HMS Prince of Wales leaves Portsmouth as families say fond farewells from the Round Tower
“It’s going to be hard but it’s not as long as last time.”
Family members have said emotional goodbyes to their loved ones after a Royal Navy warship has left the city.
HMS Prince of Wales set sail from Portsmouth this afternoon (Sunday, October 18), heading out to take charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group on Operation Firecrest. The mission involves training with Nato allies in the North Atlantic and High North, areas which have seen increased illicit activity from Russia.
The vessel returned home on July 24, following the first part of the operation, and had been at HMNB Portsmouth ever since. That was the culmination of a four-month deployment, during which the warfare department navigated the £3.2bn warship across 15,684 nautical miles. Sailors on the bridge kept watch across 7,890 hours.
Aviators operating F-35B fighter jets and helicopters conducted more than 750 deck landings. This included the 9,000th since entering service, with several of the aircraft conducting sorties thousands of miles from the ship.
The strike group has worked with 19 allies from Nato and the Joint Expeditionary Force since sailing in April, bolstering regional partnerships and strengthening the defence of the Euro-Atlantic.
At the Round Tower in Old Portsmouth today, families gathered to wave goodbye to their loved ones.
Mitch Ballard went to wave off his daughter Meghan Ballard, a weapons engineer on her second deployment on the warship.
He said: “She’s feeling fine - we’ve come from Birmingham today to wave her off.
“She’s working today so won’t be on deck but she will be trying to wave.”
Another woman, called Ruby, was atop the Round Tower to say goodbye to her partner James, also a weapons engineer and heading on his first deployment after three years in navy.
She said: “He’s very nervous but excited too to take the step in his career.
“He’s never been away before - I am nervous too.”
Ryan Parker, a lieutenant, was also aboard HMS Prince of Wales, with fiancee Jasmine wishing him well from Old Portsmouth.
She said: “He’s excited to go, it’s very different being on an aircraft carrier.
“It’s not his first deployment but his first on this kind of ship”
Mother and daughter paid Kirsten and Daisy Bell were atop the Round Tower to waive off CPO David Bell.
Daisy, 14, said: “It’s going to be hard but it’s not as long as last time. Eight months was a long time and it was scary.”
Kirsten added: “The first thing we are going to do when he gets back is put the Christmas decorations up.”