The silent sacrifice of the Vanguard-Class submarine’s crew was laid bare as Keir Starmer met families waiting to be reunited with their loved ones after a record deployment at sea
Families of submariners on the front line of Britain’s defence against Vladimir Putin have spoken of their pride as they anxiously awaited their return.
The Mirror accompanied Keir Starmer aboard one of the Vanguard-Class submarines off the coast of Scotland on “Day Zero”, its return to UK waters after months at sea.
The nuclear-armed vessel patrolled the deep for a record 206-days, ready at any moment to fire Trident missiles as part of the UK nuclear deterrent.
The silent sacrifice of its 160-strong crew was laid bare at an emotional homecoming at the Navy’s Faslane base in Scotland, where the Prime Minister met families waiting to be reunited with their loved ones after months at sea.
Emotions were running high for Kevin, who was waiting for his 25-year-old son. It was his third deployment at sea but the Iran war and the ongoing threats from Russia have ramped up Kevin’s fears for his safe return.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer warns UK must not take eyes off Putin from top-secret Vanguard sub visit
He said: “What’s going on in the world at the moment, that has not helped. We know the situation, we know what’s going on with the Middle East and the Russians. But he’s not coming home in a box. That’s it. He’s home and he’s alive.”
Families can send brief weekly messages to the nuclear sub, but the crew cannot reply, as the submarine goes dark for its entire deployment so it remains hidden. Messages are screened to ensure there’s nothing to distress the crew, so submariners are not told of bereavements until they are just about to return.
Kevin said: “It’s so difficult because obviously you can’t give them any bad news. There can’t be any dates, no negativity. So even when you know, like on one of his deployments, I lost my mum, and they were really close. To come home to that, it’s tough. Thankfully, we’ve not had that this time.”
But he said trying to explain to others that he had no contact with his son and had no idea when he would return was tough. It’s a mad panic rush, tell my employers I’ve got to go [as he’s coming home],” he said.
“It’s a bit like a death. One minute you’re ok, and the next minute you’re not. One minute you’re elated, and then the next minute you’re crying your eyes out again, and you can’t control it, can you?”
Kevin went on: “To me, he’s just my boy that’s gone to work. I know what he’s doing but I try to avoid [thinking about it].
“It’s just my coping mechanism, and the least I know about it, the better. I just want to know when he’s coming home. What they do – I know it’s important, and I get what they’re doing 110% and I know that someone has to do it – I sometimes just wish it wasn’t my son.”
Asked how he was feeling to see his son, he said: “Of course he’s loved so much, he’s cherished. But the emotion dulls the excitement.
“It’s not like it’s his birthday or we’re celebrating something like his wedding or his engagement.
“He’s just alive and that’s another world than a birthday or a 21st. It’s just indescribable.”
Emma was also waiting for her 22-year-old son to come home from his first patrol on the Vanguard submarine.
Families don’t know when the submarine will surface as its whereabouts are kept top-secret, leaving them with an agonising wait for news.
Emma said: “It’s a bit of a rollercoaster. Waiting for the phone call that they’re coming back, literally, you see that unregistered number on your phone, and you know it’s not Anglian Windows ringing to see if you want new windows. You know exactly what that call is.”
But despite the agony the family faces, she said she was proud of her son’s role in keeping this country safe. It’s the bigger picture,” she said. “They are the continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent.
“Somebody has to do it and we’re really proud that they chose to do that. It’s his choice, and we will always support that. The military, for me, wonderful, absolutely wonderful. It’s 24 hours notice, they get called up quickly.
“They are absolutely amazing, and they really give their self and service, it is service before self with our military, and we should be so proud of them.”
She said the lack of contact was difficult but paid tribute to the Navy’s family liaison team for its support. Emma said: “It is [worrying] but you have to really put it out of your mind. Just focus on the positive news in [in the messages].”
Her son is a big football fan, so every week they send him news of his team. “Every week we’ve been like, ‘they still haven’t lost, what’s going on? Are you going out again… because they might go up the Premiership’,” she said. “It’s a real lifeline.”