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HMS SOVEREIGN |
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I returned for my second stint onboard HMS Sovereign in June 1994 following a brief job working in HMS Neptune for Nuclear Projects and a short stint as a Lagging Supervisor in HMS Drake again.
Sovereign was, by this time, in refit in Rosyth. Whilst in refit, the ships company lived in HMS Caledonia before the Navy decided to shut down HMS Cochrane. This presented them with a problem. Where were they going to accommodate all the ratings from Cochrane? Suddenly HMS Caledonia was bursting at the seams. So much so that Sovereign’s ships company was asked to find alternative accommodation in the town and the Navy would pay us lodging allowance of £500 per person.
Myself and mate, Bill, rented a flat for about 18 months and lived very well indeed. During this period, I was awarded my Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and later, promoted to Petty Officer. |
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I left HMS Sovereign in October 1996 to join HMS Excellent for Petty Officers Leadership Course before starting my POMEM’s Qualifying Course at HMS Sultan. |
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Type |
Swiftsure Class |
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Primary Role |
Hunter Killer |
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Pennant No |
S108 |
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Displacement |
4900 tons |
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Length |
272 ft |
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Beam |
33 ft |
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Complement |
116 |
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Propulsion |
Pressurised Water Reactor providing heat to generate steam driving two steam turbines into a duel tandem, single helical double reduction gearbox with a single output shaft and propulsor |
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Armaments |
5 torpedo tubes capable of firing: Mk 24 Tigerfish Torpedoes, RN Sub Harpoon Missiles (RNSH) and later on Tomahawk Missiles (TLAM) |