Belfast becomes 16th unit to give students a taste of Royal Navy life 14 April 2022 Topic: People Storyline: Units Welcome to the newest member of the Royal Navy’s student family: Belfast University Royal Naval Unit. The unit – which will give undergraduates studying in Northern Ireland a taste of the Royal Navy – was formally opened at its new headquarters in Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn. The Senior Service’s first female admiral Rear Admiral Jude Terry – Director of Personnel and Training – was guest of honour, joined inter alia by Olympic gold-winning pentathlete and honorary Royal Navy Reserve Captain Lady Mary Peters and the Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim, David McCorkell. The opening of the new unit – Belfast is the 16th member of URNU family and the first to serve institutions of higher learning in Northern Ireland in the scheme’s 54-year history – effectively doubles the capacity of the Forces to offer places on its student initiatives. There are already Army Officer Training Corps and an RAF University Air Squadron in Northern Ireland. The URNU is offering 20 places to undergraduates every year – 60 people over the course of a standard three-year degree – with the opportunity to go to sea, take part in adventurous training and sport, practise drill and learn about the global role of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RFA. The Belfast unit was established last year – but Covid restrictions prevented a formal opening until this spring with the RM Band Plymouth providing a quintet and a ribbon cutting/plaque dedication to mark the occasion. Guests were given a tour of the Maritime Reserve’s training ship facility (which the URNU use) and observed a Command, Leadership and Management exercise by Belfast Officer Cadets. They then witnessed a presentation by Liverpool Officer Cadets in their final year, describing their journey through the URNU and what they have benefitted from the experience. “It is an honour to lead the development of the newest URNU in the UK,” said Belfast unit’s first Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Barry McWilliams. “We are recruiting Officer Cadets and training officers right now, so keep an eye out on social media for us – and you will see what our first year of Officer Cadets are doing as the year progresses.” It is an honour to lead the development of the newest URNU in the UK. Belfast unit’s first Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Barry McWilliams.
