Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth has deployed to the Northern Arabian Gulf region for six months.

The ship left her home port of HM Naval Base, Devonport, Plymouth, on Monday (28 Sept) afternoon primarily to engage in anti-piracy and maritime security operations. The Type 23 frigate is also ready for any other tasking required while on operations.

HMS Monmouth, known within the fleet as 'The Black Duke', has just completed challenging operational sea training by the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation in the naval base. This intensive training prepares the ship and her crew for the deployment making sure they are ready in all respects for whatever they may face over the coming months.

The ship's commanding officer Commander Tony Long said: "The Black Duke is ready for this deployment. We are well-trained and motivated by the importance of our contribution to security and stability in the region. We are relishing the challenges ahead."

Commissioned by Lady Eaton in 1991, HMS Monmouth is a Type 23 Duke class frigate with a length of 133 metres and displacing over 4000 tonnes. She has a complement of 174 officers and ratings and is equipped with the latest weapons, sensors and communications systems, including the vertical launch Seawolf missile system for close air defence, a 4.5 inch gun, anti submarine torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a Merlin helicopter.

A decorated World War Two Royal Navy veteran of the battle against the German U-Boats was hosted at Devonport Naval Base (Tuesday 15 September) to visit a nuclear-powered attack submarine.

John Huckle, 85, of Monmouth, who has the Distinguished Service Cross, was in the naval base at the invitation of the Royal Navy to honour his wartime and life's service as a former Royal Naval lieutenant. He took the rare chance to see the enormous changes to the Royal Navy since he was last in uniform.

Lieutenant Commander Peter Stanton-Brown, a submariner and executive staff officer to the Devonport Flotilla, said: "It was an honour to host such a prestigious guest who contributed so much to the Service. Mr Huckle enjoyed the opportunity to see a modern submarine and talk to the commanding officer. He also enjoyed the training facility, looking at some of the historical pictures there and found the whole visit experience rewarding."

Whilst in a guest at Devonport he was shown round HMS Talent (a Trafalgar class submarine) by the commanding officer Commander Simon Asquith. A call at Talisman, the separate submarine command team trainer unit allowed John to be reacquainted with the periscope!

John joined the Royal Navy at 17 in 1941. He said he remembers the exact date because the next day the Japanese retaliated by bombing Pearl Harbour. As an ordinary Seaman he served aboard the the flagship of the then Home Fleet HMS King George V. Promoted to Midshipman in 1943 he joined HMS Calder (DE 58, ex-USS Formoe and a 'Captain' Class destroyer escort) as sonar officer. On 26 January 1945 HMS Calder fired on enemy U-Boat 1051 which was crippled and forced to surface after it sunk warship HMS Manners. The U-Boat was subsequently sunk by HMS Aylmer. John was awarded the DSC for his part in this action, while the destruction of another U-Boat, U-774 earned John a Bar to his DSC. After the battle of the Atlantic ended John served in two submarines towards the end of World War Two, HMS Vulpine and HMS Springer.

This year's Devonport Navy Days has been a hailed a success after thousands of visitors poured through the Navy Base gates over the weekend.

Commodore Ian Jess said: "Navy Days was hugely successful this year. It is an important event in the Navy calendar as it gives the public the chance to see beyond the walls of the dockyard and it helps to dispel the mystic.

"We are very grateful to all those who took part and those who supported and helped organise this unique event, as well as all the thousands of visitors from across the country who made this an occasion to remember."

The weather over the two days stayed mainly sunny and dry for the event which enabled the visitors to fully appreciate all the attractions on offer, these included t he Royal Navy's newest warship HMS Daring, the submarine HMS Trafalgar, the Black Cats Lynx helicopter display pair and an exhibition dedicated to the Royal Marines and their equipment.

Several thousand families and friends braved the wet weather to give West Country sailors, airmen and Royal Marines a warm welcome on return to Plymouth today Monday (August 3).

The jetties of HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth, were packed with a Royal Marine Band and ecstatic crowds waving banners bearing greetings and shouting for joy as their loved ones returned in three warships, HMS Ocean, HMS Somerset and HMS Bulwark, from the Taurus 09 Task Group after a six-month deployment.

