HMS Bulwark - Commando Carrier R08

13th January 1972, Sailed for Malta to act as HQ ship for the Operation Exit, planned withdrawal of British Forces form Malta, HMS Bulwark was at Valetta Harbour for 11 weeks 845 squadron carried out over 1,000 landings.

March 1972 took part in exercise Rum Punch of Puerto Rico.

17th July 1972 took part in Exercise West Hoe.

February 1973 visited Charleston, South Carolina, HMS Bulwark was the largest ship to sail under Cooper bridge. took part in Exercise Rum Punch 73.

25th April 1973, went to Mediterranean to embark 41 commando from Malta for exercises of Cyprus, then sailed for North Atlantic to take part in Anglo-US exercise in the arctic Circle.

4th September 1973 took part in exercise Deep Furrow 73, major NATO exercise with over 50,000 men and 54 ships from USA, UK, Greece, Turkey and Italy.

This is a picture of when we were in  Norfolk Virginnia.  We are berthed alongside an American Cruiser the Newport News which was about the same size as our carrier.  She had recently returned from Viet-Nam where she had been shelling enemy positions.  One of the shells had expolded in the barrel of the second turret.  You can see from the picture that the middle barrel is missing.  Twenty men inside the turret  and powder rooms were killed and a further 36 injured from burns or smoke or gas inhalation.  It was snowing while we were there