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00:06hello and welcome to his majesty's naval base Devonport here in Plymouth for hundreds of
00:12years this place has been a home to the Royal Navy and around half the nation's fleet is based here
00:19this is a remarkable place thousands of service men and women pass through here every week there
00:27are billions of pounds worth of warships and weapons and enough food to feed a Navy and then
00:33there's the staff and crew who live in and around the base we're here at a time of serious
00:43international tension when the Royal Navy has never been busier and they've given us access across the
00:55fleet you feel it reverberating through your whole body you feel like you could reach out touch that
01:02that is wild just off our bow is a Russian submarine throughout these special programs we're lifting
01:11the lid what are you doing on what life is really like in Britain's Navy today I'm sure you tied
01:19that
01:19tie correctly before being dragged through a hedge you sound like my mum come on these boys are fit
01:26this is a different league within a different league I do feeling very safe hands thank you very much
01:35this is warship life in the Royal Navy coming up the ship was going over fires everywhere and water
01:44was coming in the port side and we were listing JJ finds out about the last British warship to be
01:50lost
01:50in battle I found myself on the deck tied up in wires and I thought that this was my lot
01:56this was
01:56where I'd end my life Dwayne's in deep water facing the challenge of his life it's a very high stress
02:04environment what could go wrong trapped underwater with just seconds to escape before he runs out of air
02:16and even as HMS dragon braves a huge storm the hold of the upper deck is now out of bounds
02:22the ship will roll heavily
02:26below decks standards must still be upheld that is a lot of hair absolutely
02:49hello and welcome to warship life in the Royal Navy we're down on the jetty alongside HMS St Albans
02:55as she is murdered in her home base of Devonport Plymouth now just a few weeks ago I was invited
03:02to hop
03:02on board HMS Dragon as she was training for a major NATO deployment well tonight that story continues
03:13HMS Dragon is a type 45 destroyer one of the Royal Navy's most advanced warships and home to over 200
03:22men
03:22and women for harvest stations for the past few weeks the crew have been preparing for a critical
03:29deployment leading a large NATO task force to deter Russian aggression in northern Europe
03:39and making sure the ship's weapons are in good working order
03:47but before spending months away at sea every single bit of the ship needs to be ready
03:54on HMS Dragon men and women have separate quarters and the girls have invited me to hang out in their
04:01mess
04:05it's actually really nice in here yeah they're not bad at all they're comfy is there a better bunk to
04:11be in a bottom or a top bottom away from the door so you can't hear the noise and you
04:15get complete
04:16as much privacy as you can get here yeah yeah so I am looking at light little home comforts
04:25this is Dario hi Dario um tell me about him um so it's a Christmas present for my boyfriend
04:37HMS Dragon is in the North Sea about to begin intense work before her deployment
04:45but reports of a storm building have just reached the ship
04:50can I come in George hello come in how's things yeah good thank you very much
04:55all those look dramatic yeah it's a slightly poorer picture than we were hoping for but we'll make it
05:01work Lieutenant George Tulloch is HMS Dragon's current weatherman
05:08usually the ship would navigate around the storm but with the imminent NATO mission time is of the
05:14essence so HMS Dragon has no choice but to stick to their current course and go right through it
05:21we've got quite a large low situated uh northwest of the united kingdom yeah which is going to be causing
05:26most of that unpleasant weather okay so i'm i'm thinking the kind of redder it is the nastier it
05:33yeah the yellows and the oranges aren't going to be particularly comfortable okay is that navy speak
05:38for it's going to be really nasty and we're all going to be sick it's going to be quite unpleasant
05:41for
05:41those that get seasick that's fair to say okay and presumably you have to sort of batten everything
05:46down everything away the ship should be secure everything locked down such that when we do hit
05:51those bad sea states uh nothing is going to go flying around while the ship braces for the coming storm
06:00life continues below deck with over 200 people living in such close quarters cleanliness isn't optional it's
06:13essential every mess must be in ship shape condition ahead of today's big inspection oh hang on a minute
06:20oh i know that job just what you do at home yeah but imagine 30 people using your shower oh
06:26my goodness
06:26okay that's not fun and is that literally a day's worth of it's about a week okay a week
06:34i'm back in the girls mess for bathroom clean-up
06:39that is a lot of hair yeah oh my god i thought mine at home was bad with my hair
06:46i'm sort of advocating that you all have short back and sides
