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Hundreds expected to welcome frigate back home
HMS CAMPBELTOWN returns on 23rd May after seven months at sea...

Hundreds of families and friends are expected to meet Devonport-based Royal Navy warship HMS Campbeltown return home on Friday (23 May) after a seven-month deployment.

The frigate has been part of the Royal Navy’s presence East of Suez and during the deployment the ship has been conducting Operation Calash and Operation Telic duties in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Northern Arabian Gulf.

Accompanied by a band, about 600 well-wishers are expected to line the dockside to greet their loved ones as they climb ashore to enjoy four weeks of post-deployment leave at home.

HMS Campbeltown’s commanding officer, Commander Gordon Abernethy said: “This has been a really challenging deployment. The ship and the ship’s company are a real asset and have made a significant impact in countering global terrorism and working towards getting Iraq stabilised again. We have all missed our families tremendously, they have given us all a great deal of support, but know that we have an important job to do and the ship’s company should feel proud of what we have achieved.”

HMS Campbeltown has worked extremely hard since leaving Devonport in October last year. The first few months of the deployment, up until the turn of the year, were spent conducting Operation Calash which involves patrolling the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden areas in the drive towards countering international terrorism.

Since the turn of the year Campbeltown has been part of Operation Telic, as part of a
multi-national coalition task force that protects the Iraqi oil platforms, which generate 95% of the nations income. The main role provides 24-hour-a-day security for 365 days a year in congested water where traffic ranges from small fishing dhows up to vast oil tankers. The task force is also working hard to assist and train the Iraqi Navy to eventually assume the same role.

The ship’s company did get the chance to take some rest and recuperation during the deployment, notably a 12-day stand off in Dubai where the ship conducted a maintenance period while many of the crew also flew family and friends out to meet them. A popular feature was an indoor ski centre with many of the ship’s company taking the unexpected chance to learn to ski in the Middle East.

Most of the time deployed has been at sea but HMS Campbeltown ship has also taken part in football, rugby and hockey during port visits against local teams.

The sailors raised funds for the various charities through events such as ‘Row the Suez’ and a 24-hour ‘liftathon’. ‘Row the Suez Canal’ involves rowing on a rowing machine continuously for a ‘distance’ of 162 km, equivalent to the length of the canal, to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Eight members of the warrant officers’ and chief petty officers’ mess also staged a 24-hour ‘Liftathon’, a weight-lifting endurance event, lifting about 1,075 tonnes with each lifter completing 60,000 lifts. The events raised £1,898 for Granby Island Community Centre, who support under-privileged local children and youngsters in Devonport, Plymouth.

After 29,100 miles and 221 days away HMS Campbeltown and her ship’s company are be pleased to return home to Devonport. The crew will enjoy their leave before the ship undertakes a maintenance period to prepare her for a busy operating programme between now and entering refit in November.