FRIGATE HMS Cornwall made a small piece of RN history when she became the first British warship to visit a naval base in Croatia.

The Devonport-based warship stopped off in Split on the latest leg of her varied anti-terror deployment, which so far has already taken her to Barcelona and Malta.

British warships have visited Croatia before, but not berthed in the local bases. So quite a fuss was made in Lora Naval Base when F99 came alongside. An official reception saw numerous dignitaries including Split’s mayor, the British Ambassador to Zagreb Sir John Ramsden, and senior Croatian military figures entertained.

On a more personal level, the frigate delivered vital fire-fighting aid to the islanders of Brac; much of the fire brigade’s equipment was destroyed during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, such that the Foreign Office, London fire-fighters and the EU raised £18,000 to buy new cutters, hoses and other equipment for the people of Brac which was handed over by Cornwall’s CO Cdr Jeremy Woods.

Among the more interesting sporting contests lined up for the Cornishmen (and women) was the recreation of a 74-year-old race.

Back in 1933 light cruiser HMS Ceres anchored off the town of Vela Luka on the island of Korcula. So impressed was the ship’s CO by the friendliness of locals that he suggested a rowing regatta, a race between his sailors and Vela Luka fishermen.

The Brits promptly lost over the 2,600-yard course, while the victors were presented with a sailor’s razor as a souvenir.

Three generations later and the result was the same (minus the razor presentation); indeed, the Croatians triumphed at every sport they challenged the Cornwall teams to, despite the best efforts of the sailors.