HMS Albion’s exercises and tasking has recently brought us to Freetown in Sierra Leone, West Africa for phase five of the ‘OP VELA’ deployment.

Our ship is one of sixteen ships involved in the amphibious task group CTG 333.01.

One of our primary purposes was to conduct Civil, Military Co-operation ( CIMIC ).

CIMIC tasking took place in schools and a hospital, in a local village just outside the capital. The work consisted of rebuilding and redecorating the two schools and hospital. Sierra Leone remains one of the world’s poorest countries and relies heavily on financial support and help. With this in mind, the ship organised a handful of volunteers to go ashore and help with CIMIC commitments. Our ship alone had such a good response from the ships company for CIMIC tasking that our CO, Captain Tim Lowe was able to offer for a further two days tasking.

My day began with a safety brief directed by the International Military Advisory Training Team (MATT), we then made our way onto a minibus for a 40-minute journey into the village of Tokeh. Although 40 minutes on a bus doesn’t seem very long it gave me a long enough time to create a perception of what I expected Tokeh village, the local community and the challenges that lie ahead. I’m not naïve but my expectations were different from the ones I faced that day. From the journey alone I was amazed at how the Sierra Leonians lived. Their houses were made from the bare minimum of materials, in most cases with rags and cloths.

Once we arrived the community welcomed us with big smiling faces and open arms. Although some of the locals expressed a curious, confused reaction. Some of the locals, I believe felt vulnerable. Not in the sense of being endangered, but vulnerable because we were unfamiliar territory to them. Under the watchful eye of all the children while I worked in the humid, sticky climate with the dust and rubble from the wall I was helping to knock down, I couldn’t help but think about how fascinating this experience was becoming. My emotions were getting the better of me; I felt so overwhelmed and just couldn’t comprehend living like this. For such beautiful looking scenery, with dense jungle and white sandy beaches it is such a shame how poor the country really is.

Due to the heat and the working conditions we split into two groups and worked for a period of two hours. When our two hours work was up, my group made our way to the beach for a rest and our lunch. The children followed us where ever we went, still with their fixed bright smiles and happy, cheerful faces. I couldn’t eat my lunch in those circumstances. I gave it to the children, as did most of us. Our empty plastic bottles and cardboard lunch boxes were a big fascination to the children. They fought furiously with one another for everything and anything we gave to them.

Whilst I sat on the beach resting and taking in the extraordinary scenery I was approached by a teenage boy called David. He was very polite and spoke clear English. Like any other teenager, David had ambitions.

He wanted to finish school, hoping to eventually become a lawyer. David helped me understand a few traditions and beliefs that the villagers had. He looked after me well and even picked me a fresh coconut from one of the trees, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end of the afternoon I gave the head mistress of one of the schools a box of A4 paper and two big boxes of pens. This caused chaos amongst the children and for the rest of the afternoon while I was entertaining them, they were constantly asking me for pens. The biscuits I gave out soon stopped them thinking about pens and helped me think about just how lucky I really am.

Saying this was an eye opener is an understatement. We can all watch the news and television documentaries but until you’re actually here, feeling the emotions, smelling the pungent aromas that go with it and beating off the flies, then no news or television, comes close to being here. We take for granted what we have in the Western world. We hold on so dearly to the things that we think are our most prized possessions that we think we need: like our houses, cars, clothes, and belongings but suddenly out of our element and into another world, all those things around us don’t seem as important. For something so little it went such a long way, for just a few hours hard work and help we had brought a lot of pleasure to Tokeh village.

For all the work we did we were thanked gracefully and while we waited for our transport back to HMS Albion we entertained the children by talking and playing football. Talking and playing with the children was an inspiring part of the day for me. It will be a memory I will never forget, seeing the children’s joyful faces looking up at me with their admiring eyes as I talked to them and holding their little hands was amazing. At one point I had fifteen pairs of hands hanging off of me, so many personalities all fighting with each other to have a little bit of my attention, which I was only too willing to give.

One thing I learned about today’s unique experience was the beauty of human laughter. It really doesn’t matter where in the world you are or what language you speak. Laughter speaks in a language all of it’s own. I had a remarkable day and I don’t think I could have got anything more out of it than I did. I felt I achieved a lot and I will never forget the importance of those small connections we as people in this world can make. There were so many thankful faces for all that we did but it was me who really gained from this remarkable day.

