Cadets Shape Up Bristol-fashion

You only live twice! Despite what many people think, Type 82 destroyer HMS Bristol is still in commission.

She has changed a bit from her first flush of youth, and can now be found as the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Reserve, National Cadet Forces and Youth Organisations Harbour raining and Accommodation Ship moored permanently off HMS Excellent, Whale Island.

For 50 weeks of the year, HMS Bristol sees a steady flow of children and adults, all experiencing the Naval way of life in this unique environment through Flag Officer Training and Recruitment.

Youngsters get a chance to spend days at sea in the numerous boats and yachts that flock around Bristol's skirts, and visitors can come from across the globe.

The ship also provides a training venue for RN courses. Military training teaches students to fend off intruders, and slingers move heavy machinery in the confines of the engine rooms. Medics, divers, chaplains also gain from training in, around and under Bristol.

Bristol, as a Type 82 destroyer, was first conceived to provide escort cover for the new 53,000 tonne carriers proposed in the 1960's. When these carriers were cancelled in 1969, the escort destroyer programme followed. But the first of the class was well advanced, and approval was given to complete this one ship.

In her time, Bristol was considered a versatile with three modern weapons systems backed by a sophisticated Action Data Automation system involving four types of radar and two sonar.

She also had the capacity to act as a Flagship and Command and Control platform for a Task Group commander with an extensive communications suite. It was in this role as Flagship that she relieved HMS Hermes in the later stages of the Falklands Conflict in 1982.

In 1987 Bristol became flagship to the Dartmouth Training Squadron where she offered sea training for officer cadets.

The current HMS Bristol is the seventh ship to bear the name, a title that was also briefly carried by a shore establishment in Bristol from 1942 - 43.

The first Bristoll - with the extra 'l' - was part of Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth Fleet in the war against Holland. Launched in 1653, this 48-gunship foundered in April 1709 after successful battle with a French raider. On her loss, the second Bristol was promptly ordered, and the 4th rate served her country for 57 years, 1711-68.

The Bristol of 1773 to 1810 had one particularly notable member of the ship's company. In less than six months, Lt Horatio Nelson rose from Third Lieutenant to become First Lieutenant in 1778.

The next Bristol only held the name for two years from 1812-14, changed from Agincourt when she became a prison ship. The fifth Bristol was a wood screw frigate powered by sail and steam that served from 1861 to 1883.

The penultimate Bristol was a protected cruiser of the Town class, the only one with two screws rather than the standard quadruple propulsion. She was launched in 1910, and survived World War I to be broken up in 1921.

Facts and Figures
Class:	Type 82 destroyer
Pennant Number:	D23
Builder:	Swan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne
Launched:	30 June 1969
Commissioned:	31 March 1973
Decommissioned:	July 1991
Recommissioned:	7 May 1993 as National Cadet Forces and Royal Navy Harbour Training Ship
Displacement:	6,300 tons
Length:	154 metres
Beam:	16.5 metres
Draught:	5 metres
INITIAL COMMISSION
Speed:	30 knots
Range:	5,000 miles at 18 knots
Complement:	407 (29 officers and 378 ratings)
Weapons:	Ikara homing torpedo system (removed 1985); Sea Dart; mortar system; 4.5in Mk8 GP single-mounted rapid-fire gun; 20mm Oerlikons; 20mm GAMBO BMARC and 30mm twin BMARC close range
Main machinery:	Two AEI steam turbines in tandem with two Rolls Royce gas turbines; 60,000shp; twin screw
CURRENT COMMISSION
Complement:	43 officers ratings and contract civilians
Numbers trained (2001):	5,122 RN; 12,307 youths; 17,429 total
Numbers trained (to end of April 2002);	1,378 RN; 4,857 youths; 6,235 total
Boats:	Bosun dinghies, Lasers, Cheverton champs, Toppers and Admiralty Sailing Craft

(Ship of the Month August 2002)

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