The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
HMS Montrose will return to Angus after major refurbishment
County is looking forward to welcoming warship
HMS Montrose will return to its namesake Angus town early next year after undergoing a major refit.
The commanding officer and other senior staff of the Type 23 frigate met with Angus depute provost Colin Brown and council leader Bob Myles yesterday to discuss arrangements for the visit, which is likely to take place at the end of January.
The ship last visited Montrose in 2014 and this would be its fifth visit since it was launched in 1992.
It is also hoped that the ship will exercise its Freedom of Angus which will see its crew march through the streets of Montrose at some point during its week-long stay.
Commanding Officer Cdr Conor O’Neill said: “HMS Montrose has been in for a refit for a good two-and-a-half years and during that period the focus has been on maintenance and renewing and upgrading systems. That has left not as much time as we’d like for our civic affiliations.
“Now that we are about to come out of Commanding officer Conor O’Neill said renewing links with Montrose is extremely important. upkeep we’ve got the flexibility and time to renew our links as we prepare to go back to sea.
“Hence we’ve travelled to Angus today to put names to the faces we’ve been writing to for the last year and get to know our affiliations that we are very proud of.
“The link to Montrose is painted on the side – it couldn’t be more important.”
Mr O’Neill said a request would be made to exercise the Freedom of Angus during the visit.
Depute provost Colin Brown said discussions were already under way about a march taking place.
He said: “It’s a huge asset and will be of great interest.”
Mr Myles added: “We very much welcome HMS Montrose coming up regularly hence the reason they were given the Freedom of Angus in 2002. We are very keen to maintain these links.”
Referring to the practicalities of docking at Montrose, Mr O’Neill added: “The margins are not huge and it is a very expensive taxpayers’ resource so you wouldn’t unduly risk it but it can be done if the conditions are right at high tide.”
Montrose councillor Mark Salmond said: “It’s promoting the town and the county of Angus and we’re delighted that the ship will be returning to Angus in the new year.”