Don’t worry if cannon fire caused you to spill your single-origin roast this morning – we weren’t being invaded by Zim, as some theorised on Twitter…
The Royal Navy’s HMS Iron Duke, which has been undergoing repairs for a year in Old Blighty’s dry docks, left England on 20 June on an Atlantic patrol mission. It sailed past Robben Island at around 7:30 am, performed its 21-gun salute and was answered by the Noon Gun on Signal Hill, operated by the South African Navy’s Chief Petty Officer Dudley Malgas.
The HMS Iron Duke – the third of its name – carries 185 personnel, travels at a top speed of 28 knots and has a weapons range of 7 800 nautical miles. It will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.
Photography Royal Navy