Page 82 - The Light Dragoon 2024

HMS Northumberland kindly invited two members of the Light Dragoons to attend their affiliates weekend in October 2023. Lt Griffiths and Lt Greaves were selected to represent the Light Dragoons and we spent the weekend experiencing life at sea on a Type 23 Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate as it went through its trials off the coast of Plymouth.
HMS NORTHUMBERLAND has had close links to north of England since her creation, in the dockyards of Swan Hunter, a Tyne and Wear shipbuilding company, it’s because of the her regional ties that the relationship with England’s Northern Cavalry exists. We were invited onto HMS NORTHUMBERLAND for the annual Trafalgar dinner night, the main battle honour of the Royal Navy. Alongside the dinner night NORTHUMBERLAND was finishing a trials period before returning to an operational cycle in the beginning of 2024 allowing us to have a great showcase of the ship’s capabilities across our short stay on board.
Over the course of the weekend, we spent time on the bridge, had a full tour of the ship, including the engine compartments and ops room and watched the embarked Merlin helicopter conduct landing and
take-off drills by day and night. The Merlin is used to help hunt enemy submarines by dropping sonar buoys and looking for any submarines at periscope depth. After a quick tour of the helicopter, Lt Griffiths was keen to remind the pilot, that despite not being on a military helicopter before, he had spent plenty of time onboard private helicopters, often with some high- ranking company.
The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the Trafalgar dinner night, hosted at sea, where the food was fantastic, and we were hosted excellently. The navy traditions of singing Heart of Oak and Rule Britannia were a nice touch and the twist of not knowing who would be pulled out to fix the constant engine breakdowns added another unusual layer. The wardroom was transformed, and chocolate HMS Victory’s were rapidly demolished as we watched a poor English performance in the rugby between courses. An unusual, but enjoyable dinner night. The combi- nation of seasickness and a hangover is not recommended.
NORTHUMBERLAND is one of the older ships within the fleet and is worked hard, spending huge amounts of time deployed at sea. NORTHUMBERLAND
A 4.5 inch weapon and HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
is an impressive ship with a crew who have an equally busy 2024 ahead of them. She spent the 2023/24 Christmas period on operations and led a NATO taskforce to the high north at the beginning of the year. We left having had an excellent visit, but with the intentions of remaining on land for the foreseeable future.
THWG
Nice hat
and who we are...
DESIGN & PUBLISH
t 01536 317000
e jayne@crestpublications.com w www.crestpublications.com
Lt Griffith’s and Lt Greaves with the CO of HMS NORTHUMBERLAND
This is what we do...
One of many outfit changes
THE MERCIAN Ian Simpson is one of Scotland’s EAGLE greatest ever motorcycle racers.
A five-time British champion and triple Isle of Man TT winner, he
was the last man to win the British Superbike and Supersport 600
‘Simmo’ was also a double Scottish champion, a triple International Classic Grand championships in the same year.
Prix champion, a European Classic Endurance champion and winner of five
He raced against Carl Fogarty, Joey Dunlop, Steve Hislop, Niall Mackenzie, Jim Moodie North West 200 races and two Ulster Grands Prix.
and many other all-time greats, in an era when riders still liked to have fun and
regularly found themselves in trouble. He also lost a lot of friends along the way.
‘Forever Playboy’ takes readers behind the scenes of a racer’s life and reveals it’s not all
glamour and glory. Simmo’s brutally honest account of what it takes to be a champion in one of the world’s most dangerous sports is as hilarious as it is sad, but it’s
So, snap your visors down for a thrill ride like no other, as ‘Forever Playboy’ provides never anything other than fascinating.
an all-access pass into the adrenalin-soaked world of Superbike racing.
the autobiography of ian simpson
CADET REVIEW SPRING 2024 The Magazine for Cadets in Yorkshire and the Humber
35 WATER FUN FOR ALL
37
First Sea Lord’s Cadet
29/02/2024
09:02
The Journal of The Mercian Regiment
Forever Playboy COVER.indd 1
2023 – No.16
28/06/2024
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ian simpson
with stuart barker
RFCA
R F e o s r e r Y v o e r F k o s r c h e i s r a e n a d n C d a d t e h t s e A H s s u o mc i a b t i e o r n
recognised 12 Long Service
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The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
HMS Northumberland visit
21/05/2024
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Cadet Review Spring 24.indd
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