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Current Location
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
10:54 GMT - 23 May 2013
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
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HMS Blyth
HMS Blyth is one of seven Sandown class Mine Countermeasures Vessels based HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. The ship experienced a busy period of activity throughout 2012, namely a six-month NATO deployment to the Mediterranean Sea which was preceded by a period of pre-deployment training during which her crew were put through their paces.
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
Since returning from the Mediterranean in December 2012, the ship has been through a very busy upkeep period in her home port of Faslane. This period of ‘refit’ involved a renovation of the Galley, upkeep work on the upper deck and an upgrade of the ship’s Generators.
Once the maintenance period came to an end the staff from Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) came on board to conduct a thorough audit of all the ship’s functions and administration culminating with a weeks Re-Assurance Visit (RAV). This week of training and assessment involved all of the ship’s skills being put to the test with navigation, seamanship evolutions and mine-hunting skills all being put to the test.
The rest of 2013 brings a different tasking to the ship; the ship will be conducting several weeks of post-refit trials on her equipment to ensure everything is fully operational. After Easter she will be departing from Faslane in order to conduct mine-hunting operations around Scotland and the West of England in support of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
Later in the year HMS Blyth will be visiting several major ports around the UK and Europe; including a visit to London in May in support of the Battle of the Atlantic 70th Anniversary and to Rouen in Normandy for the Armada de Rouen and D-Day anniversary.
After the summer, the ship will be once again put through her paces with Operational Sea Training and Joint Warrior (a multinational exercise off the North West coast of Scotland) as the current crew make preparations to deploy in early 2014.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Tim Davey
- RANK:
- Lieutenant Commander
- JOINED:
- 1996
- SPECIALISATION:
- warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Argyll, HMS Ramsey
Military experience
Born in Exeter, Devon, and educated at Sidmouth College and Cardiff University, Tim Davey joined the Royal Navy in September 1996.
After initial training and Fleet time in HMS Orkney conducting UK fishery protection duties and in HMS Somerset operating in the Northern Gulf, he joined HMS Argyll as an Officer of the Watch and Ship’s Diving Officer in his first complement appointment. The ship emerged from its first major refit in Rosyth and conducted Sea Training and UK operations.
Successfully completing the Minewarfare and Clearance Diving Officer course in 2000, and awarded the Superintendent of Diving Trophy for that year, he joined HMS Ramsey as her first Operations Officer, completing a programme including a NATO Task Group deployment to the Baltic Sea.
He then joined HMS Blyth as Executive Officer in 2003 and conducted live mine clearance operations in Iraqi waters during Operation Telic. The ship successfully disposed of 5 Iraqi mines as part of a UK/US Task Force, clearing a route for humanitarian shipping transit to Umm Qasr, an Iraqi port.
After Initial Staff training at Shrivenham, he served at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth from 2004-2006 as a New Entry Divisional officer and as a part of the Warfare department responsible for the maritime aspects of leadership training.
He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 2006 and completed Principal Warfare Officer training before returning to HMS Argyll as an Anti Submarine Warfare specialist and Operations Officer. The programme included a further Operation TELIC deployment to the Northern Gulf, 3 live Fleet Ready Escort activations in UK waters and exercises in support of the 2008 Amphibious Task Group deployment in the Mediterranean.
After completing the Advanced ASW course and joining the staff of Commander Amphibious Task Group in 2009, he was the ATG lead planner for a 2010 deployment to the east coast of the USA. The deployment focussed UK Amphibious capability working alongside a US Navy Expeditionary Strike Group and the UK’s Carrier Strike Group.
After completing the Advanced Minewarfare course, he served with the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet Mine Warfare Command in Bahrain, as the Planning Officer responsible for co-ordinating multinational Minewarfare exercises in the Gulf and developing in-theatre contingency plans.
He assumed Command of MCM1 Crew 2 and HMS Blyth in December 2011.
Married with two young children, his interests include all sports especially football and skiing, enjoying the countryside and spending time with his family.
OPERATIONS
NATO MCM Force
CURRENT STATUS: COMPLETED
The RN has always supplied an MCMV to one of the two NATO Mine Counter-Measures Squadrons. These are six-month deployments as part of the NATO Standing MCM Groups and will generally be around the coasts of Northern Europe or the Mediterranean depending upon the squadron in which the RN ship is working.
