A group of 29 Scouts visited HMS Bulwark during its visit to Malta.
The Devonport-based, amphibious ship hosted a number of affiliate groups during the visit, including 29 Scouts from the St Aloysius College Scout Group as well as members of the George Cross Island Association and Royal Naval Officers Association.
The Scouts hold an annual inter-patrol competition in Gozo each November, which involves a 25 to 30-kilometre trek over two days, during which the troop passes checkpoints where skills in scouting and field craft are tested.
Points are scored for performance with map and compass, first aid, knotting, scouting history and current affairs. The winning patrol is awarded the HMS Bulwark Shield, which is held until the next competition and is the culmination of scouting activities.
The affiliation of St Aloysius College Scouts with the Royal Navy can be traced to 1949, when boy seamen from the light fleet carrier HMS Triumph taught the cast of the college production of HMS Pinafore to dance the Hornpipe. The affiliation has remained strong ever since.
The guests enjoyed informative tours of the 18,500-tonne ship as members of the ship’s company illustrated its capabilities using interactive stances to allow them to get a hands-on experience.
This included the Inflatable Raiding Craft and the SA80 rifle, before the guests were treated to some of the contents of a 24-hour ration pack. The most popular part of the tour for the Scouts was the chance to sit in the captain’s chair on the bridge.
Lt Thomas Bowler, who organised the visit, said: “It was a great opportunity for our affiliated Maltese scouts to visit the ship to get an understanding of what life is like on board a deployed operational warship.
“The visit has helped to strengthen the bond with our long-held affiliation – the Scouts had fun and were inquisitive throughout. The highlight of the day was when the captain presented the Bulwark Shield to the winning team.”
HMS Bulwark is one of the Royal Navy’s two assault command and control ships. Launched in November 2004, it has a ship’s company of 350, a quarter of which is made up of four Assault Squadron Royal Marines.
In addition, the ship can carry up to 225 marines in dedicated accommodation for long periods and another 500 in austere conditions for short ones. Its flight deck can accommodate two Chinook or two Merlin helicopters. A large, floodable dock holds four large landing craft – with another four carried on davits on the ship’s side.
The Cougar 13 deployment has operated in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, the Gulf, and the Horn of Africa. It involved exercising with partner nations and showed the UK Armed Forces’ capacity to project an effective maritime component anywhere in the world as part of the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group, commanded by Commodore Paddy McAlpine, OBE ADC, Royal Navy.
The RFTG is the UK’s high-readiness maritime force, comprising ships, submarines, aircraft and a landing force of the Royal Marines, at short notice to act in response to any contingency tasking if required.