Lancing Navy sailor helps Middle East evacuation

Petty Officer Dale Howard worked with his 250 colleagues on HMS Gloucester '“ the first ship to reach Beirut '“ to help evacuate nearly 700 people.

The ship made two trips to the troubled area last week, first taking 180 people to Limassol, Cyprus, then going straight back to pick up a further 513.

Dale said: "In the first evacuation, I looked after two families. One couple were in Lebanon for their 21st wedding anniversary, and the other had a very young boy."

In the second trip to Beirut, he was in charge of 35 people of varying ages, from the elderly and frail to children as young as three-years-old.

"I gave a safety brief and did what I could to calm down and entertain people, so the evacuation was as pleasant as it could be. It was difficult to keep spirits high when the people in your care had potentially lost everything," Dale added.

For full story and pictures, see the Lancing Herald dated Thursday, July 27.