Onboard HMS Edinburgh

A few more images from onboard HMS Edinburgh, Sunday 19th May 2013, a few from on deck and below.

Life is heaven onboard D97!

HMS Edinburgh Freedom Of The City / Celebration Parade

Friday 17^th May 2013 marked a historic day for HMS Edinburgh and her crew have paraded through the Capital to celebrate the decommissioning of the 30-year-old ship.

Hundreds of people lined the Royal Mile to watch around 250 officers and other service personnel march from the Palace of Holyrood house to the City Chambers, led by a navy brass band and drummers.

Outside the Chambers, the crew stopped to salute Lord Provost Donald Wilson and later returned for a reception.  They later returned for a reception where the provost was presented with a picture of the warship.

HMS Edinburgh and her crew were previously granted the freedom of the city and the march is known as a privilege parade.

Commander Nick Borbone said: “Edinburgh is our spiritual home, so it’s a highlight of our tour.”  "It's one of the cities we visit most, so to be able to pay our respects and let the people of Edinburgh look over what is really their ship will be great before we go back to Portsmouth and decommission.  "Myself and many of the crew are strongly attached to the ship, so this will be a particularly emotional visit."  "This trip marks the end of the ship and the life of the type-42 Destroyer, so it's really significant.

"Edinburgh is our spiritual home, so it's a huge highlight of our tour.  "It's one of the cities we visit most, so to be able to pay our respects and let the people of Edinburgh look over what is really their ship will be great before we go back to Portsmouth and decommission.

The crew are seen here in The Royal Mile

 

HMS Edinburgh Cocktail party

HMS Edinburgh hosted a cocktail and dinner party on her second night in the Port of Leith, with some 200 guests onboard.  Including The Rt Hon Donald Wilson is the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh.

He is seen here with Commander Borbone accepting the salute from the Royal Marines Band who were beating the retreat at the end of the part.

HMS Edinburgh final arrival home

Hms Edinburgh returned to her namesake for the final time on Wednesday 15^th May 2013, The 30 year old destroyer arrived at Leith docks at around 05:00 and subsequently berthing around 07:00.

HMS Edinburgh is the Navy’s largest and only type-42 warship and is sailing around the UK in a farewell tour which will end in Portsmouth next month.

Commander Nick Borbone has been in charge of HMS Edinburgh for 18 months.  Despite the warship being based in the south of England, the commander called Edinburgh her “spiritual home”.  Some of the crew are from the Scottish capital and are delighted to be home. Around 250 crew are on the ship who will be redeployed in the Navy at the end of the tour.  

She is seen arriving in the early hours below