Royal Navy sailor on HMS Montrose return home after mission in the Gulf

SAILORS on a warship based in the Gulf have returned home after a four-month stint tackling terrorism and protecting vital shipping lanes.
Tom Cotterill
By Tom Cotterill
Published 23rd Dec 2019, 13:53 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2019, 15:04 BST
The crew of HMS Montrose have returned home after a four-month stint in the Gulf. Here they are pictured following a huge drugs bust in the region. Photo: Royal NavyThe crew of HMS Montrose have returned home after a four-month stint in the Gulf. Here they are pictured following a huge drugs bust in the region. Photo: Royal Navy
The crew of HMS Montrose have returned home after a four-month stint in the Gulf. Here they are pictured following a huge drugs bust in the region. Photo: Royal Navy

The 200-strong crew of HMS Montrose – which includes sailors from the Portsmouth area – have returned to the UK following a mission in the Middle East.

The frigate is forward-based in the region and is shared by two crews, who rotate every few months.

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The ‘Port crew’, who took charge of the 4,500-tonne warship at the end of August, escorted three dozen British merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz during 24 transits.

During the deployment the men and women of Montrose also seized £42m of crystal meth and heroin.

Commander Ollie Hucker, commanding officer of Montrose’s Port crew, said: ‘I am extremely proud of all that Montrose’s Port crew have conducted during their operational period.’

Montrose will remain in the Gulf for three years before returning to the UK. She will eventually be based in Portsmouth.

Related topics:MontroseRoyal NavyPortsmouth

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