06:52the crew are almost ready for the big inspection
06:59but outside the weather's getting worse right then i'm going to go and find some sleep sick pills
07:07life on board hms dragon is getting more difficult
07:16i just want to point out you can't put this on video because it makes us look like we're
07:25not going to be able to do it with the ship now battling some heavy seas i'm heading to the
07:29bridge
07:29to speak to captain ian giffin
07:34i was told to expect some slightly lively weather yeah just a bit yeah we've got 45 50 knots of
07:40wind
07:40at the minute across the upper deck uh so it's definitely gale force outside
07:44with waves rising to 10 meters anyone on the upper deck risks being swept into the freezing waters of
07:51the north sea we were proceeding out to a location to do some gunnery but based on the conditions
07:56it's only going to get worse the further offshore we go um and we've made the call that we're just
08:00going to postpone that to another day it's just not safe right there for people in the upper deck
08:04the ship can can weather it but it's actually putting people on the upper deck to do
08:07the activities and that's the risk and it's just not worth it at the minute no so all we're doing
08:12it's weathering at the moment and we'll slowly make our way down down the north sea well i do
08:16feeling very safe hands thank you very much do you hear that this is piwa in the operations room
08:23due to the inclement seas the hold of the upper deck is now out of bounds the ship will roll
08:30heavily
08:30that is all right now we are absolutely at the mercy of this storm and all i and the ship's
08:40company can
08:41do is ride it out and stay safe until it passes
08:54rather you than me those are some some pretty tasty waves they were a little bit um lively as
09:00the navy like to say yes they've ever understated aren't they really understated but i tell you what i
09:05did learn there's a reason why no sailors wear stilettos at sea whatever anyone says all right
09:11noted i will not pack them in the future leave them at home anyway here's what's coming up in the
09:17rest of
09:17the program the ship was going over fires everywhere and water was coming in the port side i hear the
09:25incredible story of a survivor from the last royal navy warship to be sunk in battle i found myself on
09:32the
09:32deck tied up in wires and i thought that this was my lot this was where i'd end my life
09:38and duane's in
09:39for the challenge of a lifetime as he finds himself trapped underwater learning how to survive a helicopter
10:09crash
10:10welcome back and welcome to this massive hangar at the back of hms st albans a royal navy frigate based
10:16here
10:16in plymouth now when this warship heads off to sea on operations this entire space can be filled
10:22with a military helicopter now they are supremely impressive aircraft as our man duane fields discovered
10:32when warships go to sea on operations
10:35stay at 207 45
10:38they often take along one of the biggest helicopters in the royal navy's arsenal
10:44merlin helicopters are used for everything from hunting for enemy submarines
10:50to delivering royal marines into battle
10:55and i've been invited to fly in one but first i have to complete a special training course here at
11:01their home in the ovalton now all i've been told is it can be quite scary and i should pack
11:07some speedos
11:08here goes
11:16fellas i'm looking for a man called dale yeah that's dale awesome good to meet you
11:21before i can fly in a helicopter instructor dale glenn must prepare me for the worst case scenario
11:27this is awesome this isn't your typical local leisure center is it no no this is a helicopter
11:32underwater escape training simulator are we allowed to have a look absolutely the training i'm about
11:40to undertake is designed to teach people how to escape if merlin helicopter crashes into the sea
11:47so actually i'm going to be sitting in one of these seats right you are yeah you're going to be
11:50strapped in i'm about to be repeatedly submerged whilst trapped inside this capsule
11:56i'll be strapped in and need to release the fastenings to make an underwater escape
12:01how do i prepare for this what advice do you give me composure is the key it's a very high
12:07stress environment you can't breathe underwater it's not a natural environment for you to be in
12:13what could go wrong nothing i hope
12:19just like all helicopter air crews i must pass this course before i can fly
12:25so if i don't manage it today i won't be going up
12:34all of this feels very unnatural to be strapped into a vessel that's going to be submerged in water
12:40it all feels really counterintuitive but here goes you three are going to go out of this window here
12:48you four out of that door okay everyone happy should we give it a go yep okay
13:00with safety divers in position as soon as the pods fully submerged i'll begin my escape
13:08i need to release my seat belt locate the nearest window and get out
13:12freeze freeze freeze stand boy all while holding my breath
13:37so
13:53honestly it felt like a lifetime absolutely absolutely terrifying
14:00All in all, the scariest thing I've probably ever done.
