HMS Albion proudly hosted a special visitor during its recent stop in Scotland.
On the 20th of July, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Anne, graced the amphibious assault ship with her presence.
The occasion was a perfect opportunity for the Lady Sponsor to engage with the Ship’s company, gain insight into their endeavours, and commend several exemplary sailors with well-deserved medals and awards.
The bond between HRH The Princess Royal and HMS Albion goes back to the ship’s commissioning into the Royal Navy on the 19th of June 2003 when she performed the honour as its sponsor. Since then, Princess Anne has continued to hold a deep connection with the ship and its crew.
Princess Anne’s recent visit to HMS Albion proved to be an uplifting occasion for both the Ship’s company and the esteemed Royal Sponsor herself. The meeting enabled the Princess to gain valuable insights into the ship’s recent activities, emphasising its commitment to safeguarding maritime interests and ensuring security in the regions it operates.
Last week, during a stop in Scotland, HMS ALBION was pleased to welcome a board our Lady Sponsor, HRH The Princess Royal, who had time to meet the Ship's company, learn about what the Ship has been doing, and recognise a number of our sailors with medals and awards. pic.twitter.com/o8UoaeNf78
— HMS Albion (@hms_albion) July 24, 2023
HMS Albion is one of the Royal Navy’s two amphibious assault ships. Together, their mission is to deliver the punch of the Royal Marines ashore by air and sea. HMS Albion has been described as the Royal Navy’s ‘Swiss Army knife’ – and for good reason.
This amphibious transport dock is capable of carrying 400 sailors and Royal Marines with a huge range of skills and experience, from technicians and engineers to medics and chefs.
The loading dock of HMS Albion is packed with the trucks, machinery and water craft her crew use to carry out their duties.
The ship also carries emergency supplies for use in disaster relief operations, from food supplies to water pumps.
Is she going back into extended readiness soon?
Which one 😂
Aha… got in before me!
Haha! Didn’t realise that could be taken a couple of different ways. I was of course referring to HMS Albion!
Soon ?
Doubtful.
It took a long time to reactivate Albion to take over from Bulwark.
Incidentally, I was going to go to Albion in 2014 as the WO Weapons to join her in Guz to reactivate, refit and work up. As I got offered a better job outside, I told ’em to ram it and left for the tax free, fun in the sun expat lifestyle I now enjoy.😀 Bullet well dodged!
I have spoken to people involved and it was an interesting reactivation. LPDs are HV propulsion powered. Nobody had ever left a HV (6KV) system in a dormant state for that long. Cable checks, insulation checks, machinery, switchboards, convertors etc all needed checking and setting to work, and it was apparently rather emotional!
Bulwark as I understand it has been STOROB’d to death to keep Albion going. Thats not a disaster as some may think because you fix stuff like that during a refit replacing time expired or missing kit anyway which will happen before she comes back into service.
Best guess at least 2 years to get Bulwark back at a normal refit pace before she could safely go to sea, work up and mirror Albion in capability before then taking over as Amphib Flagship.
She just sailed out of Belfast this afternoon after spending a couple of days there
Probably never to return to sea again. What a shower of shi* this Navy is. We are an absolute joke!