers Company trophy in

2010 (Haberdashers) ..................................................................................................................... 100

Plate 136 Lady Essenhigh with Cdr David Barker RN, Commander of HMS St Albans at

commissioning (Navy News Aug 2002) ........................................................................................ 101

Plate 137 Lady Essinghigh with Cdr Sharpe OBE RN, preparing to present her Personality of the

Year prize (Authors Own).............................................................................................................. 101

Plate 138 Logos of HMS St Albans Affiliates ................................................................................ 101

Plate 139 HMS St Albans leads her sister HMS Argyll as the latter assumes responsibility for the

RN's Gulf mission 2011 (MOD) .................................................................................................... 102

Plate 140 HMS Iron Duke & HMS St Albans (LA(Phot) James Crawford) ....................................... 103

Plate 141 - Crew from the MV Pavit are winched to safety by the crew of HMS St Albans Merlin an -

Picture: LA(Phot) Simmo Simpson, (MOD) ..................................................................................... 103

Plate 142 Task Force Operation Stakenet (MOD) ...................................................................... 105

Plate 143 Lt Marshall, Lt Cdr Lewis & Commander Sharpe (MOD) ............................................... 106

Plate 144 - L/Cpl Ben Glover, Green Boarding Team (MOD) ........................................................... 107

Plate 145 Kuwaiti Air Force F18C Hornet (MOD) ......................................................................... 108

Plate 146 Royal Marines & RN Personnel approach the dhow (MOD).......................................... 111

Plate 147 St Albans Pink Runners (MOD) ..................................................................................... 112

Plate 148 HMS St Albans & USS George H W Bush (MOD) ........................................................... 113

Plate 149 HMS St Albans & USS George H W Bush (MOD) ........................................................... 113

Plate 150 HMS St Albans Flight Commander (self-portrait) ........................................................ 114

Plate 151 Welcome to Portsmouth (Authors Own)..................................................................... 115

Plate 152 - Royal Marine Band welcomes HMS St Albans home (Authors Own) ............................ 116

Plate 153 Families about to board HMS St Albans (Authors Own)............................................... 116

Plate 154 Lt Paul Lane RN MINTO (Crown Copyright/MOD 2012) ................................................ 117

Plate 155 Guide Dog for the Blind Nuba on board HMS ST Albans March 2012 (MOD) ........... 119

Plate 156 HMS ST Albans leaves Tower Bridge behind (Authors Own) ........................................ 119

Plate 157 Cdr Tom Sharpe with Ambassador Ian Whitting (MOD) ............................................... 120

Plate 158 - Icelandic Coast Guard Thor, with HMS St Albans in background (MOD) ........................ 121

Plate 159 Medal awarded by USSR to participants of the Artic Convoys WW2 (Authors Personal

Possession) .................................................................................................................................... 121

Plate 160 - Lt Matt Taylor outside Plymouth (Authors Own) ......................................................... 122

Plate 161 HMS St Albans at Hamburg May 2012 (MOD) ........................................................... 123

Plate 162 -The Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Nordfriedhof with combined Royal Navy

Crews (MOD) ................................................................................................................................. 124

Plate 163 Band and Bugles of Rifles Regiment with HMS St Albans alongside at Kiel (MOD) ........ 125

Plate 164 - Cdr. Sharpe, his family, Marketors, Chamberlains Clerk, Murray Craig, Beadle, David

Barnes (MOD)................................................................................................................................ 126

Plate 165 - Cdr Block steps on-board for the first time (MOD)........................................................ 127

Plate 166 HMS Ambush from Sinner, HMS St Albans Merlin (MOD).......................................... 129

Plate 167 Preparing Sinner the HMS St Albans Merlin for Joint Warrior (MOD) ......................... 130




Plate 168 - Photo shows the pilot cutter and an RNLI launch taking over rescue duties from St Albans'

RIB (MOD) ..................................................................................................................................... 131

Plate 169 - PO Pete Muir abseiling after scaling the heights of the climbing wall............................ 132

Plate 170 On top of Pen Y Fan ..................................................................................................... 133

Plate 171 - A Royal Navy Navigation student checks St Albans position (MOD) .............................. 134

Plate 172 The last ever shell from a Mk 0 4.5 hitting its target 8th March 2013 @ 1303 hours Z

time (Authors own) .................................................................................................................... 135

Plate 173 - St Albans mayor, Eileen Harris, meets HMS St Albans sailors ........................................ 138

Plate 174 Wildcat landing on HMS Iron Duke for Deck Trials (MOD) ............................................ 139

Plate 175 Drawing of Future Type 26 Frigate (Shipbucket.com)................................................... 140

Plate 176 - Sea Ceptor replacement for Sea Wolf (MOD Artists drawing) ....................................... 141

Plate 177 St Albans Nameplate attached only when entering harbour (Authors Own)................ 143

Plate 178 The Saint logo on HMS Templar 1944 (unknown) ........................................................ 146

Plate 179 HMS Stalker at Pounds Scrapyard, Portsmouth, she survived until 2010 (The Portsmouth

News) ............................................................................................................................................ 146

Plate 180 Hugh Wests book on the Armada published March 2013 (Authors Own) ................... 155

Plate 181 The Author (Marketor Magazine) ................................................................................ 156

Map 1 HMS St Albans in Home & Mediterranean Waters 2011-2013 ............................................ 32

Map 2 HMS St Albans Middle East Deployment 2011 .................................................................... 33




HMS St Albans

Six ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS St Albans after the English town of St Albans.

