Freedom of the Borough of Bury St Edmunds for HMS Vengeance

Cdr Neil Lamont receives a scroll of honour from the outgoing Mayor of St Edmundsbury cementing a bond between an historic East Anglian town and the Navy’s most potent man o’war.

After a 17-year affiliation with HMS Vengeance, the good folk of Bury St Edmunds bestowed their highest honour – Freedom of the Borough – upon the ballistic missile submarine and the town’s Sea Cadet unit, TS St Edmund (also affiliated with the V-boat).

The town council chose their annual mayor-making service in the city’s Apex Centre to invite representatives from the two naval units to receive the award.

It’s thanks largely to a member of Vengeance’s first crew 17 years ago, now CPOME(SM) Dave Allen that the bond between boat and town are so strong – even though he’s now left her – as he’s striven throughout to keep the affiliation going.

Three of Vengeance’s starboard crew made the 820-mile round-trip to Suffolk for the occasion.

“The affiliation between the borough and the boat go back nearly 17 years, when HMS Vengeance was launched as the fourth Trident missile submarine,” said Cdr Lamont.

“Over those years many submariners have had the opportunity to visit the borough and all have had the pleasure to experience the warm hospitality Bury St Edmunds has to offer.”

The boat and unit join a select group of just 14 people or institutions awarded the borough’s highest civic honour since 1974.

Vengeance’s port crew are hoping to exercise their new freedom by marching through Bury later this year.