HMS ''Puncher'' is an of the Royal Navy. She is permanently based at HMNB Portsmouth and forms part of the First Patrol Boat Squadron (1PBS). ''Puncher'' is primarily tasked with training the officer cadets and midshipmen of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

University Royal Naval Unit The University Royal Naval Units (URNU) ( , less commonly ) (formerly Universities' Royal Naval Units) are Royal Navy training establishments who recruit Officer Cadets from a university or a number of universities, usually concentrated in one ...

(London URNU). She also provides a training platform for young officers undertaking training during the Royal Navy's initial warfare officers' course, and has also been used in the coastal protection role, most notably during Operation Olympic, the security operation surrounding the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Deployments

''Puncher'' operates from HMNB Portsmouth conducting navigation training in and around the Solent. She also regularly deploys out of area, often in the company of other P2000s, with the task of providing practical navigation and seamanship training to the ship's students. Recent deployments have included the Baltic and Northern Europe. Puncher attended ''Kieler Woche'' ("

Kiel Week The Kiel Week (german: Kieler Woche) or Kiel Regatta is an annual sailing event in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the largest sailing event in Europe, and also one of the largest Volksfeste in Germany, attracting ...

") in 2011 with her sister ship and ships from several navies.

Ship's company

''Puncher'' has a permanent crew of five regular Royal Navy personnel, one officer and four ratings, who fulfil the minimum necessary seagoing complement of the vessel. The ship's company is also regularly boosted by up to 12 (more typically 10) URNU officer cadets and midshipmen who are normally accompanied by a Royal Naval Reserve training officer. Alternately the berths may be used by any other personnel who are required to live aboard.

Affiliations

Like most Royal Navy ships, ''Puncher'' is affiliated with various organisations and a port: * *

702 Naval Air Squadron 702 Naval Air Squadron (702 NAS) was a naval squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset and earlier at RNAS Portland in Dorset. As a training Squadron it trained all ground and air crew for the sister ...

* *

Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council is the local authority for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Kensington and Chel ...

Worshipful Company of Bakers The Worshipful Company of Bakers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Bakers' Guild is known to have existed in the twelfth century. From the Corporation of London, the Guild received the power to enforce regulations for ...

* Seafarers UK * Little Ship Club * Town of Eastbourne *Eastbourne Sea Cadet Corps * Eastbourne Lifeboat *Royal Navy Old Comrades Club Eastbourne

Notes

References

External links

* * Archer-class patrol vessels 1988 ships {{UK-mil-ship-stub