Sailors from HMS Duncan reunited with families after six-month deployment
Sailors from HMS Duncan have been reunited with their families just in time for Christmas, following a six-month deployment to the eastern Mediterranean.
The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer returned home after covering more than 36,000 nautical miles during a mission that included air defence operations and collaboration with 21 allied warships.
Nearly 1,000 loved ones braved Storm Darragh to welcome home the 200-strong crew at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The ship's mission included providing protection for the USS Wasp task group and responding to escalating tensions in the region amid the Israel-Hamas and Israel-Hezbollah conflicts.
"Having endured another long deployment on board HMS Duncan, I can say without hesitation that I have developed a deep gratitude for the friends and family I have back home," said Engineering Technician Bradley Jones.
"No words can give justice to what it's like being deployed. I went through periods of self-doubt, frustration and fear, but these emotions were often followed with love, laughter, and hope."
The deployment was marked by intense activity, including 3,000 hours at sea, 400 flight deck landings, and 89 sorties by Duncan's Wildcat helicopter.
It also included significant cooperation with Nato allies, a highlight for many aboard.
"The opportunity to work with allied nations across Nato was a highlight. The cross polls that we conducted with them offered a unique insight into the lifestyle of other navies," Able Rating (Above Water Warfare) David Jackson said.
"The unique stops and strong sense of community of our Ship's Company helped everyone get through the tougher times, and come through to the end stronger."
HMS Duncan's crew also demonstrated resilience during the deployment, with some having spent 12 of the last 24 months away from home.
Leading Hand Andrew Lynch, part of the ship's logistics team, reflected on the bonds formed during their time at sea:
"I look around. The faces of the people who have become my new family. The laughter that fills the mess, the shared struggles that have bound us together in this challenging world. The friendships forged not by proximity, but by necessity and resilience.
"When I return home, when I'm finally reunited with the faces I've missed so terribly, I will carry a piece of this experience with me.
"The friends I've made on this deployment, the lessons I've learned, the moments of silent strength when I thought I couldn't go on – these will be a part of who I am, who I've become."
During the mission, HMS Duncan operated alongside ships from Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Cyprus, and the United States. The destroyer also made port calls in Malta and Barcelona on its journey back to Portsmouth.
For its exceptional work, HMS Duncan was awarded the Destroyer Trophy at the Fleet Efficiency Awards for the second consecutive year.
"As we return home after a challenging six-month deployment, I could not be prouder of my ship's company and all they have achieved," Commanding Officer Commander Dan Lee said.
"As we return home in time for Christmas, with my team selected as the best destroyer in the fleet, they should be rightly proud of everything they've done."
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