The crew of Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset had their Christmas holiday abruptly cut short when they were recalled to carry out the duty of escorting a Russian naval group that was sailing past the British Isles.
200 crewmembers were recalled to their ship in Devonport Naval Base on Christmas Day and sailed on Friday, December 27 at record speed in foggy weather to meet up and shadow Russia’s corvette Soobrazitelny and her support vessels MV Sparta II and MV General Skobelev.
Somerset, a Type 23 frigate kept ready to deploy at short notice, reached the Russian force in the North Sea and shadowed it for more than 500 miles as it passed through the Dover Strait and into the English Channel.
Owing to the foggy conditions, the frigate used sensors to follow the Russian vessels and deployed her helicopter when the weather cleared to support the shadowing operation. The Russian vessels remained in international waters throughout the five-day shadowing operation, which concluded on New Year’s Eve.
“Personnel returned from leave from all parts of the United Kingdom. Although returning during this period is always emotional, the requirement for the tasking was understood by all onboard,” Warrant Officer 1 Stephen Doyle, Somerset’s Executive Warrant Officer. “Support from our families remains a key factor in allowing the sailors to perform at the highest level.”
