A survey ship which had a pivotal role in the conflict in Iraq has returned to Devonport after an extended deployment.

HMS Roebuck produced hydrographic charts of the sea bed of the Northern Arabian Gulf which were used to plan operations in Iraq and by Coalition ships in the area.

Roebuck surveyed the main amphibious operating area – which was larger than the county of Hampshire – in less than six weeks, plotting any contacts larger than a coffee table.

She sailed from Plymouth last November on what should have been a three-month deployment to survey areas of the Southern Arabian Gulf, but by December, with the threat of war looming, she was diverted to the Northern Gulf and her programme extended.

Roebuck continued her surveying work until the day before hostilities began, and with her ability to print her own charts, as each area was surveyed a new set of charts was produced on board and distributed to coalition ships by boat transfer as soon as the ink was dry.

She discovered that there was more depth of water available than was shown on existing charts, allowing the aircraft carriers to move further north, speeding up the initial landings by reducing helicopter flight times between the carriers and Iraq by ten minutes.

Further survey work in the Khawr Abd Allah waterway and the port of Umm Qasr cleared the way for the delivery of humanitarian aid on board RFA Sir Galahad.

Roebuck herself went alongside at Umm Qasr and her survey motor boat, Sierra One, undertook a detailed survey of the port. Three days later Roebuck had produced the first new chart of the port for more than 40 years.

As mine countermeasures vessels cleared the river to the north, Sierra One continued to survey the waterways, eventually reaching 50 miles inside Iraq on the Khawr Az Zubayr.

Lt Cdr Andrew Swain, the Commanding Officer of Roebuck, said: “The charts produced by HMS Roebuck were used by all types of warships during the conflict.

“I am immensely proud of every single member of the ship’s company. They have shown exceptional courage and worked extremely hard under uncertain and arduous conditions during the many long months that HMS Roebuck has been surveying the waters off Iraq.

“The ship has been at the front of the maritime force since mid-December, often working alone and the crew have faced new challenges every day.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the families and friends of the crew. The ship has had many short-notice changes to her programme over the past six months and due to security requirements attached to our survey mission it has not been possible to tell our families back home where the ship was working or which port we would visit next.

“I know that this type of uncertainty makes separation even harder, particularly for those families with young children.

“Throughout the deployment letters, cards and emails from our families and friends have kept our spirits up and helped us get the job done.”

Roebuck, which has a ship’s company of 53, was greeted by around 150 family and friends at Devonport, and the ship was escorted in by boats from HMS Raleigh – the establishment has had a long association with the ship as Roebuck was the name of one of Sir Walter Raleigh’s ships.

The current Roebuck is the Navy’s only remaining coastal survey vessel, and was launched in November 1985. She was due to decomission this year, but will now enter refit next year and has been extended in service.