Views from the Fleet Flagship 11

Posted on Tuesday 2 November 2021

Presenting the 11th in our exclusive series for members, admirably co-ordinated by our Trustee onboard, Lt Samuel Williams.

What is your role onboard?

I am Lt Cdr Scott and I am the Officer Commanding Role 2 Afloat onboard HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. My day to day role sees me ensuring the Team, the medical equipment and department are all ready to receive casualties should the need arise, liaising with the CSG Medical Advisor and understanding the operational situation and how that effects our possible requirement of casualty evacuation and access to Host Nation Role 3 Hospital support and potential Aero-medical Evacuation back to the UK and when not required I unwind by reading, completing a family cross-stitch and outside of this role on Op FOTIS, I am the Senior Nursing Officer of Maritime Deployed Hospital Group.

Career highlights include, 3 Operational Tours to Afghanistan (Op HERRICK 5, 9 & 14), attendance at the Florence Nightingale Service of Remembrance, Exercises with Commando Forward Surgical Group and Maritime Role 3 onboard RFA ARGUS and I am a member of the QARNNS Association.

 

What has the ship been up to in the past fortnight?

In the last two weeks we have conducted various exercises with different nations comprising of the USA, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and India. We have also conducted Defence Engagement with Singapore and are currently on our final day of DE with India and both have been deemed very successful.

For R2A, we have also been activated in the last two weeks and delivered Damage Control Surgery at sea; demonstrating the need for this capability whilst operating at extended timelines to access R3 Hospitals. We have also faced incredibly complex casualty evacuations due to the current COVID 19 pandemic in the areas of the world that we have been operating and there being strict entry and quarantine requirements.

So both a first for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and a highlight for most is the Crossing the Line ceremony. Some 1100 sailors were visited by the ‘Bears’ the night before crossing the Equator and then called upon by King Neptune; they were then shaved by the barbers and medicated by the doctors and then washed by the bears (in large swimming pools on the flight deck!) when we officially crossed the line. Possibly for me, a once in a lifetime opportunity to be involved in and I feel very lucky to have been included in this momentous occasion.

Photo: PSA VF3 – Role 2 Afloat – The embarked military deployed hospital group and their CO, Lt Cdr Vicky Scott of the QARNNS (centre).

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