Fighting G's final return after 800,000-mile journey 23.05.11
16Coming home for the final time today was the type 42 destroyer, HMS Gloucester but paying the first of many trips to Portsmouth was the Royal Navy's new Ice Patrol ship. HMS Gloucester has had an illustrious and ground breaking Royal Navy career. In 1991, during the first gulf war, the destroyer performed a navy first, taking out two Iraqi silk work missiles, which were targeting the USS Missouri. In 2006, Gloucester was the first British ship alongside in Beirut, during the Lebanon Israeli conflict helping to evacuate 766 UK subjects to the safety of Cyprus in three round trips. There are now only 3 type 42 destroyers left in active service and these will be gone by 2013. The new ship will resume the Antarctic patrol duties, most recently the province of HMS Endurance, who languishes in the navy base, future uncertain after getting into difficulties off Chile in 2008. HMS Protector has been leased for 3 years, although many predict she'll become a permanent fixture.