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HMS Illustrious takes final bow - News stories - GOV.UK

HMS Illustrious takes final bow - News stories - GOV.UK

HMS Illustrious takes final bow

From: Ministry of Defence

History:Published 28 August 2014

Part of:Defence and armed forces

After a 32-year career, the last of the Royal Navy's Invincible Class aircraft carriers decommissions in Portsmouth.

HMS Illustrious (library image)

Having sailed over 900,000 miles on operations across the globe,
including helping with the aftermath of the first Gulf War, HMS Illustrious has been decommissioned at a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The ship’s white ensign was lowered for the final time in front of hundreds of guests, ending an era which began with the launch of her sister ship HMS Invincible in 1977.
Lady Sarah Chatto, whose mother Princess Margaret launched HMS Illustrious in 1978, was joined by 15 of the ship’s 17 former commanding officers at the decommissioning ceremony today.

Captain Mike Utley, the ship’s current commanding officer, said:
It has been a great honour to be the final commanding officer of

HMS Illustrious. This is a symbolic day in the history of the Royal Navy
as we lower the ensign for the final time on the Invincible Class.

We say goodbye to Illustrious with sadness and pride as we remember her outstanding history, but also excitement as the Royal Navy looks to the future and HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Illustrious is being replaced as the nation’s helicopter carrier by HMS Ocean which has just undergone a £65 million refit.
Ocean will eventually be replaced by two new 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers being built for the navy; HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
The Ministry of Defence is looking to preserve HMS Illustrious as a lasting tribute to the personnel who served on all 3 of the Invincible Class aircraft carriers.
Bids from private companies, charities and trusts to secure her future are currently being considered, and a condition of sale is that HMS Illustrious must remain in the UK.

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HMS Illustrious returned to her Portsmouth home for the last time

HMS_Illustrious



HMS Illustrious returned to her Portsmouth home for the last time yesterday as her 32-year career draws to a close. The helicopter and commando carrier, which has clocked up 898,893 miles on operations around the world, is being withdrawn from service.
The picture shows HMS Illustrious entering Portsmouth Harbour.
[Picture: Chief Petty Officer Airman (Photographer) Nathan Dua, Crown copyright,http://www.blogs.mod.uk/.a/6a00d83505ce1d53ef01a73df29505970d-popup ]

HMS Queen Elizabeth out of the dock.....

HMS Queen Elizabeth out of the dock.....



Britain's biggest ever warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, took to the water for the first time yesterday as she as moved out of dry dock at Rosyth, near Edinburgh, to a neighbouring jetty where work on her will be completed over the next 2 years. Read more here.
The picture shows a flotilla of tugs moving the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier out of the dock where she was constructed. [Picture: Lieutenant Phil Gamble, Crown copyright]

Majesty The Queen spent the day on board HMS Lancaster in Portsmouth

Her Majesty The Queen spent the day on board HMS Lancaster in Portsmouth
yesterday, 20 May, catching up on the ship's activities around the
globe. The Queen launched the Type 23 frigate in 1990 and has taken a
keen interest in her work ever since. On arrival at Portsmouth Naval
Base Her Majesty inspected a guard of honour comprising 34 members of
HMS Lancaster's 170 crew before attending a shoreside reception for
sailors and their families. [Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer)
Stephen Johncock, Crown copyright]