The Journal of ECHO the Duck
This is the journal of ECHO the Duck mascot of HMS Trenchant
Echo : Journal of a warrior duck.
I am a duck. No ordinary duck though, as I am a
duck of war. I usually look out for a group of cadets
at TS Echo but more recently I have been helping the
crew of HMS Trenchant to gear up for operations as
part of OP KIPPION. HMS Trenchant and her brave
crew are part of a multi-national task force
combatting drug smuggling, people smuggling and
terrorism in the middle east. Its important work so I
have agreed to help the Captain, CDR Lindsay
prepare his crew to carry out their mission
successfully. My name is Echo and this is my journal.
June 30th : Gunnery Training
In the busy and often dangerous waters that HMS Trenchant will be operating in it is necessary
that the submarine can defend itself. In order to be ready the gunnery officer, LT Matin, the XO,
LT CDR Fillmore and myself organised some gunnery
training with the submarines GPMG’s. Just to make
sure that in a pinch the lads will be ready at a
moments notice. With the GPMG’s mounted on the
bridge I showed the crew the correct drills to operate
the weapons safely. Once we were happy that the
team were ready, the Ships protection manager, PO
Oberholzer, and I let the team test the weapons with
live ammunition. This
proves that the
weapons are in a
working state and also
allows the aimers to get used to how the weapons fire. This kind
of practice is vital in making sure the crew can handle any
situation and after the training I'm sure that they are more than
capable to meet any challenge that may come their way.
July 5th : Hands to Bathe
As we continued our voyage towards our area of operations the
captain took advantage of the good weather and allowed the
crew a chance to indulge in ‘Hands to bathe’. This meant that
everyone got a chance to go for a swim, refreshing tired bodies
and getting some sunshine. All work and no play makes Echo a
dull ducky so I jumped in the water with the guys for a paddle.
Never one to miss a chance to train though I took the opportunity
to give some of the guys some swimming lessons. I am a master
of the water after all.
July 7th : WSC Training
HMS Trenchant is armed with Spearfish Torpedoes and
Tomahawk Missiles making her a powerful platform in the
realm of international security. As such, the team in the
Weapon Stowage Compartment or ‘Bomb Shop’ as it is
lovingly called must ensure that the weapons are well
cared for and that the weapon system is ready to be used
at a moments notice. I took a moment to help the bomb
shop crew do some checks on the weapon system. We
call these checks Weapon
Quarters. As you can see
from the photos, all the
checks are carried out carefully in with the appropriate
documentation as well as the correct protective equipment. I also
performed some maintenance inside the torpedo tubes. Going into
the tubes can be scary for the newer members of the crew so, as
a brave ducky I went first to show the boys it was all ok.
July 12th : Navigation Training
Navigating a submarine under water is tricky
business. There is no TOMTOM and its not like
you can just look out of a window for a road sign.
As a master maritime navigator I thought it prudent
to pass some of my wisdom to the officers
responsible for keeping HMS Trenchant safe and
on track. In this photo I am discussing different
techniques for dived navigation with LT Martin
using HMS Trenchant’s electronic navigation
equipment. Newly fitted to HMS Trenchant this
system allows the plot officers to display the boat
position on electronic charts and thereby keep the
boat safe.
July 15th : Ship Control
HMS Trenchant is 5000 tonnes of machine
travelling under water, sometimes very fast
and sometimes very slow. She has to be kept
in control at all times so CDR Lindsay allowed
me to spend some time with the ship control
team, putting them through their paces and
practicing drills. The team of three drive the
boat and operate the systems that propel and
steer the submarine. I decided to test the team
on their drills to make sure that should and
emergency occur they could handle it quickly
and safely.
July 20th : Dolphin Ceremony
All submariners train very hard to earn their
dolphins. It takes weeks of learning about the
boats systems and routines to pass the board and
become a true submariner. Whilst we have been
underway some new members of the crew, with
my help, have qualified to join the elite club of
submariners. The captain held the traditional
ceremony to award the dolphin badge, a symbol
of their status as submariners, to these brave and
lucky souls. Here, SLT Keenan, the AWEO,
receives his dolphins from CDR Lindsay.