1st HMS St Albans

HMS St Albans was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line built by John Shish and launched at

Deptford Dockyard in 1687. She was 128 feet long. She fought at the Battle of Bantrey Bay

(Admiral Arthur Herbert in the Elizabeth) on 1st May 1589. On 18th July 1690 St Albans

captured a French 28 gun privateer 20 miles S.S.E. of Start Point off South Devon. On 19th

May 1692, as part of the Red Squadron, took part in at the Battle of Barfleur (Admiral

Edward Russell in Britannia) in 1691. On 22 May 1692 with Vice-Admiral Sir Ralph Delaval on

board burned the French Admirable, Conquerant, Soleil-Royal and Triomphant off Cherbourg

before being wrecked in a gale in Kinsale harbour in 1693.

2nd HMS St Albans

HMS St Albans was a 50 gun fourth rate was built by Burchett and launched from

Rotherhithe on 10th December 1706 and was 130 feet long. St Albans underwent her first

rebuild at Plymouth Dockyard, where she was reconstructed to the dimensions laid out in

the 1706 Establishment, and re-launched on 6 March 1718. On 10th September 1734 orders

were issued for her to be taken to pieces and rebuilt for a second time at Plymouth. She was

re-launched on 30 August 1737 4 feet longer and wider and served in the war against Spain

from 1739, mainly in the West Indies. She was wrecked in Kingston during a hurricane in

1744.

As built 687 long tons, length 130ft 8in at gundeck, beam 34ft 4in, depth of hold 13ft 7in,

50 guns of various weights of shot

After 1737 rebuild 853 long tons, length 134ft 8in at gundeck, beam 38ft 6in, depth of hold

14ft, 50 guns of various weights of shot Gundeck: 22 18 pdrs, Upper gundeck: 22 9 pdrs,

Quarterdeck: 4 6 pdrs and Forecastle: 2 6 pdrs




3rd HMS St Albans

HMS St Albans was a 60-gun fourth

rate, 1,207 tons, built by West and

launched from Deptford in 23rd

February 1747. She was 150 feet long,

44 feet in beam and carried 24 - 24

pdrs on her gun deck and 26 - 18 pdrs

on the upper gundeck as well cannons

on the quarterdeck and forecastle. In

May 1756, HMS St. Albans was part of

a squadron with the Elizabeth,

Romney, Bedford, Swiftsure and

Colchester in the Channel. St. Albans and the Romney, parted company with the fleet and

sailed south to patrol in the Bay of Biscay towards the Spanish coast where they captured

the French ship Triton. Captain James Cook was aboard HMS St Albans between 30th April

and 3rd May 1756 her Captain at the time being William Gordon. HMS St Albans participated

in the Battle of Lagos (1759) before being sold in 1765.

1,207 long tons, length 150ft 8in at gundeck, beam 42ft 8in, depth of hold 18ft 6in, 60 guns

of various weights of shot Gundeck: 24 24 pdrs, Upper gundeck: 26 18 pdrs,

Quarterdeck: 8 6 pdrs and Forecastle: 2 6 pdrs

4th HMS St Albans

HMS St Albans was a 64-gun third rate built by Perry and launched from Blackwall Yard on

12th September 1764.

Captain Richard Onslow took command of St Albans on 31 October 1776. He took a convoy

to New York City in April 1777 and joined Lord Howe in time for the repulse of d'Estaing on

22 July 1777 at Sandy Hook. Onslow sailed for the West Indies on 4 November 1778 with

Commodore Hotham, and took part in the capture of Saint Lucia and its defence against

d'Estaing that December at the Cul-de-Sac. In August 1779, he brought a convoy from St

Kitts to Spithead.

On 10 December 1780, St Albans, in company with Vestal, Monsieur, Portland and Solebay

captured the Comtess de Buzancois.

Captain Charles Inglis took command of St Albans in November 1780. On 13 March 1781 he

sailed in with Vice-Admiral George Darby's fleet to the relief of Gibraltar. He was with

Plate 2 HMS St Albans at her launch in 1747

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St_Albans_Deptford.jpg




Admiral Robert Digby's squadron later that year, before being sent to the Leeward Islands to

join Sir Samuel Hood at Barbados.

