HMS Manchester
http://www.bfbs.com/news/uk/fond-farewell-hms-manchester-44662.htmlThe end of HMS Manchester's 30-year Royal Navy career was officially marked in a formal ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base last week.
The Type 42 destroyer - a veteran of the first Gulf War - has clocked up over 860,000 nautical miles in operations across the world. She is being decommissioned as the ageing fleet of Type 42s makes way for the new, highly-capable Type 45 destroyers.
The decommissioning service was conducted by a former chaplain of HMS Manchester, Father Mike Wagstaff, with musical accompaniment provided by the Royal Marines School of Music.
The Commanding Officer of HMS Manchester, Commander Rex Cox, said: "It is with mixed emotions that we approach HMS Manchester's decommissioning. On the one hand there is sadness at the retirement of a very special ship that has made an impression on everyone who has had the good fortune to serve on her.''
Guests of honour at the ceremony included the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Mark Hackett, and Rear Admiral Mark Anderson, Commander Maritime Operations.
HMS Manchester was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Group at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, was launched on 24 November 1980, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 16 December 1982.