Royal Navy submarines from Gosport pay tribute to fallen comrades

HMS Sultan submariners at No 10 Downing Street.
Picture: Chief Petty Officer Dawn Jennings — HMS Sultan submariners at No 10 Downing Street. Picture: Chief Petty Officer Dawn Jennings

A team of 80 Royal Navy submariners from Gosport's HMS Sultan travelled to London's Victoria Embankment to support The Submarines Association's annual memorial service

The squad, led by Chief Petty Officer Mike Woods, joined 600 others from the submariner community to honour their fallen comrades.

Names of all the submarines lost since the formation of the service were read out at the ceremony, followed by the laying of 30 wreath.

Junior Rates from HMS Sultan pause in remembrance of the fallen.

Picture: SLT Shabaka Kenyatta — Junior Rates from HMS Sultan pause in remembrance of the fallen. Picture: SLT Shabaka Kenyatta

A salute was then taken by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who is the Commodore-in-Chief Submarines.

Engineering Technician Marine Engineer (Submariner) Kieron Petre laid a wreath on behalf of HMS Sultan. He said: '˜It was a huge honour to be a part of such a special service, especially at this early stage in my naval career.

'˜To lay a wreath in Remembrance of those who have given so much for our country and to do so in the presence of HRH The Duke of Cambridge, makes this one of the proudest moments of my life and a day I will never forget.'

The service is always traditionally held on the Sunday before Remembrance/

System Engineering Management Course students from HMS Sultan at the Imperial War Museum.
Picture: SLT Shabaka Kenyatta — System Engineering Management Course students from HMS Sultan at the Imperial War Museum. Picture: SLT Shabaka Kenyatta

Prior to the memorial event, the team from HMS Sultan spent the afternoon visiting the Imperial War Museum for a talk and tour and visited 10 Downing Street and Westminster Abbey where they were joined by Submariners from across the Royal Navy.