Submariners pay tribute to lost comrades

Comrades lost to eternal patrol across 120 years of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Service have been remembered by serving sailors and veterans as the Silent Service marked its memorial weekend in London.

On Saturday, a wreath was laid inside Westminster Abbey at the submarine memorial and a service of remembrance held in the cloisters.

To conclude the first day’s events, the Submarine Service plot in the abbey’s Field of Remembrance was dedicated.

The following day, the annual parade of submariners of all ages took place in Middle Temple Gardens near the National Submarine War Memorial on the banks of the Thames.

Head of the Submarine Service, Commodore Jim Perks CBE, and Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce KG GCB OBE DL were present for the laying of wreaths, a reading of the names of all submariners lost in the previous year and a salute to absent friends following a two-minutes silence and remembrance service.

Cdre Perks said: “For all submariners to come together for these two days in November and remember those who have died during 120 years of our service is a vital part of maintaining the ethos and camaraderie we have all benefited from since the day we started our careers.”

The submariners’ memorial weekend is held a week before the national acts of remembrance to enable them to attend both.

As in 2020, the submariners remained in Middle Temple rather than marching to the memorial to the boats and more than 5,000 sailors lost since Holland 1 was launched in 1901.