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Current Location
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
08:32 GMT - 13 May 2013
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
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HMS Cattistock
Cattistock, like her sisters, is built from glass-reinforced plastic – usually shortened to GRP – with a non-magnetic hull that makes her somewhat less noticeable to the lurking dangers in the minefield. Cattistock was built by Vosper Thornycroft, and commissioned into the Navy in June 1982.
We are well prepared and looking forward to working alongside our NATO allies in the Mediterranean.
Lieutenant Commander Stephen Higham
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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Cattistock visits Bristol
HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she sails under the Clifton Suspension Bridge to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
The first half of 2012 saw HMS Cattistock busy in UK coastal waters, with two visits to her affiliated town of Poole, and support to Bristol during its Harbour Festival, and the second half saw her taking part in major Naval exercises off the coast of Scotland.
The minehunter was one of 22 warships, two submarines, 40 aircraft and more than 4,500 personnel from ten countries who took part in Exercise Joint Warrior in October 2012.
HMS Cattistock sailed on Monday (4 February) for a four-month NATO mission in the Mediterranean. She will be working as part of a permanent multinational maritime force in the area called the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2).
Ships from allied nations work together throughout the year defending sea routes from the threat of underwater mines and carrying out joint training exercises.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Steve Higham
- RANK:
- Lieutenant Commander
- JOINED:
- 1997
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Manchester, HMS Middleton
Military experience
Steve Higham joined the Royal Navy in 1997 after gaining degrees in Law and International Law at Cambridge University. Following initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and HM Ships Quorn and Sutherland, he was appointed to the Destroyer, HMS Cardiff as a Bridge Watchkeeper.
Between 2001-2003, Higham served as the Flag Lieutenant and Aide de Camp to Flag Officer Surface Flotilla. This was an intense period of activity that saw the Royal Navy respond to the events of 9/11 while undertaking radical reform and significant reshaping.
After this early insight into strategic and operational thinking, Higham joined the Fishery Protection Squadron serving as Executive Officer in the Patrol Vessel, HMS Guernsey. Selected for a Lieutenant ‘Command Appointment’ he moved to the Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Mersey as Executive Officer and Officer in Temporary Command under the innovative 3 Watch Manning regime.
Selected early for promotion to Lieutenant Commander in 2004, Higham undertook the Initial Command and Staff Course (Maritime) and the Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) Courses in 2005.
His first appointment as a PWO was in the Type 23 Frigate HMS Montrose, conducting maritime security, counter-terrorism and asset protection patrols in the Gulf. Higham became Operations Officer as Montrose conducted further operational deployments to the Gulf and Mediterranean in 2006-2007. The Ship was awarded the Fleet SeaWolf trophy during this period in recognition of her efficiency and operational effectiveness.
Advanced Air Warfare training followed, with Higham being awarded the BAE Systems Prize and an assignment to the Type 42 Air Defence Destroyer, HMS York as Operations Officer and Executive Officer in 2007.
In 2008, Higham received the prestigious appointment as Senior Warfare Officer in the Destroyer HMS Manchester, deployed as Regional Air Defence Commander for the Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden working as part of the USS Harry S Truman Carrier Group.
In recognition of this contribution to strike operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Royal Navy ‘first’ of deploying fully integrated into a US Carrier Group, Manchester was awarded the Fleet SeaDart trophy for air warfare effectiveness. Manchester followed this with another operational deployment to the South Atlantic in 2009.
Higham was most then appointed to the UK Ministry of Defence as a policy and operations advisor in a busy, specialist, operational Directorate.
Selected for Command in 2010, he joined the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron in Command of Crew 2 and HMS Cattistock in Aug 2011 followed by HMS Middleton in Jan 2012. He returned to take command of HMS Cattistock in January 2013
Steve Higham is married and lives on the South Coast. A limited (but keen) tennis, squash and cricket player, he and his wife share common interests in cooking, travel and watching cricket and international rugby union.
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
M31
- Displacement
685tonnes
- Complement
45personnel
- Length
60Metres
- Beam
10metres
- Draught
3.4metres
- Top Speed
15knots
- Range (Nautical)
1,500miles
- Launch Date
22/01/81
- Commissioned date
16/06/82
TAKE A LOOK
HMS Cattistock
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Home sweet home – Cattistock village’s own warship calls at Poole
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Home sweet home – Cattistock village’s own warship calls at Poole
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Home sweet home – Cattistock village’s own warship calls at Poole
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HMS Cattistock with Spanish minehunter
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HMS Cattistock heads up multi-national mine exercise
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HMS Cattistock on exercise with Spanish minehunter ESPS Duero
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HMS Cattistock heads up multi-national mine exercise
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HMS Cattistock on exercise with Spanish minehunter ESPS Duero
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Members of the Algerian and Royal Navies meet onboard HMS Cattistock
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Algerian Patrol Boat, Al Mirfak, conducts drills alongside HMS Cattistock
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Royal Navy’s HMS Cattistock returns to her affiliated port
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Royal Navy’s HMS Cattistock returns to her affiliated port
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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HRH The Princess Royal - Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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HRH The Princess Royal - Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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HRH The Princess Royal and Charlotte Tode - Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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HRH The Princess Royal - Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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Cattistock helps open bridge in Poole by Royal assent
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Image taken by LA(Phot) Maxine Davies, FRPU(E), Royal Navy
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The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Cheryl Buggy
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Lilliput Sea Scouts on the 30mm High Explosive Cannon
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The operations room in front of the Sonar Displays
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The Seafox mine disposal system
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she sails under the Clifton Suspension Bridge to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she sails under the Clifton Suspension Bridge to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she sails under the Clifton Suspension Bridge to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she makes a turn in the harbour before she is tied up alongside to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here is HMS Cattistock as she passes two P2000 Patrol vessels already tied up alongside, HMS Raider (left) and HMS Tracker (right) to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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Cattistock visits Bristol
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HMS CATTISTOCK SAILS IN TO BRISTOL.Pictured here as she sails under the Clifton Suspension Bridge to participate in the Bristol Harbour Festival 2011.
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CAPTAIN PAYS AN AERIAL FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP DURING EXERCISE WITH RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE HELO
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CAPTAIN PAYS AN AERIAL FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP DURING EXERCISE WITH RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE HELO
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CAPTAIN PAYS AN AERIAL FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP DURING EXERCISE WITH RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE HELO
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CAPTAIN PAYS AN AERIAL FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP DURING EXERCISE WITH RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE HELO
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CAPTAIN PAYS AN AERIAL FAREWELL TO HIS SHIP DURING EXERCISE WITH RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE HELO
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HMS Cattistock
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Hunt Class
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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HMS Cattistock
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UNITS IN TIME
HMS Cattistock HISTORY
TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Cattistock
LATEST NEWS
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Cattistock village’s own warship calls at Poole after three-months’ ops
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03 April 2013A Portsmouth based minehunter has carried out a goodwill visit...
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04 February 2013Portsmouth-based Royal Navy minehunter HMS Cattistock sailed today (February 4)...