Commodore Paul Bennett commanded the amphibious task force from the group flagship HMS Bulwark. The task group, originally comprised ten ships and a nuclear-powered submarine, a helicopter group and Royal Marines from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines, some of which have already returned.

Cdre Bennett said: "Everyone involved can be very pleased with a great achievement. We have come home to a deserved wonderful welcome. This was a lengthy operational and training exercise with a large number of marines and sailors. We have visited a lot of places and worked with a lot of countries and shown what the navy does best - operating with a multinational force worldwide. We were also at high readiness throughout to act immediately if required to respond to threats and other events, whether for humanitarian or conflicts.

"This demonstrated the Royal Navy at its most flexible, providing amphibious speciality and commanding the task force to show we are able to work in all environments, including riverine and coastal and with the Royal Marines in jungles, while proving yet again we are very effective at it."

Captain Wayne Keble, the commanding officer of HMS Bulwark, said: "We left in gloomy wet weather and we returned in wet weather, nothing changes, but we do have a rapturous warm welcome to make us feel at home again. It's really emotional for us all. I am very proud of all the sailors and marines and airman embarked on board. This was a new experience for so many of us. This was the largest naval task group to go to the Far East in more than ten years.

"We gained valuable training and experience operating with other navies at high readiness for six months. But my ship's company also visited some interesting places they'd never go to before, so on that level they gained a lot as well."

The task group's aim was to maintain the Royal Navy's fighting capability as well as develop the UK 's capacity to operate with key partners and allies from NATO countries and other nations, enhancing working together with other navies and demonstrating the UK 's commitment to the stability and security of the Mediterranean , Middle East and South East Asia.

Chief Petty Officer Matthew Marsh, of Bridgewater, Somerset, is HMS Bulwark's gunnery officer. He was greeted joyously by his family when they joined the happy throng crowding on to HMS Bulwark to be reunited with the crew. He said: "It's fantastic to be welcomed back by such a big crowd. It's great to see my family again, especially my grand-daughter. It was a very successful and varied deployment, but I so happy to be back home."

Matthew's wife Marie, a tourism officer with Sedgemoor District Council, said: "I missed him a lot. It has been a long time he's been away and seems to have gone really slowly. But he can now enjoy family life and again and catch up with his daughters and grandchild."

His daughter Zallah Hill joined HMS Bulwark in Gibraltar to sail back to Plymouth. Her daughter Phoebe, five, was also in Devonport to see her granddad home. Zallah said: "It's great to have dad back again. He takes Phoebe to the park and they go for walks with the dogs and play in the garden."

In exercising deploying globally, the task group conducted a wide range of activities, including maritime security operations, anti-piracy patrols and exercising amphibious and anti-submarine warfare, culminating in a multi-national amphibious and jungle training exercise in Brunei . Up to 3,300 personnel took part in the 20,400 mile round-trip deployment building relations with 17 nations. Exercise Commando Rajah, a multi-national amphibious exercise saw the Royal Marines from 40 Commando exercise in the Brunei rivers and jungles.

Units involved in Taurus 09: HMS Bulwark, HMS Ocean, HMS Argyll, HMS Somerset, US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS Mitscher, French Navy Georges Leygues-class Frigate FS Dupleix, RFA Mounts Bay, RFA Lyme Bay, RFA Wave Ruler, RFA Fort Austin, HMS Echo, 40 Cdo Royal Marines, 820 Naval Air Squadron 847 Naval Air Squadron, 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, Fleet Diving Unit, HMS Trafalgar and HMS Talent.

HMS Chatham's crew has celebrated her 21st 'birthday' with a visit by her sponsor, Lady Roni Oswald.

The Type 22 frigate affiliated to Chatham and based in Plymouth, took a break during her busy sea trials period in the Channel last weekend to pay a visit to Portsmouth where Lady Oswald and her husband, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Julian Oswald (retired) were the guests of honour for the proceedings whilst the ship was in the port.

This year marks 21 years since HMS Chatham was launched on the River Tyne by Lady Oswald at Swan Hunters Shipbuilders Ltd. The anniversary was marked with a ceremony at which Lady Oswald took the salute and Sir Julian inspected the guard. This was followed, in traditional style, with the cutting of a cake by the wife of the ship's co, Mrs Angela Huntington, and the youngest member of the crew Able Seaman Alexandra Turner.

