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Royal Navy (4)
HMS Manchester Returns to Portsmouth From Atlantic and Pacific Patrols
HMS Manchester returns to Portsmouth tomorrow (Tuesday August 11) after seven months deployed across the Atlantic and South Pacific.
T
he Type 42 destroyer set sail on her Atlantic Patrol Tasking in
late January, heading first to Cape Verde for counter-narcotics
training with the island’s Coast Guard.
Manchester conducted maritime Security Operations in the Atlantic before arriving in the Falkland Islands in early March. Tasks and exercises while on operations around the Islands included Exercise Cape Bayonet - a tri-service exercise involving more than 120 troops from the Mercian Regiment and jets from the Royal Air Force.
The joint training was a critical step for the soldiers of the Mercian Regiment as they prepared for their current operational tour in Afghanistan.
During April, Manchester and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Black Rover visited the remote island of South Georgia. The patrol included a visit to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) station at King Edward Point close to the disused whaling station at Grytviken.
Manchester’s time in South Georgia coincided with a visit by HRH the Princess Royal, who was on the island to open a hydro-electric plant used to provide renewable energy to the BAS station.
UK signs contract to replace Royal navy Jetstreams
The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a delayed contract worth £57 million ($96 million) to replace the Royal Navy's British Aerospace Jetstream T2 observer trainers from 2011.
Announced on 3 August, the deal with Ascent Flight Training covers the acquisition and modification of four Beechcraft King Air 350ER
special mission aircraft, plus in-service support for their first five
years 
of use. The award forms the "Rear Crew Stage 1" element of the UK
Military Flying Training System (MFTS); a 25-year private finance
initiative deal between the MoD and Ascent signed in May 2008.
The RN uses nine Turbomeca Astazou-powered Jetstreams to deliver non-pilot aircrew training for future observers for types including its AgustaWestland Lynx HMA8, Merlin HM1 (AW101) and Sea King ASaC 7 helicopters.
Based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, the trainers were introduced to service between 1969 and 1974, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. Operations of the type were originally scheduled to end in April 2009 under the MFTS programme, but have been extended into 2011.
Royal Navy pals meet up after fifty years
AS THESE three friends chatted over a drink in the pub, it seemed as if they had been close all their lives.
But the trio had only just met up - more than 50 years after they last saw each other.
Terry Donnelly had no idea it would lead to being reunited with his
old Royal Navy shipmates when he sent a letter to the Evening Gazette
in June.
By chance, old friend Frank Robson saw the letter and, recognising the name, showed it to buddy John Kennedy at a meeting of the HMS Ganges Association, of which John is a representative.
The pair contacted the Gazette and were finally reunited with their friend.
All three joined the Navy at the tender age of 15, although at different times.
Former Royal Navy man fights off armed robbers with war cry
John Everett, a former Royal Navy seaman, fought off two armed raiders with
their own crowbar in his Cambridgeshire post office after screaming a war
cry at them.
The 67 year-old launched his attack at the robbers after they stormed into his post office.
Mr Everett, who served for 22 years in the Royal Navy, runs the store with his wife Patricia.
He said he "just switched to automatic" as he grabbed the crowbar and shouted at the stunned men at the top of his voice.
"My military training just kicked in. I shouted a warcry, a loud shout that took them by surprise. You shout very loudly and step into their space and open your eyes very wide at theirs - they don't like it.
"Hopefully I gave one of them a real shock and a sore arm."
Mr Everett was alone behind the Post Office security glass when the men struck at his post office store at Wisbech on Tuesday.