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Navy
Days 2004
Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth
Saturday
28th - Monday 30th August
Open 9am-6pm each day
Advance tickets: £8 adults, £4 children
Cars including all occupants £34
The Royal Navy has added a touch of reality to this year's Navy
Days with a spectacular simulation of an attack by 160 Royal Marine
Commandos.
It'll
help the public get a grasp of the type of operation undertaken
by the Navy and Royal Marines during the recent Iraq war.
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Browse
through the photo gallery
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As
the largest public event hosted by the Royal Navy in 2004, it's
hoping to attract thousands of visitors to Devonport Naval Base.
More than 20 warships will be taking part including commando assault
ships, frigates and submarines.
The event gives the public the opportunity to go on board and meet
the crews of Royal Navy ships and submarines as well as those from
the Russian, Italian, German, Dutch and French navies.
For the first time ever a Russian assault ship, the RFS Minsk, has
joined in the festivities.
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| For
the first time ever the Russian Navy is taking part. |
Amongst
the ships on view will be the Royal Navy’s largest warship, the
helicopter carrier HMS Ocean; the new commando ships HMS Albion
and HMS Bulwark; frigates such as HMS Montrose and HMS Norfolk and
the submarine, HMS Trenchant.
The main event will be an hour long display recreating an amphibious
assault by Royal Navy aircraft, ships and Royal Marine Commandos.
Scheduled to take place at around 2.30pm each day, the Marines will
be storming a fictitious oil installation with all guns blazing.
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Browse
through the photo gallery
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They'll
be supported by Harrier and Hawk jets, the frigate HMS Montrose,
the commando ship HMS Albion together with numerous helicopters,
landing craft and fast boats.
"It'll be a cracking good day and the public will be in the
thick of it," said Sub Lt Ralph Williams of the Royal Naval
Reserve.
"It's an opportunity to help put into context what has been
achieved in The Gulf and make people proud of what the Navy and
Royal Marines can do.
"We'll put some fictitious enemy targets in and around one
of the basins in the dockyard.
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| A
Navy Days visitor looking through a periscope. |
"Then
from the sea we'll assault by fast boat, hovercraft and by helicopter
and we'll capture those positions. So people visiting will be able
to see all this action around them taking place."
The historic South Yard will also be open to visitors with its naval
museum and buildings dating from 1694.
Navy
Days is now unique to Plymouth. As the only event of its kind -
Devonport will act as Royal Navy's shop window.
The
event will mark the 60th anniversary of the D-day landings with
both a fly and sail past to honour those who played such a pivotal
role in changing the outcome of the war.
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| HMS
Ocean alongside at Devonport. |
"We're
linking with all the veterans organisations and giving them an opportunity
to come down here and take almost a final bow after the celebrations
we've seen over the past few weeks," explained Navy Days Officer
Colonel Steve Cox.
"I think it's very important that we show the linkage between
the 1944 amphibious operations and the people who do it today."
To secure a higher national profile, the organisers have for the
first time arranged that visitors can buy a reduced price Navy Days
ticket from any railway station in the country.
That's on top of a host of travel arrangements to ensure maximum
visitor numbers.
Navy
Days 2004
Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth
Saturday
28th - Monday 30th August
Open 9am-6pm each day
Advance tickets: £8 adults, £4 children
Cars including all occupants £34
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