Lady Oswald also presented Long Service and Good Conduct medals to Petty Officer Joseph Banks and Leading Logistician Greg Mold. Efficiency prizes were presented by Hugh Oliver-Bellasis of the Merchant Taylors' Company, one of the ship's foremost affiliations.

The following day Sea Cadets from another of the Ship's affiliated organisations, TS Anson of Dartford, took the opportunity to tour the Ship and gain an insight into life on board.

Lady Oswald said that it was "an absolutely amazing day" and how she had enjoyed the parade and meeting the ship's company.

Sir Julian said he had "very much enjoyed" the day and thanked the ship for making such ''excellent arrangements''. He said it was a ''great privilege'' to meet the ship's company" who were "cheerful and enthusiastic''.

HMS Chatham's Commanding Officer, Commander Simon Huntington said: "This has been a wonderful way for my ship's company to mark the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the ship being launched, and it has been made even more special by the visit of the Ship's sponsor Lady Roni Oswald."

Following a period of essential maintenance in her home port of Devonport, HMS Chatham is conducting sea trials in preparation for her return to the operational fleet. The crew will conduct training under Flag Officer Sea Training later in the year, before deploying in early 2010.

HMS Albion has passed her post-refit inspection with flying colours and now rejoins the Royal Navy's operational fleet after almost two years' absence.

The 22,000-ton amphibious assault ship has completed the first docking and maintenance period of her career in the hands of Babcock Marine at her base port of Devonport, Plymouth. The major refit began in October 2008 and the latest phase completed today when the ship was inspected by Commodore Paul Bennett, Commander Amphibious Task Group.

During recent months the ship had its hull and underwater fittings overhauled, including a new 25,000-litre re-paint. Work also included installing twelve miles of power and data cables, a mile of welding and 450,000 man hours over the nine months in dry dock.

The ship's Commanding Officer Captain John Kingwell said: "It has been an intensive period of work and the results are absolutely fantastic."

Babcock's Project Manager Mike Weeks said he was delighted with the overall progress. He said the project success was underpinned by an innovative partnering arrangement between Babcock Marine, the Ministry of Defence, HMS Albion's crew and many sub-contractors.

Lieutenant Commander Shane Doran, SFM Project Manager at MOD Defence Equipment and Support that placed the refit contract under the Surface Ship Support Programme, added: "Over 1,300 people worked extremely hard on this complex project and all can be proud of their collective achievements. HMS Albion returns to the Fleet in great shape and ready to continue training."

Chris Tomkins, Babcock Warships Director (Devonport): "Strong partnering has prevailed throughout this docking period enabling the team to overcome a number of significant challenges. At all levels of the organisation people have worked very closely together towards a common goal. The outcome is a great result for all concerned. We will continue to provide support until Albion achieves operational readiness status and wish her crew the very best for the future."

The ship has been transformed from a scaffolding-clad building site into a gleaming warship. HMS Albion has a crew of 350 sailors and Royal Marines and much of their accommodation has been upgraded and refurbished. The ship's galley has also received a makeover providing up to 1,800 meals a day while the new fridges and freezers give the ship months of endurance.

HMS Albion, affiliated with Chester, is one of the first of the new generation of all electric ships, including her sister ship HMS Bulwark, driven by two electric motors supplied by four diesel generators, all of which have been overhauled and serviced during the maintenance period.

The formal process of ensuring HMS Albion was fit to rejoin the fleet was the Fleet Date Inspection and Contract Acceptance Date which mark the end of the work period.

However, Babcock Marine and the Royal Navy see the partnership continuing all the way through operational sea training up to January 2010. HMS Albion then takes on the role of the high-readiness amphibious flagship when she will be at short notice to deploy anywhere in the world with an embarked force of Royal Marines, Commander Amphibious Task Group and staff from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.

The ship will sail from Plymouth tomorrow with 150 Babcock Marine employees and their families onboard so that they can see at first-hand the success of the work. The ship will then visit Portsmouth before returning to Plymouth for a Family's Day on 31st July for the crew's family to visit the ship.

