Farewell to the Mighty O
The Queen paid tribute to Sunderland’s adopted warship at a special decommissioning ceremony in Plymouth.
HMS Ocean, or the Mighty O, as she is known throughout the fleet, was the Royal Navy’s largest operational warship until HMS Queen Elizabeth entered service last year.
The helicopter and amphibious assault craft, which was built on the Ryver Clyde and fitted out at Barrow, has been sold to the Brazilian navy for £84million.
She most recently carried out humanitarian work in the Caribbean following the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in British overseas territories.
The Queen – the helicopter and amphibious assault craft’s lady sponsor – was greeted with a 21-gun salute as she arrived at Devonport Naval Base yesterday.
She was guest of honour at the decommissioning ceremony, along with the head of the Navy, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones, and more than 500 of the ship’s company and their families.
HMS Ocean was Sunderland’s adopted warship for more than 20 years, and paid her last visit to the city in July 2017.
She spent six days on the river, which reached their emotional climax when 240 sailors and Royal Marines marched through the heart of the city, bringing shoppers to a standstill.
The Mayor of Sunderland, Coun Doris MacKnight, told the massed ranks in front of her at the war memorial in Burdon Road: “Everyone in Sunderland has always been very proud of their links with HMS Ocean.
As the Navy said goodbye to its former flagship, The Queen inspected a parade of the ship’s company on the jetty before proceeding to the dais.
She said: “As you all prepare to move on to new challenges I know that, like me, you will always treasure your memories of HMS Ocean.”
The ceremony concluded with the Royal Navy White Ensign being symbolically hauled down from the ship’s main mast.
Commander Nick Wood, the ship’s second-in-command, said: “This is a sad day for us all. This is our home when we are away.”