People from across the UK to attend parade in honour of HMS Exeter

On Saturday 4th March 2017 people will come from all over the UK to take part in a Civic Reception and parade in Exeter, to remember two significant anniversaries in the country’s naval history.

2017 is the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the WW2 ship HMS Exeter and the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War. This is where the Type 42 destroyer, the other HMS Exeter, saw active duty.

HMS Exeter was involved in one of the most significant sea battles of the 2nd World War, The Battle of the River Plate. Following that battle, HMS Exeter went onto further battles and met its demise at the hands of the Japanese on 1st March 1942, with the loss of 50 men. During 3 years in Japanese POW camps, a further 150 crew lost their lives. Survivors clubbed together enough funds and on the 1st March 1948 the HMS Exeter Window of ‘Christ Walking on Water’ was placed in St Catherine’s Chapel of Exeter Cathedral and dedicated in memory of the Officers and Men of HMS Exeter who were lost in the Java Sea.

Each year since 1948 on the weekend closest to the 1stMarch, the survivors and their descendants have met to pay their respect to those who served during Exeter’s final days or suffered during their time in the camps.

In 2015, former crews of the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Exeter raised £1,000 in 48 hours via a social media campaign, to have a ship’s standard made with all HMS Exeter’s battle honours. Following this, in 2016, the standard was dedicated at Exeter Cathedral and a parade of 250 Veterans, Families, Sea Cadets and Serving Navy ratings from HMS Raleigh, (Royal Naval Training Base) were led through the streets of Exeter by a Royal Marine Band, with the Exeter Standard flying high for all to see.

This March will see the first gathering of the newly formed HMS Exeter Association; a group of like minded people with a link to one of these great ships.

“As an association with a very small number of actual survivors from HMS Exeter, there is no loss of dedication. In fact, many families and descendants, of those who were lost or survived, carry on the pilgrimage to Exeter to remember their loved ones and ancestors. Likewise, veterans of the Type 42 Exeter will arrive from all corners of the country and overseas to remember their old ship and lost comrades. With so many people likely to attend the parade, on 4th March, we expect it to be quite something to behold and a fitting tribute to those who have served on these illustrious ships.” Said Dougie Leask, a member of the HMS Exeter Association.

This year the Association is being hosted by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, within the Guildhall, for a small formal Civic Reception.  This will be followed at 11:00 by a parade through the City passing the Guildhall, where the Lord Mayor and a senior serving Naval Officer will accept the salute from the passing parade.

The parade will finish on Cathedral Green, so that all may enter the Cathedral ahead of the remembrance service, which will start at 11:30 with the ringing of the former HMS Exeter ships bell, for which the Cathedral is a custodian. During the service there will be readings and prayers of remembrance with a marine bugler playing the last post as wreaths are laid at the Exeter window.

Pictures from the 2016 event.