50th anniversary of Royal Navy's Freedom of the City marked with parade and ceremony

Hundreds of sailors and Royal Marines will march through Plymouth on Friday 20 September for a ceremonial event celebrating the close relationship between the city and the Royal Navy.

Around 550 serving personnel and veterans will take part in the parade, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the Naval Service in Plymouth being granted the Freedom of the City.

A key event in this year’s Ocean City Festival, the anniversary parade is expected to attract thousands of spectators and will reaffirm Plymouth’s enduring support for the Royal Navy and the critical role it plays both at home and overseas.

The Freedom of the City is the greatest ceremonial honour a local authority can bestow and gives martial organisations the privilege of marching into the city ‘with drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed’. It was first granted to the Plymouth Command of the Royal Navy in September 1963 and close to 1,000 sailors marched up to the Hoe for the civic event.

Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Mrs Vivien Pengelly said: “While the Plymouth Command has long been removed, Plymouth’s close ties with the Royal Navy are as strong as ever. The 50th anniversary parade will be an opportunity to celebrate these links, pay tribute to the sailors, marines and support staff based here in Plymouth and remember those injured or fallen in service.

Devonport Naval Base Commander, Commodore Graeme Little said: “I am delighted Plymouth has chosen to mark this important occasion with a renewal of the honour of the Freedom of the City. The Royal Navy and the city of Plymouth are so very closely linked and we are proud to have such a strong positive and mutually beneficial relationship.”

Flag Officer Sea Training, Rear Admiral Ben Key said: “The relationship between the city of Plymouth and the sailors and Marines based here has endured and developed over hundreds of years. The opportunity to celebrate and re-affirm the 50th anniversary of the granting of the Freedom of the City to the Naval Service is a huge honour, which re-enforces this long standing and fruitful partnership. I am very proud to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion and absolutely confident that the close connection between us will continue to thrive.’’

The event will begin at 1pm with a 13-gun salute from the Royal Citadel as the sailors and Royal Marines step off. Led by HM Royal Marines Band, the parade will march towards St Andrew’s Cross via Hoe Approach, Notte Street, Buckwell Street and Kinterbury Street.

Veterans and standard bearers waiting at the Minster Church of St Andrew will then join the parade as it moves down Royal Parade, around Derry’s Cross and back up Royal Parade, arriving on the Armada Way piazza at around 1.20pm.

Royal Navy themed film footage will be shown on the big screen, as well as footage of the parade as it approaches the Piazza.

A salute will be taken by Deputy Lieutenant of Devon, Sir Richard Ibbotson, the Lord Mayor and Admiral Key as personnel line up on the piazza. The Lord Mayor will then present a scroll to Admiral Key, enshrining the Royal Navy’s historic right to march through the city.

Units taking part will include Devonport-based submarines HMS Trenchant, HMS Torbay (both Trafalgar class) and HMS Vengeance (Vanguard Class), Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland, 30 Commando Royal Marines (Stonehouse), 42 Commando Royal Marines (Bickleigh, near Plymouth) and 1 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (Devonport Naval Base).

The event will be followed by a civic reception at the Council House, hosted by the Lord Mayor and attended by local commanding officers from all of the armed services, military personnel, veterans, councillors, freemen and aldermen.

To ensure the safety of those marching and the crowds of spectators a number of roads will be temporarily closed and there will be some parking restrictions.

The following roads will be closed to traffic from 12.30pm until the parade has passed through: Hoe Road (from the Citadel to Hoe Approach), Hoe Approach, Notte Street (from Hoe Approach to Buckwell Street), Buckwell Street, Kinterbury Street, St Andrew’s Roundabout, Royal Parade and Derry’s Cross. For security reasons there will be no parking on any of these roads from 7am until 2pm.

The car park beside the Guildhall will also be closed from 7am to 2pm and there will be no parking on Armada Way (in front of the Guildhall and Magistrates' Court).

Buses will not be serving Royal Parade between 12.30pm and 2pm. Contact your bus company for more detailed information on your service.