Falklands 20th Anniversary Lunch - Friday 14th June 2002 Southampton.
QE2 had arrived at 0700 from New York and was due to leave at 1700 to return to New York.
As always we were on QE 2 berth but, as we had a MCA Lifeboat Inspection also that day, we came in Stbd side to, instead of the usual Port side to. This meant that the main gangway was at ‘G’ stairway instead of the usual position for S’ton – The Rotunda.
The lunch guests were due to arrive once disembarkation had been completed and, as Chief Security Officer I was ‘tasked’ with meeting Mr & Mrs Thatcher ,escorting them to The Aquitania Suite, where they could ‘freshen up’ under the ever watchful eye of ??, a very senior and trustworthy stewardess.
Their arrival time was scheduled for after the remainder of the dignitaries, and as such the Captain and Staff Captain were already in The Captain’s Cabin. I met them in the Terminal and escorted them up the escalator to the area where joining passengers usually had their photos taken, across the Gangway and onto QE2. Fromm ‘G’ stairway we went along the Stbd 2 Deck corridor to The Midships Lobby and then to The Aquitania Suite, where they were welcomed by ??. They then entered the Suite and ?? closed the door, leaving myself and the 2 Close Protection Officers [CPO] outside. We had arranged a nearby cabin for the CPO’s to ‘freshen up’.
After some time the CPOs started to get a bit restless, but having worked with the Thatchers for some time were not - yet- panicing. A few minutes later I received a call from the St Capt to call the Captain’s Cabin, to give him and update, which I did. A few more minutes elapsed and still no sign of Mr & Mrs Thatcher, by now they had been onboard for about 15 minutes. Eventually I took the ‘command decision’ to gently knock on the door. ?? answered immediately, and as I looked over her shoulder I saw Mr & Mrs Thatcher sat on a settee watching the TV and looking out over S’ton harbour as happy and relaxed as you like! One of the CPOs gave a tactical cough, and suggested to Mrs Thatcher that, if she was ready, then we would escort them up to the Captain’s Cabin. “Oh yes” was her reply and picking up her hand bag she came towards the door and away we went. Fortunately there was a MAA waiting at ‘A’ staircase to hold the lift to take us up to The Captain’s Cabin.
My next dealings with Mr & Mrs Thatcher were towards the end of lunch, the incident when Carol tried to interrupt her during her speech, I’ll leave to Michael to tell.
As the Aquitania Suite was already occupied for the return trip to NY, a smaller cabin had been allocated on 2 Deck port side aft for Mrs Thatcher to make herself comfortable, prior to the drive back to London. A similar cabin had also been allocated to Mr Thatcher but his was some distance away. The Captain, Paul Wright, escorted Mrs Thatcher while The Staff Captain escorted Mr Thatcher. I accompanied The Captain while one of my MAAs accompanied The St Capt and Mr Thatcher. Mrs Thatcher was only a few minutes in her cabin and then we made our way, the short distance to the ‘G’ stairway gangway. We waited a couple of minutes, before Mrs Thatcher made some remark about ‘Denis’, turned and said thank-you to The Captain and started to walk up the gangway. As The Captain had to go to the bridge for the passenger drill and pre sailing checks, he told me to escort Mrs Thatcher into the terminal. As the gangway was by now quite steep we had only gone a few paces before she stopped, called me forward and held onto my arm to help her up the gangway. At the top she stopped and looked back down the gangway, but there was still no sign of Denis. She was still holding onto my arm at this point and started walkngi along the terminal looking back towards QE2. I remember her saying to me, “She’s a very beautiful ship, you must be proud to work on her.” By the time we got to the top of the escalator there was still no sign of Mr Thatcher, so Mrs Thatcher decided that she would go down to her official car which was waiting at the bottom, together with her CPO. Fortunately by the time we got to the vehicle Mr Thatcher appeared at the top of the escalator accompanied by The St Capt, and within a couple of minute they were safely sat in their vehicles and the convoy, escorted by Hants Police outriders left to take then back home.
As we walked back onboard The St Capt explained to me why the delay; apparently Mr Thatcher had spotted the mini bar on entering the cabin and said that he would like a G&T to set him up for the drive home!
