FOR two sailors from Suffolk, operational tasks with the Royal Navy brought them back home on Sunday as they docked in Ipswich aboard HMS Quorn.

FOR two sailors from Suffolk, operational tasks with the Royal Navy brought them back home on Sunday as they docked in Ipswich aboard HMS Quorn.

The Hunt Class Minehunter is in Ipswich for three days on a regional engagement visit, the ships final 'run ashore' in the UK before the crew are deployed to the Arabian Gulf for a seven-month operation in December.

For the ships Commanding Officer, Matt Bowden and a member of the Communications team Alex Glaspell it was a familiar sight as they sailed up the River Orwell.

Commanding Officer Matt Bowden, 38, joined the Navy 15 years ago and assumed command of HMS Quorn in July 2007.

He said: “I am Commanding Officer, I direct and manage the ship to achieve our operational tasks.”

As Captain of the vessel, Lieutenant Commander Bowden oversees the whole crew in their role, hunting and destroying mines.

The 38-year-old was educated in Suffolk at Sir Robert Hitcham's School in Debenham and Woodbridge School and his parents still live in the county.

He added: “We will have our Christmas break in November this year, before we are deployed.”

The crew are on their way back to Portsmouth after a three-week exercise in Scotland, Joint Warrior a multi-national coalition exercise with more than seven NATO nations taking part.

Alex Glaspell, a former Copleston High School pupil has been in the Navy for three years and is a vital part of the ships operations forming part of the three-strong communications team on-board HMS Quorn.

The 23-year-old from Ravenswood recently transferred to HMS Quorn from a much bigger vessel, he highlighted the main difference living and working on-board a smaller ship.

He said: “You can't hide on this one.”