During the visit, between the 1st and 4th September, the Ship’s company participated in a number of events including sport against the German Warship FGS Sachsen and a 12km run.  This was also an ideal time to visit, as it was the beginning of a major arts and music festival in the Danish City.

The Ship was in company of submarines and warships from Germany and Poland with the rest of the Ships involved in the exercise berthed further down the coast in Odense.  The ships were open to the general public and HMS Cornwall hosted approximately 2000 people over the weekend. This included a large party from a local school.

The Ship’s football team played the FGS Sachsen and won 6-1 in convincing style. Fifteen of the Ship’s Company entered into the Aarhus 12km run. The course took the runners through a beautiful wooded area on the outskirts of the city. All completed the course, the fastest being Chief Petty Officer Mick O’Connell was a very respectable time of 45 minutes.

The festival was a resounding hit with the Ship’s Company, which is attended by nearly half million people over the 10 days. The town was awash with musicians, acts and displays supporting this year’s theme: bringing into focus the images, symbols and perceptions of women as they have existed throughout the ages.

Members of the Ship's Company who  participated in the 12Km  Photo: HMS CONRWALL

The Commanding Officer of HMS Cornwall, Captain Simon Williams said ‘The visit to Aarhus proved an excellent start to the deployment in this region. As well as final preparations for the exercise, the Ship’s Company actively engaged in evolutions with other nation’s navies as well as participating in a major local sporting event. The festival was great fun and provided a very good insight into Danish culture’.

HMS Cornwall is currently participating in DANEX 06 with warships from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Poland and the USA. The exercise will give the ships the opportunity to train together in a complex multi-threat environment dealing with attacks from aircraft, other ships, submarines and land forces.

HMS CORNWALL is a Type 22 frigate based in Plymouth. She was launched in October 1985 and commissioned at Fowey, Cornwall in 1988 by the Ship’s sponsor, the late Diana Princess of Wales.  There are 240 in her Ship’s Company from around the UK and the Commonwealth.  The Ship is the first of the Batch 3 Type 22 frigates; the others are HMS CHATHAM, HMS CAMPBELTOWN, and HMS CUMBERLAND. To find out what HMS Cornwall is doing, log on to the website at:
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server.php?show=nav.1598