St Albans was with Hood during the Battle of Saint Kitts, when Hood attempted to relieve

the island and repulsed several attacks by the Comte de Grasse on 25 and 26 January 1782.

Inglis was again in action with the French on 9 April 1782, when Hood's fleet clashed with de

Grasse's in the Dominica Channel, and

fought at the Battle of the Saintes on 12

April, where the main British fleet under

Inglis's old captain, now Admiral Sir George

Rodney, decisively defeated de Grasse. St

Albans had six men wounded during this

engagement.

St Albans sailed to North America in late July

1782 with Rodney's successor, Admiral

Hugh Pigot. She was back in the West Indies

by November, where Inglis was given

command of a squadron of four ships

cruising independently there. The squadron, consisting of St Albans, the 64-gun Prudent, the

74-gun Magnificent and the sloop HMS Barbados, was sent from Gros Islet Bay on 12

February to investigate reports of a French squadron, consisting of Triton, Amphion and

several frigates, having sailed from Martinique.

On 15 February 1783, the 74-gun Magnificent, under Captain Robert Linzee, was on a cruise

in company with Prudent and St Albans. Magnificent sighted a strange sail and gave chase.

She was close enough to identify the mysterious ship as a frigate by 18:00, and by 20:00 as

darkness fell the quarry opened fire on her pursuer with her stern guns. Magnificent

overhauled the French ship by 21:15, and after fifteen minutes forced

her to strike her colours. Magnificent took possession of Concorde, of

36 guns and 300 men under the command of M. le Chevalier du

Clesmaur. Shortly after surrendering, Concorde's maintopsail caught

fire, forcing the crew to cut away the mainmast to extinguish it. Prudent

and St Albans came up two hours later and Magnificent towed

Concorde to St. John's, Antigua

She was converted to a floating battery in 1803 and was broken up in

1814.

1,380 long tons, length 159ft 8in at gundeck, beam 44ft 4in, depth of

hold 18ft 10in, 64 guns of various weights of shot Gundeck: 26 24

pdrs, Upper gundeck: 26 24 pdrs, Quarterdeck: 10 4 pdrs and

Forecastle: 2 9 pdrs.

Plate 3 - Battle of Frigate Bay, 1782, Hood's anchored fleet (left) repels the French fleet under De Grasse

Plate 4 Anguilla Stamp HMS St Albans & Hector - The Chesapeake Bay Blockade - Winter 1778 (Authors Own)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Friagte_Bay.jpg




5th HMS St Albans (Pennant Number L15)

As USS Thomas, named after Clarence Crase Thomas, was laid down on 23rd March 1918 at

Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company;

launched on 4th July 1918; by Mrs. Evelyn M. Thomas, widow of Lieutenant Thomas; and

commissioned on 25th April 1919, Lieutenant Commander Harry A. McClure in command.

She was 1,213 tons and armed with 4 x 4 and 1 x 3 guns with 12 x 21 torpedo tubes and a

depth charge thrower.

Thomas operated off the east coast on training cruises and

exercises until decommissioned at Philadelphia on 30th June 1922.

During this service, she was classified DD-182 during the Navy-

wide assignment of alphanumeric hull numbers on 17th July 1920.

She lay in reserve in the Philadelphia Navy Yard's back channel for

the next 18 years.

Re-commissioned on 17th June 1940 as the

United States Navy expanded to meet the

demands imposed by neutrality patrols off

American coastlines Thomas was assigned

to Destroyer Division 79 of the Atlantic

Squadron and operated briefly in training and

exercises off the eastern seaboard until

transferred to the United Kingdom under the

"destroyer-for-bases" agreement. She arrived

at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 18th September

1940 as part of the second increment of the

50 flush-decked, four-piped destroyers

exchanged with the British for leases on

strategic base sites in the western hemisphere. After a brief familiarization period for the

Royal Navy bluejackets assigned to the ship, Thomas was officially turned over to her new

owners on 23rd September 1940.

As HMS St Albans she was commissioned the same day for service in the Royal Navy, the

destroyer sailed for the British Isles on 29th September 1940. After calling at St. John's,

Newfoundland, en route, she arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 9th October 1940.

Plate 5 US Naval Jack

Plate 6 HMS St Albans in 1940 on route from St Johns Newfoundland to Belfast

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USSTwiggsDD127.jpg




St Albans and three sister ships HMS St Mary's (I12) (ex-USS Bagley (DD-185), HMS Bath

(I17) (ex-USS Hopewell (DD-181), and HMS Charlestown (I21) (ex-USS Abbot (DD-184)

were attached to the 1st Minelaying Squadron

as permanent escort force. Operating off the

west coast of Scotland, the destroyers

participated in some of the earliest minelaying

operations in the Denmark Strait which

separates Iceland from Greenland.

