Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2005/HMAS Anzac's tour of triumph in Northern Trident
Story by Leut Rachel Irving
HMAS ANZAC Northern Trident Gallery
It had to happen eventually. HMAS Anzac's Northern Trident deployment ended last month with the frigate's return to Fleet Base West.
Greeted by friends and family, Anzac returned home in the sunshine on August 15, after a six-month deployment, which saw the ship partly retrace the convoy route of WWI, from Albany to Gallipoli.
The deployment, touted as 'the trip of a lifetime', proved to be just that, with the ship the first RAN warship to visit many of the ports, either for the first time or in some cases, since World War II.
Anzac travelled more than 20,000 nautical miles as she promoted the Royal Australian Navy and Western Australia to the world.
The ship participated in some of the largest events of the year, including Anzac Day at Gallipoli and of course the much publicized Trafalgar 200 celebrations in Portsmouth in June.
The T200 celebrations were perhaps the greatest spectacle that any of the ship's company will ever witness again, with more than 170 warships lining the Solent and thousands of tallships and smaller craft filling the water in a tribute to the life and death of Admiral Lord Nelson.
Anzac's ship's company travelled the Nile and visited the Pyramids, they experienced the delights of Turkey and particularly Marmaris, the tapas of Spain and the hospitality of the Irish. They climbed the Rock of Gibraltar and dived with Great White Sharks in South Africa.
But it was a lot of hard work as well, with hundreds of official engagements and promotions, thousands of visitors, including 10,000 in Portsmouth alone, and hours of preparation in each port to ensure the ship looked her best.
Anzac hosted Defence and industry representatives around the world and promoted WA industry as well, including a WA wine event in Ireland.
The frigate performed well against some of the best ships in the world when she participated in Neptune Warrior, the Joint Maritime Course off the coast of Scotland, and had a chance to work with warships not normally seen by the Australians, including German, South African, French and Indian ships.
Hosting the Australian Wallabies Rugby team for a BBQ in South Africa was a surreal moment for many onboard and five members of the ship's company, re-named the Johannesburg five, flew from the ship in Simon's Town SA to Johannesberg's Ellis Park to see the Wallabies in action against the Springboks.
After a short stop at Reunion Island, Anzac arrived home, her crew weary but with memories to last a lifetime.
The ship will conduct a short stint as part of Op Relex II before heading into dry dock for maintenance later this year.
