ADIEU TO HMS LEEDS CASTLE
By J. Brock (FINN)
Amid Church bells and saluting guns, the HMS LEEDS CASTLE paid her final visit to Stanley on Monday morning. On-lookers gathered at Victory Green and at the War Memorial as well as along the seafront to wave the ship off and to take final photographs.
Moored at FIPASS, the HMS LEEDS CASTLE, assisted by the INDOMNITABLE, left the dock at 1100 and sailed west towards central Stanley, past waiting school children and well wishers. She came to a halt in front of Government House, and then turned east towards the Narrows. Saluting guns were fired when HMS LEEDS CASTLE passed Victory Green and she answered by firing her 20M gun. Then it was time for the bell ringers at Christ Church Cathedral to serenade the vessel.
HMS LEEDS CASTLE will go to South Georgia before bidding so long to the Falklands at the end of the month. She will be replaced by the HMS DUMBARTON CASTLE but won’t be returning to the Falklands as she will be decommissioned and replaced by a more modern vessel.