14:04But it's not over yet.
14:06My test is about to get even harder.
14:10This time, once the capsule's underwater,
14:13it will then flip upside down,
14:16replicating the worst possible scenario in a real-life crash.
14:20Now, the key is that you need to do this drill
14:23exactly the same as when you did it upright.
14:25If you decide to become gymnasts
14:27and start flipping yourselves upside down
14:29and back the right way round,
14:30that's when you're going to get into trouble.
14:34Ready in the module.
14:36Brace, brace, brace.
14:50As soon as we're underwater,
14:52we're immediately thrown upside down.
14:56I can't see a thing, but I need to find the exit
15:00before I run out of air.
15:12With my lungs desperate for oxygen,
15:14I manage to find my way out just in time.
15:23This is honestly not a pleasant experience.
15:26That thing is what nightmares are made of.
15:29I'm not going to lie. I'm glad it's over.
15:32Now the question is, did I do enough to pass?
15:38Yes.
15:38It's given me a sense of how terrifying a real accident could be.
15:41Yeah.
15:42This is in a safe, simulated environment.
15:45Yeah.
15:45And I am honestly terrified.
15:47Yeah.
15:48But I think it's incredibly useful as well.
15:50You've done a really, really good job,
15:51and we watched you in there,
15:53and you did your drills well,
15:55and I'm pleased to say that you passed the dunker.
15:58Yes!
15:59All right, here's your certificate.
15:59Thank you so much.
16:01Well done.
16:05I'm now cleared to fly on a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter.
16:10It's incredible what these men and women have to go through
16:12just to do their daily job.
16:14I do have to say, though,
16:16I feel a little bit more prepared for my flight on a Merlin.
16:19That said, I'm going to go and find a nice warm shower.
16:28Amazing stuff.
16:29I can't wait to see how he gets on later in the programme.
16:32Now, the British Navy have warships at sea all over the world,
16:36but thankfully their missions rarely see them thrust into battle.
16:39In fact, the last time the Royal Navy lost a warship
16:43was during the Falklands conflict.
16:48On the 2nd of April, 1982,
16:52Argentinian forces invaded the Falkland Islands,
16:55a remote British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean.
17:04Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
17:06ordered British military forces to retake the islands.
17:11At precisely 10.15 this morning,
17:13the operation and Britain's commitment to this task force had begun.
17:19Within days, the Royal Navy assembled a task force of 127 ships.
17:25Godspeed, they shouted.
17:27And then, more softly,
17:29come back safely.
17:39Part of the flotilla steaming 8,000 miles south through the Atlantic Ocean
17:43was HMS Coventry, a destroyer with a crew of nearly 300,
17:48none of whom knew that they would be involved in one of the most infamous events
17:52of the entire conflict.
17:56Chris.
17:57Nice to meet you.
17:58Hi.
17:59Good to meet you.
17:59Such a pleasure.
18:00Shall we take a wander round to the exhibition?
18:03Sure.
18:04One of the sailors on board HMS Coventry was Chris Howe.
18:08Back then, a 25-year-old petty officer.
18:12Can you remember how you heard about the Argentinian invasion of the Falklands?
