HMS Montrose crew send special Jubilee tribute

The crew of HMS Montrose send their own message to the Queen on the occasion of her Platinum Jubiless. (Royal Navy)

Crews on deployment in the Gulf, on patrol in the Atlantic, safeguarding home waters or undergoing training at bases in the UK, sailors lined up on parade grounds and flight decks to form 'E II R’ to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70-year reign and the weekend’s jubilee celebrations.

HMS Montrose, which is affiliated with organisations in the town and across Angus, joined in the celebrations whilst returning from a successful counter-drugs patrol in the Gulf of Oman.

As with the rest of the Royal Navy, crew members were presented with Platinum Jubilee medals which have been awarded to personnel with more than five years’ service.

The ‘Senior Service’ has a particularly strong connection with the Royal Family, with the Queen’s great grandfather, Edward VII laying the foundation stone of the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 1902; her grandfather George V and father George VI both served in the Royal Navy as did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh as well as her two eldest sons.

Captain Sarah Oakley, Captain Britannia Royal Naval College, said: “Throughout the long life of Her Majesty, the story of Britannia Royal Naval College has been intertwined with her own – from generations of her family passing out to her many inspirational visits, which have been so warmly appreciated by all who live and work at the college.

“It is fitting that as the next generation of naval officers embark on their naval careers, we all reflect on the outstanding example of service of Her Majesty the Queen.”

HMS Montrose has most recently been on deployment in the Gulf of Oman as part of an international task force dedicated to stopping criminal and terrorist activity.

As part of a sweep of the area, a vessel was seized which, after being secured by a team of Royal Marines, was searched by sailor from bow to stern in a nine-hour operation.

They discovered numerous sacks hidden aboard which tests showed contained heroin. The seizure came to 90 kilogrammes, worth £1.8m on the streets of the UK. It brings Montrose’s haul of illegal narcotics since mid-January to £97m.