Between minecraft escort missions, St Albans

escorted convoys. On 17th and 18th January

1941, the destroyer searched for survivors

from SS Almeda Star, torpedoed by U-96 on

the 17th. St Albans underwent repairs at

Chatham in February to prepare for her

transfer to the Royal Norwegian Navy-in-exile on 14th April 1941

HNoMS. Albans had no sooner entered service with the Norwegians than she collided with

the minesweeper HMS Alberic, sinking the minecraft and sustaining enough damage herself

to necessitate repairs in the dockyard.

When again ready for action, St Albans joined the 7th Escort

Group, operating out of Liverpool. On 12th June 1941, she

picked up the survivors from the sunken steamship SS Empire

Dew torpedoed that day by U-48 and brought them

safely to Liverpool.

On 3rd August 1941, while bound from Sierra Leone to the United Kingdom in the screen of

convoy SL 81, St Albans joined the destroyer HMS Wanderer (D74) and the Flower-class

corvette HMS Hydrangea (K39) in sinking U-401. During subsequent operations screening

convoys in shipping lanes between West Africa and the British Isles, St Albans made a score

of attacks on U-boats but could not repeat her "kill" performance of 3rd August.

During the following autumn, a heavy gale severely damaged St Albans while she was

escorting convoy on ON22 on 8th October 1941. The following day brought little respite from

the high seas and strong winds, but St Albans's Norwegian sailors brought her safely into

Reykjavk, Iceland. The destroyer's seaworthiness and the seamanship exhibited by her

Norwegian crew elicited a warm commendatory signal from the Commander in Chief,

Western Approaches (C-in-C WA). In this message of 12th October 1941, he also praised the

destroyer's exemplary steaming performance during the previous three months.

St Albans, meanwhile, continued her escort duties with the 7th Escort Group into 1942. In

March, she escorted the damaged aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious from Liverpool to the Clyde

and, in the following month, helped to screen convoy PQ 15 as it carried arms to Russia.

Plate 7 HMS St Albans in 1941 with her pennant number L15

Plate 8 Norwegian Naval Ensign

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=hms+st+albans&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1T4ADFA_enGB397GB397&biw=1680&bih=811&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=R0sSt9TX-n56VM:&imgrefurl=http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/182.htm&docid=LLxq7zqta9EWLM&imgurl=http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0518205.jpg&w=782&h=599&ei=X7YaT5-AK8Li8AOCiu3GCw&zoom=1http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Flag_of_Norway,_state.svg




During the operation, heavy German air and submarine attacks took a toll of three Allied

ships.

In wartime, however, mistakes in identification or

errors in navigation sometimes lead to disaster. On

one occasion, these factors combined with tragic

results when St Albans and the minesweeper HMS

Seagull sank the Polish submarine Jastrzb on 2nd

May. Five crewmen were killed. A court of Enquiry

found that Jastrzb was 100 miles out of position, in

an area where U-boats were expected to operate,

and no blame could be attached to either

commander. However this conclusion is disputed by

other sources.

Later that month, the flush-decked destroyer joined the Liverpool Special Escort Division.

Among the vessels escorted early in June was the Cunard-White Star liner RMS Queen

Elizabeth, as the Cunarder steamed from the British Isles toward the Cape of Good Hope

with troops bound for the Middle East. Then, after refitting at Falmouth between July and

October 1942, St Albans again operated with the Special Escort Division until the end of

1942. In January 1943, she served as a target vessel for training RAF Coastal Command

aircraft.

Late in February, she got underway and steamed into the North Sea toward the

Scandinavian coast to search for a Norwegian merchantman which was reportedly

attempting to escape to sea from Nazi-controlled waters. During this mission, the destroyer

was attacked by German aircraft but emerged unharmed.

Shifted to the Western Local Escort Force soon thereafter, St Albans was based at Halifax

and operated in convoy escort missions in the western Atlantic for the remainder of 1943.

Departing Halifax four days after Christmas 1943, St Albans arrived in the Tyne on 10 January

1944, where she was soon laid up in reserve.

On 16th July 1944, the British transferred St Albans to the Soviet

Navy, who renamed her Dostoyny ( , "Worthy"). She

sailed under the "hammer and sickle" until returned to the

British on 28th February 1949 at Rosyth, Scotland. This veteran

of service with four different navies those of the United

States, Britain, Norway, and the Soviet Union was eventually

broken up for scrap at Charlestown, England, in April 1949.

Plate 9 - The ceremony to rename US S-class submarine as Polish submarine ORP "Jastrzab".

Plate 10 Russian Naval Ensign

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ORP_Jastrzab.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Naval_Ensign_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg




Model makers may remember this HMNS St Albans was an Airfix plastic kit to a scale of

1:400.

There was also HMS St Albans Prize, an 18-gun sixth rate captured from the French in 1691

and sold in 1698.