The Royal Navy Volunteer band from Plymouth hit the high notes - coming second in a national competition.

The HMS Drake Royal Navy Volunteer Band Base from HM Naval Base Devonport entered the annual Royal Navy Volunteer Band Festival held at The Guildhall, Portsmouth, on July 4th and performed well but could not retain their overall band accolade from last year.

Band Colour Sergeant Mark Phillips (Royal Marines) received the trophy. He said: "I felt that all the hard work that the band has put in over the last few months was well rewarded and also gives us three trophies in the last two years! We are already planning how to take back first place next year!"

The festival is also the annual inspection of the Royal Navy Volunteer Band's by the Royal Navy Volunteer Band Association President, the Second Sea Lord (head of personnel issues in the Royal Navy) and the Principal Director of Music Royal Marines.

This year the Devonport band travelled to Portsmouth to try to defend their first overall placing. The day consists of two displays, a 15-minute marching display on Guildhall Square in the morning, followed by a 15-minute concert performance in the Guildhall in the afternoon, all of which is open to the general public.

As part of the concert category of the festival, the band performed a solo item and this year Alun Turner was to play 'The Champion' on the soprano saxophone. They also played the National Anthem and opened one set with 'Tuscola Mountain Celebration'. 'The Champion' followed before concluding with Michael Sweeney's' 'Kinesis'.

After all bands had concluded their performances the adjudicators made up their minds and HMS Collingwood, Fareham, Hampshire, cleaned up all the trophies from the morning performances before the results were given for the afternoon.

HMS Neptune in Faslane, Scotland, was judged to have given the best concert performance, HMS Collingwood coming runner-up in that category so Collingwood was to be the best overall band, but prior to that announcement, Devonport were announced as the runner-up to the best overall band, managing to place behind Collingwood in both the concert and marching displays.

Sailors from HMS Chatham have been carrying out volunteer work at a home for veteran Royal Navy sailors.

The generous crew of the Plymouth-based Type 22 frigate have made life brighter for the residents of Pembroke House in Gillingham, Kent, by decorating their residential home.

The sailors from HMS Chatham carried out in the reception area, lounges, the bar and "bridge" area (a lounge with a ship's wheel as the centrepiece). They also weeded the garden and tidied the car park, flower borders and patio. In between the hard work they took time to get to know the residents, chatting, having lunch and joining a quiz.

The work was supported by money raised by the crew of the mine countermeasures vessel HMS Pembroke, who are deployed on operations, and a generous donation from one of HMS Chatham's affiliated organisations, The Merchant Taylors' Company.

HMS Chatham's commanding officer, Commander Simon Huntington said: "It is very rewarding to be able to help charitable organisations such as Pembroke House and it is even more satisfying when they have such close ties to the Royal Navy. It is testament to the quality of our sailors that they put their hearts and their efforts into charity fundraising when undertaking the challenging duties that are asked of them, and we are extremely grateful to our affiliates, The Merchant Taylors' Company, and to HMS Pembroke for their assistance in this project."

Pembroke House, close to the historic ex Royal Naval dockyard in Chatham , Pembroke house is a nursing home for ex-Royal Navy Warrant Officers and ranks below. It was originally built in the 1920's as an orphanage and was taken over by the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust (RNBT) as a residential home in 1952.

Chief Petty Officer 'JC' Cameron-Wood, one of the leaders of the working party, whose father is a past Chairman of the RNBT Pembroke House Committee, said: "Since the new extension was built in 2000 the facilities for the residents are dramatically improved. I hope that our week's efforts can mean money is channelled to other projects within the home. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to the residents and taking part in their afternoon quiz."

Vice Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon KBE, the President of the RNBT, said: "Much was achieved in fellowship terms between the serving men and women and those in their twilight years."

The Chief Executive of the RNBT, Commander Stephen Farrington QGM, praised the 'excellent work' and said the team were credit to themselves, HMS Chatham and the Royal Navy.

Keith Rowbottom, the house manager said he was impressed with the work done in such a short time, and how he would welcome the return of the sailors in the future.

Following a period of essential maintenance in her home port of Devonport, Plymouth HMS Chatham is conducting sea trials in preparation for her return to the operational Fleet.

