Dumbarton's Drums may beat for a lament

Prince Harry praises HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE crews as she leaves the Navy
DUMBARTON CASTLE retires with Royal attention...

(As reported by the Royal Navy, 30th November)

On her final day as part of the Royal Navy’s fleet, HMS Dumbarton Castle found herself at the centre of some royal attention before sailing into retirement.

His Royal Highness Prince Harry is Commodore Small Ships and Diving and he did not let the ship’s official decommissioning ceremony go by without sending through a special message of thanks and support for her 25 years on patrol in the South Atlantic.

“As commodore-in-chief- small ships and diving, I would like to congratulate HMS Dumbarton Castle's ship's companies – past and present – on their exceptional achievements as the ship reaches the final day of her service life,” said the prince. “Across a variety of roles, the ship has provided outstanding service to the Royal Navy.

“In particular, I know that she has become a familiar and comforting feature to the Falkland
Islanders since first arriving in the South Atlantic 25 years ago.

“I wish all of you the very best for your decommissioning ceremony and for the future.”

HMS Dumbarton Castle has been protecting the islands and UK territorial waters – in rotation with her sister ship Leeds Castle – since the end of the Falklands conflict. She left Portsmouth for her last deployment in 2004.

With Leeds Castle retiring from the fleet in 2005, Dumbarton Castle has been replaced in the South Atlantic by the Navy’s newest vessel HMS Clyde – maintaining the strong Scottish connection – which will remain on station for at least five years.

Before she left the Falklands. islanders ensured her name will live on forever, allowing the name to be carved into the shoreline opposite Government House – an honour granted to very few ships.

Members of her 42 ship’s company gave up 250 hours of their spare time to heave 130 tons of rock needed to spell out the name.

Dumbarton Castle began her long journey home, via the Panama Canal, in September and has had various stops along the way including the Caribbean island of Tobago and Dakar, Senegal.

The homecoming brings an end to an eventful and busy life for the ship. Although built to safeguard North Sea oil platforms, the Falklands invasion of April 1982 sealed her destiny for the next quarter of a century. Just days after entering service Dumbarton Castle was ordered to store for war and prepare for deployment.

Carrying mail, troops and 90 tons of cargo, she joined the British Task Group at the tail end of the conflict.

In between patrolling the Falklands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands during her lifetime, Dumbarton Castle has returned to the UK for refits and a variety of roles including fishery protection duties around the UK coast.