Volunteering for the CIMIC was the most rewarding experience I have had in the Royal Navy, and a day I will certainly never forget. I’m not claiming that we ‘changed the world’ but even if it was just for those days, we did make a big difference.

Stacey Nadine Cameron

“Matthew Geach came into our lives for just a short while and left memories that will last forever.

Matthew suffered with Friedrich’s Ataxia (Muscle Wasting) and had attended Little Bridge House (Children’s Hospice South West) for some years. During his time there he was nursed at times by our daughter Paula .

One day in January 2006, Paula called me to ask for help, as Matthew was getting weaker and that in his more mobile days said that he’d always wanted to fly in a helicopter, by this time he was unable to speak and was rapidly succumbing to his illness so time was of the essence!

Other avenues to fulfil Matthew’s dream proved fruitless so I approached a good friend Gary, a long time customer and Royal Marine who moved quickly to put the situation to his senior officers at C.H.F 848 NAS Squadron Yeovilton . In true Royal Marine fashion (no problems – just solutions) Matthew’s dream became a reality within 48 hours.

Matthew was brought up from Helston, Cornwall on the Wednesday so as to be fresh for his surprise on the Thursday morning, which was his 15th birthday. Until he arrived at the Main Gate, Matthew had no idea of what was to unfold, he arrived in his specially adapted vehicle, as his condition meant that he was mostly confined to his bed shown in the photo’s.

Matthew and his mother, were met by Gary, Paula and myself, from then on squadron staff took over with incredible compassion and professionalism.

Matthew was taken into the 848 Briefing Room where Lt Steve Brown RN introduced himself and the rest of the crew, putting Matthew and his mother very much at ease.  Gary then presented Matthew with his flying kit, which was a complete surprise and raised a huge smile, then after a video and safety briefing, Matthew along with his family and friends were taken out to the helicopter.

Matthew was gently put aboard the helicopter and when the door was shut he was manoeuvred near to the door so that he could see out of the window – his face was a picture as we flew over the Somerset Levels and past Glastonbury Tor.  The pilot’s flying skills were amazing, I have never experienced such a smooth take off and landing in a helicopter, down to I am sure, his concern for Matthew’s comfort.

After the flight we all went back into the Briefing Room where Matthew was presented with a birthday cake complete with lit candles and then many momento’s including two squadron plaques and signed photographs.

To arrange the event at such short notice and on Matthew’s birthday was exceptionally thoughtful by the then Lt Col J A McCardle RM Commanding Officer C.H.F for allowing the flight to be taken and our heartfelt thanks for allowing us to fly in one of his aircraft.  Gary Kingston and Rob Stephens are also to be congratulated in motivating the whole exercise initially.

The crew on the day Lt Steve Brown RN, Lt Cdr Martin Hanrahan RNR, Sgt ” Ginge Green ” RM and S/Lt Alex Pollitt RN are all to be congratulated in the way that Matthew was greeted and briefed by Steve in such a professional and relaxed way, which could not have been easy as Matthew shows little facial emotion but Steve calmly briefed the whole event with patience and good humour.

Others to be mentioned are Chief Air crewman “Paddy Green” and LPHOT Barrow, the ground crew on hand to make sure that there were no problems for getting Matthew in and out of the helicopter and the catering personnel that made such a delightful cake, it did not last long believe me! again all so professional and very much part of the ingredients that made the day.

I really wish that you could have seen the day unfold as I did, to put the flight on would have been enough but the thought behind the gifts and cake will never be forgotten.  We all knew that Matthew and especially his mother would have some tough times ahead but the flight and kindness of everyone involved will no doubt remain with her forever.

I felt so proud that we have people who could do this for a young man they have never met but who had a smile that you would crawl over broken glass for. Everyone involved is a credit to their uniform and the Service they represent, once again, it has been a privilege to be involved with them.

As I said in previous paragraphs, the effort put in on the day was truly remarkable and compassionate, there is so much more that I could tell you, timing was everything as we all later realised, for Matthew sadly died two weeks later.

The only time that his mum could get his flying overalls off of him to wash them, was when he had a bath.  The black and white photo that you can see followed Matthew’s coffin into the Chapel and was placed on top and remained there throughout the service…. Matthew was cremated wearing his overalls.

Alan Rowe, MBE