A Majorcan welcome for HMS Albion

03/08/2013 00:00

Palma.The mighty HMS Albion sailed into the capital this morning for a brief operation stay as she makes her way back to the United Kingdom after being part of the Royal Navy task force which was dispatched to Libya to tighten the vice on Colonel Gaddafi at the begining of June.

Five ships the core of the Cougar 2011 task group broke off from long-planned exercises in the Mediterranean and joined the international effort to protect the free peoples of Libya and bring pressure on the country's dictator.

As well as Britain's biggest warship, sent to the Gulf of Sirte as a launchpad for four Army Air Corps Apache gunships, HMS Albion was ordered to waters off Libya in support of the NATO-led and UN-endorsed operation. HMS Albion is a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) and was launched at Barrow-in-Furness by HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, on March 9, 2001.

The ship's primary roles are to act as the afloat command platform for the Royal Navy's Amphibious Task Force and Landing Force Commanders when embarked and to embark, transport, deploy and recover troops with their equipment and vehicles which form part of an amphibious assault force.