Iran: 'Immensely proud' HMS Dragon families wave Portsmouth warship goodbye - responds to Middle East strikes

Loud cheers greeted the Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer sailed past The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth this afternoon (March 10). She is bound for Cyprus and will be patrolling the region after the British base RAF Akrotiri was struck by a drone - in the days that followed the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Dave Prior and his family were visibly emotional to see the warship and their son, Lieutenant Commander Henry Prior, 31. “We’ve seen him go on deployments before, but this is different,” he told The News. “There's been a lot of build up for this and it was a lot more emotional than I thought it would be. There is the element of danger for this deployment and this is to do a job.

Hostilities have continued to rage in the Middle East since Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, was killed by strikes on February 28. Retaliatory attacks have hit Gulf states and has brought shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to a halt.

Mr Prior said his son has trained all his working life for deployments like this, and is pleased to put those skills to the test. Originally earmarked to lead Nato’s Standing Maritime Group One later this year, HMS Dragon has gone from being in the dry dock in Portsmouth to fully manned and supplied in six days.

“We haven’t seen much of him the past week,” Mr Prior added. “He’s working all the time. The whole crew are focused and looking forward to it. He said the atmosphere on board is incredible. There is a degree of concern, but we’ve spoken to Henry about the risks. Our presence sends a message to Cyprus and the armed forces. I’m sure they’ll make us proud. I’m looking forward to him coming home.”

Officials insisted the ship had been prepared as quickly as possible for deployment. Criticism was raised about the speed of the operation, with the Prospect Union stating that civilian staff switching to 9-5 roles has delayed the supplying of HMS Dragon. Defence secretary John Healey praised the personnel and civilian teams who “worked flat out” to prepare for the operation, adding that they were the best of “Britain in action”.

Nicki Perrin, who was waiting on The Round Tower to see her son, 25-year-old Senior Rating Sam Perrin, said although the criticism highlight the need for more Royal Navy ships, it has been hard to hear. She added: “There’s been a lot of negativity around the time it has taken. What they don’t realise is HMS Dragon wasn’t going to be deployed until April. It was in the dry dock and lots of things were being done. They had to expedite and get all the supplies on board, so they’ve done it as fast as they can Sam and his crewmates have been working so hard to get to today.”

Ms Perrin said Sam has never looked back since leaving his old IT job to join the Royal Navy, and believes he’s all prepared for his first deployment. “As a mum, I do feel quite nervous,” she added. “Hopefully he’ll be safe in Cyprus, but it’s about what unfolds when he’s out there and could go to the Gulf. I’ve seen him grow as a person. He’ll very much be prepared for the deployment and seems to really know his stuff. I hope he’ll be safe.”

Lisa Stanley-Craig, of Sunderland, travelled to wave off AB Gunner Ellie Stanley, 23. She said she’s trying not to listen to the external noise and stay positive for her daughter. “I’m immensely proud of her”, she added. “She’s been to the Gulf before, and she’s as fully prepared as she can be.

“She absolutely loves it and it’s nice to see everyone here giving them support. I’ll start to worry a bit if they get deployed further away from Cyprus, but I know they’ll look after each other.”

Debbie Hick, of Hayling Island, alongside her partner Chief Weapons Engineer Geoff Hick - who served in the force for 15 years - looked after Shona, a Scottish Petty Officer assigned to HMS Dragon. “We know she’ll do a fabulous job,” she added. “She was on HMS Diamond in the Gulf, so she’s a very capable young lady. Whatever has been going on in the press, you’ve got to understand that we have some of the best naval people in the world.

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“They’ll serve their country proud. Whatever situation we’re in, the country needs to support the ship’s company. They’re going to be put in harm's way. You hear a lot from people on the margins saying derogatory stuff, but actions will speak louder than words.”

Danni Bartram, of Worthing, said it was to see her boyfriend, Gunner Kai Anderson, sail from HMNB Portsmouth. “It’s the not knowing when he’s coming back,” She added. “His service is amazing though. They’re going to defend the country and their name is going to be out there.”

HMS Dragon has a crew of roughly 200 and is capable of firing eight Sea Viper missiles in under 10 seconds to take down aerial targets. She will be joined by Wildcat helicopters, bristling with Martlet missiles designed to strike down drones, and Merlin Mk2 aircraft. RFA Lyme Bay, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Dock Landing Ship, is expected to provide aviation and medical support - allowing for possible evacuations from Lebanon as the country is hit by the Iranian proxy group Hezbollah.

Commanding Officer Iain Giffin, in charge of HMS Dragon, said: “We are trained for this, we are ready for this, we have the equipment and people, we have the support of the British people and, most importantly, our families and friends.”