HMS Duncan's crew bid farewell ahead of next mission with Nato

The crew of Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan bid farewell to their families and friends as they departed on a six-month mission.

The vessel will serve as a flagship of Nato's Standing Maritime Group 2 – a force of around half a dozen warships that patrol from the Pillars of Hercules, at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar, to the Bosphorus, Turkey, ensuring security, safety, and peace across the Mediterranean.

Service personnel were photographed waving to their loved ones who saw them off from Portsmouth naval base as they set sail.

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This is the third time HMS Duncan, Britain's youngest destroyer, has been attached to the long-standing Nato group in five years – led a Nato task group around the Mediterranean in 2018 and 2019 – and her role will be to shield the fleet from missile and air attack.

The vessel recently underwent a two-year revamp at Portsmouth, and this will be her first deployment since its completion.

The last act of Duncan’s regeneration was a stint in the Med earlier this year, which included joining France's flagship, carrier FS Charles de Gaulle, on exercises off Toulon.

Since then the ship has continued preparations for her Nato assignment, culminating in a rededication service in Portsmouth last month attended by affiliates, friends, families and senior naval officers.

Engineering Technician Freddie Day, for whom this will be his first deployment, said: "I've only been on board Duncan for a couple of months, so I am a little nervous, but really looking forward to going to visit places I've not been before and spend time with my mates on board who I've already bonded with.

"I am also looking forward to getting stuck in and finding out more about my job on an operational deployment."

Commander Ben Martin, Duncan's Commanding Officer, said the 200 men and women aboard his ship were ready for the challenges ahead.

As the flagship, Nato staff will choreograph the movements and activities of Duncan and the other vessels assigned to the task group, which includes American, Spanish, Canadian, French, and Italian ships.

HMS Duncan is due to return to Portsmouth in December.