Wed 22nd February 2012, 11:09
The Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset will return to the Plymouth Naval Base Devonport on Friday, 24 February following a 6-month deployment to the Middle East.

HMS Somerset has remained at sea for up to 6 weeks continuously at any one time and visited Oman, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and the Seychelles. Throughout her deployment Somerset’s ship’s company have remained ready to respond to any tasking. She has predominantly been working under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) as part of a task force which patrols the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman.

The Royal Navy's 13 Type-23 frigates form half of the frigate/destroyer force in the Royal Navy. These ships have evolved into multi-purpose ships from their original task of anti-submarine warfare and also carry out warfare roles and conduct embargo operations using boarding teams, disaster relief work and surveillance operations.

HMS Somerset’s second-in-command Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Ben Aldous, said:

'Our homecoming is a long and eagerly anticipated conclusion to a lengthy deployment.

'Although Somerset is well-equipped and her ship’s company well-trained, it cannot be under-estimated how well the spirit and moral of the team is bolstered by the support of family and friends at home. It is going to be an emotional day.'

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Tue 21st February 2012, 16:01
The Royal Navy warship, HMS Grimsby, will be arriving in Inverness on Thursday; giving locals the opportunity to get up close to the vessel.


The Sandown Class mine countermeasures vessel will arrive alongside the Longman Quay around lunchtime but will unfortunately not be open for public tours. Lieutenant Commander Giles Palin, her Commanding Officer, and his crew have a busy program of events during the five-day visit.

Lt Cdr Palin said: 'Mine Countermeasure Vessels are not that common a sight around the ports of northern Scotland and I’m sure there will be many local people come down to have a look.

'It’s unfortunate that, due to operational reasons, we can’t allow them on board this time, but I do hope we can return at some future date to properly meet and greet the people of Inverness.'

Tue 21st February 2012, 12:52
A Yorkshire-based company, Pocket Locations, has recently launched a historical travel App, D Day and Normandy, for download from iTunes and direct onto iPhones and iPad.

Pocket Locations was founded from a love of history and followed on from Director Lydia Phillip's personal journey tracing the story of her family in both World Wars. It takes the user to the heart of Europe's First and Second World War battlefields: a simple and easy-to-use personal tour guide.

The App was developed following huge amounts of research, in order to plug a gap in the market and provide a detailed plan which would cover all the important points of interest when embarking on a trip or simply researching this defining time in the Second World War.

Since going live on iTunes the app, which costs £2.99, has already had thousands of downloads from all over the world, confirming the level of interest in this area. Mrs Phillip said: 'The app has been very well received. It has been given a five star rating on iTunes and the reviews have been spectacular.'

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Thu 16th February 2012, 12:06
Britain's flagship, HMS Bulwark paid an unexpected visit to the German port of Kiel when ice on the Elbe meant she could not sail into Hamburg as planned, at the beginning of her winter mini-deployment.

Few of Germany's ports were open due to the cold snap which dominated northern Europe, but Devonport-based Bulwark was able to pass through the Kiel Canal – which links the North Sea with the Baltic – and pay a surprise visit to the home of the Deutsche Marine, to the delight of the local media who dubbed her the Eis-Flüchtling (Ice Refugee).

The unscheduled visit to Kiel allowed the ship’s company the chance to pay their respects to their forebears. Kieler Nordfriedhof Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery is the last resting place of 983 British personnel who were killed in WW2 – mostly on RAF bombing raids. Bulwark's Commanding Officer laid a wreath at the central monument in the cemetery.



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Wed 15th February 2012, 10:57
The Ministry of Defence yesterday confirmed the sad news that Senior Aircraftman Ryan Tomlin, of 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment was killed in Afghanistan on 13 February 2012.

SAC Tomlin was taking part in a partnered patrol in the Western Dashte area on the edge of Nad-e Ali District in Central Helmand Province, to reassure and interact with the local population there. Whilst on this patrol, he was fatally wounded by small arms fire from an insurgent attack. He was evacuated to the field hospital at Camp Bastion where he died of his wounds.

21-year-old SAC Ryan Tomlin from Hemel Hempstead joined the Royal Air Force in October 2008 and completed his Trainee Gunners Course in April 2009 before moving on to the Phase One Field Gunners Course. He joined 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment, in June 2009. He completed his first tour in Afghanistan in 2010 and deployed on a second tour with No 3 RAF Force Protection Wing at Camp Bastion in October 2011.

SAC Tomlin is described as 'one of the rising stars of his squadron and regiment... a highly professional and skillful gunner who achieved all he set out to do in his three years in the Royal Air Force Regiment.'

He leaves behind his parents, Diane and Kevin, and sister Michelle.