MoD Information

HMS Ark Royal Leaves For Gulf

Sun, January 12, 2003

Source: Ananova News

Hundreds of people have watched HMS Ark Royal leave Portsmouth on the first leg of its journey to the Gulf

Hundreds of people have watched HMS Ark Royal leave Portsmouth on the first leg of its journey to the Gulf. As tugs pulled the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier towards the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, hundreds of people lined the shore to give their loved ones an emotional send off.

Some of the 800-strong crew, including officers and sailors, lined the warship's flight deck to salute to the start of a seven-month deployment.

People carried Union Jacks and waved banners and one house behind the harbour wall posted a large sign reading: "Good Luck, Ark Royal".

The wife of one naval officer stood close to the historic Round Tower - which has been the focal point for departing Navy ships for centuries. Sharon Germy, 32, said she had mixed emotions about seeing her husband, Simon, a petty officer on the ship, leave for the Gulf.

She said: "It was hard to prepare for it when we don't know what is going to happen and when they are going to come back.

"He was a little bit nervous I think because he does not know exactly what they are going into. It would have been better to have known and to have a bit more certainty about what is going to happen."

Derek and Hazel Flahey, from Portchester, near Portsmouth, said they had come down to the harbour when the Task Force left for the Falklands and would continue to support any Navy ships leaving.

Derek, 63, sported a jester's hat with a Union Jack perched on top and said: "We were here when they went out and when they came back in from the Falklands so we have to support them again. It is important to support our lads - we are proud of the Navy here in Portsmouth."