HMS Shoreham has returned home after being deployed for three months as a very high readiness ship at 24 hours' notice to respond to NATO tasking as part of a Standing NATO Force, operating mostly in the Baltic.
For the first time, families and friends joined their loved ones on board the Royal Navy mine hunter, HMS Shoreham, as she sailed in to her home port of HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday, July 13.
Around 80 family and friends joined the crew on board the mine hunter at Greenock to sail across to Faslane where a few more family members stood at the dockside to welcome them home. A lone piper added a touch of pageantry to the occasion.
Among the families at the dockside was Angela Worsley, who had travelled from Warrington with her daughter and two grandsons for the return of her son-in-law, Lieutenant Matthew Bryers.
Angela waited at Faslane with her five month old grandson Jaxon, while her daughter Katie was on board the ship with Jaxon's big brother Mason. Both boys were delighted to see their daddy again.
Captain Edward Ahlgren OBE, Captain FASFLOT was also at the dockside to welcome the Ship and her crew.
He said, "We are delighted to welcome home HMS Shoreham after a very successful three month deployment with NATO. They have delivered beyond expectation and they return to their families to enjoy some well-deserved leave prior to preparing for operations again"
"The MCM fleet are a vital arm of the Royal Navy and make a significant contribution to defence as a whole and we are immensely proud of them"
The Ship has been operating as part of a Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group One (SNMCMG1); a closely worked up multi-national group of Mine Hunters from Estonia, Belgium and Norway, and at times Mine Hunters from Sweden and Finland.
The Ship conducted Historical Ordnance Disposal around the Baltic Sea with successful visits to Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Poland, SNMCMG1 then took part in Exercise BALTOPS 17.
The largest exercise in the Baltic and one of the premier exercises in the Northern Hemisphere, where the Ship conducted her core role of Mine Counter Measures and trained with ships from many NATO and Partnership for Peace countries.
Before returning to Faslane the Ship stopped in at Shoreham-by-Sea for a hometown visit. The visit saw the Ship host and be hosted by her affiliates. Many guided tours were provided by the Crew and there was an official reception including ceremonial sunset on the first evening.
Commander Ben Evans, the Commanding Officer of HMS Shoreham said, "It is wonderful to be back in Faslane after a successful deployment with NATO, The ship's company are looking forward to some well-deserved leave, hopefully coming back refreshed and ready to conduct training later in the year."
