On my birthday this was going on with no mention whatsoever from you lot
Matelots, hey 
Quote
Crisp autumnal sunshine greeted families waving off the Portsmouth-based warship HMS Manchester as she sailed out from her home port yesterday, Monday 12 November 2007, to begin a seven-month deployment.
Manchester's programme will see her operating as part of an American Carrier Strike Group led by the giant aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman. Although precise details of her deployment are still under consideration, it is expected the group will deploy to the Mediterranean and Middle East. Manchester, a Type 42 destroyer, along with nine other ships will contribute to ongoing NATO, US and UK commitments and conduct maritime security operations in support of counter-terrorism objectives.
The routine deployment, which has been planned for some time, is the first extended integration of a Royal Navy ship into a US carrier-led group. It follows a Letter of Understanding signed by the two nations last year aimed at closer cooperation between the navies through joint task group operations. Earlier this year HMS Manchester warmed-up for the coalition mission with a series of exercises with the US Navy off America.
HMS Manchester's Commanding Officer, Commander David Dominy, said the 250 ship's company were well aware of the unique nature of the deployment:
"A departure for a ship's company for a long deployment which is seven months is always quite an emotional time and difficult to pull yourself away from young families and loved ones. However, it is what we've joined the Navy to do, it's important business for the government, and Manchester will be operating fully integrated into the Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Gulf region trying to stabilise that part of the world.
"The uniqueness of this deployment is that Manchester is the first RN escort, frigate or destroyer - in our case a destroyer, who's been allowed to integrate fully with an American strike group, and act as an escort for that important asset.
"So for the UK, it shows the trust the Americans have in the Royal Navy, our capability and our ability to influence in the region and support the business of both HM Government and the American Government, for Manchester it's an opportunity which we're ready to seize.
"Manchester has spent the last eleven months preparing for this deployment. She came out of a docking period, where we upgraded some of our systems and did some of the routine maintenance in Devonport. We then went into the standard work-up package, followed by a number of NATO exercises, including NOBLE MARINER in the Baltic, and then we went to bespoke training for our actual deployment.
"It's difficult to tell at present exactly what Manchester will be asked to do in the Gulf region. Clearly there's a certain element of instability in the area. We are expecting to contribute to operations in Iraq, operations off the coast of Somalia - particularly anti-piracy, and general regional stability in the area.
"This is a varied and challenging set of tasks. My objective is to assist the stabilisation of the region, protect the oil supplies and ensure that maritime trade continues unhindered throughout the region.
"We have worked hard to ensure that we can play a full role in support of this deployment. My team can be justifiably proud that we have done so, and look forward to a rewarding period in support of coalition operations," he concluded.
'So where you from boy?' 
