Page 116 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

The French PM briefs the BG in Tapa, backed by the Estonian Prime Minister, Estonian Chief of Defence, the CO and various dignitaries
(L-R) Rfn Moore, 2Lt Chris Needham, LCpl Hunt, and Cpl Booth enjoy sunset aboard the Teal en route to Estonia
“THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY WAS THE MINIMAL SLEEP”
Ex NORTHERN HAGIJAS
EX NORTHERN HAGIJAS required ‘the work of the hardy”, according to the supporting paperwork. 21 days at sea on board the Teal proved it correct... in late July, 5 members of D Company set sail for Tallinn, Estonia, some 1600 miles across the North and Baltic seas.
With 6 people in a small boat, it is very easy to feel cramped. We used a 4-hour watch rota including 2 crew members sailing, 2 ‘resting’ (though sleep is virtually impossible in rough seas) and 1 on Mother Watch at all times. Mother Watch involved cleaning within the boat and cooking all meals, a very dif cult job at 30˚! This crew rotation was vital on long passages, such as the three-day crossing from Felixstowe to Cuxhaven, where rest is needed and meals need cooking regardless of the weather.
LCpl Hunt said looking back, “the hardest part of the journey was the minimal sleep. Your sleep pattern becomes completely messed up and the periods of down time in between watches is just a chance for the boat to throw you around and bounce you off every piece of furniture. However, this was more than made up for by the sights you’d see at the during the most unsocial watch periods; such as stars from horizon to horizon or blood red sun rises. There isn’t anything to get in the way of those scenes when you’re at sea.”
Our expedition took us from Felixstowe to Cuxhaven, via the Kiel Canal to Kiel, across the Baltic Sea to the Danish Island of Bornholm, Bornholm to Karlskrona in Sweden, across the sea East to Lithuania, then up to Latvia and nally North to Tallinn.
Rfn Moore found the trip a challenge, while commenting that he enjoyed the chance to travel on this expedition having never been abroad before! The crew quickly became very competent with the dozens of different ropes and pulleys throughout the boat. They learned how to make the boat as effective as possible in the water, and towards the end were expected to helm accurately, particularly when our course took us across busy shipping channels at night for often upwards of 80 miles at a time.
This expedition has been true adventure training. As a crew we have struggled through very rough weather, experienced the feeling of being completely alone in the sea, incredible highs when coming into a port at last and challenging lows after a long night’s sail. This has certainly been an adventure and an experience the crew will remember. De nitely one of the more interesting ways to deploy on operations...
Lt Chris Needham D Coy
FSp Coy pulling for pride against soldiers of the French Coy
114 FIFTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES