HMS Dragon's commanding officer named in Operational Honours list as Royal Navy sailors are rewarded

Commander Michael Carter Quinn led HMS Dragon while her ship’s company carried out eight raids on drug smugglers in the Middle East.

The 42-year-old took the Portsmouth-based Type 45’s crew into the record books as they recovered huge amounts of hashish and won praise from ministers.

As reported, the warship was among the counter-terrorism organisation Combined Task Force 150.

In seven months she captured more drugs than the entire British police force seizes in a single year.

Cdr Carter Quinn, who is due to be made an OBE, said: ‘It was a complete surprise to be told about this honour and not something I was expecting at all. I told my family last night, and my mum burst into tears, they were all absolutely over the moon for me.

‘This honour is real recognition, for my wife especially, of all the support my family gave me during that deployment and all the months it took to prepare for it.

‘HMS Dragon deployed from the UK as ready as we could be for the mission ahead, and we were on the front foot throughout. That is the reason we had such a successful time at sea on operations.

‘I was so proud of all of the ‘Dragons’ on board, who pulled together and worked exceptionally hard.

‘I am most humbled to have received this honour, and dare I say slightly embarrassed, because it was about the collective effort. This truly is recognition of their efforts.’

Leading Medical Assistant Gemma Brown, is set to receive the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service for delivering first-aid instruction to Iraqi forces.