Last chance to see heroic Royal Navy Falklands War destroyer HMS Bristol as Portsmouth departure times set

HMS Bristol, a one-of-a-kind Type 82 destroyer that played a vital role in the 1982 conflict against Argentina, will be leaving the naval base and be scrapped. Former Royal Navy Petty Officer Mike Tuttiett, who served in the war and aboard the ship, said veterans will be heading to The Round Tower tomorrow morning (June 11) to watch the ship depart.

This was been validated in the Portsmouth King’s Harbour Master shipping movements. HMS Bristol is due to sail from the Fountain Lake Jetty and head past The Round Tower at 6.30am. She will be given a pilot and tug assist by SD Bountiful and Indulgent. The 155m long warship will then be taken to the NAB tower and brought to Turkey to be recycled.

HMS Bristol scrapped

HMS Bristol was decommissioned in Portsmouth on October 28, 2020, News broke of the former Harbour Training Ship being recycled in November last year. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) listed the destroyer along with several other ships as being available for tender.

Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S) officials were seeking to sell used and ageing assets in a bid to generate funds. The Falklands destroyer received two bids from Turkish firms Leyal Gemi Sokum Sanayi Ve Ticaret Ltd Sti and Sok Denizcilik Ve Tic. Ltd. Sti. Both of them specialise in dismantling military and civilian ships.

They previously bought Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels RFA Gold River and RFA Black River to break them up for parts. Other Royal Navy ships have left Portsmouth this year bound for the Turkish scrapyards. HMS Monmouth left the city for the last time on April 3.

Richard Whalley, who served as a Lieutenant on the Type 23 frigate, previously said: “It is always a sad day when you see a ship that was a significant part of your life heading for disposal but I am happy at least that the sale of HMS Monmouth for recycling in Turkey will provide an ethical and responsible method of recovering metals and other valuable assets which provides a financial return for the Royal Navy. A fitting end for a ship that has served the nation well.”