Royal Navy commissions new reserve unit

HMS Ceres, Leeds’ first Royal Naval Reserve Unit has been formally commissioned by The Princess Royal at a dedication ceremony February 6.

Ceres has existed in various forms as a naval establishment in Yorkshire over the past 70 years and, until last year, was a satellite unit of HMS Calliope on Tyneside.

Now it’s a reserve headquarters in its own right, and is home to 80 reservists from Yorkshire.

Around £600,000 (approx. $865,000) has been spent refurbishing the existing building occupied by the sailors at Carlton Barracks, on the northern edge of Leeds city centre.

A new two-storey wing and accommodation block has been added, providing Ceres with new training and classroom facilities and 12 permanent bed spaces.

She has recently completed her basic training alongside regular navy recruits at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall and is a customer service assistant in her regular civilian job.

After the ceremony the Commanding Officer, Lt Cdr David Noakes, was presented with the original ship’s bell from HMS Ceres, a C-Class Cruiser that saw action in both World Wars and played a crucial role in the D-Day landings.

The bell had been on display at HMS Raleigh and will now take pride of place in HMS Ceres.

Minister for Reserves Julian Brazier said: “Our Naval Reservists are an integral part of the UK Armed Forces, and have served on operations right around the world, from counter piracy operations in the Indian Ocean to service in Iraq and Afghanistan, to assisting in disaster relief in the Philippines.”

Reservists from HMS Ceres have deployed with the Royal Navy to Afghanistan, Iraq and the Gulf, on anti-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa, and have supported the security effort at the London Olympics and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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