Military Affiliations

820 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON (820 NAS)

Background

On 4 October 2015, the Broderers embarked on their first affiliation with the Royal Navy in the shape of 849 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) which was part of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Affiliations with livery companies are highly regarded by both the City and RN, enhancing both RN understanding of the City and the City Livery’s understanding of the RN. Such an affiliation fulfils a valuable national role as well as offering interesting and enjoyable interaction and mutual support. Having the potential to foster community links, promote charitable initiatives and offer career development opportunities for those leaving the service, it also demonstrates the Livery’s commitment to the armed forces and national security. 820 NAS Updates 2023

849 NAS had been an airborne early warning squadron since 1952, flying fixed winged Skyraiders and Gannets from the aircraft carriers until 1978, and airborne early warning Sea King Mk 7 helicopters from 1982, just after the Falklands campaign had ended. Based at RN Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose, these were fitted with the powerful Searchwater surveillance radar, mounted on the starboard side inside a large inflatable bag and it was not long before they were nicknamed the Baggers.

The New Merlin Bagger

With its transition from Searchwater to Crowsnest, the Royal Navy’s new airborne early warning system, the Sea King was retired in favour of the Merlin Mk2 helicopter and in April 2020 849 NAS was subsumed as part of 820 NAS and the Broderers are now formally affiliated to 820 NAS instead.

Merlin landing at Culdrose

Still based at Culdrose, 820 NAS has an impressive pedigree. Originally formed before World War 2, it saw distinguished service during the war, including crippling the Bismarck, and numerous operational deployments since, including the Falklands in 1982, Bosnia and Sierra Leone. Now dedicated primarily to the new carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, 820 is an integral part of the Carrier Task Group and including the new Airborne Surveillance and Control capability (ASaC) provided by the Merlin Mk2, hitherto of 849 NAS.

Queen Elizabeth II - Flight Deck's eye view

The Affiliation

Regular contact with each other is important for keeping the affiliation alive through City dinners, visits to Culdrose and other appropriate activity, such as the inter-livery shooting competition and dinner aboard the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. Interaction has of course to be fitted around 849/820’s operational programme. Originally the Broderers would invite 849/820 to attend the Election Dinner in June and 849 would invite the Broderers to the Culdrose Air Day. However with the commissioning of the new carriers, the Queen Elizabeth in 2017 followed by the Prince of Wales in 2019, the Air Days were no longer possible and with Carrier Task Force deployments such as Operation Fortis in the Queen Elizabeth in 2021 to the Far East and back which lasted 8 months.

The affiliation has now been reinforced because on 6 February 2025 the Broderers signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) which is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and the Armed Forces Community. When Alderman Alastair King DL became Lord Mayor in 2024 (he is also a Broderer), his wife Florence Lady Mayoress was a serving Army Reservist and made it one of her projects to get all the Livery Companies to sign the AFC. At the time, only a handful had signed it and as a bonus the Master Linda Palmer saw this as the perfect opportunity for the Broderers to visit Culdrose where it was duly signed by the Master and CO 820 NAS Cdr Karen Snel.

CO 820 and Master sign the Armed Forces Covenant

Dinners and visits now have to be carefully programmed, sometimes up to a year in advance, but the relationship continues to thrive nevertheless. After almost unbroken annual City visits by 849/820 to attend the Election Dinner, or the occasional Court dinner, the Broderers’ visit to Culdrose in 2025 for the signing of the AFC was the most memorable of all events to date, including a tour of the Air Station and their Palembang dinner (See Report).

820 NAS and Broderers at AFC signing

Key Events

In addition to the annual livery dinners, notable events have included:

• Wings Parade at Culdrose 28 October 2015
• Annual Culdrose Air Days (until 2017)
• Rededication of 820 NAS at Culdrose 24 April 2020
• Presentation to 820 NAS of Pennant embroidered by Fine Cell Work 20 June 2022 (See below)
• Mess Dinner aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth 9 August 2022
• Inter-livery Clay Pigeon Shoot 17 May 2023
• Visit to RNAS Culdrose and signing the AFC 6 February 2025

Pennant by Fine Cell Work

Commanding Officers

The COs of 849/820 change every couple of years and are listed below:

Squadron Updates and Reports

The Squadron has of course got a job to do and gives us regular updates of their activities which can be found the Report webpage 820 NAS Court Updates 2019- 2025 with the latest one on top.

