Great to see my big brother come home
WAITING anxiously on the dock at Portsmouth Naval Base, student reporter Lauren Townsend reflects on her emotional roller-coaster of welcoming her big brother, Jake, home after his fivemonth stint at sea.
The sky looked gloomy and threatening above as I stood waiting with other families on the dockyard.
It would be my first time seeing my big brother, Jake come home from a long deployment on his ship, HMS Westminster.
The atmosphere was electric. A Royal Navy band was playing, happy families were chatting excitedly – children with their faces painted were waving banners.
Then it happened – HMS Westminster came into view. Immediately people started cheering and all the attention turned to the ship.
Smartly-dressed sailors stood on the deck, waving and watching the crowd as Westminster slowly came
While Portsmouth lad Lieutenant Tim Clouter, 29, said: ‘To see the Pompey skyline for the first time in five months is just incredible. You know you’re home.’
Throughout the deployment, sailors worked with alongside. As if on cue, the dark clouds rolled back and the sun came out.
My eyes flitted from sailor to sailor, desperately trying to find Jake. I was hunting for a man with a big distinctive beard – it wasn’t easy, there were a few of them.
But eventually I found him and waved. He waved back. He looked so eager to get off the ship and after five months at sea, I couldn’t really blame him.
We had to wait for about 10
the other nations in the task group, with personnel exchanges with Polish, German and US vessels.
Westminster also took part in Exercise Trident Juncture and anti-submarine drill Dynamic Mongoose. minutes while they brought the ship alongside and attached the gangway so the crew could get off.
Saluting and smiling, Jake then made his way off the ship, working through the crowds of emotional families and sailors as they hugged.
Jake’s welcome from me: a cheeky joke about his beard.
Jokes aside, it was nice to finally see my brother. I had missed him.
And I could tell he was happy to be home.
The frigate was also called to escort Chinese destroyer Xian as she sailed the English Channel.
Earlier this week, Westminster stopped in London to exercise the Freedom of the City of Westminster.