18:17Well, yeah, on the 2nd of April, Captain Hartdyke told us that the Falklands
18:21had been invaded and we were to sail immediately down into the,
18:26what was first called the Maritime Exclusion Zone.
18:29You were a well-drilled ship, but did this feel different?
18:33It didn't really feel different until we actually got into the thick of it.
18:37You realise then this is for real.
18:42HMS Coventry sailed across the Atlantic Ocean,
18:46arriving at the north side of the Falklands.
18:49Chris's job in the ops room was to detect any incoming attacks
18:53from the Argentinians, but information on their air force was scarce.
18:59My position in the operations room was the eyes and ears of the ship.
19:03Is something coming? What is it? Analyse it.
19:06And then start making your countermeasures to evade that threat
19:10or indeed take it out.
19:14HMS Coventry was ordered to sail close to the shore
19:17and lure enemy aircraft away from the advancing British forces
19:21landing on the east of the island.
19:23So Coventry was being used as a sort of decoy whilst troops were landing.
19:29We were called a missile trap and it was a bit of a suicide mission.
19:33But nobody really believed that we would get into a situation
19:36that we would get attacked by Argentine aircraft.
19:39And on the 25th of May, that's what was to happen.
19:47HMS Coventry was attacked by two Argentine jets,
19:52flying low to hide from the ship's radar.
19:57Three bombs struck the British warship with devastating consequences.
20:04One blast destroyed the operations room where Chris was working.
20:11This is big, isn't it?
20:15Just outside the Fleet Air Arm Museum is this military cemetery
20:20where some Falklands heroes have been buried.
20:26What's your memory of the ship being struck?
20:30So we stood in the ops room
20:32and then the next thing was a low, dull thud
20:38of something hitting the ship and the impact.
20:40And then everything went into slow motion.
20:50I found myself on the deck tied up in wires.
20:53There was thick black smoke everywhere.
20:55My arm was on fire.
20:57I was putting my arm out with my hand.
20:59And I was in a lot of distress and pain.
21:05The adrenaline must have been really running hard.
21:08And I pulled the wires away.
21:10I realised I was seriously injured.
21:12So the whole of my back legs, my arms and my face
21:16had been badly burnt.
21:18And I thought that this was my lot.
21:20This was where I'd end my life.
21:27They managed to get me into one of the higher decks.
21:30The ship was going over, fires everywhere.
21:36And water was coming in the port side and we were listening.
21:46I saw a picture of my wife and my boys.
21:52And that's where I said my life wouldn't end here.
21:59The attack on HMS Coventry claimed the lives of 19 Royal Navy sailors.
22:06To this day, she remains the last British warship to be sunk in conflict.
22:14What do you think, looking at these?
22:17It was 43 years ago now.
22:20It's sometimes hard to believe that he went through that.
22:23And when I look at my pictures of my injuries and my burns,
22:26you know, you sometimes think, well, that must be somebody else.
22:29Yeah.
22:31And you get through, don't you?
22:32Yeah, you do.
22:33With support from your friends and family and other veterans.
22:36Yeah.
22:43Just 20 days after Coventry's demise, on the 14th of June, 1982,
22:50Argentinian forces surrendered, marking a decisive British victory.
22:54As the British celebrated their victory,
22:58Argentina's soldiers returned to a country shamed by its defeat.
23:09To us and to the Navy, the story of HMS Coventry is history.
23:15And it's important that it's remembered.
23:18Particularly those that served aboard her.
23:21But to Chris, it's his life.
23:25And to hear that story firsthand, that was a privilege.
23:35What a remarkable story.
23:38And so courageous of Chris to tell it to us.
23:41Yeah, he's been through a lot.
23:43And hats off to him, as you say, for being able to share that story
23:46and helping us remember all of those brave men who didn't come home that day.
23:50Well, thank you, Chris.
23:52Here's what's coming up on the rest of the programme.
23:55I take the wheel of HMS Dragon.
23:59That ship does look like it's coming straight for us.
24:02And do my best to avoid a head-on collision.
24:06I'm now quite nervous.
