Fresh from tours of duty in the Gulf and off Libya, HMS Iron Duke visited her affiliated city of Hull in November 2011. Arriving on 4 November, the Type 23 frigate was greeted by the Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull and Admiral of the Humber, Councillor Colin Inglis giving the ship and her crew a warm Humberside welcome.
The ship was docked in King George Dock for three days, during which time the ship’s company were honoured to exercise Freedom of the City with bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying. On 6 November the ship was open for members of the public, with crew members on hand to answer any questions and give the public an insight into the Royal Navy.
Meanwhile, the last of three Type 42 Destroyers to be for scrapped left Portsmouth for Aliga, Turkey on 19 October 2011 under tow of the Maltese-flagged tug Spartan (1979/668gt). Nottingham will join her sisterships Exeter and Southampton at the breakers yard.
HMS Nottingham, a batch two Type 42 destroyer, was launched on 18 February 1980 and commissioned on 8 April 1983 as the sixth ship to bear the name. Her Commanding Officer at commissioning was Commander Nigel Essenhigh, who went on to become First Sea Lord. In November 2000 HMS Nottingham completed a major refit, which was intended to extend her operational life to 2012.
