February 2012

BULWARK Baltic Visit – The Assault Ship BULWARK paid an unexpected visit to Kiel, the home of the German Navy after winter weather thwarted efforts for a planned visit to Hamburg due to ice on the River Elbe - indeed, the cold snap dominating northern Europe meant few of Germany's ports were open - but Kiel was open!    Thus the BULWARK transited the Kiel Canal with the local media at Kiel promptly dubbeing the ship as the Eis-Flüchtling (ice refugee) and celebrated the appearance of 'a behemoth in Tirpitz Harbour'.   The ship’s embarked Royal Marines Commandos took it upon themselves to go for a run around the city in T-shirts (more sensible members of the ship's company donned warmer attire for their keep fit sessions).    The BULWARK continues the Baltic sojourn with a visit to Gdynia (Poland, on the western shores of Gdansk Bay), in preparation for Exercise Cold Response, the NATO's winter war games in the fjords and valleys of northern Norway, where the "Helicopter Carrier" ILLUSTRIOUS will also feature in the British contribution.