HMS Brecon Begins Life as Navy Training Ship

Released on Tuesday, February 12, 2008

 

The former Hunt Class patrol vessel HMS Brecon, a veteran of the Falklands and the first Gulf War, has arrived at HMS Raleigh to begin her new role as a training ship for the Royal Navy, today 12 February 2008.

From her moorings on the River Lynher, Brecon will give new recruits their first taste of life at sea during their initial nine weeks training course, experiencing what it is like to live and sleep on a warship afloat while learning basic seamanship techniques.

Brecon will also be used for advanced seamanship instruction to specialists at all levels and to give teams of sailors practical experience in ship's protection and board and search techniques.

Brecon was decommissioned in July 2005. Over the past year the ship has been prepared for her new role initially in Portsmouth and then at the VT Halmatic Sandquay boatyard in Dartmouth. Modifications have included removing the ship's props and shafts and other non-essential equipment. Brecon has been fitted with new power supplies, her mess-decks have been re-furbished and a classroom facility has been added.

Captain Jonathan Woodcock, Commanding Officer of HMS Raleigh, said:

"Brecon will be a major boost to our training in terms of capacity and realism. The ship will enable our trainees to experience living and working in a warship early in their training, bringing greater relevance to what we do at HMS Raleigh. Brecon has a fine history, which we will use to promote Naval ethos amongst our recruits, and will be a first-class modern training resource to prepare our sailors for a variety of roles at sea."

The ship is a replacement for the Ajax barge, a civilian fuel barge which was converted for the Royal Navy and has been used by HMS Raleigh since 1987. Brecon will use the existing mooring in the River Lynher and once in place will not go to sea.

Built in Southampton by Vosper Thornycroft, Brecon is made of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). The ship was launched by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent and was accepted by the Royal Navy on 18 December 1979. The second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name, Brecon was originally designed as a minesweeper but was later modified to become a patrol vessel with duties off the coast of Northern Ireland.

The ship saw active service in the Falklands conflict of 1982 and the first Gulf War. Brecon became the first armed Royal Navy vessel to be commanded by a woman when the then Lieutenant Charlotte Atkinson became the ship's Commanding Officer in 2004. The ship is 57 metres in length and 10 metres across the beam.

HMS Raleigh is the Royal Navy's premier training establishment in the South West and was first commissioned in 1940 with the responsibility of training Ordinary Seamen. Today all Rating recruits to the Service come to HMS Raleigh for their initial training. The nine-week course is designed to teach the recruits the basic skills required by every sailor. HMS Raleigh also provides professional courses in military training, seamanship, logistics and submarine operations.

 

Source: HMS Brecon begins life as Navy training ship