RN flagship sails in for Operation Pedestal anniversary

The Royal Navy's flagship, HMS Ark Royal, yesterday sailed in the rain and under overcast skies into Grand Harbour for a four-day visit, escorted by the Type 42 destroyer HMS Southampton.

The ships are in Malta for the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Operation Pedestal, after which they would be heading for Naples, followed by a long exercise in the central Mediterranean, Capt. Alan Massey, commanding officer of HMS Ark Royal since July, said. The aircraft carrier is due to return to the UK by mid-November.

The ship's company was aware of the situation in Iraq, Capt. Massey said. But their visit to Malta had "no political interest" and they were here to "have a good time", conscious of the strong historical links between the two countries.

HMS Ark Royal is currently leading an international task group on the major UK-led maritime deployment, Argonaut 2002, which is being carried out in the central Mediterranean and has been planned for the past two years.

Argonaut 2002 is aimed at demonstrating Britain's ability to deploy, operate and sustain a maritime task group and its continuing commitment to the security and stability of the region.

It is composed of an amphibious task group of 10 British ships, together with a Dutch assault vessel and a Belgian frigate. HMS Ark Royal Commodore Jamie Miller, commander amphibious task group, is leading Argonaut 2002.

Commodore Miller, who has visited the island seven times, has fond and detailed memories of Malta.

Despite having experienced the sinking of his ship and the death of 20 men on board in the Falklands conflict between the UK and Argentina in 1982, Commodore Miller persisted with his career at sea.

Even his life raft had sunk when the ship capsized and its missile pierced it. He managed to climb onto the hull by grabbing the bridge's windscreen wipers, and was eventually rescued.

Commodore Miller was last here on board HMS Ark Royal in 1994 and said "it is virtually like coming home".

It is also fitting that the aircraft carrier is visiting Malta during the anniversary of the Santa Marija Convoy to "celebrate the historical links with the friendly nation," Capt. Massey said.

On many occasions during the Second World War, the third HMS Ark Royal had ferried aircraft to Malta and covered Malta-bound convoys.

While returning to Gibraltar from one such mission, Operation Perpetual, in 1941, HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed by the German submarine U-81. After a struggle against progressive flooding, the carrier capsized and sank.

HMS Ark Royal can hold up to 24 aircraft, including FA2 Sea Harriers, RAF GR7 Harriers, Sea King MK7 AEW helicopters and the new Merlin MPH MK1 anti-submarine helicopters - the Navy's latest to enter the service.

Larger than its two sisters Invincible and Illustrious, HMS Ark Royal is 210 metres long. The ship's company numbers 650 and the average age is 22, with many sailors aged 17 and 18.

HMS Ark Royal is expected to remain in active service until 2015.

The aircraft carrier, berthed at Pinto Wharf, is open to the public today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Two organisations yesterday filed a judicial protest in the Civil Court claiming that the entry of warships and military personnel in Maltese territory and ports was in violation of the Constitution and called on the authorities not to allow any in. The protest was filed Forum Zghazagh Laburisti and the movement Move!