The Royal Navy's Atlantic Patrol Tasking HMS Dragon called at Tristan da Cunha, one of the most remote islands on the planet, on the latest stage of her Atlantic deployment. There is no land to the west for more than 2,000 miles, South Africa is 1,750 miles to the east and the nearest inhabited locality is another British Overseas Territory 1,510 miles away.
HMS Richmond is back in Portsmouth at the end of her South Atlantic patrolling that saw her spend 2,881 hours at sea covering 33,316 nautical miles, visiting seven foreign countries (Portugal, Cape Verde, South Africa, Panama, Colombia, Bahamas and the United States of America) and five British Overseas Territories (Ascension Island, St Helena, Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia).
The third annual Anglo-Colombian Strategic Defense Conference was held this week onboard HMS Richmond in Cartagena. The Portsmouth based type 23 returning from her Atlantic deployment also supported Defense and Security Industry Day while alongside in the Colombian port.
Falkland Islands based Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands, Air Commodore Russell La Forte CBE presented HMS Richmond with his personal Commendation in recognition of Distinguished Service in the region by the Type 23 Duke Class frigate during her Atlantic Patrol Tasking.
As part of her Atlantic Patrol Task (South) deployment, HMS Richmond has visited San Carlos Water, the scene of the amphibious landings during the Falklands War of 1982. The site is also the final resting place of HMS Antelope which was tragically lost on 23 May 1982.
Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands, Air Commodore Russell La Forte CBE, based in the Falkland Islands, MPA, was welcomed aboard HMS Richmond by Commanding Officer, Commander Robert G Pedre, and the ship’s company.
The beauty and ruggedness of the world’s most remote inhabited island has been captured in a series of photos during a recent visit from a Royal Navy warship.
HMS Richmond was on patrol in the South Georgia Maritime Zone at the end of September and came to anchor off Hope Point on the 27th for a three-day visit, reports the September edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.
South Atlantic patrol HMS Argyll is coming to the end of her seven month deployment and next month is expected back in Davenport. Last week the Type 23 frigate crossed the 80 kilometre Panama Caal sailing two seas in one day, after finishing an intense period of counter-narcotics operation in the Eastern Pacific.
Portsmouth-based frigate HMS Richmond has sailed for a routine seven months Atlantic Patrol Tasking which includes the South Atlantic. According to the official release she left Portsmouth on Monday 5 August and will maintain the continuous Royal Navy presence in the Atlantic and provide an ongoing protection and reassurance to British regions within the region.