The Britannia Association - Naval Training

This area is intended to provide helpful links to information that may help:

When considering a career for yourself,
Advising someone else about a career
Potential employer to know what they generally get when hiring a 'naval officer'
Those interested in the history of naval training
Officers share their personal training memories

Please click to select your area of interest: [jump down please]

Careers in the Royal navy
History of British Naval Training

The Royal Navy and Royal marines offers an amazing range of careers on or under the sea, on land and in the air. If you are thinking about a career in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, their Reserves, Queen Alexandra Royal or Naval Nurses, more information can be found at:

Royal Navy

Although foundation training for Royal Navy officers is now centred at Dartmouth many members will have memories of the other training establishment and ships that contributed over the years - in alphabetical order, here is the roll of honour: (We are still developing this page so please contact us to add more information and/or establishments/ships that should be included.

HMS KING ALFRED

RNVR Officer training in WW II.

CW (Commission and Warrant) and RNVR officer candidates started their selection at Modden School, then those selected went on to Lancing College, from whence the officer candidates arrived for naval training at HMS St ALFRED based at the swimming baths in Hove, Sussex. The officer candidates were billeted UNDERNEATH the swimming pool. Being war time and on the South coast, even the boat handling training in Portslade harbour was conducted whilst German fighters strafed the water with bullets - training under real fire!

Dartmouth Training Squadron

Four ships were assigned

Then ship of the Fleet

Then HMS FEARLESS

And HMS INTREPID

HMS DOLPHIN

Home of submariner training for many years

Now closed

Museum - www.rnsubmus.co.uk

RM EASTNEY

Home of Royal Marines Training

Now closed

Museum - www.portsmouth-guide.co.uk/local/rm-museum.htm

Greenwich
The Royal Naval College the 'Navy's university' 1873 -1998. In 1873 the complex of buildings became the Royal Naval College , where officers from all over the world came to train in the naval sciences. In 1998 the Royal Navy left Greenwich and handed over - responsibility for the site to the Greenwich Foundation. Home of Staff courses for many years -

Greenwich Maritime Museum
www.nmm.ac.uk

The Old Royal Navy College Foundation
www.greenwichfoundation.org.uk

RNEC MANaDON (HMS THUNDERER)

The alma mater for engineer officers of the Royal Navy and many other navies

now closed

engineer officer training now conducted at University of Southampton

www.rnecmanadon.com/

HMS St GEORGE

Special Duties Officers Pre-qualifying Course

HMS TALBOT

WRNS Officers' Training Course, Talbot

HMS UNICORN

RNR Tay Division training ship for many years until the 'stone frigate' HMS CAMPERDOWN was built and the division based their routine training ashore augmented in a large way with sea training.

HMS UNICORN with the help of Lord Beith, then Director General of the BBC (he himself a Captain RNVR) was brought up from Sheerness to Dundee. The towing arrangements were to place a collar around the UNICORN to ensure that the pressure of the tow was spread evenly, reducing the risk of damage.

Even when the UNICORN arrived at Dundee, the Navy thought that the ship should be towed out and sunk. Luckily, Captain Sime RNR, a timber expert, pointed out to the Admiralty the risk to shipping and after much debate UNICORN was saved - and now is still the oldest RN warship afloat and a living contribution to the great change in ship construction that broke away from the limitations of Nelson's day.

HMS UNICORN can be visited in Dundee - www.frigateunicorn.org