Portsmouth: Stalwart frigate decommissioned from Royal Navy

Members of the ship's company march past HMS Montrose following its decommissioning ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base

A Royal Navy warship that has seized millions of pounds of drugs and illegal shipments of missiles has been decommissioned from the fleet at the end of its nearly 30-year career.

Former crew and family bid farewell to Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose at Portsmouth Naval Base.

A navy spokesman said: "There are few parts of the world the frigate has not seen in her 29-year active life."

The ship clocked up more than 400,000 miles on duties at home and overseas.

"Most recently she has spent four years constantly deployed on operations, almost exclusively in the Gulf and Indian Ocean," the spokesman added.

At the Hampshire decommissioning ceremony, the 200 members of the ship's company turned to face the vessel as the White Ensign was lowered on the flight deck of the ship, which joined the navy in 1994.

Commanding officer Commander Claire Thompson hands over the White Ensign to Sir Malcolm Rifkind, whose late wife Lady Edith was the sponsor of HMS Montrose

Commander Claire Thompson, Montrose's 20th and final commanding officer, said: "It's been a truly special occasion officially decommissioning this fine ship after 30 years' service to both her monarchs and her country.

"As the final ship's company it is with immense pride that we lowered the Ensign today and we did it on behalf of the thousands of men and women who have had the privilege of calling HMS Montrose home."

Leading engineering technician Anthony Ball, who is Montrose's final sailor of the year, said: "It's a shame to see such a good ship come to the end of its service but I'm proud to have served in her and I've had a great time with my shipmates in these three years."

Based in Plymouth for the vast majority of its career, Montrose was the seventh ship in the class of 16 Duke-class frigates to be laid down in 1989 and the eighth to be commissioned in 1994.

During the ship's active life, Montrose made 10 drug busts seizing 16 tonnes of illegal narcotics, seized illegal shipments of missiles and cruise missile engines, and helped safely guide some 130 merchant vessels through potentially dangerous maritime choke points, the Navy said.