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HMS Duncan returns home in time for Christmas

PA Media A man with blonde and grey hair, wearing a dark blue hooded puffer jacket is hugging and kissing the forehead of a young woman with blonde hair, wearing a Royal Navy beret. They both have their eyes squeezed shut and are smiling, crowds of people can be seen in the background as well as the side of HMS DuncanPA Media
HMS Duncan's company have reunited with family after an eastern Mediterranean mission

Sailors on a Royal Navy destroyer have been reunited with their loved one for Christmas.

The HMS Duncan has returned to Portsmouth harbour, after sailing to replace HMS Diamond in the Red Sea on a multinational mission for six months.

The destroyer spent 125 days of its deployment at sea, providing air defence alongside allies from Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Cyprus and the US.

Families and loved ones braved the stormy weather to welcome back the crew, some waving flags or holding welcome signs.

PA Media Crowds of people are lined up along Portsmouth harbour, wearing warm clothing and watching as HMS Duncan enters the harbour. The destroyer is a large pale grey coloured ship and sailors in uniform can be seen lined up along the ship's deck.PA Media
An estimated 1,000 people braved the stormy weather to greet sailors at Portsmouth Harbour

The Royal Navy said 1,000 people greeted 200 sailors, who lined the ship's deck as it entered the harbour.

Cdr Dan Lee, commanding officer of HMS Duncan, said: "For us, it's a bit of time off, a bit of time back home with families - back in the new year, in order to start all over again basically."

Andrew Lynch, from the destroyer's logistics team, said: "When I hold my loved ones again, I'll do it with a new kind of appreciation, a deeper love and a quiet resolve that no distance, no time, no separation can ever truly break."

PA Media People are lined up against a gate, everyone is smiling and waving as they see HMS Duncan, many are holding Union Jack flags, one person is holding a Santa hat and people are holding up their phones to film the ship entering Portsmouth harbour.PA Media
Crews will have time with their families over Christmas before heading back on deployment

HMS Duncan spent six months of 2023 in the eastern Mediterranean, leading Nato's premier security mission in the region.

As a result, the sailors have spent 12 of the last 24 months on deployments.

Engineering technician Bradley Jones said: "Having endured another long deployment, I can say without hesitation that I have developed a deep gratitude for the friends and family I have back home.

"No words can give justice to what it's like being deployed."

HMS Duncan was recently awarded the Destroyer Trophy at the Fleet Efficiency Awards.

Cdr Lee said: "I could not be prouder of my ship's company and all they have achieved.

"As we return home in time for Christmas, with my team selected as the best destroyer in the fleet, they should rightly be proud of everything they've done."

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