Today 30th October, 10 years ago the former Royal Navy Batch 3 Type 22 Class frigate HMS CORNWALL F 99 arrived at Swansea Drydocks for demolition after in July 2013 she was sold and towed from Portsmouth on 24th October, 2013
Laid down at the shipyard of Yarrow Shipbuilders on 14 th December 1983, launched on 14th October 1985, sponsored by Diana, Princess of Wales (who was also the Duchess of Cornwall).and commissioned on 23rd April 1988 at Falmouth.
Originally lead ship (Captain F) of the Devonport-based 8th Frigate Squadron and upon its disbandment in 1993, lead ship of the 2nd Frigate Squadron she had battle honours from Barfleur in 1692, the Falkland Islands in 1914 and the Dardanelles in 1915.
She was nicknamed as the Ice Cream Frigate or the Fighting 99 by her crew due to her pennant number. She undertook duties in the North and South Atlantic Ocean, Adriatic, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Baltic Seas throughout her time in service, and completed several patrols to the Persian Gulf and deployments to the Far East.
During 1996 she served as flagship of the First Sea Lord in Saint Petersburg, during the 300th anniversary celebrations of the Russian Navy. In 2001 she was part of the Royal Navy Task Force engaged in the invasion of Afghanistan. In 2003 she was again committed to Standing Naval Force Atlantic, supporting Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean of which back in 2007 she visited Grand Harbour, Malta berthing at Pinto 4 and 5 wharves.
On 26th April 2011 she returned to Plymouth for the last time, and was decommissioned on 30 June 2011. Her decommissioning pennant was presented to the Davidstow Airfield and Cornwall at War Museum on 5 October 2011.