皇冠体育app

After successful operations including supporting Operation Recsyr, the international effort to remove chemicals from Syria, the frigate sailed into Her Majesty鈥檚 Naval Base Devonport to a heroes鈥� welcome from over 500 family members and friends.

皇冠体育app 7-month deployment saw the ship travel 32,000 miles, visiting 12 ports in 10 countries.

皇冠体育app ship initially sailed into the Mediterranean in August with a number of other warships as part of the Response Force Task Group for Cougar 2013, an exercise designed to enhance the Royal Navy鈥檚 skill at operating at long range from land and support.

She then made her way to the Gulf where she conducted maritime security and reassurance patrols alongside partner nations in the region; safeguarding the sea lanes of the Middle East.

In November Montrose became the UK鈥檚 primary maritime policing patrol vessel in the Gulf. A new tasking then directed the ship into the eastern Mediterranean to join .

After arriving off the coast of Syria in mid-January, and a multinational task group of warships from Denmark and Norway carried out escort and close protection duties for 2 merchant vessels transporting chemicals out of Syria for onward destruction.

皇冠体育app ship鈥檚 commanding officer, Commander James Parkin, praised his crew for taking each operation in their stride. He said:

I am incredibly proud of my ship鈥檚 company who have committed themselves to the changing circumstances of this deployment and the professionalism that this mission has demanded.

皇冠体育app deployment has been a success in every one of the many tasks that my team have undertaken.

Talking about the international importance of the Syria tasking, Commander Parkin added:

This mission is a statement of intent by the global community and we are extremely proud to have been the United Kingdom鈥檚 first contribution to its vital work.

Leading Engineering Technician Tom Baxter, originally from Durham, hugged his daughter Ruby, aged 13 months, as she and her mother Terri Allen welcomed him home. He said:

It鈥檚 good to be back. Ruby was only 6 months old when I left. She鈥檚 a big girl now. She鈥檚 lovely.

As well as seeing Ruby again after missing half her life so far, I鈥檓 looking forward to getting married to my fianc茅e Terri in Cuba. So it鈥檚 an extra special homecoming for us.

Terri, who works at the Royal Navy鈥檚 initial training school at HMS Raleigh, said:

I鈥檓 really pleased Tom鈥檚 back. He can now take his share of the parental duties. I鈥檒l let him a have a little break first of course!

First off the ship was Petty Officer Andy Styles, who won the honour usually reserved for the captain in a charity auction. He said:

It feels really good to be first off the ship 鈥� an honour, and I see my wife and family first. 皇冠体育app deployment was full of variety and unexpected taskings.

Working with the other navies was very rewarding. We were all very upbeat about the Syrian tasking because it had a definite purpose and outcome which is different from patrolling.

Petty Officers Styles鈥� wife Tracey said they would be going skiing and mountain biking along the West Highland Way in Scotland to wind down after the deployment. She added:

I鈥檓 so happy now he鈥檚 back. He鈥檚 been in the navy 24 years and I never fully get used to him being away.

Deputy Logistics Officer Lieutenant Nick Robinson, who helps keep the ship supplied with everything from bullets to butter, said:

Over the course of the deployment we have eaten over 12 tonnes of potatoes, which is equivalent to the weight of a double-decker bus, 2,700 kilograms of baked beans, or, if you prefer, 20 baths full, 2.2 kilometres of sausages, 7,000 litres of milk and 24,480 eggs.

皇冠体育app marine engineers ensured that the ship鈥檚 diesel and gas turbine engines operated at full capacity and used 3,763,000 litres of fuel, enough to send a car to Venus on 50,000 fills.

While away, the ship鈥檚 company were grateful for the steady supply of messages from loved ones back home 鈥� 787 bags of mail, weighing 6 tonnes, were brought aboard.

As Sub-Lieutenant Tristan 鈥楧inger鈥� Bell said:

Receiving mail from home is vital to morale on board, for some it鈥檚 been letters with news, for others it鈥檚 been magazines and chocolates. For me it鈥檚 been the regular supply of Battenberg cake from my mum!

It has not just been mail that has been delivered; 8 proud new fathers are now looking forward to returning home to spend time with the new additions to their families.

Chief Petty Officer Ryan Diggle said:

皇冠体育app thought of returning home to be with my beautiful new daughter has kept me going for the whole 7 months.

After leave and a short period of maintenance HMS Montrose will take on the role of the Royal Navy鈥檚 high readiness 鈥榦n-call鈥� warship.

Deployment statistics

• Montrose produced 2,943 tonnes of fresh drinking water (converted from sea water), enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool
• the ship鈥檚 Lynx helicopter burnt 50,000 kilograms of fuel and travelled 15,000 miles through the air at speeds of up to 180 miles an hour
• 5 members of the ship鈥檚 company proposed to loved ones while away and are now engaged to be married
• the ship has visited Greece, Djibouti, Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, Cyprus, Malta and Gibraltar