24:10And Dwayne must conquer his vertigo.
24:13Have a good time to tell you that I'm afraid of light.
24:16As he joins a mission on a Merlin helicopter that leaves no room for error.
24:21Let's go for granted.
24:45Hello, and welcome back to Warship Life in the Royal Navy.
24:48We are inside HMS St. Albans.
24:51This is two decks, the main corridor, that runs pretty much the length of the entire ship.
24:56Now, with around 200 personnel living and working in such close proximity,
25:00it's important they keep up the standards,
25:02as Kate found out on board HMS Dragon as it geared up for major operations.
25:14In the North Sea, HMS Dragon is battling enormous waves.
25:21Despite the tricky conditions outside, below decks, life must continue as normal.
25:27We are in sea state four or five.
25:30Yeah, something like that.
25:32And there's a man piping mashed potato onto a cottage pie.
25:38That's artistry. It's beautiful.
25:41Chief Petty Officer Lee Rushworth is one of HMS Dragon's 12 chefs.
25:47Just because we're at sea doesn't mean that the standards should drop.
25:50This is our job. This is our pride.
25:51Yeah.
25:52And what goes out on that counter is a visual representation of this compartment on board the ship.
25:58With everyone around me working so hard, I can't just stand by and watch.
26:03I know lunch is about to go out.
26:05Yeah, we've got 25 minutes before watchkeeper's lunch.
26:0835 minutes. Put me to work.
26:14This close to service, the only job left involves the piping on the cottage pie I saw earlier.
26:20No.
26:21I haven't got the gist of this.
26:22You need to squeeze quite hard.
26:23As it goes down, just wrap around your thumb.
26:28That's better.
26:29You make it look so easy, and it really isn't.
26:32Easy.
26:33Look, he's biting it. He's literally biting his tongue.
26:36He's going, how can anyone be so inept?
26:40He's biting it.
26:42He's biting it.
26:46At mealtimes, Lee and his team feed over 200 members of the crew in less than an hour.
26:53There you are.
26:56Which also serves as the only break in between their long shifts.
27:01There's gravy, there's beans and jack potatoes.
27:04Sounds lovely, thank you.
27:05He doesn't mind that my mashed potato piping was tightly rubbish.
27:13How's the shepherd's pie?
27:15Oh, it's lovely, thank you very much.
27:16Was it the best piping you've ever seen?
27:18Oh, definitely.
27:24Sadly for the crew, mealtime is soon over.
27:29And thankfully for us all, so too is the storm.
27:35Steer 207.
27:37Port 5.
27:38200.
27:39On the bridge, able seaman Blake Curley is the helmsman, the person steering the ship.
27:44A much easier job, now the seas are calm.
27:50How are you?
27:51Very good yourself?
27:51Yeah, not too bad, thank you very much.
27:53So you're in charge.
27:55I am the helmsman.
27:55Right.
27:56So how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?
27:58I'm 17.
27:59You must be one of the youngest people on board, are you?
28:01Yeah, the youngest.
28:02You are the youngest?
28:04Yeah.
28:04So you are physically steering this ship?
28:07Yeah.
28:07And how is it to steer?
28:09It's a bit scary.
28:10Yeah.
28:11Because I mean, I can't drive, so...
28:13Hang on a second, what do you mean you can't drive?
28:15I don't know how to drive.
28:17So you haven't got a driving licence?
28:18No.
28:19So you can't drive a small family car, but you can drive a warship?
28:25Yeah, I guess so.
28:28Now I'm not 17, but I do have a driving licence, although I'm not qualified to drive a billion-pound
28:35warship.
28:39But this is an opportunity I can't resist.
28:42You were right.
28:43It's quite daunting in this seat.
28:47Check quarters.
28:5024.
28:51Port 10.
28:53Port 10, so just put that to there.
28:56All the way, all the way.
28:57All the way.
28:57Right there, okay.
28:58So we're going to look at these up there.
29:00So we see 10 degrees port wheel on.
29:02Yeah, okay, okay.
