The document is a newsletter from the Bristol University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) and HMS Dasher. It summarizes the unit's activities over the summer, including a 7-week summer deployment that took students as far as Spain for navigation training and visits to ports. It describes the 4 phases of the deployment, visits to HMS Mersey and training with the RAF. It also outlines upcoming recruitment and introduction events for new students joining the URNU.

1. DASHER
DITS
The Periodical from Bristol University Royal Naval Unit and HMS Dasher
Issue 6 – July/August 2014 Editor: Lucy.Hall@bristol.ac.uk
To broaden Naval understanding and develop undergraduates who show potential to become the leaders of tomorrow,
through maritime experience and exposure to the values and ethos of the Royal navy.
CO’s Roundup
Welcome to the Summer’s edition of Dasher Dits. With University terms finishing for
at least two months we crammed the Summer with as many activities as possible,
including the annual Summer Deployment. This year the deployment took us as far
as Spain during 7 weeks of mainly fine weather, great “runs ashore” and navigation
training. As well as the URNU’s deployment the students have spent time onboard
HMS Mersey, and training with the RAF in the countryside around Cranfield. We
have also bid farewell to many students who have graduated and are moving on to
pastures new. We are now, readying ourselves for recruitment, and look forward
welcoming our new entry to Bristol URNU.
Summer Deployment – Phase 1 By Mid J Bone
June saw the start of this year’s Summer Deployment, Operation
Southern Sun, with HMS Dasher in convoy with HMS Exploit
(Birmingham URNU); HMS Ranger (Sussex); and HMS Express (Wales).
Inter-URNU relations of all kinds were strengthened throughout the
deployment, not forgetting the day’s stint on Dasher enjoyed by O/C Will
Koops of HMS Exploit, who was most useful in dealing with the ship’s
“broken” indicators. From wearing 1s in sweltering heat for the Exeter
Armed Forces day to the final transit (where all the ship’s company
became “incapacitated”, and had their roles assumed by the students),
Bristol URNU was tested again and
again, yet continued to thrive.
Plenty of drama was seen - who, after
all, could forget the epic battle between
Mid Crouch and a 3 ft high wall (resulting in a pair of crutches) and the beach
volleyball match to rival Top Gun. Though these traumatic experiences might have
shaken the layman never to step foot on a P2000 again, all these bumps were
carefully smoothed out by Padre Aspin though a tactful and compassionate church
sermon, wherein shanties and songs of triumph filled the air. In sum, a fun-packed
deployment, filled with excellent weather and beautiful locations was enjoyed by all.
Summer Deployment – Phases 2 & 3 By O/C A Boyd
As we embarked after a tiring ferry trip to South France, we were welcomed with
beautiful sunshine and warm weather. After BBQ's by the harbour side at Lorient, we
were set for La Rochelle. The architecture stood out in all its antique glory, and the city's
endless supplies of cheap bakery goods and plenty of rounds of card games amused us
as we had to wait for poor weather conditions to pass. However, no one could forget Mid
Jinks’ refusal to dine at a seafood restaurant that served fish without chips. We
continued on with an overnight passage to the delightful Northern Spanish coast. The
passage was accompanied with endless dit-spinning, although mostly songs composed
by Mid MacDonald and Mid Saunders. Getaria's stunning scenery and golden beaches
acted as an encouragement for even more intense physical training from Mid Childs.
However, Bilbao was undeniably the phase's favourite city: Amrita's fantastic curry that
was cooked for a joint Birmingham URNU gathering will be remembered by many; the
Winston Churchill cocktail bar, which looked like a pub and confused us all, but served
generously large portions; a trip to the Guggenheim that found the boys feel frightened
and disturbed after venturing into the Yoko Ono exhibition; not to mention, me getting
stuck at the top of a crate after my attempt at a totem pole.

