NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2008 21
● Auditions for The Bill went particularly smoothly... The rare sight of
steaming bats pounding the cobbled streets of Winchester
Pictures: LA(Phot) Kaz Williams and Richard Watt
RReign on our paradeeign on our parade
SAILORS traditionally only march through the streets
With the parade over, the military personnel made for the Great
when celebrating the freedom of a town.
Hall where they were presented with individual mementoes of the
Or perhaps it’s Armistice Day.
occasion (a specially-brewed bottle of beer and inscribed glass
Now there is a new reason: the homecoming parade.
tankard from a Hampshire fi rm) and a commemorative scroll
In a bid to reinvigorate the bond between the people and
for each unit.
their Armed Forces, civic leaders in Hampshire invited 300
All the sailors marching were touched by the strength of
military personnel, veterans of operations in Afghanistan and
support displayed by the massed crowd.
Iraq, to march through Winchester.
“I felt a huge sense of pride and it was great to be
The Army made up the bulk of the personnel pounding
recognised by the people of Hampshire as the Royal
the streets of Hampshire’s county town.
Navy,” said AB(CIS) Amy Foroozandeh. “It would be
But let’s not talk about them.
nice to have the same in the streets of Portsmouth.”
No, we’re interested in the 20 or so sailors from
Lt Cdr Steve Spiller, Richmond’s weapon engineer
HMS Richmond who marched through the heart of
offi cer added: “There was a feeling you were being
Winchester, cheered on by 3,000 people.
honoured – people were taking an interest in the A new Victory panorama
The frigate returned from the northern Gulf at the end
military, 3,000 of them on a Tuesday lunchtime.
of last year after a six-month tour of duty guarding Iraq’s
“Everyone treated us like royalty.” BRITAIN’S most famous warship has featured in these pages
oil platforms.
For Cdr Piers Hurrell who led Richmond through her countless times... but never like this.
As she sailed past Portsmouth’s historic Round Tower,
challenging deployment in the Gulf – it fell to the ship and For this is HMS Victory in her historic dockyard environs as
Richmond was treated to the waves, cheers, flag-waving and
her team to introduce changes to the way we do things in visualised by ‘photospherical’ artists WrightGeorge.
tears from loved ones – an emotion-laden homecoming such as
the wake of the Cornwall incident – it was important to show the From next month, passengers on Britain’s largest cruise ship,
Her Majesty’s ships have enjoyed down the years.
British public what their Navy had been up to. P&O Ventura, will see this image daily – one of 15 pieces of
Such returns are, typically, family affairs, however.
“We are very grateful to be provided with an opportunity to original artwork produced by these unique artists for the £300m
The parade through Winchester was a public show of support.
strengthen the service links with the county and remind people of vessel.
Whatever people might think about the rights and wrongs of
the Royal Navy’s enduring commitment and presence in the Middle P&O commissioned £1m of art for the Ventura and selected
Britain’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, they feel a strong
East,” Cdr Hurrell added. WrightGeorge to produce a series of 15 iconic British images
affinity for the men and women of the Armed Forces.
The Winchester parade is the latest in a series of public displays to adorn the 115,000-ton liner (other icons/locations featured
And so more than 3,000 people turned out on a dry but bitingly-
organised on a local level over the past year or so to recognise the include Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower, SS Great Britain in
cold January lunchtime to see a contingent from Richmond, plus
global commitments of the Armed Forces. Bristol, and Cheddar Gorge caves in Somerset).
soldiers of The Rifles, The King’s Royal Hussars, Irish Guards,
“It has long been my desire to see the service of all returning The artists received special permission to get as close as
Grenadier Guards, 4 General Support (Medical) Regiment and RAF
servicemen and women being acknowledged and recognised in possible to the edge of the dry dock which is Victory’s home
personnel from Odiham.
this way,” Hampshire County Council leader Cllr Ken Thornber and took a series of photographs before returning to their
All but the The Rifl es marched off at the same time; the Rifl es
told the marchers. studios to create this 360˚ panoramic view.
moved off from the shadow of King Alfred’s statue fi ve minutes
As for Richmond, she’s undergoing some tweaks to her new The Victory artwork is not the only link between Ventura and
later as their march rate is 24 paces a minute faster than their
sonar kit, 2087, ahead of trials involving the enhanced equipment the Senior Service.
comrades.
in the Caribbean this spring. The Royal Marines will ensure good luck is bestowed upon all
who sail in her by abseiling down the side of the cruise ship at
her naming ceremony in Southampton next month.
● Youngsters celebrate the sailors’ and soldiers’ return (and perhaps the fact that they’re skipping lessons too)
It will be the commandos’ mission to smash a bottle of
champagne against the Ventura’s side (something which didn’t
happen initially when the last P&O liner Queen Victoria was
named in a traditional ceremony before Christmas).
The Royals will move on the orders of Oscar-winning actress
Dame Helen Mirren, guest of honour at the ceremony.
specialist legal advice
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A LEADING SPECIALIST IN MILITARY LAW
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