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HMS Forward (shore establishment 1984)
Encyclopedia
is a Royal Naval Reserve
unit located in Birmingham
, England
, close to St. Andrews football stadium. It has a crew of nearly 100 naval and marine reservists, in addition to a handful of full-time staff. The Birmingham University Royal Naval Unit
, the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme 'Taurus Squadron' and a detachment of the Royal Marine Reserves Merseyside are also located on the site.
- known as HMS Forward. The unit moved to a new purpose-built building in April 1999, and the new building was officially opened by The Princess Royal
. The ship acquired its name from the motto of the City of Birmingham - Forward. The unit is affiliated with HMS Daring
, a Type 45 destroyer
currently in service with the Royal Navy.
The ship became more famous in recent years when it produced a winner of The Sun Military Awards
, Able Seaman
Grandison, who won the national award for 'Best Reservist'. Grandison is a taxi-driver in Sandwell
, but left his work and contracts to deploy to the Indian Ocean
as part of a team to provide armed protection against piracy to RFA Wave Knight
. He was later promoted to Leading Hand.
, Remembrance Day
, and Armed Forces Day
parades.
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
unit located in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, close to St. Andrews football stadium. It has a crew of nearly 100 naval and marine reservists, in addition to a handful of full-time staff. The Birmingham University Royal Naval Unit
University Royal Naval Unit
A University Royal Naval Unit is a Royal Navy training establishment connected to a university, or a number of universities concentrated in one area...
, the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme 'Taurus Squadron' and a detachment of the Royal Marine Reserves Merseyside are also located on the site.
History
The base originated on a different site during the Second World War, and was originally known as the regional Naval Communications Training Centre. On 1 October 1984, the centre became a commissioned ship - a stone frigateStone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
- known as HMS Forward. The unit moved to a new purpose-built building in April 1999, and the new building was officially opened by The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. The ship acquired its name from the motto of the City of Birmingham - Forward. The unit is affiliated with HMS Daring
HMS Daring
Seven vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Daring.* HMS Daring , a 12-gun Archer-class gun-brig launched in 1804 and destroyed after running aground in 1813....
, a Type 45 destroyer
Type 45 destroyer
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
currently in service with the Royal Navy.
The ship became more famous in recent years when it produced a winner of The Sun Military Awards
The Sun Military Awards
The Sun Military Awards is an annual awards ceremony which honours members of the British armed forces and civilians involved with the forces. The Millies were created by His Royal Highness Prince Charles. The awards are organised and sponsored by The Sun newspaper.During the televised ceremony,...
, Able Seaman
Able seaman
An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:...
Grandison, who won the national award for 'Best Reservist'. Grandison is a taxi-driver in Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
, but left his work and contracts to deploy to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
as part of a team to provide armed protection against piracy to RFA Wave Knight
RFA Wave Knight
Two ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have borne the name RFA Wave Knight:*RFA Wave Knight was a Wave-class oiler launched in 1945 and scrapped in 1964.*RFA Wave Knight is a Wave Knight-class tanker launched in 2000 and in service as of 2009....
. He was later promoted to Leading Hand.
Current tasks
Being the only large naval presence in the West Midlands, Forward is called upon to act in ceremonial duties and parades, and recently supplied contingents for the Birmingham Trafalgar DayTrafalgar Day
Trafalgar Day is the celebration of the victory won by the Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. The formation of the Navy League in 1894 gave added impetus to the movement to recognise...
, Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
, and Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day
Several nations of the world hold an annual Armed Forces Day in honor of their military forces. - Armenia :Բանակի օր is celebrated on 28 January to commemorate the formation of the armed forces of the newly independent Republic of Armenia in 1992....
parades.