No More Cuts Please

Written by Godfrey Dykes

©RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

INVINCIBLE (CVS) (R05) - c/s GUCL ILLUSTRIOUS (CVS) (R06) - c/s GVUH ARK ROYAL (CVS) (R07) - c/s GCDG
ALBION (LPH) (L14) - c/s GDIU BULWARK (LPD) (L15) - c/s GDIV OCEAN (LPH) (L12)- c/s - GCOU
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DARING (DD) (D32) c/s GPLB DAUNTLESS (DD) (D33) c/s GMIA DEFENDER (DD) (D36) c/s GPLC DIAMOND (DD) (D34) c/s GMIB
DRAGON (DD) (D35) c/s GMIC DUNCAN (DD) (D37) c/s GPLA EDINBURGH (DD) (D97) c/s GBBE EXETER (DD) (D89) c/s GVUJ
GLOUCESTER (DD) (D96) c/s GBBF LIVERPOOL (DD) (D92) c/s GZIS MANCHESTER (DD) (D95) c/s GYHG NOTTINGHAM (DD) (D91) c/s GZIR
SOUTHAMPTON (DD) (D90) c/s GVUK YORK (DD) (D98) c/s GBBB
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ARGYLL (FF) (F231) c/s GACG CAMPBELTOWN (FF) (F86) c/s GABK CHATHAM (FF) (F87) c/s GABL CORNWALL (FF) (F99) c/s GDLU
CUMBERLAND (FF) (F85) c/s GAAP IRON DUKE (FF) (F234) c/s GCOB KENT (FF) (F78) c/s GDIR LANCASTER (FFGH) (F229) c/s GACH
MONMOUTH (FF) (F235) c/s GCOC MONTROSE (FF) (F236) c/s GCOD NORTHUMBERLAND (FF) (F238) c/s GCOH PORTLAND (FF) (F79) c/s GDIS
RICHMOND (FF) (F239) c/s GCOJ SOMERSET (FF) (F82) c/s GDIP ST ALBANS (FF) (F83) c/s GDIT SUTHERLAND (FF) (F81) c/s GCOZ
WESTMINSTER (FF) (F237) c/s GCOK
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AMBUSH (SSGN) (S96) c/s GYAT ARTFUL (SSGN) (S95) c/s GYAS ASTUTE (SSGN) (S94) c/s GYAR SCEPTRE (SSGN) (S104) c/s GQIL
SOVEREIGN (SSGN) (S108) c/s GPAB SUPERB (SSGN) (S109) GQIK TALENT (SSGN) (S92) c/s GBNZ TIRELESS (SSGN) (S88) c/s GBNM
TORBAY (SSGN) (S90) c/s GBNV TRAFALGAR (SSGN) (S107) c/s GBKW TRENCHANT (SSGN) (S91) c/s GBNY TRIUMPH (SSGN) (S93) c/s GABY
TURBULENT (SSGN) (S87) c/s GBNJ VANGUARD (SSBN) (S28) c/s GACK VENGEANCE (SSBN) (S31) c/s GCUR VICTORIOUS (SSBN) (S29) c/s GACP
VIGILANT (SSBN) (S30) c/s GCUQ

A further 44 warships are listed as follows, shown in alphabetical order and not by class:-


