Many Royal Navy ships have headed home for Christmas – but a handful are still on duty over the festive period, whether alongside in a foreign port or actually at sea.

Several ships away on deployment have been welcomed home in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke arrived back on Wednesday after patrolling off the west coast of Africa and around the Falklands as Atlantic Patrol Ship (South).

She left Portsmouth in September, stopping in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where a party of volunteers from the ship’s company carried out DIY tasks at a primary school.

Iron Duke also provided navigation, firefighting and seamanship training for the maritime wing of the Sierra Leone armed forces.

While in the South Atlantic the frigate paid visits to some of the more remote communities in the Falklands, and participated in a series of exercises with the Army and RAF.

On leaving the Falklands the Duke-class frigate visited Rio de Janeiro, where some of the ship’s company visited Casa Jimmy’s orphanage to paint fences and clear overgrown bushes and shrubs – the home has become a regular feature on the programmes of ships deploying to the South Atlantic.

More recently, the ship met up with and escorted lone yachtswomen Ellen MacArthur as she headed south on her attempt to break the solo round-the-world speed yachting record. The ship had been updating her website with weather reports.

Commanding Officer Cdr Peter Carden said: “During the past three months we have undertaken a wide variety of taskings, some very successful official business and some very humbling community work.

“It has brought the ship’s company closer together as a unit, ready for another busy year ahead.”

Another frigate back in home waters was HMS Campbeltown, the Devonport-based Type 22 warship, which has spent three months in the Arabian Gulf on Operation Calash, part of the Royal Navy’s commitment to global security east of Suez.

Calash is the UK element of the American-led Operation Enduring Freedom, which is designed to counter international terrorism.

This was the frigate’s second deployment of the year, and during her time in theatre Campbeltown has hailed more than 3,000 vessels, carried out 20 boardings and generally made herself useful in the southern and central sections of the Gulf.

Her Commanding Officer, Capt Adrian Bell, said: “Although I have been in command of HMS Campbeltown for a short period, I am well aware just how hard the ship’s company has been working this year and all that has been achieved.

“It is testament to their stamina and endurance that having been at the sharp end of operational commitments for most of the year; all on board are so buoyant and enthusiastic.

“Naturally, this is not just for a job well done, but also because we are all looking forward to returning to the UK and spending the Christmas break with our families and friends.”

The ship will now enter an assisted maintenance period (AMP) in preparation for next year’s commitments.

Minehunter HMS Shoreham is also back home after four months on deployment, which included a 12-nation exercise off the Lithuanian coast clearing unexploded mines and ordnance from World War II.

Shoreham, a Sandown-class minehunter, was also the UK’s contribution to NATO’s Mine Counter Measures Force North (MCMFORNORTH) – a permanent force of six vessels.

During the period Shoreham managed to track down and dispose of four items of ordnance, believed to be from World War I.

Her Commanding Officer, Lt Cdr David Bence, said: “In a successful and fulfilling deployment we have gained and given much while operating with our NATO counterparts.

“During operations in the Baltic we have proven beyond doubt that NATO’s MCMFORNORTH has the ability to conduct operations wherever and whenever required.”

Sister ship HMS Pembroke will take over Shoreham’s duties on the NATO force as the latter sailed home through the Kiel Canal to spend Christmas in the UK.

One of the ships away from home is Type 42 destroyer HMS Gloucester, which arrived in the party capital of the world for Christmas.

The warship sailed into Rio de Janeiro on December 21 to give her 250 sailors a break over the festive season – and to hand over presents to the residents of Casa Jimmy’s (we told you it featured regularly on ship’s schedules, didn’t we?).

The orphanage was set up by former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, who was touched by the plight of the city’s street children.

Gloucester arrived in Rio laden with donations from supermarket staff at Somerfield in Torpoint, St Stephen’s School in Saltash, the Kessenian Singers, Kingsdon Church of England Primary School in Somerset, the Somerset Flutterbugs Creche and The Hive in Ilchester, all bound for the orphanage.

Sailors will also make use of the Christmas break to carry out any manual work needed to the building. There has also been a programme of official visits and functions, including a formal reception and luncheon on board.

Surprisingly, given her two decades in service, this is Gloucester’s first visit to Rio, and some families are taking advantage of the visit by flying out to meet loved ones.

Most of the 250 sailors and officers on board will be exploring the city, its landmarks, hitting the beach, and sampling Brazilian culture.

There are also presents to be opened – although the ship’s company of Gloucester jumped the gun a little in this department.

This year, reintroducing a tradition from 1914, parcels were packaged by the Defence Catering Group for all Service personnel away from home on December 25.

A little optimistically, the presents are titled ‘Let it Snow’ – unlikely in Rio, where temperatures are around 90°F. Those on board opened their presents at sea following the ship’s carol service – several days before December 25.

“The boxes have been very well received aboard and are greatly appreciated,” said Gloucester’s Logistics Officer Lt Cdr Brian Park. “It’s never easy being away from home for extended periods, especially over Christmas.

“The boxes have added some additional cheer to the ship’s company during the festive season, and for that we are very grateful.”

Gloucester’s Commanding Officer Cdr Russ Tuppen added: “This is the ship’s first visit to Rio. We are looking forward to being able to help out at Casa Jimmy in any way we can – and to enjoy the enormous variety of history, culture and leisure facilities Rio has to offer.”

When not helping orphanages and opening presents, Gloucester’s sailors are carrying out the RN’s Atlantic Patrol (South), providing reassurance to the people of the Falkland Islands and carrying out defence diplomacy in west Africa and South America.

The ship left Portsmouth on November 22, and is due to return in March 2005.

Another ship away for Christmas is Type 23 frigate HMS Marlborough, which will be in the Gulf over the holidays.

The 181 sailors on board will be celebrating a traditional Christmas with all the trimmings – turkey, mince pies and Christmas pudding are all on the menu, all stored on board before the ship sailed on November 1.

The dinner will be served by the ship’s officers, in keeping with Naval tradition, and the Commanding Officer, Cdr Ian Graham, will carve.

Many of the officers and sailors on boar left the UK with their presents already wrapped and tucked away for December 25, and most have avoided the temptation to open them.

Others received parcels sent free from home, and there will be plenty of mail, email and phone contact made over the Christmas period.

The ship’s padre will conduct Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Cdr Graham said: “Christmas is always an important time for all families, but it is part of Naval life that sometimes we must spend it apart.

“Our task here in the Arabian Gulf is one of the most important operational jobs in the Royal Navy, where we are directly protecting the future of the Iraqi people by safeguarding their financial future.

“We wish all of our families and friends a Happy Christmas, and will be thinking of them.”

Type 22 frigate HMS Chatham will be at sea on Christmas Day, patrolling as part of her duties in the Middle East, while two more Devonport-based ships will also be away from home, though alongside for Christmas – survey ship HMS Echo is in the Middle East, while sister ship HMS Enterprise is in the Mediterranean.

Down in the South Atlantic, offshore patrol vessel HMS Dumbarton Castle is in the early stages of a three-year deployment as Falklands Island patrol ship.

Several of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s ships will also be away over Christmas, including tanker Bayleaf (in Dubai), repair ship Diligence (Cochin), tanker Gold Rover (Rio with HMS Gloucester), tankers Oakleaf and Orangeleaf (Gibraltar) and tanker Wave Ruler (Mayport in Florida).