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Personnel have been training for several weeks at HMS Excellent in Whale Island ahead of the commemorations at The Cenotaph in Whitehall. Parades will see 104 people from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Marines Band Service and Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS) taking part in the annual service.
Training has been ongoing for the past several weeks, with personnel being set up for morning Cenotaph parade drills and afternoon training for the Lord Mayor’s Show and The Royal Albert Hall. Processions at the Whale Island base saw people marching to time, while members of the band service performed to time. They carried out musical rehearsals without marching to make sure they’re in time and playing the notes accurately.
CPO WS Evans said: “All of them are absolutely fighting to be where they are. They’re out there wanting to represent their family and the Royal Navy. It’s an honour for me to be here and be doing this. I’m enjoying every moment of it. We all get told that we scream and shout, and do that good stuff. It may start that way to get them all switching on to what we do, but then we start to build that rapport with them and have a laugh. Coming from four years at sea straight into the remembrance service is an absolute honour.”
1. National Remembrance Service training
Royal Navy personnel from Portsmouth are being put through their paces ahead of the National Remembrance services at The Cenotaph. | Sarah Standing (051124-8189)
2. National Remembrance Service training
Royal Navy personnel from Portsmouth are being put through their paces ahead of the National Remembrance services at The Cenotaph. | Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
3. National Remembrance Service training
Some of the 104 Royal Navy personnel who will form the processional group at the National Service of Remembrance, annual parade and service held at the Cenotaph on Sunday in London, during final preparations at HMS Excellent on Whale Island in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Picture date: Tuesday November 5, 2024. | Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
4. National Remembrance Service training
A Royal Navy State Ceremonial Instructor measures the distance between sailors as some of the 104 Royal Navy personnel who will form the the processional group at the National Service of Remembrance make final preparations at HMS Excellent on Whale Island in Portsmouth, Hampshire, for the annual parade and service held at the Cenotaph in London. Picture date: Tuesday November 5, 2024. | Andrew Matthews/PA Wire