LEDBURY'S crew are a team and that proved its worth on active service.

Mine warfare operator Simon Backhouse organised the charity rowing event which the crew contributed to and cites it as his favourite moment.

He said the deployment had brought people together.

"It's been exciting, it's been good for the younger lads who have never been on the deployment, hell of an experience. Everyone has gelled, been a team, we have worked really well.

"The worst thing was missing home, there is a lot of lads on here who have never been away."

Stoker Jonathan Webb, 31, said: "It was non-stop, especially during the war. Our minds were definitely taken off where we were going, we were too busy to think about it until afterwards, then it gradually sinks in where we had been and what we had done."

He echoed the thoughts of several that staying out after the war for exercises had been tough, watching other ships go home.

Gareth O'Keefe, 22, from Cardiff, a mine warfare officer, was part of a sizable Welsh contingent on board.

He said runs ashore were the best thing about the deployment.

"I learned a lot of new things - like getting dressed really quickly," he said.

Executive officer Graeme Brooks, 29, the ship's second in command, had missed his wife and 15-month daughter Isobella.

"Bella has learned to walk and talk since I have been away," he said, "That and having to stay behind while everyone else went home, that was quite tough."