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David Cragg when asked what happens at night to the routine of the ship at night during the Gulf War. (RNM)

Transcript: “The routine of the ship doesn’t really change; because you are on constant look out for the enemy, you don’t have that demarcation. The ships were all closed down for action stations. They kept a citadel as they called it in operation, which meant that all the airtight doors were shut at all times. Because, in the event of a chemical or biological attack, they keep what they call ‘positive pressure’ in the ship and they actually build up pressure inside so that if a missile loaded with chemical weapons hits the ship and enters the ship, instead of the gas spreading through the ship it would immediately be blown back out through the hole by the pressure that has built up inside, the air pressure that has built up inside. So very few people could get on to the outer deck. There was only the helicopter maintenance crew which was const… – and a few chosen mine look outs and gun’s crews who were constantly on the upper deck and they were wearing – well depending on who the Captain, and what his policy was – they would wear their chemical suits, or half their chemical suits all times. And if you wanted to go out you went through these air locks - double doors. Open one, enter the air lock, close it, open the other, now you go and close that. But generally people didn’t. They had their jobs to do and they were working long hours, sleeping, going back on duty.”

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