ARCHER (PBR)(P264) GAAQ ATHERSTONE (MHSC) (M38) GBPJ BANGOR (MHSC) (M109) GCUL BITER (PP) (P270) GAAR
BLAZER (PP) (P279) GAAU BLYTH (MHSC) (M111) GCUN BROCKLESBY (MHSC) (M33) GBPQ CATTISTOCK (MHSC) (M31) GYHJ
CHARGER (PP) (P292) GAAX CHIDDINGFOLD (MHSC) (M37) GBPD CLYDE (PPH) (P257) GXRS DASHER (PP) (P280) GAAV
ECHO (AGS) (H87) GAAC ENDURANCE (AGSA) (A171) GXRH ENTERPRISE (AGS) (H88) GXUH EXAMPLE (PP) (P165) GABA
EXPLOIT (PP) (P167) GABD EXPLORER (PP) (P164) GABB EXPRESS (PP) (P163) GABC GLEANER (AGSC) (H86) GDJF
GRIMSBY (MHSC) (M108) GCUK HURWORTH (MHSC) (M39) GBPL LEDBURY (MHSC) (M30) GWAE MERSEY (PP) (P283) GBSY
MIDDLETON (MHSC) (M34) GYHL PEMBROKE (MHC) (M107) GCUJ PENZANCE (MHC) (M106) GCUI PUNCHER (PP) (P291) GAAW
PURSUER (PP) (P273) GAAT QUORN (MHSC) (M41) GABT RAIDER (PP) (P275) GCUV RAMSEY (MHSC) (M110) GCUM
RANGER (PBR) (P293) GAAY ROEBUCK (AGSC) (H130) GCYB SABRE (LPV) (P285) GWBY SCIMITAR (LPV) (P284) GWBX
SCOTT (AGS) (H131) GCUP SEVERN (PP) (P282) GBSK SHOREHAM (MHC) (M112) GCVO SMITER (PP) (P272) GAAS
TRACKER (PP) (P274) GCUU TRUMPETER (PP) (P294) GAAZ TYNE (PP) (P281) GAAD WALNEY (MHC) (M104) GACT

Next comes 17 RFA's:-


ARGUS (AGH) (A135) GDSA BAYLEAF (AOR) (A109) GCDC BLACK ROVER (AOR) (A273) GREU CARDIGAN BAY (AOR) (L3009) GCID
FORT AUSTIN (AFS) (A386) GSEV FORT GEORGE (AOR) (A388) GCOG FORT ROSALIE (AOR) (A385) GSEU FORT VICTORIA (AOR) (A387) GACE
GOLD ROVER (AOR) (A271) GRET LARGS BAY (AOR) (L3006) GCIA LYME BAY (AOR) (L3007) GCIB MOUNTS BAY (AOR) (L3008) GCIC
ORANGELEAF (AOR) (A110) GURK RESOURCE (AOR) (A480) GRFE SIR BEDIVERE (LSL) (L3004) GSRE WAVE KNIGHT (AOR) (A389) GWBU
WAVE RULER (AOR) (A390) GCVR

The following vessels are listed as being under Navy control. They are RCLV and RCTV, 13 in number, respectively, Royal Corps Logistics Vessel and Royal Corps Transport Vessel:-


AACHEN (RCL) (L110) GABU AKYAB (RCL) (L109) GCSQ ANDALSNES (RCL) (L107) GCSN ANTWERP (RCL) (L106) GBSU
AREZZO (RCL) (L111) GABV ARROMANCHES (RCL) (L105) GBSV AUDEMER (RCL) (L113) GABX BREAM (RCTV) (WB03) GWOD
EDEN (RCTV) (RPL) GDDZ FORTH (RCTV) (RPL) MTAN MEDWAY (RCTV) (RPL) MTAM PERCH (RCTV) (WB06) GWOG
ROACH (RCTV) (WB05) GWOF

Combat Support Boats (?) are plentiful with 32 of them !:-


CSB0001 (CSB) MDVP4 CSB0002 (CSB) MDVG9 CSB0003 (CSB) MDVE7 CSB0004 (CSB) MDVQ5
CSB0005 (CSB) MDVG4 CSB0006 (CSB) MDVH5 CSB0007 (CSB) MDVF8 CSB0008 (CSB) MDVM2
CSB0009 (CSB) MDUM7 CSB0010 (CSB) MDUP6 CSB0011 (CSB) MDUS6 CSB0012 (CSB) MDUT6
CSB0013 (CSB) MDUV5 CSB0014 (CSB) MDWQ5 CSB0015 (CSB) MDWT7 CSB0016 (CSB) MDXD8
CSB0017 (CSB) MDWU3 CSB0018 (CSB) MDWU4 CSB0019 (CSB) MDWC6 CSB0020 (CSB) MDVV7
CSB0021 (CSB) MDVY2 CSB0022 (CSB) MEES4 CSB0023 (CSB) MDVX2 CSB0024 (CSB) MDVU9
CSB0025 (CSB) MDXX5 CSB0026 (CSB) MDXV6 CSB0027 (CSB) MDXH9 CSB0028 (CSB) MDXG7
CSB0029 (CSB) MDXX4 CSB0030 (CSB) MDVK7 CSB9931 (CSB) MDVD6 CSB9932 (CSB) MDVG5

