MEDICS IN PNG - Royal New Zealand Navy

FLEET PROGRESS
HMNZS CANTERBURY
NO 6 SQUADRON RNZAF
SHIP’S AMPHIBIOUS
LOAD TEAM (SALT)
BY STAFF SERGEANT SHANE PRETTY
Working on a warship as a Soldier in the Ship’s Amphibious Load
Team (SALT) has certainly taken a bit of getting used to! The
SALT’s primary jobs are:
•operating the two 60 tonne cranes to launch and recover the
landing craft
•and embarking equipment and vehicles from the wharf.
•managing the movement and storage of cargo within the Cargo
Deck.
CANTERBURY’s ship’s company first saw the SALT in action
when the ship was tasked with bringing back the ANZAC Frigate
and Project Protector containerised spare parts from Melbourne
to Auckland. The SALT loaded the 15 twenty-foot containers, and
25 tonnes of break bulk cargo and pallets in 18 hours.
As permanent members of CANTERBURY’s ship’s company
(we make up about 10%) we not only carry out our core, Armyrelated
work, we also form an integral part of the ship’s Watch
and Station Bill. We are well represented in the Ship’s Medical
Emergency Team (SMET), and – since all of us have completed
the Sea-qualifying NBCD course - we also have personnel in the
Standing Sea Emergency party, and can provided numbers for
fire fighting teams.
Our other Navy-related responsibilities when alongside and at
sea are varied, from Quartermaster and Bosun’s Mate, to the
MABEY
FAMILY
VISIT
On Thursday 9 August CANTERBURY took a
short break during our trials programme to
extend thanks to a family that have recently
‘done their bit’ to assist the RNZN.
Whilst enroute to Auckland from Wellington
during our Homecoming Voyage in July, CAN-
TERBURY encountered weather in the Bay of
Plenty that was anything but welcoming. The
fight between an unrelenting sea and the sea
boat in its alcove was won by the sea - the
rather large fragments of the RHIB that were
left behind made it clear to us that we had
said farewell to “Gemini”.
Several days later and some 100 miles away,
Scott Mabey, a farmer living on Great Barrier Island,
saw something bobbing about in the tide.
His initial thoughts were that it was a whale, or
some other form of sea life. Nonetheless, Scott
investigated further, and eventually dragged a
Navy-grey 7.3m RHIB ashore! It was due to his
actions and prompt reporting that we were able
to recover what was left of our sea-boat.
Subsequently, on the final day of our trials
and training in the Gulf, the ship was required
to conduct a trial whilst at anchor. We took
the opportunity to anchor in Port Abercrombie
(Great Barrier Island) for the evening, in order
to host Scott Mabey and his wife Isabelle for
dinner. The evening began with a tour of the
Ship. The Mabey’s seemed to be quite comfortable
onboard, we later found out that Scott and
SALT training – a truck embarks over the ship’s side ramp.
Navy’s (most important) job: slushie! We share cabins with our
Navy counterparts and have enjoyed meeting new people and
seeing how another Service operates.
Since we moved onboard at the end of May, ceremonial and
public relations duties have played a significant part of our lives.
We have been introduced to the Navy’s ‘Ship Open to Visitors
Days’ in Lyttelton and Timaru. We soon learned that nothing can
be taken for granted when the public is onboard. This was highlighted
when the RNZN Band who, having nearly completed a
musical set in the ship’s helicopter storage hangar, were drenched
in foam from the fire-fighting system after a younger member of
the public asked themselves ‘I wonder what would happen if I
pressed this button?’
Looking towards the future, the SALT’s next focus is towards the
CANTERBURY’s Introduction into Service (IIS) as part of Exercise
Wolf III. The exercise will involve the embarkation of a Motorised
Infantry Company of 220 soldiers complete with LAV’s, LOV’s and
other military vehicles - a taste of things to come!
Isabelle had spent 6 months working in Portsmouth,
UK onboard ‘The Spirit of Portsmouth,’
a large P&O ferry!
Their tour was followed by dinner in the
Wardroom, for Scott and Isabelle with the CO,
Heads of Department and Warrant Officers.
