Herald's wartime and mine-countermeasure roles

Herald was a combined hydrographic and oceanographic vessel built to merchant standards, and her utility extended well beyond routine surveys. During the Falklands War she served under Red Cross markings and carried casualties from San Carlos to Montevideo; afterward she became the South Atlantic guard ship. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, she supported Royal Navy minehunters in the eastern Mediterranean. Lightly armed survey ships also have a diplomatic advantage: they can approach foreign coasts for legitimate charting work without presenting the same profile as a heavily armed combatant. After Royal Navy service she was renamed Somerville and continued hydrographic work in Irish waters before being sold for disposal.