Our Duke!

Friday 26 December 2014

The crew of a Royal Navy frigate HMS Iron Duke could be given formal ceremonial powers to mark its association with the Island.

The vessel has been affiliated with Jersey since 2010, and now Home Affairs Minister Kristina Moore wants to “authorise the Ship’s Company of H.M.S. Iron Duke to exercise the privilege of ‘marching with Colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed’”.

The designation acknowledges an affiliation with a unit, company or regiment, and marks the community’s appreciation for their service.

At the moment, the same honour is bestowed on the Jersey Field Squadron Royal Engineers and the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment.

Deputy Moore has taken a proposition to the States to confer the honour, after consultation with the Chief Minister, the Bailiff and the Lieutenant Governor.

The Iron Duke has recently returned from a South Atlantic patrol conducting maritime security operations and providing support to British Overseas Territories in the region.

According to a statement from the Royal Navy, the Type 23 frigate and her 180 crew covered 27,442 miles and visited 11 countries during the six-month deployment.

The ship left the UK in June and travelled down the west coast of Africa, across the South Atlantic to the Falkland Islands, up the west coast of South America and through the Panama Canal back to Portsmouth.

She paid goodwill port visits in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa, Panama, Haiti, Barbados and the Azores and also visited the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.