Sir, – HMS Vengeance returned recently from a 201 day deterrent patrol. The previous patrol by HMS Vigilant attracted a lot of media attention for her unkempt appearance following a 194 day patrol. These long patrols are the result of HMS Vanguard having been in an extended refit for seven years – at least three more than planned. The thought of sending crews to sea for six or seven months totally submerged 24/7 seems incredible and unacceptable to veterans like myself who only did three months maximum and that seemed more than long enough to retain our semblance of sanity. The return of Vangu…
