OCEAN GOING
The Queen pictured during the decommissioning ceremony for HMS Ocean at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth. HMS Ocean, or the Mighty O as she is known throughout the fleet, has been sold to the Brazilian navy for £84m.
THE QUEEN has paid tribute to the Royal Navy’s largest operational warship at a ceremony to decommission the vast vessel.
HMS Ocean, or the Mighty O, as she is known throughout the fleet, has been sold to the Brazilian navy for £84m. She most recently carried out humanitarian work in the Caribbean after the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in British overseas territories.
The Queen was greeted with a 21-gun salute at Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth and was guest of honour yesterday 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. She said: “We are gathered here in Plymouth today, in the midst of this city’s rich maritime heritage, to say farewell to this unique and remarkable vessel, and to reflect on her considerable achievements. “Throughout her life, HMS Ocean has been at the forefront of global operations, bringing together the men and women of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force in their common purpose of defending our nation’s interests and spreading peace and prosperity across the world.”