“The best thing I’ve ever done”: 30 years of women serving at sea
As the Royal Navy marks 30 years since women first deployed on operations at sea, hear from some of the women currently serving on ships around the globe.
Angela Green is currently a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Steward on UK support ship RFA Argus. She served in the Royal Navy as part of the third ever intake of sea-going women to go through training at HMS Raleigh in 1991.
When at sea on her first ship HMS Alacrity, Angela remembers having to do a beer lift with heavy barrels of beer.
“The lads were smirking, saying to the girls ‘Look, it takes two of you to lift one of these, you can only do half the work we can’. I was only 18 but I picked up a barrel by myself and took it all the way down the gangway, and then came back for another, and another”.
“You had to have a thick skin back then. You had to be one of the lads, most of your mates were lads. Now, you’re just seen as you.”
Lieutenant Emily Harding is a serving Royal Navy Nursing Officer onboard Argus. The ship’s main function is as a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship, with a state of the art hospital facility on board. She says:
“Female nurses have served at sea and in Hospital Ships since World War One, and they number amongst those who faced enemy action and lost their lives over the years. Since being incorporated into the Royal Navy, we are now held at readiness to deploy on global operations at sea or on land.
“As a woman and a nurse in the Royal Navy, I am proud to have the opportunity to serve at sea.”
Engineers from 845 Naval Air Squadron are also deployed on Argus to maintain the Commando Merlin Mark 4 helicopters embarked on the ship. Alice Woodman, an Air Engineering Technician (AET), has served in the Royal Navy for three years.
“I always liked helicopters, maybe because we lived near an airport growing up. My Dad liked the Navy, and so after my exams I looked at joining up and engineering seemed like the best way to work with helicopters.”
“Joining up is the best thing I have ever done. I have learnt lots, and the job has made me very confident. And then there are all the other opportunities in the Navy. So far I have been able to go skydiving in Cyprus and on a trip kitesurfing in Egypt as part of adventurous training as well as deploying overseas on operations”.
AET Danielle Peakman has deployed on a number of operations with Commando Helicopter Force (CHF). She says:
“I always wanted to travel but I think it is a good idea to get a trade first. I was interested in engineering so when I started looking into the Navy I discovered that I can travel alongside my work. At this stage I have been to Norway, and also to Canada and the US while I was on HMS Queen Elizabeth. The work has challenges, but being on ship surrounded by people all the time also has helped me to become more confident.”
RFA Argus is currently deployed to the Caribbean to offer support to the region during hurricane season and assist with maritime security patrols, in partnership with HMS Medway in a UK Task Group.
