The BBC1 series ‘SHIPMATES’ is a contemporary look at the Royal Navy showing life at sea and ashore in Devonport as seen by producer Chris Terrill (HMS BRILLIANT series). It largely features HMS CHATHAM, her 2004/5 deployment to the Gulf and her involvement in post-Tsunami relief operations in January this year. As well as the operational, in particular the humanitarian aid, and training aspects of Service life, it also shows the emotional farewells and returns including a foreign run ashore in between. Ashore it focuses on some team building in the Field Gun (Brickwoods) event and the haunted areas of the Dockyard as well as the more sombre aspects of ceremony and tradition. This is very much one man’s view of life inside today’s modern Navy.

The series is currently scheduled to run for five 1 hour episodes on Tuesday evenings starting at 2100 from Tue 22 Nov on BBC1. A flavour of each episode is as follows:

• 22 Nov ‘Hello Goodbye’ - a scene setter introducing the characters, featuring HMS OCEAN, and then CHATHAM sailing from Devonport, the emotional experiences of the crew and families as well as Christmas (04) at sea
• 29 Nov ‘After the Wave’ - centred on HMS CHATHAM and her involvement in the aftermath of the Tsunami off Sri Lanka
• 6 Dec ‘Thursday War’ - HMS OCEAN going through Sea Training
• 13 Dec ‘Head up, Chest Out, Be Proud’ - this episode focuses on Devonport’s Field Gun crew, HMS RALEIGH and teamwork.
• 20 Dec ‘Raising the Dead’ - covers the ceremonial aspects of CHATHAM re-interning the remains of Nelson’s Sailors in Alexandria earlier this year as well as the International Fleet Review and other heritage pieces.

A book of the same title (cover attached below) has been published to coincide with the series (ISBN 1-8441-3791-0).

SHIPMATES is expected to be enjoyable whilst providing outstanding PR and highlighting the relevance and professionalism of the Royal Navy today to the general public; an ideal way of rounding off the T200 year. Please pass on the details of this brief to all friends and family and encourage them to learn more about the Navy and life onboard a warship. Good viewing figures may well merit the BBC commissioning follow on series that will likely focus on the RM, FAA/Carrier Strike and the Submarine communities.