  When I was a boy in the 40's, UTILITY WEAR was accepted as nowhere near the best but it will do because of the war shortages ! Now we see a list of 26 LCU's, LCU meaning Landing Craft Utility:-


9730 LCU 01 (LCU) (L3509) GCYO 9731 LCU 02 (LCU) (L3510) GCYN 9732 LCU 03 (LCU) (L3511) GCYQ 9733 LCU 04 (LCU) (L3512) GCYR
9734 LCU 05 (LCU) (L3513) GCYS 9735 LCU 06 (LCU) (L3514) GCYT 9736 LCU 07 (LCU) (L3515) GCYU 9736 LCU 07 (LCU) (L3515) GCYU
9737 LCU 08 (LCU) (L3516) GCYV 9738 LCU 09 (LCU) (L3517) GCYY 9739 LCU 10 (LCU) (L3518) GCYZ 3508 LCU(9) (LCU) (L3508) GIAL
700 LCU(9) (LCU) (L700) GNWA 701 LCU(9) (LCU) (L701) GOHZ 702 LCU(9) (LCU) (L702) GQBH 704 LCU(9) (LCU) (L704) GNZU
705 LCU(9) (LCU) (L705) GPCU 706 LCU(9) (LCU) (L706) GRBE 707 LCU(9) (LCU) (L707) GTRU 708 LCU(9) (LCU) (L708) GQJU
709 LCU(9) (LCU) (L709) GQKH 710 LCU(9) (LCU) (L710) GTBE 711 LCU(9) (LCU) (L711) GVPA 713 LCU(9) (LCU) (L713) GACL
714 LCU(9) (LCU) (L714) GACM 715 LCU(9) (LCU) (L715) GACN

Now to really scare the enemy, 61 auxiliaries of all sorts and sizes:-
Note the tiny little vessel called the LOYALTY (A360). Her callsign "GBSS" once belonged to the mighty Cunard Liner RMS Queen Elizabeth which caught fire and sank in Hong Kong's harbour.


LESLEY (AH) (A172) GQOF LOYAL WATCHER (AH) (A159) GXHJ LOYALTY (AH) (A360) GBSS MASTER CRAFTSMAN (AH) GCOV
MELTON (AH) (A83) GBSW MENAI (AH) (A84) GBSX MEON (AH) (A87) GBSZ MESSINA (AH) (A107) GBTG
MOORFOWL (AH) (Y33) GACY MILL REEF (WB) (WB08) GABZ MOORHEN (AH) (Y32) GACX MYRTLE (AH) (A199) GQOJ
NETLEY (AH) (A282) GACC NEWHAVEN (AH) (A280) GAAB NEWTON (AH) (A367) GURN NIMBLE (AH) (A222) GAAF
NUTBOURNE (AH) (A281) GACA OBAN (AH) (A283) GACD OILPRESS (AH) (Y21) GXGH OMAGH (AH) (A285) GBBC
ORONSAY (AH) (A284) GBBA PADSTOW (AH) (A286) GBBD POWERFUL (AH) (A223) GAAG SALMAID (AH) (A187) GAAM
SALUKI (AH) (A182) GZMV SALMOOR (AH) (A185) GAAK SHEEPDOG (AH) (A250) GNIC SPANIEL (AH) (A201) GZCK
TORMENTOR (PB) (A142) GXUJ TORNADO (AH) (A140) GXUG WARDEN (AH) (A368) GACZ SULTAN ADVENTURER (AH) (A103) GZEE
WATERMAN (AH) (A146) GXHF YARMOUTH NAVIGATOR MLJT ADAMANT (AH) (A232) GDIQ ADEPT (ATA) (A224) GZAW
BOVISAND (AH) (A191) GCUS BUSTLER (AH) (A225) GZAX CAMERON (AH) (A72) GCOL CAPABLE (AH) (A226) GZAY
CAREFUL (AH) (A227) GZAZ CAWSAND (AH) (A192) GCUT CONDOR (PB) (A305) GBTB COLONEL TEMPLER (AH) (A229) GTTA
DEWDALE (AH) (A219) GRFU DEXTEROUS (AH) (A231) GAAJ DILIGENCE (AH) (A132) GCPC ENDEAVOUR (AH) (A361) GBST
FAITHFUL (AH) (A228) GAAH FLORENCE (AH) (A149) GZAU FORCEFUL (AH) (A221) GAAE FRANCES (AH) (A147) GZAT
GENEVIEVE (AH) (A150) GZAV HELEN (AH) (A198) GZCH HUSKY (AH) (A178) GZBD IMPETUS (ATA) (A345) GCOX
IMPULSE (ATA) (A344) GCOW INTEGRITY (AH) (A306) GBTD IRONBRIDGE (AH) (A311) GRIM IXWORTH (AH) (A318) GRFG
BLUE SWAN (RSC) GBPO

