Royal Navy: HMS Montrose returns to Plymouth after three years

HMS Montrose is stationed at HMNB Devonport, but supports missions all over the world.

HMS Montrose has returned to Devonport after a three-and-a-half-year deployment in the Middle East.

The Type 23 frigate is based at HMNB Devonport when she is not away on deployment.

The ship has been responsible for safeguarding merchant shipping, tackling criminal and terrorist activity, and working with allies while overseas.

Before the ship came alongside, a gun salute was held in Plymouth Sound.

The Montrose was welcomed home by friends and family of the crew.

People were reunited with their loved ones at the homecoming ceremony

Some people brought along flags and banners to welcome home HMS Montrose

Around 800 family members and friends - many holding banners- lined the jetty at Devonport Naval Base to welcome home the ship, which hasn't been in the UK since October 2018.

Children waited to see their parents for the first time in several months as the ship came alongside

Commanding Officer Claire Thompson said: "Returning after four years away, in time for Christmas, and with 800 of our families and friends waiting for us on the jetty, mean the ship's been excited and alive with expectation all week.

"The homecoming is a huge occasion and one that we have been looking forward to, over the past six months. Some of our younger sailors have never experienced the thrill of bringing a ship home and having their families on the jetty to meet them - it's something I'm sure they will never forget.

"I'm enormously proud of what my team and the ship have achieved over those four years. It is fantastic to get them all home for the festive period, especially given we were away last year - we were actually conducting boarding operations on Christmas Day in 2021."

While on deployment, the ship has been in the headlines for multiple things, including drugs busts and seizing weapons being smuggled from Iran

The crew of the Type 23 Frigate waved to their loved ones as they approached the dockyard

Although the ship herself has been away from the UK for more than four years, her sailors and Royal Marines have not.

Her crew changes every four months, with the rotations planned so the personnel spend at least one Christmas in two at home with loved ones.

The 11 rotations of crew also spared the ship the month-long voyage to and from the Middle East at the beginning and end of a regular six or seven-month deployment, making the ship available for more operations, and allowing personnel to plan their lives with much greater certainty.

HMS Montrose left in October 2018 and has been operating in Bahrain since April 2019

After a short period of maintenance, the Montrose will return to sea early in 2023 for operational duties and a farewell tour - including a visit to her namesake Scottish town - before the ship is formally decommissioned in the spring.

HMS Montrose has intercepted narcotics worth nearly £47 million this year alone