PAST crew members and onlookers gathered to bid farewell to HMS York, as she left Britain for the final time.
The Type-42 destroyer, the 12th ship to bear the name HMS York, was towed out of Portsmouth on Wednesday to begin her journey to a scrapyard in Turkey.
She had been decommissioned in September 2012, and attempts to sell the ship proved unsuccessful.
On Wednesday, people including former crew gathered at the Round Tower in Old Portsmouth, to say goodbye as the ship passed.
HMS York leaves Portsmouth. Picture: twitter user @mush1988
Parade marshall Dean Deakins, from the Type 42 Association, told The News in Portsmouth: "It is very sad to see it decommissioned. We wanted to give it a ceremonial goodbye along with former crew."
HMS York was the last of the Type-42 destroyers to be built for the Royal Navy. She was launched on June 20, 1982, at Wallsend and was accepted into service on March 25, 1985, becoming formally commissioned on August 9 at Rosyth.
Her funnel badge, a red cross with lions passant, was based on York's city coat of arms, and her crest was the White Rose of York. Her motto, Bon Espoir, means Good Hope, and was the motto of Edmund Langley, the first Duke of York (1341-1402), the fifth son of Edward III.
HMS York leaves Portsmouth. Picture: twitter user @mush1988
The ship was awarded the Freedom of York in 1991, and sailed 750,000 nautical miles between then and her decommissioning, including seeing action off Iraq, carrying out evacuations from Lebanon and Libya, and making a number of deployments to the Falklands.
The ship's company exercised its Freedom of York for the final time in 2012, with a farewell parade through the city-centre.
At the time her captain, Commander Rex Cos, said: “It is heartening to know we have the full support of the city of York and we have always been overwhelmed by the warmth of our welcome."
>>> FLASHBACK: Matt Clark talks to HMS York's final crew
HMS York also had charity links with the children’s ward at York Hospital and St Leonard’s Hospice over the years.
Following the decommissioning, the Royal Navy formally affiliated York with HMS Dragon.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article