Plate 11 Authors 1:3000 (1) scale models of 5th & 6th HMS St Albans (Authors Own)

Plate 12 Airfix Model box of partly-built HMNS St Albans (Authors Own)




The 6th and Current, HMS St Albans

Type 23 Duke Class Frigate

HMS St Albans (F83) is the last ship of the 16 ship Duke Class Frigate, HMS Norfolk (F230)

being the first of the class.

Her sister ships remaining in commission are HMS Norfolk; HMS Argyll; HMS Lancaster;

HMS Iron Duke; HMS Monmouth; HMS Montrose; HMS Westminster; HMS

Northumberland; HMS Richmond; HMS Somerset; HMS Sutherland; HMS Kent and HMS

Portland.

HMS Norfolk (F230), HMS Grafton (F80) and HMS Marlborough (F233) were sold to the

Chilean Navy between November 2006 and March 2007 as Almirante Cochrane; Almirante

Lynch and Almirante Condell respectively. They were sold for a total of 134 million. The

letter of intent for purchase was signed in December 2004, followed by a formal contract

on 7 September 2005.

The design and development costs rose from 138 million to 241 million.

Intended role

When first conceived in the late 1970s, the Type 23 was intended to be a light anti-

submarine frigate to counter Soviet nuclear submarines operating in the North Atlantic.

The Type 23 would be replacing the Leander class frigates (which had entered service in

1960s) and the Type 21 frigate (general-purpose escort designed in the late 1960s, built in

the 1970s and that served throughout the 1980s into the 1990s) as "the backbone of the

Royal Navy's surface ship anti-submarine force". Although not intended to replace the Type

22 frigate (last ship of class retired from service on 30th June 2011), reductions in the size of

the Navy due to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review led to HMS St Albans replacing HMS

Coventry, a type 22 frigate, which was sold to Romania in January 2003.

The ships were intended to carry a towed array sonar to detect Soviet submarines in the

North Atlantic and carry a Westland Lynx or subsequently the much larger and more

capable EHI Merlin helicopter to attack them. It was initially proposed that the frigates

would not mount defensive armament. Instead the Sea Wolf missile system was to be

carried by Fort Victoria class replenishment oilers, one of which was to support typically

four Type 23s. The Fort class oilers would also provide servicing facilities for the force's

helicopters; the Type 23 would have facilities only for rearming and refuelling them.




Evolution

As a result of lessons learned from the Falklands War, the design grew in size and

complexity to encompass the Vertical Launch Sea Wolf (VLS) system with an extra tracking

system as a defence against low-flying aircraft and sea-skimming anti-ship missiles such as

Exocet. With the addition of Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles and a medium calibre gun

for naval gunfire support, the Type 23 had evolved into a more complex and balanced

vessel optimised for general warfare, which introduced a host of new technologies and

concepts to the Royal Navy. These included extensive radar cross section reduction design

measures, automation to substantially reduce crew size, a Combined diesel-electric and gas

(CODLAG) propulsion system providing very quiet running for anti-submarine operations

along with excellent range, vertical launch missile technology and a fully distributed

combat management system.

The Vertical Launch Sea Wolf surface-to-air missile system was designed for, and first

deployed, on the Type 23. Unlike conventional Sea Wolf, the missile is boosted vertically

until it clears the ship's superstructure

and then turns to fly directly to the

target. Consequently, the ship's

structure does not cause no-fire zones

that would delay or inhibit missile firing

in a conventionally launched system.

HMS Norfolk was the first of the class to

enter service, commissioned into the

Fleet on 1st June 1990 at a cost of 135

million; later vessels cost 60160

million while HMS St Albans was 120 million.

The average running cost of HMS St Albans is around 35 million. "These figures, based on

the expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence in 2009-10, include maintenance,

safety certification, military upgrades, manpower, inventory, satellite communication, fuel

costs and depreciation."

The Type 23 Frigate was designed with the expectation of spending a high proportion of its

operational time in the demanding and stressing environment of the North Atlantic. The

nature of the threat has evolved with resultant changes to operational priorities and

deployments, the consequence of which is that these ships spend less time in the North

Atlantic. An opportunity has therefore arisen to extend the interval between major

maintenance periods. Improved processes for the specification and management of

equipment maintenance are also being introduced.

Plate 13 HMS St Albans in 2006 (MOD)




The collective effect of these developments is to increase the availability of Type 23 Frigate

capability for operations. Type 23 frigates achieved approximately 85-89 per cent average

availability for operational service in each of the five years 1993-1998 with the exception of

1996 when the figure dropped to just over 80 per cent due to a number of ships

experiencing a particular defect. This discounts time spent in planned maintenance.

Design Limitations

Unlike the new Type 45 destroyer, the HMS St Albans does not have the capability or

configuration to act as flagship and is not tasked in this way.

