21 memories of Royal Navy ship HMS Cardiff

She served in the Falklands War, shooting down the last Argentine aircraft of the conflict and during the 1991 Gulf War her Lynx helicopter sank two Iraqi minesweepers.

Speaking at The Type 42’s decommissioning ceremony in the Naval Base, Commander Mike Beardall, the ship’s commanding officer, said: ‘Our decommissioning will naturally be tinged with sadness, but nevertheless it will also be filled with pride as we look back and remember the achievements throughout the ship’s life.

‘The Royal Navy is a forward looking organisation and it is time for our older warships, like HMS Cardiff, to be replaced by investing in modern and more capable units better able to meet the challenges of the future.’

He added: ‘We must not forget the contribution the ship has made over the last 26 years of her commission – a period which has seen great global change, with new threats constantly emerging. HMS Cardiff has been a work-horse of the fleet throughout and has always risen to meet every challenge.’

The majority of images are available to purchase should you wish to do so at: Portsmouth.co.uk scroll right to the bottom of the homepage and chose ‘Buy Photo’, or call Photosales on: 0330 403 0033 or Email: [email protected]