A frigate with strong ties to the region is among the fleet sent to the Gulf. In the first of a series, HMS Richmond reports on the role the crew have played in the conflict

THURSDAY, MARCH 20 THE ship first saw action on the day the first cruise missiles were fired on Iraq.

Orders were to close on the coast of Iraq to offer naval gunfire support should troops be sent across the border to back up the missile attacks.

But it soon became clear there would be no immediate ground assault and the guns on board remained silent.

Perhaps those tested most were in the galley. While the ship was still at action stations, the cooks dealt with their first "action messing", requiring them to feed the 200-strong crew as they passed through the dining hall one at a time.

Everyone got a hot sausage and bacon roll and a drink which later proved essential.

Action stations was sounded a second time at 10pm, and while moving swiftly into position off the Iraqi coast, reports came in of a missile heading towards coalition positions.

The ship's weapons were readied for use but were not required because the missile landed in the sea.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21 THE ship continued to move closer to the Iraqi coast in the early hours of the morning, testing the skills of the navigation officer.

The water is only seven metres deep in places, and a constant watch for mines was essential.

But the crew were in position in the Kawr Ad Allh waterway in time to offer gun support for the Royal Marines poised to move on the Al Faw peninsula.

The patrol was made much more difficult by the shallow water and the constant threat of mines, as the frigate was operating ahead of the fleet's mine-sweepers.

Strong currents and underwater oil pipelines added to the hazards, while the ship was well within range of attacks by Iraqi gunboats or missiles launched from shore batteries.

As a precaution, most of the crew were assigned to posts above the waterline, although some key personnel manning the weapons detection systems and control centre had to remain below One Deck.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22 AS TROOPS swept east towards Umm Qasr, Basra and the Al Faw peninsula, HMS Richmond offered gunfire support.

Royal Marines on board Richmond, from the Fleet Protection Group, protected the rest of the fleet with continuous patrols by jet-pac boat.

Richmond joined two more from the fleet, neutralising a number of Iraqi targets ashore, using the minimum number of shells fired by the 4.5in main gun and playing an important part in the amphibious assault of the Al Faw peninsula in the opening phase of the war

05/04/2003