Livery Point of Contact 
PM Peter Mosse

THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT

Background

The Royal Irish Regiment is an infantry regiment comprising two battalions. The 1st Battalion is a Regular Army battalion based at Ternhill in Shropshire. The 2nd Battalion is a Reserve battalion based in several locations across Northern Ireland. The Regiment, which was formed in 1992 from the Royal Irish Rangers and Ulster Defence Regiment, traces its lineage from a several famous antecedent regiments including the 27th (Inniskilling), 83rd (Royal Ulster Rifles) and 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers). The oldest, the 27th Regiment of Foot, was raised in June 1689 to fight in the Williamite War in Ireland.

The motto of the regiment is Faugh A Ballagh, derived from the Irish Gaelic phrase for "Clear the Way". This originates from the Peninsular War when Ensign Edward Keogh of the 87th Regiment let out the cry while capturing a French Imperial Eagle at the Battle of Barrosa. The Colonel of the Regiment is Maj Gen Colin Weir, DSO MBE. The Deputy Colonel is Colonel Darren Doherty, currently the Defence Attaché in Dublin and who attended the Associated Companies Dinner in 2019. The Regiment draws a significant number of recruits from the Republic of Ireland as well as the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.

Current Regimental News

The 1st Battalion returned from Kabul in November 2019, where it had been deployed on Op TORAL since May. Twelve members of the Battalion received United States Army Achievement medals for their work in support of the Police Institutional Advisory Mission. The Battalion conducted homecoming parades through Market Drayton on 3rd December near their barracks and in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, on 14th December, which is their principal recruiting area.

In the autumn of 2019 the 2nd Battalion successfully conducted training at Sennybridge, Wales, which included urban operations. In October 2019, members of the Royal Irish team won a silver medal in the Cambrian Patrol Competition, which is an arduous test of leadership, self-discipline, courage, physical endurance and determination taking highly experienced teams from across the British and foreign armies. By way of example, a French Foreign Legion team, which was entered into the same competition, also achieved a silver medal. To follow up, the team engaged in mountaineering in the Mourne Mountains.

In the recent Armed Forces Operational Awards List, Colour Sergeant C Milliken, of the 2nd Battalion, was awarded a Joint Commander’s Commendation for his work during Op TURUS, a training and advisory mission to the Nigerian Armed Forces combatting Boko Haram. Meanwhile in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List, Major Michael Jamison VR, also of 2nd Battalion, received the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal.

For more information, please visit:  Royal Irish Regiment | The British Army (mod.uk)

Livery Point of Contact
Hugh Toler

BEXLEY AND LEWISHAM SEA CADET CORPS

The Broderers are delighted to be affiliated with Bexley & Lewisham Sea Cadets. The Sea Cadet Corps follow the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy and aim to give young people the best possible head start in life through fun and adventurous nautical activity. The Corps’ Patron is HM The Queen.

Bexley Sea Cadets was formed in 1942, merging in 1982 Bexley with Lewisham Sea Cadets to become Bexley and Lewisham Sea Cadet Corps. The unit was further reinforced in 2014 with the addition of a Royal Marines Cadet Detachment.

take part in a structured training programme, both on and off the water, and are supported by volunteer role models (some from a naval background) safely to try new activities which equip them with a range of skills and self-discipline, to become confident young leaders. These skills improve their life chances, benefiting them and the wider community in which they live.

The unit has 21 staff members on strength, comprising of 9 uniformed instructors and 12 civilian instructors. Cadet numbers are strong with 42 cadets in total made up of 39 Sea Cadets (including a large junior sea cadet section) and 3 Royal Marine Cadets.

Bexley and Lewisham Sea Cadets are strongly embedded within the local community, attending high profile events including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee parade, the launch of the Commonwealth Games and a wide number of ceremonial occasions including the local Royal British Legion annual Remembrance Parade.

The Broderers are proud to note the incredible determination and leadership shown in everything the Bexley and Lewisham Cadets do. In 2014 the RMC detachment took part in a yomp across Dartmoor (following the 30-mile route of the Royal Marines Commando final Test March) and two years later took part in the Junior Brecon exercise. Our cadets are also winners, regularly competing in regional, national and international events. In 2015 they bought the Chosin Cup to Bexley, and have been regularly taking part in the International Sea Cadet Exchange. Notably, the Corps received a Captain’s Commendation in 2020.

The current Officer in Charge is CPO (SCC) Daniel Keefe, and the Chairperson is Mrs Suzanne Sweeney O.B.E, who also holds the role of Chairperson for London Area Sea Cadets.

For more information, please visit: sea-cadets.org/bexley 

Livery Point of Contact
Simon Ellis

Updated 23 July 2021