As the night went on, more and more stories
were told, with Scott and Isabelle spinning
their fair share of ‘salty dits’. The evening
ended with CDR Tony Millar presenting Scott
and Isabelle with a gift on behalf of the Navy
to show our appreciation for their efforts in
recovering and returning what was left of our
RHIB to the RNZN.
The Officers and Ship’s Company of CAN-
TERBURY hope that Scott and Isabelle
enjoyed their time onboard as much as we
enjoyed hosting them!
THE SPCA CALLED ON THE NZDF TO SAVE A HUNGRY HERD OF CATTLE
STRANDED BY FLOODING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAIKATO RIVER. DAVID
LLOYD-BARKER, ACTING GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SPCA, REPORTS...
NAVAL AVIATORS
TURN TO FARMING!
WHEN THE SPCA in Auckland learnt of the
plight of more than 40 hungry cows on an
island in the middle of the Waikato River
near Pokeno, SPCA Inspectors Plowright
and Border began rowing one bale of hay at
a time across the tricky river to feed the distressed
animals. It soon became apparent
that this was not effective, and accordingly
a call was made to the NZDF.
Joint HQ volunteered the services of
the Navy and the Air Force, by supplying
a Super Seasprite SH-2G Helicopter from
No. 6 Sqn.
The helicopter landed at the reserve
directly opposite the Auckland SPCA site
in Westney Road, Mangere on Saturday
11 August, to load the hay bales. Then in
two sorties, the aircraft transported and
dropped nearly 30 bales of hay to the SPCA
Inspector who was waiting on the island to
receive them
Chief Executive of the Auckland SPCA, Bob
Kerridge, commented that ‘This was a wonderful
initiative on the part of our inspectors
to instigate an immediate remedy for these
animals who were clearly neglected and in
need of urgent assistance. The support of
the Forces ensured that this could be undertaken
swiftly, and credit is due to them’
As Acting General Manager of the SPCA
Auckland, I would like to extend my sincere
thanks to the NZDF for providing this lifesaving
service especially all the No.6 Squadron
personnel involved.
SEASPRITE SUPPORT IN SOUTHLAND
Under the command of LTCDR James Taylor (from Helensville), one of the Navy’s five Seasprite
Helicopters landed at Southland Boys’ High School, in Invercargill on Tuesday 21 August. With
the support of Navy Recruiting Staff, the naval aircrew were bringing the helicopter to the
school to allow the students to view the aircraft and talk about a career in the Navy.
The Southland Boys’ High School Head Boy, Ben Maynard and Southland Girls’ High School
Head Girl, Caitlin Booth, were given a brief ‘air experience’ onboard the Seasprite as it flew
from Boys’ High to Invercargill Airport. The Seasprite was in Invercargill to provide a static
display at the Southland Careers Expo on 23-24 August.
LTCDR Taylor and his crew enjoyed showing off their aircraft and meeting the many of those
who came to the Careers Expo.
THE VIEW FROM
THE COCKPIT
BY A/LTCDR NORMAN MCDONALD &
A/LTCDR WAYNE THEOBALD RNZN
The SPCA contacted the NZDF and
we got the tasking on the Friday. The
SPCA also alerted Campbell Live -
TV3. The hay was situated at the
SPCA in Mangere and they had no
way of getting it rapidly to the cows.
Our concern with the pick-up was
that it was close to Auckland International
Airport
We had full co-operation from Auckland
air traffic control, whom we had
talked to the day before, and on the
day of the flights they had complete
exposure to what we wanted. We
conducted two trips – a bit uncertain
about the weight of the bales we
loaded 14 bales each time in a net
suspended below the aircraft. We
also flew with one SPCA inspector
who showed us where on the island
to drop it.
For unloading at the island we
touched the load down, landed beside
the bales and unhooked half of the
net, then took off and used the aircraft
to pull the net out from under the hay
bales. The second drop on a different
bit of the island had the camera crew
from Campbell Live filming our approach
and the drop-off.
Our total flying time was around 2
hours, and we took a total of 4 maintenance
personnel and 4 aircrew.
One crew drove to Mangere to make
up the loads in advance. The whole
evolution proved to be a good training
opportunity for the whole crew.
The SPCA subsequently presented
certificates of appreciation to all involved,
while the farmer is now being
taken to court on a wide array of
charges. [That day was also A/LTCDR
McDonald’s wedding anniversary!]
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