The crew of hunter-killer submarine HMS Artful hosted their sponsor, Lady Amanda Zambellas, during a visit to HM Naval Base Clyde, according to a Royal Navy news update.
Artful, the third of the Astute-class submarines, has been under Lady Zambellas’ sponsorship since her launch at Barrow in 2014. Known among her crew as the “Fighting Monkey,” the submarine welcomed its sponsor with a programme that included a ride on patrol vessel HMS Tracker around the Gareloch, lunch, and a tour of the boat itself.
Lady Zambellas, wife of former First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas, addressed the crew and presented several awards during her visit. Petty Officer Medical Assistant Sean “Dusty” Millar received a Herbert Lott Efficiency Award for his work on Exercise Laesa Nautae, a training activity designed to improve the ability of medics across defence to extract casualties from submarines.
The Royal Navy highlighted that the lessons identified during the exercise have already been introduced into practice, crediting Millar’s planning and coordination.
Warrant Officer 2 Colin Stewart was presented with his Warrant Scroll after 23 years of service, including multiple tours aboard Artful. His award was among the first to be signed by Defence Secretary John Healey.
The final presentation was made to Lieutenant Devine, Artful’s logistics officer, who received his commissioning scroll. He earned his commission in 2022 shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth II but had been waiting for it to be formally signed by King Charles III.
The Royal Navy reported that the crew’s recognition reflected both individual dedication and the ongoing connection between the submarine and its sponsor.
The full article can be read on the Royal Navy’s website here.
Interested to know what levels of crewing Artful, Ambush and Audacious have and what the people are getting up to given those boats have been tied up at Faslane for years.
She must be very rich to be able to Sponsor this rather expensive boat.
Huge thanks needs to be given in these austere times.
She does it by crowd funding on Flap Face.
Nice to have a visit like this, but we’re the special guests aware Artful has become a decoration at Faslane instead of an active Submarine??