UNMISTAKEABLY broken in two, these are the remains of a Royal Navy tanker seen as never before after seven decades on the Atlantic seabed.

This is the wreck of RFA Darkdale, sunk in just five minutes off the tiny island of St Helena in October 1941.

Seventy-one years later, ice patrol ship HMS Protector returned to the spot Darkdale went down in James Bay to survey the wreck using her suite of the latest sonar technology.

In 1941, St Helena served as an important staging post in the war against the U-boat in the South Atlantic. Darkdale arrived off the island that summer, providing fuel for passing Royal Navy warships such as carrier HMS Eagle and cruiser HMS Dorsetshire.

The tanker was anchored off the island’s capital Jamestown on the night of October 21-22 when she was struck by at least three torpedoes fired by Germany’s seventh-highest-scoring U-boat ace, Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten, in U68.

Darkdale exploded, turned over and sank almost immediately, taking 41 men aboard down; only two men who where on deck and blown clear by the blast survived.

The wreck may still hold a significant amount of fuel oil which, if discharged, could have a significant environmental impact on the island.

The wreck is currently being examined by the salvage and marine operations arm of the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation to assess the state and potential environmental impact.

The accurate positioning of what remains of the tanker will be used for any future monitoring and salvage work that may be required.

The Union Flag flies on the wreck after Protector’s dive team visited it

As is tradition in the Royal Navy, time was also taken to hold an act of remembrance over the wreck, after Protector’s divers had revisited the wreck to lay a Union Jack on it.

“It was a great privilege to be able to play a small part in remembering those that played such a big part in making Britain and the Royal Navy what it is today,” said Leading Diver Chris Hayes.

During her short visit, the ship also took the opportunity to carry out further bathymetric and shore survey work in the Jamestown area, including an entire circumnavigation of the island which will help to produce more up-to-date charts, making it safer for other ships and boats to visit.

Capt Peter Sparkes and his crew of 65 also took the opportunity to host the island’s dignitaries and give a tour of the ship to a group of local children.

There was also time for the crew to step ashore, visit the local tourist hot spots, such as Napoleon’s residence in exile, climb the 699 steps of Jacob’s Ladder and sample some local hospitality. The football match between the ship’s team and islanders resulted in a thumping 8-0 defeat for the ‘Ice Men’.

HMS Protector at anchor off St Helena

The island’s governor Mark Capes – who’s also responsible for the other remote South Atlantic British territories of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha – sent a message of thanks to the Portsmouth-based survey ship for calling in.

“The loyal and proudly British community of St Helena was delighted to see HMS Protector arrive in James’ Bay. The visit reinforced all the positive messages that Her Majesty’s Government remains committed to helping to ensure the security and prosperity of St Helena.”

Protector is bound for Antarctica to spend a second Austral summer surveying the waters around the frozen continent and providing support to scientists.

Before her first stint amongst the ice she’s calling in on Simon’s Town in South Africa to carry out last-minute maintenance and work to ensure the 5,000-tonne icebreaker is ready for the rigours of Antarctica.

“It is always good to visit the home of another nation’s navy – especially one that has a rich history of association with the Royal Navy,” said Capt Sparkes. “I hope Protector’s visit can re-affirm the strong professional and operational bonds that already exist between the Royal Navy and South African Navy.”

His ship will be in Simon’s Town for around ten days before paying a courtesy visit to Tristan da Cunha, surveying the waters around the island, then moving on to Antarctica.

SO THIS is what they mean by the long walk…

HMS Defender’s handlers stride across the expansive flight deck – very ably demonstrated here – to tie down a Lynx Mk8 as the new destroyer operates a helicopter for the first time.

815 Naval Air Squadron in Yeovilton supplied the whirlybird – as they do for all Type 45s, the lone Type 42 destroyer still active (HMS Edinburgh, deployed right now to the South Atlantic), some Type 23 frigates and whichever warship or RFA requires a Flight in support of their missions around the globe.

Any landing at sea, irrespective of the size of the flight deck, is a challenging affair for the aircrew.

The recovery system which hauls the helicopter into Defender’s hangar is attached to the Lynx’s undercarriage

But the Lynx trials aboard D36 – the fifth of six Type 45s to be handed over to the Royal Navy – were principally aimed at testing the ship and her sailors to support a Flight, providing everything needed to launch, recover (ie land), refuel and look after a helicopter in challenging conditions at sea… tests which, we’re told, were all passed with flying colours.

“Preparing for an aircraft to land onto a warship is a task which involves everyone aboard,” explained Sub Lt Dan Drew, Defender’s deputy logistics officer.

“From the obvious things like planning and executing these operations, to the less obvious such as painstakingly checking the upper deck for debris which could be harmful to the helicopter, everyone plays a part in increasing Defender’s capabilities that little bit further.”

During the day-long trial, all departments of the ship’s company took the opportunity to broaden their training horizons by working with the Flight.

Crash boat crews discussed how to rescue the fliers should the Lynx be forced to ditch, the ship’s medical teams looked at how casualties could be evacuated by helicopter and even the stokers got in on the act, practising the delivery of aviation fuel.

Defender sailed for the first time under the White Ensign at the end of September, setting off down the long road to front-line duties by carrying out the basics of operating a warship at sea.

Thumbs up from swimmer of the watch Laura McBarron

So as well as the helicopter trials, among other evolutions the ship has been practising is rescuing Fred – a large, heavy orange dummy who’s as bumbling as Mr Bean. If there’s a disaster to be had, Fred’ll be there. Probably causing it.

Like falling into the Channel.

Time to deploy the ‘swimmer of the watch’ – an on-call member of the ship’s company who drops everything and dons rescue suit if there’s a (wo)man overboard.

Fred is saved… The medical party carry the accident-prone dummy across the flight deck

While Defender’s Pacific 24 boats are the main means of rescue, there is always a swimmer on standby, just in case. In this instance Defender’s first ever ‘swimmer of the watch’ was AB(Sea) Laura McBarron, who jumped into the ocean after Fred.

“It is a bit of a daunting task to be sent over the side of an 8,000-tonne warship, but the training we receive is first-class and really prepares you for it,” she said.

“I was a little bit nervous before I did it, but it was fun and I wouldn’t think twice about doing it again – unless it was the middle of winter!”

Defender’s due back in Portsmouth after this initial training period tomorrow.