HMS ARGYLL returns (RN Photo)

Hundreds welcome HMS ARGYLL home
Friends and families cheer as ship returns from six months patrol...

More than 500 friends and families crowded the jetty yesterday (Thursday 3 April), ensuring a very warm welcome to the Royal Naval warship HMS Argyll home to HM Naval Base Devonport after an intensive patrol in the Northern Arabian Gulf .

The ship has returned from six months on the frontline of British maritime operations, successfully tackling every challenge that came her way with a calm professionalism and resolve.

HMS Argyll’s Commanding Officer, Commander Gavin Pritchard, said: “I must thank the families and friends of all those on board for our fantastic welcome home today. This matches the unwavering support from them at home while we have been away for six months. Sometimes six months can seem a long time away from home. But when we know we have this emotional and practical backing many hundreds of miles away it all helps morale on board.”

His daughters Victoria, 15, and Rebecca, 12, both said they missed their father and were very happy to have him back home again in Gosport, Portsmouth.

Petty Officer Caterer Richard Hackett, of Plymouth, was met by his wife Dawn and daughters Courtney, 10, and Georgia 7, and son Jamie, 5, on the jetty. Richard said: “It’s great to be backing home and to have such a warm welcome. It seemed like a long six months to be away from home. You still never really get used to it.”

He said the highlights included protecting the oil platforms and spending Christmas in Dubai.

Richard joined HMS Argyll’s ship’s company in 2006 and has previously served in eight ships throughout his career.

Beth Lane, 22, of Plymouth, was delighted to be met by her sister Mary after a challenging six months in her first job in a warship since training. The qualified Officer of the Watch said: “This was my first deployment in a warship and was very hard work as a newly trained Officer of the Watch. It has been a steep learning curve dealing with a huge variety of duties. As well as driving the ship, which means navigating the ship through UK and foreign unfamiliar waters there were plenty of VIP and other diplomatic visits to help host on board and working with other navies which was also interesting.”

Mary said: “It has seemed a like a very long six months while she has been away. But it is fantastic that she is back again. Beth is not only my sister but my best friend as well. This is an amazing moment to meet her off her ship back safe and sound.”

Engineering technician Jamie Annis, 19, returned from his second tour of the Northern Arabian Gulf , also in HMS Argyll, to be hugged by his mother Elizabeth, and his sister Jemma, 26, with her children Joshua , four, and Harry, 18 months. H Jamie, of Plympton, Plymouth, has been in the Royal Navy since he was 16 and has also deployed to Sierra Leone in HMS Argyll. He said: “It’s been a good deployment, but like most of life in the Navy it was hard work. But it is good to be back home and see my family again. Argyll is a very good ship to serve in.”

His mother said: “It’s really good to see Jamie back and well.” Jemma said: “It seemed a like a long time not seeing Jamie for six months, but I’m excited he is back again.”

Commander Pritchard added: “Our return to the UK will bring to an end a professionally demanding chapter in the life of HMS Argyll. All the preparations and training conducted by the ship and the effort from everyone onboard, has made this a highly successful deployment.

“HMS Argyll has met every demand made of her with resilience, commitment and a huge level of professionalism. My ship’s company and the family and friends who have supported us in our absence, can all be very proud of the effect of the deployment - not least in support of the Iraqi people.”

For Commander Pritchard it will also mark the end of a chapter personally as he will handover command of HMS Argyll soon after returning to the UK.

During her second Gulf deployment in three years HMS Argyll spent included 52 days in one patrol From January to March 2008. Before this, the ship had been equally busy on patrol in the Northern Gulf, forming a key part of the coalition task force assisting in the protection of Iraq’s vital oil platforms and working closely with the Australian, American and Iraqi navies to provide security for not only the oil platforms or tankers and merchantmen that ply the waters, but also the local fishermen who make a living from their daily catch.

The ship’s boarding team was used regularly to provide close contact with shipping and HMS Argyll backed this up with a high tech array of sensors and communications equipment to create and maintain a good picture of shipping.

The brief fuel stop in Gibraltar will also allow some family members of the Ship’s Company to embark for the last leg of the voyage. They will be able to see first hand how a modern warship works and the vital role played by everyone onboard, and the sailors onboard are looking forward to demonstrating what they can do before a well earned period of leave. After this break, the ship will be conducting exercises and training around UK waters, as well as forming part of the Meet Your Navy public displays to be held in Portsmouth in July 2008.

HMS Argyll is a Type 23 frigate launched in 1989. Her weapon systems include the Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile System, the Seawolf Point-Defence Missile System, Stingray torpedoes, Sea Skua missiles, a 4.5-inch Gun, 30 mm cannons and machine guns and a Lynx helicopter. Her propulsion comes from four diesel engines for cruising and 2 Spey Gas turbines for fast sprints. This gives the ship a maximum speed of 28 knots. The ship displaces 4,500 tons and is 131 metres long. She has a complement of 180 officers and sailors.