Many Royal Navy warships have returned home for the Christmas and New Year period - but a sizeable section of the Fleet will be far from home over the holiday.

A number of vessels which took part in Exercise Argonaut 2001, Exercise Saif Sareea and Operation Veritas - the latter being the attack on Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces following the September 11 attacks in the United States - are back in their home ports.

Two of the three nuclear submarines involved - HMS Triumph and HMS Superb - sailed back into Faslane and Devonport respectively flying the Jolly Roger to show successful operational patrols.

The practice was begun by Max Horton in World War I as a riposte to the Admiralty's early observation that submariners were pirates, and although still entirely unofficial, it became a common practice during World War II.

Triumph's flag was emblazoned with two crossed Tomahawks to indicate her opening missiles salvos in the war against terrorism, while Superb's flag had a dagger, for force protection, a bee for her nickname - the Super B - and two communications flashes.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram welcomed Triumph back, saying: "Britain is justifiably proud of the dedication and commitment she has displayed."

The Minister also travelled to Portsmouth to see destroyer HMS Nottingham home from Operation Veritas, while also back from operations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and beyond were Type 22 frigate HMS Chatham - flagship of NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean - and Type 23 frigates HMS Northumberland and HMS Marlborough.

Preceding them by a matter of weeks were helicopter carrier HMS Ocean and survey ship HMS Roebuck.

A total of 26 ships remain in station or taking a break nearby.

The largest concentration is the amphibious task group assigned to Operation Veritas in the Middle East.

Included in that number are aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, now configured as a helicopter carrier, assault ship HMS Fearless, destroyer HMS Southampton, Type 22 frigate HMS Cornwall, tankers RFA Brambleleaf and RFA Oakleaf, supply ships RFA Fort George and Fort Rosalie, landing ships RFA Sir Percivale and Sir Tristram and forward support ship RFA Diligence.

Air assets involved include helicopters of 820, 845 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons, and Royal Marines from 40 Commando are also taking part.

Type 23 frigate HMS Kent, on Armilla Patrol, is also in the region, spending Christmas in Dubai.

Elsewhere, survey ship HMS Beagle is in Cyprus, as is Type 42 destroyer HMS Exeter, mine countermeasures vessel HMS Dulverton will be on duty in home waters, ice patrol ship HMS Endurance is in South Georgia, patrol ship HMS Leeds Castle is in the Falklands, Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose is in Cape Town, South Africa, ocean survey vessel HMS Scott is in Oman, Fleet submarine HMS Trafalgar and one Trident missile submarine will be somewhere at sea, tanker RFA Bayleaf is in Dubai, tanker RFA Gold Rover is in the Middle East, and landing ship RFA Sir Geraint is in Freetown, Sierra Leone.