Ship’s Company of HMS Westminster attend Matins

Monday, 29th September 2014

Sailors march past the Mayor of Westminster

The Commanding Officer and Ship's Company of HMS Westminster, together with the Lord Mayor and Councillors of the City of Westminster, attended Matins at Westminster Abbey on Sunday 28th March 2014.

They were welcomed to the Abbey by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall.

The sermon was given by the Reverend Martyn Gough RN, Deputy Chaplain of the Fleet.

The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Audrey Lewis, read Isaiah 48: 12-21 and Captain Hugh Beard RN, Commanding Officer, HMS Westminster, read St Matthew 8: 18-27.

The service was sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey conducted by Daniel Cook, Sub-Organist. The organ was played by Jeremy Woodside, Organ Scholar. Martin Ford, Assistant Organist, played before the service.

The Ship's Company of HMS Westminster parade in the Sanctuary outside Westminster Abbey

The Mayor of Westminster takes the salute as other officials look on

The Lord Mayor of Westminster takes the salute from the Ships Company on the Sanctuary before the service

The Dean of Westminster receives a flag which has been brought to the altar by four sailors

The Colour of HMS Westminster is presented at the High Altar

The Dean of Westminster meets members of the Ship's Company at the end of the service

The Ship's Company exercised its Freedom of the City with a parade in the Sanctuary outside the Abbey at which the Lord Mayor took the salute.

HMS Westminster is a Type 23 Frigate, whose primary role is anti-submarine warfare. Launched on 4th February 1992, she is maintained at high readiness to deploy worldwide to protect Britain's interests by delivering Royal Navy power and support for a wide range of tasking.

HMS Westminster recently returned from an East of Suez deployment. In her seven months away she conducted a record number of counter-narcotics boardings, and mounted counter-piracy patrols off the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden. She also exercised with US, French, Omani, Tanzanian, Indian, and many other naval forces to maintain the Royal Navy's capability to operate with allies and partners across the globe.

See also:

The Order of Service (PDF, 182 KB)