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
M111
- Displacement
600tonnes
- Complement
34personnel
- Length
52.5Metres
- Beam
10.5metres
- Draught
2.3metres
- Top Speed
13knots
- Range (Nautical)
2,500nautical miles
- Launch Date
04/07/00
- Commissioned date
20/07/01
- Length Equivalent To:
1/2football pitch
TAKE A LOOK
PHOTO GALLERY
Blyth
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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HMS Blyth Arriving Home for Christmas
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Blyth prepares to sail past Turkish minehunter TCG Ayvalik as part of a manoeuvring exercise
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The ship's company pose before leaving the NATO group in Aksaz, Turkey
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Blyth gets ready to tow German minehunter FGS Grömitz as part of an exercise
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Blyth enjoys Turkey shoot in the Aegean
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HMS Blyth led international minehunters through a major exercise in waters off the historic Turkish city of Izmir. The Faslane-based ship is coming to the end of her six-month deployment to the Mediterranean, where she’s been in charge of a NATO minehunting task group.
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Blyth enjoys Turkey shoot in the Aegean
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HMS Blyth led international minehunters through a major exercise in waters off the historic Turkish city of Izmir. The Faslane-based ship is coming to the end of her six-month deployment to the Mediterranean, where she’s been in charge of a NATO minehunting task group.
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Clyde Mine Hunter Takes Command Of Mediterranean Task
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Clyde Mine Hunter Takes Command Of Mediterranean Task
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A Romanian Puma approaches the Bulgarian minehunter BUNS Tsibar during a man overboard exercise
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth leaves the Clyde to join NATO task force
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Following six months of preparation and training, Royal Navy mine hunter, HMS Blyth âleft the wallâ on Friday, June 29, from her home port of HM Naval Base Clyde to start her journey to the Mediterranean for a six month NATO deployment. The highly equipped Sandown class ship is off to join a NATO task force carrying out mine counter measures exercises and operations in both the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Sailing the ship is the Faslane-based First Mine Counter Measures Squadronâs Crew 2, the 40 sailors of the Royal Navy who will see the vessel safely around the Mediterranean and Black Sea on their many Exercises and important port visits. The Ship and is due to sail back to the UK mid-December in time for the crew to spend Christmas at home with their families. Commanding Officer of HMS Blyth Lieutenant Commander Tim Davey, said: âToday marks the culmination of six months hard work and preparation allowing us to deploy on time and ready for our tasking. Iâm very proud of my team who are up for the challenges ahead and keen to make a significant contribution to NATO operations.â
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HMS Blyth working with SNMCMG2
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HMS Blyth working with SNMCMG2
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HMS Blyth working with SNMCMG2
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HMS Blyth working with SNMCMG2
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS BLYTH & RAMSAY return to HMNB Clyde after a long deployment in the Gulf. The Sandown Class minesweepers returned to a warm welcome from the whole HMNB Clyde and thier awaiting families.
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blyth
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HMS BLYTH & RAMSAY return to HMNB Clyde after a long deployment in the Gulf. The Sandown Class minesweepers returned to a warm welcome from the whole HMNB Clyde and thier awaiting families.
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HMS Blyth Crest
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HMS Blyth
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HMS Blythe leaving Portsmouth Harbour.LA(Phot) Judy Hurst6 May 05
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HMS Blyth
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AS HMS BULWARK SAILS INTO LOCH EWE ESCORTED BY HMS RAMSY WHOs MINE COUNTER MEASURES(MCM) HAVE CLEARED THE WAY DURING THE RECENT THE JOINT MARITIME CO-OPERATION (JMC) 2005.SHE IS ALSO JOINED BY THE RFA SIR BEDAVER. The recent JMC Exercise Neptune Warrior, was conducted off the coast of Northern Scotland. The exercise was held over a 2-week period and consisted of sea born and amphibious elements. These included a wader package in-conjunction, with elements of 45 commandos being deployed ashore. The ships involved were HMS OCEAN, HMS Bulwark, HMS BLYTHE and HMS SUTHERLAND as well as ships from other European countries.
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UNITS IN TIME
HMS Blyth HISTORY
TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Blyth
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