For all the capabilities the Type

23 features, the Type 23 has

some shortcomings which

cannot be ignored. They were

expected to work with the

support of supply ships hence

mission endurance was not

considered a problem then. The

Type 23s hull size was thus

limited in an attempt to save on

costs. The reduced hull size

imposed constraints on space,

and dedicated stores stowage

area was not factored into the

design in anticipation that the

supply ships would make such

provisions unnecessary.

Unfortunately this design consideration did not take into account a post-Cold War

environment which demanded extended deployments without guaranteed access to a

supply ship, leaving the Type 23 a less than fully satisfying design with respect to current

requirements.

Another cost cutting measure involved a designed reduction in crew numbers with the

intention that automation would allow for lower manning requirements. This decision had

the unfortunate consequence of resulting in insufficient crew numbers to maintain the

ship.

At home port, ship upkeep had to be carried out through contract maintenance. During

overseas deployments, the Royal Navy is forced to implement the practice of flying

maintenance teams out to where the Type 23 makes port in order to ameliorate the

problem.

Plate 14 - Contours of mean (top) and instantaneous (bottom) velocity magnitude for a headwind computer & model simulation




Refits

HMS St Albans completed a refit, worth around 10M, at Babcock Marine in Rosyth with a

year-long docking period which included - installing the Sonar 2087 - enabling the ships to

detect the much quieter modern submarines that operate in inshore waters; mounting a

new Defence Information Infrastructure communications system; updates to the ships

globalisation vent systems; fitting radial filters; the addition of a new 30mm automatic

small calibre gun; and converting the ships aviation facilities to facilitate Merlin

helicopters.

Mid-life refit

Those that were not sold, are currently going through mid-life refits which last 12-18

months and cost 15-20million. HMS St Albans will be fitted with a transom flap which can

add up to 1 knot to the top speed and reduce fuel consumption by 13%, and Intersleek

anti-fouling paint which added 2 knots to the top speed of the now de-commissioned HMS

Ark Royal. Although the top speed of the Duke class is commonly quoted as 28 knots, the

caption of an official Navy photo suggests that HMS Lancaster was capable of 32 knots

even before her mid-life refit; HMS Sutherland achieved 34.4 knots during high-speed trials

(November 2008).

A revolutionary silicone paint called Intersleek 700 will be applied to its hull which provides

an ultra-smooth, slippery, easy clean surface that prevents barnacles from clinging and

does away with the need to use toxic chemicals. Its superior smoothness is also claimed to

decreases hull friction whilst the vessel is in motion, potentially promoting enhanced fuel

efficiency and speed.

HMS St Albans will be the third ship to be refitted under the Surface Ship Support Alliance

(SSSA) Class Output Management (COM) Phase 2 arrangements, which officially came into

effect in April 2012.

Visually, the most noticeable change will be to her point defence systems being further

improved with new remotely-operated 30mm guns, and latest 4.5 Mod 1 of the Mk8 main

gun has an all-electric loading system and a smaller radar cross-section.

The Sea Wolf Mid Life Update (SWMLU) improves the sensors and guidance of the missiles.

Other improvements will include Nato radial filters will be installed on the ship to

safeguard air supplies from contamination in case of an incident.

To ensure optimum condition of the service areas, the ship's galley equipment will be

upgraded , her living quarters will undergo a facelift to improve habitability, as will the

vessel's high-pressure air system to isolate it from the high-pressure air ring main and

underwater inlets and outlets. The fitting of an electro-catalytic chlorination system to




control fouling and corrosion in sea water cooling circuits (which in turn will help to extend

the life of affected equipment, optimise engine efficiency and aid efficient fuel

consumption, and optimise air conditioning capacity.

The maintenance programme will include a complete structural review of the ship and

require the removal and replacement of several pieces of equipment, pipework and cables.

A paint-preservation package is also part of the upgrade programme.

HMS St Albans is equipped with the BAeSEMA command system. As part of the refit

programme, a new DNA(2) command system will be installed on the ship. The Defence

Information Infrastructure (Future) (DII(F)), will also be installed to ensure information

sharing collaborative working across the Armed Forces and the MoD and a new IT system

that will involve 12 miles of installed cabling!

The existing nuclear, chemical and biological incident surveillance system will be replaced

with a state-of-the-art digital system. This new system will include fire and flood detection,

and door / hatch status indication.

The commissioning phase will include integration of all of the ship's weapons, sonar and

radar units.

HMS St Albans is due for her mid-life refit at the end of her current deployment beginning

in May 2013, the work being carried out in her home port of Portsmouth.




HMS St Albans Build & Launch Details

St Albans (nickname

The Saint) was built

by BAE Systems

Marine, Scotstoun.

[Formerly Yarrow.]

