Royal Navy and Marines prepare in Portsmouth for London remembrance commemorations
Final training has been taking place at HMS Excellent on Whale Island
Last updated 3rd Nov 2023
Royal Navy and Marine personnel are being put through their paces in Portsmouth today (Friday 3rd November), ahead of next weekend's remembrance commemorations in London.
Final training has been taking place at HMS Excellent on Whale Island, home to Navy Command Headquarters, ahead of the main event in London next week.
This will see personnel from across the armed forces join together with veterans and other esteemed guests from all over the UK to commemorate and remember all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice throughout the years.
Warrant Officer 1 Darren “Eddie” Wearing MVO MBE RN said: “Remembrance 2023 is my last duty as State Ceremonial Training Officer for the Royal Navy. Having been in the role since 2015 this is quite emotional for me. As always, I’m honoured and privileged to be a part of Remembrance but it’s definitely going to be an emotional weekend.”
Around one in five Royal Navy personnel are deployed this Remembrance period – over 4,850 sailors and nearly 1,500 Royal Marines – from northern Europe to the South Atlantic, and from the eastern seaboard of the USA to the waters off New South Wales in the Pacific.
As well as remembering all who have lost their lives in the name of their country, those parading will be honouring the 29 members of the Royal Navy family who have died while serving over the past 12 months.
A 15-strong contingent from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – responsible for support ships crucial to the Royal Navy’s global operations – will also be taking part in next week’s events.
Four RFA personnel will be involved in the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, while 11 comrades will lead the contingent of civilian services – such as the Coastguard – marching past the Cenotaph the next day.
The RFA contingent has been prepared by former Royal Navy Warrant Officer Barry ‘Dickie’ Henderson who now works for the RFA as a management instructor and ceremonial officer.
He said: “No year is any more important than the last, every year carries the same meaning to me. It’s about remembering those who have fallen, those who continue to fall, both regulars and reservist of all armed forces, the supporting services, for which the armed forces cannot fight without, and the families of all”.