The company of the Royal Navy ship HMS Quorn will proudly march through the streets of Ipswich this weekend.

Lieutenant Commander Stuart Yates, commanding officer of the 750-tonne Hunt class mine vessel, moored the ship at Orwell Quay today for a five-day visit.

“It’s a real honour to be able to bring HMS Quorn back to our home town of Ipswich after a long three years away”, Lt Cdr Yates said.

“This is really a chance for us to give something back to our town.”

The ship, which has been affiliated with Ipswich for five years, was awarded Freedom of Entry to the borough in 2011, just three months before deploying to the Gulf for a three year mission.

This Sunday, the ship’s company will exercise their right for the first time with a march through Ipswich town centre, led the Royal Marine’s band.

“We’ve got a small crew of 44 but with the band ahead of us and with Sunday being a big Christmas shopping day, we are hoping for a big turn out”, Lt Cdr Yates said.

The current crew joined the ship in January 2014 and conducted an eight month deployment in the Gulf region.

Their mission culminated in a six week journey home that included braving 18 foot waves in an Indian Ocean monsoon, a Suez Canal transit and crossing a rough Mediterranean Sea.

On Saturday, HMS Quorn will open its doors to the general public on a ticketed basis only between 9.30am and 4pm with last entry at 3.30pm. Details of how to obtain tickets can be found at www.hmsquorntickets.eventbrite.co.uk

Once the ship leaves Ipswich, its company will go back to national tasking before a well earned Christmas break and will then be preparing for NATO deployment in the Spring next year.

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