Leading Logs (SC) Chapman hugs his son George. Pictures: PO(Phot) Ray Jones and LA(Phot) Knotty Knott
The deployment which began in the Med and was mostly spent in the Gulf ended with the ship helping to remove chemical weapons from war-torn Syria.
WHAT is better than a flawless spring day on the Hamoaze?
A flawless spring day on the Hamoaze plus a triumphantly returning warship, naturally.
Yes, HMS Montrose was treated to a (literally) warm, nay, rapturous welcome from loved ones after seven months away, initially in the Gulf, laterally helping to remove chemical weapons from Syria.
The frigate sailed into Devonport to the usual assortment of banners, cheering, nautical tunes (courtesy of the Royal Marines Band from Lympstone) and tears of joy as families separated became families reunited.
First off the ship was not Montrose’s CO Cdr James Parkin – in time-honoured tradition – but 41-year-old PO Andy Styles, who won a charity auction aboard (£40 was the victorious bid, in case you were wondering).
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Waiting at the foot of the gangway, his wife Tracey and his mum Marilyn.
“It feels really good to be first off the ship – an honour, and I see my wife and family first,” the senior rate said.
“The deployment was full of variety and unexpected taskings. We were all very upbeat about the Syrian tasking because it had a definite purpose and outcome, which is different from patrolling.’’
ET James Roger, 24, from Cambridge, was greeted by his happy yet tearful girlfriend, Jenny.
“What a wonderful welcome from my grandparents, two cousins and Jenny,” the junior rating said.
“It’s a special homecoming for me, because from now on Plymouth will be my actual home, rather than just a base port – Jenny and I are moving in together from now on.’’
Montrose – who bills herself as ‘the most Scottish warship in the Fleet’ due to her affiliations north of the border – sailed for the Med in August as part of the Cougar 13 task force deployment.
She left the amphibious group behind for the bulk of her deployment, patrolling the Gulf, before being dispatched to the eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of 2014 to support the international effort to remove the chemical weapons capability from Syria, Operation RECSYR.
For two months, until handing over to destroyer HMS Diamond, Montrose joined a Danish and Norwegian warship in shepherding two merchant vessels carrying a potentially toxic cargo through the Med.
“We are extremely proud to have been the United Kingdom’s first contribution to this vital work,” said Cdr Parkin.
“I am incredibly proud of my ship’s company who have committed themselves to the changing circumstances of this deployment and the professionalism that this mission has demanded.
“From our work in the Gulf, to our time spent supporting the international mission to remove chemicals from Syria, the deployment has been a success in every one of the many tasks that my team have undertaken.’’
Sustaining such a mission has demanded a herculean logistical effort – everything from bullets to butter.
ET(ME) Joe Faulkner hugs young Charlie and Charlotte.
Over the course of the deployment, the Montroses ate more than 12 tonnes of potatoes, which is equivalent to a double decker bus (but tastier and less metallic); 2,700 kg of baked beans or, if you prefer, 20 baths full; enough sausages to stretch for more than 2,200 metres (from Weston Mill to South Yard); 24,480 eggs; and 7,000 litres of milk.
No less thirsty was the frigate’s engines which used guzzled 3.7m litres of fuel – enough to send a car to Venus on 50,000 fills.
The vast majority of the crew are now taking some well-earned leave, while the ship undergoes a short maintenance period before taking up the role of Fleet Ready Escort, the RN’s ‘on-call’ warship, ready to respond to a wide range of short-notice tasks around the UK.