Showing posts with label farewell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farewell. Show all posts

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Farewell parade for retiring ship

12 February 2011 Last updated at 12:51 GMT The ship's company were joined by the Band of the Royal Marines for the Freedom of the Borough parade

The crew of HMS Chatham have marched through the Kent town for their farewell parade.

The ship's company were joined by the Band of the Royal Marines for the Freedom of the Borough parade.

The Strategic Defence and Security Review revealed the Royal Naval frigate would be withdrawn from service.

Councillor David Brake, the Mayor of Medway, said the parade "marked the final chapter" of the ship's long history with the town.

He added: "It is an honour and a privilege that HMS Chatham and her crew have decided to return for this farewell parade.

"The Royal Navy's connections with Chatham stretch back hundreds of years and I hope that as many people as possible will be out to give the ship's company a stirring farewell."

Cdr Simon Huntington said he was proud to have been granted the Freedom of the Borough by Medway Council.

"Although the day will be tinged with sadness, HMS Chatham has enjoyed more than 20 years of friendship and support from the local people.

Cdr Simon Huntington Cdr Simon Huntington said the day was "tinged with sadness"

"I'm certain that many happy memories of this special bond will remain long after the ship has gone."

The march set off at 1130 GMT from High Street and continued along The Brook and Dock Road.

Road closures were put in place to minimise disruption.

The council said Solomons Road, The Brook and Dock Road were affected.

During 20 years of service with the Royal Navy, HMS Chatham has been employed in anti-piracy, anti-narcotics and humanitarian operations.

It was present at the handover of sovereignty for Hong Kong in 1997 and carried out operations during the Sierra Leone civil war in 2000.

The Plymouth-based ship last visited Chatham Dockyard on Remembrance Day last year.


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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Rainbow Warrior's farewell tour

9 February 2011 Last updated at 09:43 GMT By Annemarie Evans BBC News, Hong Kong Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior (back L) visits Hong Kong on February 9, 2011 Hong Kong's air pollution was commented on by the visiting Greenpeace team The Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior II, has arrived in Hong Kong on its farewell tour to Asia.

It is the swansong of this former British fishing trawler on her farewell tour of Asia.

The ship was bought 22 years ago from compensation money received by the environmental group after the French secret service bombed the original Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand in 1985.

The tour also marks 40 years of Greenpeace actions.

The ship is being replaced by a modern and more environmentally friendly ship later this year. The Rainbow Warrior is III currently being built in Poland.

Lion dancers greeted the crew of the Rainbow Warrior docked at a public pier in Hong Kong's business district.

Marine police had been closely watching the boat, crew members said, possibly nervous of what actions the crew have planned for their three-week stay in the city.

Air pollution

The ship's captain, South African Mike Fincken, remarked on the air pollution he could see round the city's skyscrapers as the ship entered Hong Kong waters.

"I did notice sailing into Hong Kong, there seems to be a continuous sort of haze around the buildings, which I've been told is air pollution," he said.

"Hong Kong, being one of the most affluent cities of the world, really should be counted as a leader towards greener energy solutions."

The group will be holding open days and tours aboard the Rainbow Warrior.

However, it was tight-lipped about actions planned to highlight climate change and what they call Hong Kong's dirty energy policies involving both nuclear power and electricity from coal-fired power stations.

Greenpeace has previously embarrassed the city's leader, Chief Executive Donald Tsang.

It hung a huge "Wanted" banner with his face on it on a finance building in Hong Kong, saying he was a climate change fugitive.


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