Final journey for HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate which boasts a proud history

Backlit by the early morning sun, at 7am precisely, the Type 23 frigate – now simply called Ex-Montrose – moved away from the dockside and began her final journey.

Towed by several tugs, the ship gradually transited Portsmouth Harbour and entered the Solent. The ultimate destination is likely to be a shipbreaker, although that’s not been confirmed.

Always a sad sight, seeing a once fine ship rusty and derelict. Big gaps on the superstructure where all salvageable weapons and equipment have been removed.

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But that is the end to virtually every ship of the Royal Navy – only the preserved few getting to live on beyond their service life.

We should remember and perhaps focus on the fine life of service HMS Montrose gave to the UK.

Commissioned in 1994, the HMS Montrose was the eighth out of 16 Type 23 or Duke-class frigates.

The vessel deployed around the globe, including on Operation Telic in 2006. Later she became a part of Standing Nato Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean.

More recently, HMS Montrose was forward deployed to Bahrain from 2019 where she would remain until 2022.

HMS Montrose was decommissioned in 2023 and languished at the back of Portsmouth Harbour awaiting her eventual fate.

The departure of Ex-Montrose comes just a day after the Royal Navy announced the retirement of two more type 23s – HMS Richmond and HMS Iron Duke and the mine countermeasure vessel HMS Chiddingfold.