HMS Bulwark - the first media ship

HMS Bulwark

The first media ship

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

Today, we hear more and more of our navy in the media which can only auger well for the Service. I am writing this page as the Nation enjoys the Christmas 2011 "All I want for Christmas" video, made by the crew of HMS Ocean to show to their families who were not scheduled to be part of Ocean's festive celebration. That they are now, is a wonderful treat for the many families involved.

However, it would have been better had HMS Bulwark supplanted HMS Ocean in this endeavour, for this video is a first [bearing in mind the intended absence of the ship away on duty on the high seas] as was HMS Bulwark in 1955 on the 26th May when she was the first RN ship used to transmit a live BBC Radio programme which was followed by the first TV programme ever made on one of Her Majesty's Ships.

HMS BULWARK

The ship has been "On the Air” in other ways too. The B.B.C. broadcast a 40 minute programme in the Home Service on 26th May giving commentaries on the complete operation of aircraft entitled “Find, Fix and Strike." This was achieved by having some seven commentators in various parts of the ship, some actually airborne, each with his own microphone and relaying amplifier to a special VHF transmitter being used as a ship/shore link operating in the 30 to 40 Mc/s region. The airborne commentators used the aircraft’s normal equipment; apart from this the B.B.C. brought all their own equipment aboard, including batteries.

Three Television programmes are now being planned to take place from the ship operating off the Isle of Wight on 6th, 7th and 8th July. This will be the first occasion of a "live" Television programme being broadcast from an H.M. Ship and should prove very interesting.