29:0410 degrees port wheel on.
29:05Very good.
29:06Start in five.
29:09Five degrees starboard on.
29:13That ship does look like it's coming straight for us.
29:16Five.
29:18Moments after sitting in the hot seat, something looms on the horizon.
29:23So we're going to be overtaking this ship now, so we're coming back round to port.
29:26We're going to parallel our base course, but we'll continue to pass this ship at a safe distance.
29:31Okay.
29:32And a safe distance is what?
29:33For larger vessels, we like to keep them outside of sort of 1,200 yards.
29:37Okay.
29:37Just the most seaman thing to do.
29:39Midships.
29:42Midships.
29:45Midships.
29:46Large commercial ships can take a long time to turn, so it's vital that I get this right.
29:54Steer 207.
29:55Steer 207.
29:56Steer 207.
29:58So when it gets to around eight and a half, that's when you want to go a bit more mid
30:01-chips.
30:03Steering 207.
30:04Yeah, very good.
30:10Probably just put a little bit of a port wheel on as it's going to come round.
30:13That's starboard.
30:15That's port.
30:20I'm now quite nervous.
30:24Five degrees, port wheel on.
30:28Actually, it responds quicker than you expect.
30:30Slowly but surely, we ease past the merchant ship.
30:38Completely clear of it.
30:40Thank you very much for keeping us safe.
30:42Thank the ship, I think, and all of you.
30:44Thank you for a really fascinating insight.
30:55Below decks, the calmer seas also mean the crew are in for a tricky afternoon.
31:00Standby for evening rounds.
31:03Conducted by the EO, focused on heads, flats and nest decks.
31:06That is all.
31:11One of the most senior members of the crew is about to perform an inspection of the junior living spaces.
31:17See that, look?
31:19Disgusting.
31:20You probably just want to be a bit careful about how much water you leave on this deck, though.
31:23That needs sorting, like, sharpish.
31:26Executive Warrant Officer Eddie Waring can spot an issue from a nautical mile away.
31:32Absolute ****.
31:33That needs all pulling out, it needs cleaning, and it needs restowing.
31:40It's Eddie's job to make sure that every sailor maintains high levels of organisation and cleanliness at all times.
31:47You're quite scary, aren't you?
31:49Me?
31:49Don't tell anyone that.
31:50OK.
31:51You go first, though.
31:57One of the first compartments up for inspection today is the girls' mess.
32:02Guess what I found?
32:04There's going to be no hair in that shower trap.
32:06No.
32:08What's my favourite?
32:09Yeah.
32:09Look, I'm going to have to disinfect this torch tonight.
32:13So that's what I keep saying to everyone.
32:14If I can get that off with a torch, you can get that off with Scotch-Bright.
32:18So, anything that's got paper towel holder, needs paper towels in it.
32:21Anything that looks like a bin, make sure there's bags in it.
32:28I wouldn't want to fire down here with all these products.
32:31I'd want to be as far away from this complex as possible.
32:34You're just jealous because you have no need for them.
32:36I know, I know, I know.
32:39Next up is the men's accommodation, home to 30 junior sailors.
32:44That's minging.
32:46Right, you're putting wet rags on top of, like, brand new ones.
32:49They're all wet now, and they're going to stink.
32:52That cleaning locker needs sorting out, all right?
32:55Please don't make me come back down here, OK?
32:58Don't let me down.
33:00Get that cleaning gear locker sorted.
33:02So, Dan, a little bit of a telly-off.
33:05Yeah, I know, yeah.
33:07Didn't go as well as I thought, but there's always going to be pick-ups.
33:11There's always going to be things you've missed.
33:12Yeah.
33:13Clearly, we didn't do enough today, but hopefully next time.
33:16I'm sure you will.
33:16Yeah, thank you.
33:17Thanks.
33:20Eddie will spend hours inspecting every bunk space, bathroom,
33:24cupboard and hidey hole to keep the crew in check.
33:28The attention to detail is extraordinary.
