HMS Brecon (M29)
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-->HMS Brecon was a Hunt Class mine counter measures vessel (MCMV) that served with the Royal Navy. Her pennant number was M29.
Service
Brecon was built at Vosper Thornycroft, the lead yard for the Hunt Class. She was launched by the Duchess of Kent and commissioned on 18th December 1979. Brecon saw service during the Falklands War (1982) and the Gulf War (1991). In 1998 she was assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron. She acted as guardship to the tall ships race when it visited Greenock in 1999.
-->Brecon was the first Royal Navy vessel to be commanded by a woman. Lieutenant Charlotte Atkinson became commanding officer of HMS Brecon in January 2004. "Charlie" was the only woman among the 45-strong crew of the ship. Her historic appointment came 14 years after the Royal Navy first began admitting female officers on equal terms with men.
Brecon's assignment to the Northern Ireland Squadron required modifications from her traditional minesweeping duties to become a fully capable patrol platform. This included the addition of Rigid Inflatable Boats and embarkation of a 10-strong Royal Marine boarding team.
Decomissioning
-->Brecon was scheduled to be decomissioned following defence cuts annouced in 2004 by the British Ministry of Defence. The ship's company held a last Divisions and decomissioning ceremony on 19th July 2005.
Trivia
Brecon's BFPO number was 235. She was affiliated with the town of Brecon, Powys. Her ship's crest depicted the cloak of the Master of the Brecon Hunt.External links
- [Northern Ireland Squadron decommissions] - www.navynews.co.uk
- [20,000 jobs go in defence cuts] - news.bbc.co.uk (21 July 2004)
- [Charlotte takes command of Hunt Class warship] -- www.royal-navy.mod.uk
- [HMS Brecon old shipmates] - www.forcesreunited.org
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