2. All in all this phase was fantastic fun, finishing with a fantastic social in Santander organised by Mid Jinks. If any advice
was to come out of this trip, it would most likely be never to order a "meat platter" in Spain, unless you're looking for a
plate covered in slices of chorizo.
Phase 3 started in sunny Bilbao with more trips to the Guggenheim, and other art galleries and museums which inspired
creativity for drawings and models of Dasher to be judged by the Boss (and be
set free in the river by Caoimhe.) Discovering a free hidden festival on the
outskirts of Bilbao was a definite night to remember, as was dressing up in Top
Gun attire, and experiencing Birmingham URNU’s conversion of the interior of
HMS Exploit into a mission impossible style secret headquarters. We also
discovered the only Spanish restaurant ever that served vegetarian and vegan
options, much to Mid Partridge and Mid Walters’ delight! Oli's orienteering
challenge was also a highlight, which led students all across the town of Gijon to
collect points. Cultural immersion didn’t end there, with cycling in the pouring
rain and surfing on sunnier days in Hendaye; the discovery of Monsieur Bon-
Bon, the obscure cider pourer; as well as being invited by French market stall
owners to a local musical event. To wrap it all off we witnessed the questionable
linguistic skills of Sam Cooper who poorly translated in French to a doctor after
my allergic reaction to lemonade on the ferry home!
Summer Deployment – Phase 4 By Mid J Bone
Tying off the end of the deployment with a speedy transition through the Bay of Biscay, the
crew of Phase 4 had large boots to fill! With students speedily picking up new skills, Dasher
enjoyed a few early harbour days: appreciating the extraordinary dunes of Arcachon and
organising a hilarious and lucrative set of ship’s horse races in La Rochelle with HMS Exploit.
The highlight for me was when I took on the mantle of CO for the day (a lot in the annual
charity auction), whereupon we acquired one Mid Skelley who proved to be rather skilful at
navigation. In addition to assuming command of the
ship, including taking her onto and off the berth, I was
delighted to adopt the boss’ Lieutenant tabs, and hold
a mock Captain’s Table (a disciplinary hearing
onboard ship). Simultaneously, Exploit fell under new
command (legitimately this time), and a few days later we bade a fond farewell
to Lt Shaw, as a new CO filled his shoes. At this transition, Dasher became the
senior ship and led the convoy to Roscoff, whereupon the various ships parted
ways and Dasher returned to Portsmouth to begin refit. Now out of the water, we
eagerly await Dasher’s new, more powerful engines so that we may seek out
new horizons and new ports, and boldly go where no URNU has gone before.
HMS Mersey By O/C C Crouch
Over the course of July, ten students had the opportunity to
spend a week deployed on HMS Mersey. During the course
of the week students shadowed each of the departments
onboard, learning about how an actively deployed vessel
conducts its duties. We kept watches across the clock and
learnt about navigating a ship four times the size of our own
HMS Dasher. This involved entirely new aspects such as
cross-questioning fishing vessels in the area about their
activity, as well as observing the embarkation and
disembarkation of the sea boat if boarding was required.
Additionally, one of the larger responsibilities we were
allowed to take on was the opportunity to take the con on the
bridge - luckily no disasters came of this! However, I certainly
remember one nerve-wracking moment being handed the
intercom and told that it was dialling the Captain for me to
give him a shipping report! All students thoroughly enjoyed being able to extend what they had learned onboard HMS
Dasher to a larger ship with an autopilot, as well as learning to conduct box patrols, rather than just following a
navigational track.

3. Away from the bridge, students had the opportunity to have an acquaint with the
ME Department, including a tour of the engine and generator rooms, as well as
spending an afternoon helping out Leading Chef "Tag" in the galley. This
culminated in helping to prepare a roast dinner for all 40 personnel onboard –
no small feat!
All in all - a great few weeks! And we certainly came away knowing a lot more
about the role of the Fishery Protection Squadron in protecting our waters, as
well as having a greater understanding about how the roles of personnel and
procedures as we see them on HMS Dasher, scale up for larger vessels.
Exercise Salalah Strike By T Ballard
For the second time this summer, Bristol URNU were invited to join the UAS on their STRIKE
Exercise, learning field craft and basic infantry tactics. With a learning curve that rapidly
increased as the days went on; it was not the difficulty of the tasks at hand, but the force of
Mother Nature and the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha which forced evacuation from tent city as
every tent suffered flood damage and, proved in the short term, uninhabitable. We transitioned
to one of the accommodation blocks within Cranwell and from there continued training until
being woken at 4am to depart on Ex SALALAH STRIKE in STANTA training area.
After fighting through a multitude of contacts to reach the forward operating base, each flight was tasked separately for
patrols, ambushes, guarding of the FOB and other tasks. The use of a Merlin to "tactically" insert flights to certain
positions for these tasks was certainly a good experience as they practiced evasive manoeuvres during the flight. With
the constant threat of "casualties" medical training was undertaken by a few and it added a new dimension to the
Exercise; mainly confusion when the Enemy came under the white flag. The manning of the walls and sangars for the
hours early in the morning lead to some "hallucinations" which turned out to be people in suits, the gorilla for example
that demanded banana's to leave us alone. This being said however, with enemy attacks frequent there were plenty of
chances to engage the enemy and the sound of rifle fire could be heard across the training area almost constantly.
After the completion of the exercise, forced rest for one night and beverages for the other were the tasks we had to face
and in typical Bristol URNU fashion we obliged - arguably showing the UAS how it should be done. The social rounded
off an extremely fun and challenging exercise and is defiantly worth doing again.
Upcoming Events
25 Aug - 5 Sept Summer Flying Camp
19 September UWE Recruitment
26 September University of Bath and University of Bristol Recruitment
30 September Introduction Evening
We’re always looking to volunteer, assist and maximise the experience for Students. Planning an
event? Need some help? Please get in touch
0117 966 8667 ext 2176 or Lucy.Hall@bristol.ac.uk