33:33Maintaining high standards helps to keep the crew healthy
33:36and the ship in first-class working condition.
33:40So, generally, were you happy with the rounds tonight?
33:44Yeah, I am happy, and whilst I'm probably...
33:46It might seem I'm being a bit harsh, it's in their benefit, really.
33:50I never say the good, never say good, apart from good morning or good night.
33:54It's always satisfactory, generally.
33:56Yeah.
33:56But there's always room for improvement.
34:00People don't understand the pressures that come with being at sea.
34:03One of my responsibilities, really, is to look after everyone,
34:07from the captain to the most junior person on board
34:10and everything in between.
34:11And that's the most important thing to me.
34:16What an insight into the amount of work and effort
34:20and trials and tribulations it takes to get HMS Dragon
34:25into a state of readiness, should it ever be called into combat.
34:36Top work, Kate.
34:38And tell you what, you are racking up some sea days.
34:39Aren't I?
34:41But I tell you what, it was amazing just to witness
34:46that step-by-step process that ship and company have to go through
34:50to get ready for something, you know, as major as a NATO deployment.
34:55It was fascinating. I loved every minute of it.
34:58Yeah, quite the adventure. Here's what's coming up next.
35:02A little bit anxious.
35:04Dwayne straps in for the ride of his life.
35:07OK, let's go.
35:10As a Royal Navy pilot on test pushes a Merlin helicopter to the very edge.
35:16Now a good time to tell you that I'm afraid of heights.
35:40Hello and welcome back.
35:42Now we all know that life in the Navy can be dangerous,
35:45whether it's fire, flood or the threat of war,
35:48there are hazards around every corner.
35:50But one man who laughs in the face of danger is Dwayne Fields.
35:55Now you may recall that earlier in the programme,
35:58he was recruited to fly in a Merlin helicopter.
36:01Lucky thing.
36:01Let's see how he got on.
36:05Here we go.
36:07Here we go.
36:19Here we go.
36:22Here we go.
36:23Here we go.
36:26Here we go.
36:51Here we go.
36:55Here we go.
36:56Here we go.
36:56Here we go.
36:56First of all, he's invested on his skills at lifting a military vehicle
36:58while flying the helicopter.
37:02First, he'll have to lift a Land Rover using a heavy-duty cable.
37:06And once he's successfully moved it to a second location,
37:10he'll then need to fly low and fast to a final target destination,
37:14where a group of commandos must be safely offloaded.
37:19and that is brief complete
37:22Carl's been flying Merlins for over four years
37:27Carl, tell me about the exercise we're doing today
37:30We're going to take a Land Rover to a remote field site
37:32and drop it off for them
37:34and then fast rope them to their objective area
37:37That sounds really complicated
37:39Why are we doing it?
37:41It's all about us being qualified
37:43to deliver Royal Marines to their target safely
37:47You've done this before, right, and you're going to keep me safe?
37:49Yeah, I'll keep me safe, don't worry
37:53During my first ever flight in a Merlin
37:56I'll be sitting alongside a group of elite commandos
38:00I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit anxious
38:07Carl will be up front in the pilot seat
38:09Can you hear me a call, sir?
38:11Yeah, are you?
38:14With everyone on board
38:15We are very good at the departure
38:17Time to get airborne
38:19Okay, let's go
38:29It's now a good time to tell you that I have great advice
38:33As we fly to the location of the Land Rover
38:35The first part of Cal's annual assessment is underway
38:41In the back, my guide to everything that's going on
38:44is Merlin Pilot, Lieutenant Commander Andrew White
38:47A big part of the assessment for Cal is not just the flying of the aircraft
38:53There's an awful lot that goes into this kind of thing
38:56Do you feel as excited as I do right now?