She was ordered in

February 1996; laid

down on 18th April

1999 and launched on

6th May 2000, being

named by Lady Susie

Essenhigh, handed

over to The Navy in

November 2001 and

commissioned on 6th

Plate 15 HMS St Albans at sunset Lisbon November 2011 (Authors Own)

Plate 16 - The Type 23 frigate HMS ST ALBANS in the covered assembly hall at BAE Systems Scotstoun shipyard (BAE)




HMS St Albans - Vital Statistics

HMS St Albans displaces 3,500 tons (Standard,)

4,900 tons (Fully Loaded)

Length of 133 m (463ft 3in)

Beam of 16.1 m (52ft 10in)

Draught of 7.3 m (23ft 11in)

HMS St Albans - Pennant Number

Plate 17 Commemorative 1st Day Cover - Commissioning (Authors Own)

Plate 18 Commemorative 1st Day Cover 4th Anniversary of her Commissioning (Authors Own)

javascript:;javascript:;




HMS ST Albans - Operational History

2002

On the 27th October 2002 at 0530 hours, before

she had even entered operational service, St

Albans was struck by the P&O ferry Pride of

Portsmouth when gale force winds pushed the

ferry into the ship whilst secure on her berth in

Portsmouth. St Albans suffered damage to the

gun deck, the sea boat supports (davits) and the

bridge wing and substantial impact damage

with the quay fendering.

However, no members of the crew were

injured. Marine Accident Investigation Branch

found that the fault lay with the Captain of

Pride of Portsmouth and a myriad of errors.

The incident occurred at Fountain Lake Jetty 1

Berth, Portsmouth Harbour 50 48.62N 001

06.14W, which by coincidence was the same berth she docked in December 2011 at the end

of her deployment with Marketors on board.

2003

It took three months to affect repairs to

HMS St Albans and she returned to sea

trials on 12th February 2003 at a cost of

5 million.

2004

In July 2004 the crew were granted

Freedom of the City by the Mayor of St

Albans.

In 2004, Commander Steve Dainton RN took command and the ship was deployed on

Operation Oracle duties in the Arabian Sea and returned in May 2004.

2005

In 2005 she undertook a high intensity six weeks training programme off the south Coast

and subsequently proceeded to the North Sea to conduct a Joint Maritime Course which

Plate 19 Damage to Pride of Portsmouth after striking HMS St Albans (John Eastham)

Plate 20 A crew Member of HMS St Albans examines the damage after the Collision (BBC News)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/MV_Pride_of_Portsmouth_Damage.jpg




brought together both the Royal Navy and foreign navies to train together in a realistic

environment.

She then attended the Solent Fleet Review between the 24th and 27th June 2005 along with

her fellow Type 23 frigates HMS Grafton, HMS Sutherland, HMS Lancaster, HMS

Marlborough, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Monmouth, HMS Montrose and HMS Westminster.

2006

On the 13 February 2006, St Albans departed on a six-month deployment to the Gulf

region. She arrived in the region in early April, where her tasks included protecting Iraqi oil

platforms as well as patrol duties in the northern Gulf. During the trip, she provided a

diplomatic role by visiting 16 countries, including Algeria, Albania, Ukraine, Romania,

Bulgaria, Turkey and Lebanon (before the 2006 conflict with Israel).

As of the 12 July 2006, the ship had completed her tour in the Gulf and had begun her long

journey back to Portsmouth. However, on the same day, the conflict between Israel and

Lebanon began. As a result, it was announced on Monday 17 July by The Ministry of

Defence that HMS St Albans, which was on a route that would take it through the eastern

Mediterranean (via the Suez canal), would be redeployed to assist in the evacuation of

British citizens trapped in Lebanon (Operation Highbrow).She arrived in the area on

Thursday 20 July and on Friday 21 July she picked up 243 evacuees from the dock in Beirut

and safely transported them to Cyprus. After completing her role in the evacuation, she

remained on operational stand-by in the vicinity of Beirut for a short time before being

ordered to return home, their original aim. The ship finally arrived back in Portsmouth on

18 August 2006.

Following the ship's successful 6-month tour, St Albans underwent maintenance. During

this time, the ship received a new commanding officer, Commander Mark Newland RN. He

took over from Commander Steve Dainton RN, commanding officer for the previous two

years. The ship stayed in British waters, participated in submarine training in the Irish Sea,

weapon training off the south coast and visited Glasgow on the 11 November 2006 to take

part in Remembrance Sunday events.

2007

From 5 January 2007 until 15 January 2007 the ship was open to the public as part of the

London Boat Show. Following this, the ship conducted various training exercises and

engineering trials in the UK. The ships crew then went on Easter leave before returning to

conduct more training activities.

In May 2007, St Albans entered a period of maintenance that lasted over a year. The

maintenance programme took place in dry dock, situated in Rosyth. Many systems were

overhauled and replaced and the ship's crew temporarily re-assigned to other vessels while

the ship underwent work. A skeleton crew of engineers supervised the work for 60 weeks.




