Trainee submariners from HMS Raleigh joined the Rame Peninsular community on 6 May in ‘banishing the winter gloom and welcoming the summer’s glory’ during the annual Black Prince Flower procession.
The six recruits carried the flower decorated model boat, the Black Prince, aloft through the villages of Millbrook, Kingsand and Cawsand, during the annual May Day celebration.
Following just behind the Millbrook Town Crier and his lady, the sailors were at the head of a procession made up of, dancers, musicians, visiting town criers, local children and villagers.
Warfare Specialist Samuel Ellerington, aged 20, from Gloucester, said:
“We’re proud and we most certainly feel privileged to have been included in such an important day for these local communities.“
“The boat itself is quite heavy, but fortunately I’ve got someone taller than me in front to take the strain,” he joked.
Having completed their specialist training within HMS Raleigh’s Submarine School on Friday (3 May), this was among the budding submariners’ last duties before they leave the Torpoint training base for their submarine qualifying course. The training takes place at Devonport Naval Base or at Faslane in Scotland depending on the class of submarine each recruit is assigned.
The “Black Prince” festival dates back to the 19th Century. Although it originally died out about 50 years ago, it was revived in 1986 and is this year celebrating its 27th anniversary. At the end of the day, the Black Prince is launched into the sea from Cawsand beach.
[mappress] Press Release, May 8, 2013; Image: Royal Navy