They even add the leisure side of the navy into these lists! Here are the yachts (16 of them) attached to the naval college at Darmouth:-


HEADOVERHEELS (NCTY) GCUF HEADSIWIN (NCTY) GCUE HEADSTRONG (NCTY) GCUG HEDONIST (NCTY) GCUD
FOXBRUSH (NCTY) GDIZ FOXCHASE (NCTY) GDJK FOXCUB (NCTY) GCUC FOXDALE (NCTY) GDJL
FOXFIELD (NCTY) GDJG FOXFIRE (NCTY) GDJH FOXGLOVE (NCTY) GCUA FOXHOLE (NCTY) GDIW
FOXHOUND (NCTY) GDJE FOXLANE (NCTY) GDIX FOXMARK (NCTY) GDIY FOXTOR (NCTY) GCUB

And finally, no navy is worth its salt unless it has listed under its warship list (the very reason for having ACP 113), 29 yachts belonging to the Joint Sail Association Training Centre


JSATC ADVENTURE (HMSTC) GXHA JSATC AMARYLLIS (HMSTC) (Y17) GCOM JSATC AMORIA (HMSTC) GDIA JSATC BROADSWORD (HMSTC) GUTC
JSATC CALLISTA (HMSTC) GDIB JSATC CHALLENGER (HMSTC) GXHB JSATC CHASER (HMSTC) GUSR JSATC DASHER (HMSTC) GUSZ
JSATC DISCOVERER (HMSTC) GXHC JSATC DOSINA (HMSTC) GDIC JSATC ENDEAVOUR (HMSTC) GXHD JSATC ENSIS (HMSTC) GDID
JSATC FIMBRIA (HMSTC) GDIE JSATC JANTHINA (HMSTC) GDIF JSATC KUKRI (HMSTC) GUTB JSATC LAMBIS (HMSTC) GDIG
JSATC LOARD PORTAL (HMSTC) GUTD JSATC MARLET (HMSTC) (Y2533) GCON JSATC MITRA (HMSTC) GDIH JSATC NERETA (HMSTC) GDII
JSATC PEGASUS (HMSTC) (Y2534) GCOP JSATC PLACUNA (HMSTC) GDIJ JSATC RACER (HMSTC) GUTA JSATC SABRE (HMSTC) GUBZ
JSATC SEAHORSE (HMSTC) (Y2535) GCOR JSATC SYRINX (HMSTC) GDIK JSATC TROCHUS (HMSTC) GDIL JSATC VOLUTA (HMSTC) GDIN
JSATC ZIDONA (HMSTC) GDIO

  In summary, of the 292 vessels listed in ACP 113 as being under UK Naval Control, we have well fewer than 50 recognised fighting vessels. Manifestly, an under sized, tired and almost threadbare navy. Lamentable !

  This file shows the MARCH 2010 BRIDGE CARD. Note that HMS Bristol's callsign is not shown. She now uses the radio callsign 2AIT7 !

This is the overall affect of the defence cuts on our armed forces.