The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Support Ship, RFA Wave Knight, under the command of Captain R.G. Ferris, OBE MVO, spent three full days in Anguilla from Monday this week. During that period, the Commander and other officers and members of the ship’s company interacted with various leading persons in the public and private sectors, school children and sporting groups.
The ship, on a North Atlantic patrol assignment, has been deployed to the Caribbean region until the end of November in support of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief and Counter Narcotics Operations.
The ship moored off Road Bay on Monday morning. Later,the Commanding Officer, Captain Ferris, and First Officer, A. R. Grant, paid courtesy calls on Governor Alistair Harrison, Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and Commissioner of Police, Rudolph Proctor. In the afternoon the ship’s officials attended a press conference in the Executive Council’s Chambers.
“The UK endeavours to keep one, and preferably two, naval ships in the Caribbean at all times and, for the first time, for nearly three years, we have managed to get a frigate or destroyer in the Caribbean,” Commander Ferris told reporters. “Our job out here is to reassure particularly the Overseas Territories that we will be able to help in the event of natural disasters. Our other job is to perform narcotics tasking, working with a US Coast Guard detachment on board.”
Asked whether the ship had so far been able to intercept any boats transporting narcotics in the region, the Commander replied: “We have only been in the Caribbean for about three weeks. We have not to our knowledge apprehended any drug runners. I think there is every chance we would have deterred more than one because our presence alone means that many drug runs would otherwise have occurred.”
The ship’s programme in Anguilla included the following on Tuesday: visits to the Hughes Medical Centre, the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Water Corporation and the Anguilla Electricity Company; a briefing at the Department of Disaster Management; and in the evening a reception at Government House for a number of invited guests.
On Wednesday the programme included a tour of the ship by school children; and a career talk on life at sea (in the evening at the Soroptimist Day Care Centre) for teenagers by speakers from the ship. It was also arranged for members of the ship’s company to participate in a dart tournament at Ripples Restaurant. The ship left for Antigua on Thursday morning.
RFA Wave Knight is a 31,000 tonne Fleet Tanker which has the ability to refuel other naval vessels at sea from its three beam rigs (and one rig on the stern) as well as carry dry stores.
RFA Wave Knight is able to operate in support of amphibious forces, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations and the protection of vital sea areas and shipping.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Service is a flotilla of thirteen Naval Support Ships delivering afloat support to UK and Allied Armed Forces around the world. Owned by the Ministry of Defence, it is manned by British civilian sailors who trained in Merchant Navy Standards prior to undertaking the military training required to operate alongside the Royal Navy.
