HMS Montrose hosts open day in Scotland after Baltic Sea stint

After concluding two weeks of exercises with the Finnish and Swedish Navy in the Baltic Sea, Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose visited Stockholm for a few days’ break.

The Devonport-based frigate joined Swedish and Finnish vessels for Baltic Cross, the first exercise involving the three navies since Britain committed to closer military co-operation with nations bordering the Baltic.

After that Montrose represented her navy and nation at 100th birthday celebrations for the Finnish Navy in Turku before navigating the many islands and waterways in the Gulf of Bothnia to visit Stockholm.

On arrival, according to Swedish military tradition, the commanding officer of a visiting warship is given the honor of inspecting the King’s Life Guards at the Royal Palace.

His ship hosted the British Ambassador to Sweden, David Cairns, who said that the sight of Montrose flying the Union Jack in Stockholm’s old town was “beautiful”.

After the Stockholm visit, Montrose headed for her namesake town on Scotland’s east coast for a rare visit. The frigate and crew opened their gangway to the public on Sunday to provide guided tours around the ship.