HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy helicopter carrier and current flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), stopped in the Mediterranean on November 11 to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in previous conflicts with an act of Remembrance.
The entire ship’s company, Bravo Company of 40 Commando Royal Marines, members of 820, 845 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons and a detachment of US Marines were formed up on the flight deck for the service –over 800 personnel all told.
The service, conducted by Chaplain Paul Andrew, enabled all on board to come together and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice over past generations and remember fallen comrades from more recent times. A Role of Honour was read out, listing all those members of the Royal Navy who have died in Service over the last year and a minute’s silence was observed whilst the last post was played by a bugler. Wreaths were laid by the Commanding Officer of HMS Ocean, Captain Robert Pedre Royal Navy and the Commander of SNMG2, Commodore James Morley Royal Navy.
HMS Ocean is at sea in the Eastern Mediterranean having set sail from the Turkish port of Aksaz earlier in the week. SNMG2 is now participating in exercise Dogu Akdeniz 17, a Turkish led annual exercise intended to further interoperability between NATO navies.