38:59I understand there's a serious element to this
39:01but I can't help the excitement I feel about what we're doing
39:04The novelty never really wears off
39:05because it's the kind of thing, you know, money can't buy
39:11Cal must now hold the 14-ton helicopter perfectly steady
39:14whilst the ground team attached the Land Rover
39:23And today, there's a vicious crosswind
39:30Cal has the vehicle hooked up on the first attempt
39:45Now, with the Land Rover dangling beneath us
39:47Cal needs to keep it steady
39:49It's vital it doesn't swing
39:51or he could endanger the aircraft
39:57The Merlin is now going to lower the Land Rover to the ground
40:01where it's going to be disconnected and left
40:06In a real-life scenario, this equipment would be vital
40:10to get troops in or out of battle
40:16We're down
40:19Yeah, it's going well so far
40:21and everything seems to be working well
40:25As we head towards our final destination
40:28Cal's flying style changes
40:30He's no longer being tested on his ability to fly steady
40:34This section of the test is about proving he can fly low and fast
40:39My God, if we are low
40:42The trees are just a few pictures of us
40:48What's the point of flying low and flying fast?
40:51The central training built on operations to keep our crew safe
40:54That guy with a gun on the ground
40:57If you're up at a nice height, he gives lots of time to see you
41:00He can then pick you out
41:01If you're really low level, by the time he hears the aircraft coming
41:04you've already gone
41:07Two, three minutes, we'll get to the next evolution of the roping
41:14Now comes the most difficult part of the test
41:28Cal must lower the merlin into a tiny clearing
41:31and hold it perfectly steady
41:32as the commandos slide down to the ground
41:44Cal must hover exactly 12 metres off the ground
41:47Too high and the commandos will fall off the end of the rope
41:50Too low and the rope could be caught up in the downdraft of the rotors
41:54We've got trees everywhere around us
41:56but within seconds they're off the ground
41:59That's a good friend
42:03Thankfully, I'm staying in the safety of the merlin
42:05and as the final marine leaves, Cal begins to fly us home
42:34As we arrive back at Yolvulton
42:48All that remains are the results of Cal's assessment
42:53He's in his briefing now
42:55so any minute now he's going to pop out
42:57is our Cal
43:01Cal, did you pass me?
43:03It was a pass
43:03Oh, well done
43:05I feel like I was part of that journey
43:06Yeah, glad to take you along
43:08Glad you enjoyed it
43:09It's a weight off my shoulders
43:10Absolutely incredible
43:12Thank you so much
43:12It was really enjoyable
43:13and a great opportunity to see behind the veil
43:16and what it takes to get these men and women ready
43:18for any combat situation
43:20Yeah, we absolutely love bringing you along for days like this
43:24Great, congratulations again, pal
43:25Thanks very much
43:34That looked so cool
43:36I have always wanted to go on a military helicopter
43:39If there's another opportunity next time
43:41please can you put me top of the list
43:43Yes, I think that is fair
43:44and I haven't been in a few in my life
43:46It never gets old
43:47Okay
43:48I'm going to tell you that
43:48I'm going to keep you to that
43:50Right, that's all we've got time for tonight
43:52but here's what's coming up next time
43:55I'm not going to lie
43:56I'm not feeling great about this
43:57JJ finds out how new recruits are prepared for the harsh realities of war
44:03I'm going to introduce some CS gas into the environment
44:05Gas, gas, gas
44:08It's the story of the most famous warship of them all
44:12I name this ship Art Royal
44:17Told by the people who lived and worked on board
44:20You've got lots and lots of men and women running around the fly deck with aircraft taking off
44:26It looks busy but it takes a lot of practice
44:29And I meet a brand new helicopter pilot
44:32So this will be the first time you've ever landed on a ship?
44:36Yes, this is the first time in my career
44:38If you can't tell, I'm quite nervous
44:40See you then
44:41Goodbye
44:44All that and more life in the Royal Navy next Wednesday at 8
44:48How might an image-obsessed shopaholic cope at an off-grid hippie commune?
44:53Three youngsters are trading places
44:54Brand new Sunday at 9
44:56And new next
44:57Things are getting desperate for Jill Halfpenny
45:00As she deals with number one fan Sally Lindsay
45:03Brand new drama continuing after the break
45:05thumbs up
45:09See you then
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