Warfare in News

On Friday, 31 May, the Royal Navy's last remaining Type 42 destroyer, HMS Edinburgh will return for the final time to her home port of Portsmouth before being decommissioned on 6 June.

As per Royal Navy tradition, Edinburgh will be flying a decommissioning pennant on her final journey, accompanied by one of the Navy's successor Type 45s, HMS Diamond.

Edinburgh has carried out a farewell tour of the UK over the past month, visiting Edinburgh, Liverpool – where she was built – and London, where she played a part in events to mark the Battle of the Atlantic 70th anniversary.

On her approach to the harbour, Edinburgh will fire a 21-gun salute, with a response from the saluting gun at Fort Blockhouse, Gosport. There will also be a fly past by a Sea Fury of the RN Historic Flight plus a modern-day Lynx helicopter if the weather allows it.

Her Commanding Officer, Commander Nick Borbone, said:

'After the success of her final operational deployment in March, this has been a fitting finale to an illustrious career for HMS Edinburgh.

'The welcome, hospitality and warmth that we have received during visits to the capital, her namesake city and finally to her birthplace in Liverpool is clear evidence of a nation that holds the Royal Navy in extremely high regard.'

At Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this Saturday and Sunday, (1-2 June), the public will have a final chance to step on board a Type 42 as Edinburgh's doors open free of charge to the public, between 10am and 4pm.

On Friday, 31 May, the Royal Navy's last remaining Type 42 destroyer, HMS [i]Edinburgh[/i] will return for the final time to her home port of Portsmouth before being decommissioned on 6 June. As per Royal Navy tradition, [i]Edinburgh[/i] will be flying a decommissioning pennant on her final journey, accompanied by one of the Navy's successor Type 45s, HMS [i]Diamond[/i]. [i]Edinburgh[/i] has carried out a farewell tour of the UK over the past month, visiting Edinburgh, Liverpool – where she was built – and London, where she played a part in events to mark the Battle of the Atlantic 70th anniversary. On her approach to the harbour, [i]Edinburgh[/i] will fire a 21-gun salute, with a response from the saluting gun at Fort Blockhouse, Gosport. There will also be a fly past by a Sea Fury of the RN Historic Flight plus a modern-day Lynx helicopter if the weather allows it. Her Commanding Officer, Commander Nick Borbone, said: [i]'After the success of her final operational deployment in March, this has been a fitting finale to an illustrious career for HMS[/i] Edinburgh. [i]'The welcome, hospitality and warmth that we have received during visits to the capital, her namesake city and finally to her birthplace in Liverpool is clear evidence of a nation that holds the Royal Navy in extremely high regard.'[/i] At Portsmouth Historic Dockyard this Saturday and Sunday, (1-2 June), the public will have a final chance to step on board a Type 42 as [i]Edinburgh[/i]'s doors open free of charge to the public, between 10am and 4pm.