HMS Example (P165)

HMS Example is an Archer-class patrol and training vessel of the British Royal Navy, based at HMS Calliope in Gateshead, England. Example was originally built for the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service as the lead ship of the "Example batch", which was identical to the Archer class being built simultaneously for the Royal Navy. Example and her sisters were transferred to the Royal Navy when the RNXS disbanded in 1994. She is the first ship to bear her name.

Example is currently attached to the Northumbrian University Royal Naval Unit, and has a crew of 5 (plus up to 12 students). She acts as a training ship for students at Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Teesside and Sunderland universities.

The ship takes part in deployments over the university summer and Easter holidays, giving the students an opportunity to spend a longer amount of time living on board the ship and to experience larger scale naval operations with other URNUs. The ship played a prominent role in the 2004 Entente Cordiale celebrations, and escorted HMS Endurance in the 2005 International Fleet Review.

1st Patrol Boat Squadron (1PBS)
HMS Example is part of the 1st Patrol Boat Squadron. 1PBS is commanded by Commander 1PBS, who is also Commander URNU. The mission statement of the 1PBS is to "provide support to allow the conduct of safe and effective P2000 operations in support of the URNU sea-training syllabus".

Recent news
In summer 2006 the ship celebrated its 21st birthday with divisions at HMS Calliope with the salute taken by N Sherlock, Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear.

In 2008, Example took a prominent role in the Tyneside celebrations to mark the centenary of the Territorial Army centred on the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.