ON A glorious spring morn, HMS Sutherland heads into Plymouth Sound – the last ship to depart as part on the RN’s headline deployment of 2011, Cougar.
The Type 23 frigate departed Devonport today to join up with flagship HMS Albion, which sailed yesterday, and a flurry of Royal Fleet Auxiliaries: two Bay-class landing support ships (Mounts and Cardigan), one tanker (Wave Knight), and one floating warehouse (Fort Rosalie).
In addition to the ‘big ticket items’, green berets of 40 Commando are deploying with the task group aboard Albion and also Cardigan Bay, which sailed from Marchwood port in Southampton Water yesterday.
