Navy man Jonathan Sterling-Roman has returned home from fighting Pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya to be re-united with his new-born daughter.

Electrical technician Mr Sterling Roman, 22, from Croydon sailed on the HMS Liverpool from the UK in March to enforce the UN trade embargo preventing arms sales to the Gaddafi regime by boarding and inspecting merchant ships along its coast.

Two months into this deployment he rushed home to be at the bedside of his girlfriend when she gave birth to Maliyah, but he was required to return to duty shortly afterwards and had not been home until last week.

Operating close to the coastline, the 4,800 tonne destroyer was intentionally targeted by pro-Gaddafi rocket and artillery batteries on no fewer than ten occasions. In return, HMS Liverpool used her powerful 4.5 inch gun to bombard targets ashore.

He said: “When the ship was at action stations I was part of the 4.5 inch gun magazine crew, responsible for getting ammunition up to the gunbay in case we had to fire. It was an arduous task as the ammunition is very heavy.”

Mr Sterling-Roman, was born in Columbia but came to the UK aged five, attending Oval Primary School and Archbishop Tenison’s before joining the Royal Navy in 2009.

When not on duty he plays football with the ship’s team and follows Crystal Palace FC.

He said: “I’m a massive fan of Crystal Palace football club. Although I’m a season ticket holder at Lower Holmesdale, I haven’t been able to attend the start of this season due to being at sea.”