More than 300 Royal Navy sailors and marines parade through Torpoint

More than 300 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines have paraded through Torpoint, Cornwall.

The personnel, accompanied by the Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines Plymouth, walked through Torpoint to the parade area by the Torpoint Ferry, where a formal ceremony took place as HMS Raleigh exercised its Freedom of Torpoint.

The Town Clerk read out the historic Proclamation, and the Reverend Mike Woodall, Torpoint Town Mayor, Councillor Gary Davis, and the Royal Navy Chaplain based at HMS Raleigh, performed the Naval prayer

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Following the ceremony, the personnel returned through the town and saluted the memorial to the two world wars, and the Mayor and Captain Jane Roe of HMS Raleigh received a salute outside the Old Comrades and United Services Club.

The Mayor praised the tight relationship between the town and the Navy.

"The close affiliation that exists between Torpoint and HMS Raleigh extends back many years, and we both benefit from the bonds of friendship between us," Councillor Davis said.

"Torpoint is a Naval town through and through, and indeed many of the residents either are or have served in the Armed Forces. 

"As the starting point of every Rating's career in the Royal Navy, HMS Raleigh should be justifiably proud of all they achieve, and we are honoured to be affiliated with this success."

The Freedom of Torpoint was awarded to HMS Raleigh in December 1996. The freedom means that personnel can parade on the streets with "drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed".

The ritual is one of the longest-existing traditions still going on as it dates back to 1237.

Captain Roe said: "The bonds between HMS Raleigh and the town of Torpoint are inseparable; every sailor who joins the Royal Navy travels through the town on their way to the start of their Naval career, and the memory of crossing the Tamar, disembarking from the ferry and moving up through the town remains strong with every Rating."

HMS Raleigh is the initial training base for all Ratings in the Royal Navy.