Princess Royal salutes latest recruits to pass out of HMS Raleigh

The ceremony on the parade ground marked the culmination of ten weeks of training for the junior ratings of Fisher 37 class, who arrived at Torpoint in the throes of winter in mid-February…

…And having completed Initial Naval Training, they paraded for friends, family and VIPs on one of the finest days of the year so far, before bomb-bursting throughout the Navy to begin their specialist training as engineers, warfare specialists, logisticians and so on.

Accelerated Apprentice Jamaa Ben M’hand – a budding marine engineer – was the standout trainee of the 45 recruits in the class, earning three of the main awards, including Captain’s Best Recruit, which was presented by Her Royal Highness.

As well as taking the salute from the parading recruits, the Princess Royal also decorated four members of Raleigh’s staff: Long Service and Good Conduct Awards went to Commander Anthony Tipping, Lieutenant Commander Edward Bean and Petty Officer (Medical Assistant) Hannah Langran, while 45 years’ outstanding service by Warrant Officer Engineering Technician John Ramm were acknowledged with a Certificate of Valediction.