Included in the maintenance was the installation of a new Type 2087 sonar system and a

conversion to allow the operation of Merlin helicopters, making the ship one of the Fleets

most advanced frigates. The cost was 15.4 million.

The upgrade took 15 months and cost

15 million.

2008

The ship then returned to its home

port of Portsmouth and was accepted

back into the fleet in July 2008. The

ship was then put through various

equipment tests & training routines

throughout the later part of the year.

2009

St Albans left Portsmouth on 19th

January 2009 to conduct maritime security patrols in the Mediterranean. The ship joined a

NATO Task Group in the Mediterranean and will be protecting busy shipping trade routes.

St Albans was also a part of the NATO Response Force (NRF), capable of being deployed

anywhere that NATO decides at short notice. The ship also visited ports in Majorca, Italy

and Egypt whilst in the region. She arrived on the Clyde on 7 May 2009 at 1500hrs, heading

for Faslane.

2010

St Albans was deployed in the Gulf until mid-2010. She left Portsmouth on 1000hrs on

Monday 1st February. Her deployment included supporting international efforts in "tackling

piracy, illegal trafficking, and smuggling." The

Commanding Officer of HMS St Albans at the

time was Commander Adrian Pierce.

Later in the deployment St Albans helped the

Iraqi government "protect their oil platforms,

and provide security to ensure regional

stability". On her return from deployment,

HMS St Albans stopped in Maltas Grand

Harbour berthing at Pinto Wharf on 22nd July

2010. The Malta Independent Newspaper

commented that the Ship would not be open to the public.

Plate 21 - HMS St Albans arriving at Portsmouth, 2009 (Peter Trimming)

Plate 22 - HMS St Albans leaving Portsmouth 9th June 2011 (Navy News)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/HMS_St.Albans_Enters_Portsmouth_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1510344.jpg




2011

The warship helped in the recovery and evacuation of a diver who had got in to difficulties

near Salcombe on 26 March 2011, although the diver was pronounced dead on arrival at

hospital.

In early 2011, Iran threatened to shut the Straits of Hormuz after the European Union and

the United Nations imposed sanctions in response to the Iranian nuclear programme. HMS

St Albans was deployed alongside other British and French warships to secure the Straits of

Hormuz. She sailed from her home port of Portsmouth on 9th June 2011 with a crew that

varied from young sailors who are on their first deployment outside of UK waters to the

more experienced sea dogs who are in their 22nd year of service and know the region well.

On 1st July 2011, St Albans rescued 13 sailors of the coast of Oman from the stricken tanker

MV Pavit, which had spent three days drifting in a heavy storm after losing power. St

Albans used her Merlin helicopter embarked

from 829 Naval Air Squadron to winch the

crew to safety. The rescued sailors were later

transferred to their sister ship, the MV Jag

Pushpa.

During this deployment HMS St Albans

visited Gibraltar and Souda Bay on her way

to the Gulf, whilst there, Muscat, Bahrain,

Dubai and Kuwait and on her return leg

Aqaba and Valletta.

After operating in the Middle East

conducting counter-terrorism and anti-piracy

operations, having relieved the frigate HMS Iron Duke, she returned to Portsmouth, via

Plymouth, in December 2011 with two Marketors and two Haberdashers on board from

her stopover in Lisbon.

2012

In February 2012 whilst in Portsmouth, two of her diesel engines were replaced

necessitating the cutting away of two decks just rearward of the front citadel however

she remained operational and ready to put to sea at short notice.

Plate 23 HMS St Albans and the Tower of London March 2012 (Authors Own)




On Friday 17th March 2012, HMS St Albans

visited London, moored alongside HMS

Belfast in the Pool of London.

On the Sunday, affiliates of HMS ST Albans,

including the Marketors and Haberdashers,

visited the Ship with their guests and a

selected group joined the Ship on her

departure down the Thames on Thursday 22nd

March 2012 before resuming her duties in

Home Waters.

On 10th April 2012 she departed Portsmouth

and after a stopover in Faslane operated in

Northern Home Waters, weapons firing at

Cape Wrath in Scotland, taking part in Exercise

Joint Warrior a major joint multi-national

exercise. She then travelled north to visit Reykjavik

and on the return leg to Hamburg where she was

one of 91 vessels moored in the River Elba for the

Hamburg River Festival before returning to

Portsmouth 16th May 2012.

On 22nd May 2012 she continued exercises in

home waters before visiting Gibraltar on the 3rd

June 2012 to 5th June 2012, returning to her home

base on 8th June 2012.

For the Queens Diamond Jubilee, sailors on board

Portsmouth-based HMS St Albans made an "E:R" formation on the flight deck and the

photograph was taken from the ship's

helicopter.

The t

guide to hms st albans affiliated to the worshipful ... mk 44 miniguns ... 36 plate 30 – port ......

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