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PHOTO
GALLERY
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Photo
gallery from the Colour ceremony
Archive gallery from 1969 Colour ceremony
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ALSO |
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Royal
Navy Colour ceremony 2003
What is the Queen's
Colour?
Royal
Marine's Colours Ceremony 2001
Plymouth
webcam
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| FACTS |
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There
have only been two previous Fleet Colour presentations. The
first, was presented by King George V in 1926 and the second,
by Queen Elizabeth in 1969.
The West Country and the Royal Navy go back a long way. The
ships that defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 sailed from
the mouth of the River Plym.
As long ago as 1691, a major naval dockyard was established
in the River Tamar at Plymouth.
Devonport is the largest naval base in Western Europe. It
covers over 650 acres, has 15 dry docks, four miles of waterfront,
25 tidal berths and five basins. The 1,750 civilian and service
personnel are committed to the naval base mission "To Support
the Fleet Worldwide."
Devonport is the base port of the largest ship in the Royal
Navy, HMS Ocean which is 21,000 tonnes, and the smallest vessel
in service, HMS Gleaner - a 25 tonne surveying motor launch.
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The
pomp and ceremony surrounding the Queen's presentation of a new
Colour to the Royal Navy is a rare event.
There have been only two previous Fleet Colour presentations. The
first was by King George V in 1926 and the second by Queen Elizabeth
II in 1969.
The
last Colour presentation took place in Torbay, South Devon on the
28th and 29th July 1969.
On that occasion more than 30 naval and submarines from the Western
Fleet anchored in Tor Bay for an inspection by The Queen.
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Queen was wrapped up against the elements |
The
fleet was shrouded in rain and mist as The Queen, accompanied by
the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family sailed
through the anchorage on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.
The Colour ceremony itself took place on the flight deck of the
aircraft carrier HMS Eagle where 1,500 naval personnel from the
assembled ships gathered before The Queen.
For spectators on shore one of the highlights was a fly-past by
89 helicopters and aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm.
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| The
Western Fleet anchored in Tor Bay in July 1969 |
Pride
of place in the fly-past went to the Phantom, which in 1969 was
the Navy's latest jet aircraft.
The
fleet review took place exactly 381 years to the day after Sir Francis
Drake fought the last battle of the Armada.
To recall that victory, a replica of the famous Drake's Drum was
loaned by HMS Drake at Devonport.
It was placed at the top of the pile of drums on which the new Colour
was placed by The Queen.
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