Devonport based submarine, HMS Talent, received a special guest recently when Mr Fowley, a large Leonburger dog arrived onboard, ship shape and eager.

Mr Fowley accompanied by his dog handler Jenny Blackhall and Judy Pride from the Children's Hospice South West were welcomed onboard by members of the crew. The special occasion was to present a cheque for £200 that the crew had raised for the local charity during a horse racing event onboard.

Commander Simon Asquith, the Commanding Officer said:" It is a real privilege to support such a worthy local charity and I wish them every success in their fundraising. It is the first time that we've had a dog onboard HMS Talent and he behaved impeccably."

Mr Fowley has helped raised £60,000 for the charity to help build a Plymouth and Cornwall hospice for children with life limiting illnesses.

Ten sailors from submarines in Plymouth have completed a testing adventure training exercise in New Zealand - despite treacherous weather conditions curtailing their ambitions routes.

The nine submariners from Plymouth-based HMS Triumph and Faslane-based HMS Vigilant have arrived back in the UK from Exercise Kiwi Summit after bidding to complete three challenging trekking routes across the remote and mountainous South Island of New Zealand.

Using mountain huts and emergency bivouacs for shelter, the team planned to spend two weeks trekking and were without a guide and totally self-sufficient - but the worst weather the New Zealand mountains could throw at them tested the sailors more than expected and caused one route to be abandoned.

The expedition was backed by the Royal Navy and the submariners also proudly represented their service and their submarine, including as guests of the local ANZAC Day ( New Zealand and Australian armed forces national remembrance day service).

Despite the many months of planning, there was nothing the team could do about the weather with heavy rain of up to 40 cm-a-day predicted (the highest single day's rainfall ever recorded in the UK was 279 cm in 1955). This heavy rainfall in mountainous areas brought the risk of flash floods and landslides and the rivers and streams the team planned to cross were impassable. Even the alternate plan to cross a river by jet boat was impossible due to flood debris.

Expedition leader Petty Officer Phil Blight - a Joint Services Mountain Expedition Leader said: "Obviously there was an initial sense of disappointment at not completing any of the planned treks. But the team, who mostly began as novices to summer mountaineering, spent many days in very demanding conditions, adapted quickly to rapidly changing plans, and

remained motivated and in good spirits throughout. Seven of the team gained a Summer Mountaineering Proficiency qualification and two of them achieved the Mountain leader (Training) award. So as far as the aims of Royal Navy Adventurous Training are concerned there can be no doubt these were well and truly achieved."

The weather forced the postponement on the first trek - Gilespie Pass - by several days. On re-starting, the trekkers began well but on steeper ground progress slowed by landslides which in turn caused unstable ground above a river in full flood conditions. Once across this dangerous route however, hopes for easier progress were dashed as a side stream that should have been easily crossed proved too hazardous - so the route was abandoned. The team had to spend the night on the river bank after their promised evacuation boat could not cross the swollen river in the dark.

The weather later briefly improved with a few days of sunny weather, but the peaks became snow-covered so the team's ambitions had to be scaled back.- totally abandoning the second route to give more time for the third trek.

Several low-level walking days saw the team visit Aspiring hut in the heart of the Aspiring National Park, and Rob Roy Glacier, as well as the more demanding ridge walk Mount Alpha to Mount Roy, both over 1,600m above sea level.

Members of the team kept themselves busy during bad weather with mountain biking, archery and clay pigeon shooting, luge and even sky-diving, and bungee-jumping.

Despite the weather conditions they made one last attempt at the final third very remote route, but at a lower elevation to the others to avoid snow. After a three hour journey the sailors began their trek and got up to their waists jn water during many hours of hard slog through rain forest and swamp which tested the endurance of all involved.

After reaching the overnight hut and receiving the weather report by HF radio the weary submariners discovered there was worse to come. More snow and wet weather was forecast. But as it was their final chance to complete one of the planned treks they set off the following day determined to give it all to complete the route. However, wet clothing, bad weather and fatigue meant a decision was made to turn around at the high point of centre pass at 1,000m. They sadly returned to Queenstown after a further night in a mountain hut to dry out and began preparations for their premature return to the UK .