Last T-boat bows out in Plymouth
Submariners are celebrating the Trafalgar class vessel as it passes into history
The formal act of decommissioning the final Trafalgar class submarine means the book has closed on what the Royal Navy is calling a 'proud chapter' as the vessel is passed into the history books.
The T-boat has been in operation for more than 40 years, with all seven at one time at the forefront of underwater warfare, first as Cold War warriors, later adapting to a new world order when the Soviet Union collapsed.
Crews of the last two T-boats in service, Talent and Triumph, held Divisions at HMS Drake in Devonport, with former Trafalgar crews invited to join them for the decommissioning service.
A Colour Party and Guard comprising submariners from Talent and Triumph, as well as veterans from the Royal Naval Associations and Royal British Legion paraded in front of friends and families of the Submarine Service who had gathered for the occasion in Plymouth.
Taking the salute was Captain Dave Burrell, who served in a string of T-boats, was Executive Officer of both Talent and Triumph and, as skipper of HMS Trenchant, took her to the North Pole.
He was joined by Guest of Honour and Triumph’s Sponsor, Lady Hamilton (her husband was Armed Forces Minister when the boat was launched back in February 1991).
Also enjoying proceedings was one of the UK’s oldest submariners, WW2 veteran John Harlow, veteran of patrols in WW2 and T-boat veteran from an earlier era, including service aboard HMS Truculent and Teredo.
'The boat was a marvel'
Captain Burrell told all present he was mesmerised by the T-boats from the moment he first stepped aboard HMS Tireless in 2003. “The boat was a marvel, the people inspiring, and the mission was challenging.”
Since then he said the submarines “had become a second home”.
Captain Burrell added: “They are the last of the Cold War warriors, although the Cold War never went away.
"We continued to play our dangerous game.
“I asked the Royal Navy’s most senior submariners how I should describe the Trafalgar class. They said simply: utterly brilliant submarines.”
Former nuclear engineer Craig Spacey, who served in Trenchant and Torbay, and now works for BAE was among the T-boat veterans who felt the pull to celebrate the class.
“Are there any interesting stories I can tell? No, we did a lot of missions which we cannot talk about,” he said. “But the T-boats were great, great camaraderie on board. You’ll probably get the same response from every submariner here: what keeps you in the Service is the people, the fun, the comradeship.”
Mr Harlow, who hails from south Devon, was delighted to be among honorary guests. “This is absolutely great – I cannot believe it. We are different ages and we talk different languages but I understand what they have gone through being under the water.”
200 years of collective service
Since 2009, when the first of the seven successor Astute-class submarines arrived on the scene, the boats of the Trafalgar class have been gradually phased out. HMS Agamemnon, which is almost complete in Barrow, will replace HMS Talent, while Triumph’s duties will ultimately be taken up by the final A-boat, HMS Achilles, later this decade.
Collectively T-boats have served for more than 200 years with Triumph completing the longest career of the seven submarines: 34 years.
'It is time to rest'
Capt Burrell concluded his address with a brief eulogy for the class of submarines: “It is time to rest easy Trafalgar, Turbulent, Tireless, Torbay, Trenchant, Talent and Triumph.
"It’s now someone else’s turn.”