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 | | Friday, 2 November, 2001, 13:15 GMT Royals mark submarine century  The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh arrive for the service The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have attended a church service at Westminster Abbey, London, to mark the centenary of the Royal Navy's Submarine Service. The thanksgiving service was the culmination of a series of events held throughout the year to mark 100 years of what the navy calls the "silent service". Guests included Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, Chief of Defence Staff Michael Boyce, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh, and the officer commanding submarines, Rear Admiral Niall Kilgour. The Queen met veteran submariners from around the world, representing the service throughout the past decades. Sailors remembered Royal Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Peter Payne, said: "This was a really big event and the culmination of a year-long programme. "It was a chance to remember all those who served on submarines over the past century, and there were around 1,800 people at the service.
There was a collection after the hour-long service for the King George VI fund for sailors and their families. Other events throughout the year have recognised the achievements of those who designed, built, supported and operated the Royal Navy's submarines, both past and present. Some of the events were dedicated to the memory of the 5,000 who died in both peace and war time in the submarine service. The Royal Navy's Submarine Service was founded when the Navy's first submarine torpedo boat, Holland 1, was built at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in 1901. The decision to invest in submarines was made reluctantly and the navy intended only to evaluate the new technology. They entered a service that still regarded ramming as a genuine battle tactic and viewed steam propulsion as 'a convenience rather than a dominant factor which involved new tactics'. Victoria Cross Holland 1 was the starting point for the development of the submarines that fought in the two World Wars, and led eventually to today's giant nuclear submarines. The Royal Navy's Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class SSNs (Nuclear-powered Attack Submarines) and Vanguard Class SSBNs (nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarines) have evolved to become the capital ships of today. A Royal Navy spokesman said: "British submariners made a vital contribution to the successful outcome of World Wars I and II, and 14 VCs were awarded. "During the years of the Cold War and in more recent regional conflicts, the Royal Navy's Submarine Service has continued service to the nation." | |   See also: Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top England stories now:  Links to more England stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||
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