Royal Navy crew given warm welcome home as ship returns to Faslane

Published on 31/08/2012 19:12

The crew of a Royal Navy mine hunter were given a hero’s welcome by family and friends as they returned from a mission in the Middle East.

Children held signs which said “Welcome Home Daddy” while other loved ones carried balloons and gifts as the crew of HMS Pembroke disembarked at HM Naval Base Clyde, in Faslane, Argyll, this morning.

Different crews have manned the 52-metre long ship during its three-year operation in the Arabian Gulf, ensuring safe passage for merchant and civilian vessels.

For many of the sailors, it was the first time they had seen their families for more than seven months.

Deputy marine engineer chief petty officer Mike Jack, 35, from Largoward, Fife, was deployed to the Gulf just six weeks after his daughter Eilidh, now nine months old, was born.

“She was six weeks old when I left, so I was just feeding her her first bottle the night before we went away,” he said.

“It was really hard. It’s the first time I’ve had to do it - to go away and leave a little one. She’s huge now.

“We just need to hand the ship over and we’ll be off on leave.

“I can’t wait, I’ve got nine weeks off so she’ll get used to me hopefully by then.”

Mr Jack was also welcomed home by his wife Alison, 38, stepson Jack, 10, and nine-year-old daughter Holly, who said she was “very excited” to have her “daddy back”.