NAVAL REVIEW AT SPITHEAD

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27010, 9 April 1953, Page 11

NAVAL REVIEW AT SPITHEAD

IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY FOR QUEEN 191 BRITISH WARSHIPS TO TAKE PART (From the London Correspondent of “The Press") » LONDON, April 24. When the Queen, with her husband at her side in his uniform of admiral of the fleet, takes the bridge of H.M.S. Surprise at Portsmonth at 3 p.m. on June 15 to inspect her fleet, she will see the greatest collection of warships assembled in British waters since DDay. Stretched in impeccable lines for seven mil6s off Spithead, at the Royal • Navy’s traditional review moorings, will be 191 warships of the Royal Navy, ranging in size from the 42,500-ton battlesnip Vanguard down to the 50-ton motor-torpedo boats.

Units of the Commonwealth navies, including the Royal New Zealand Navy’s cruiser Black Prince, will also salute as Her Majesty’s ship passes down the line. Fishing trawlers, tugs, and ocean liners drawn from the Mer-, chant Navy and 1000 yachts and warships of foreign navies will take part. The Royal Navy has recently been described loosely as the third largest navy in the world, although the Lords of the Admiralty were quick to point out that with its “mothball fleet” it ranks second only to the United States Navy in numbers, and second to none in efficiency and fighting power. For the Royal review, none of the Royal Navy’s ships has been taken specially out Of reserve, and all the ships at Spithead will be in active commission. Comparison with 1937 The changed emphasis given in modern naval warfare to a striking force of aircraft carriers, with increased numbers of anti-submarine and escort craft, will be evident at Spithead in June. At King George Vi’s review in 1937, 11 battleships swung at anchor; but this year the Vanguard will be the sole representatives of the dreadnoughts. But there will be eight aircraft carriers this year, instead of the five of 1957. The numbers of cruisers and destroyers have decreased from 16 and 60 respectively to 12 and 20, but there will be a total of 40 of the latest anti-submarine frigates in the review, compared with eight in 1937. There will also be 18 fleet minesweepers, 30 submarines and 62 other ships, including coastal minesweepers and the latest gas turbine craft. Naval aviation, represented by a few squadrons of Swordfish torpedo bombers in 1937, will also show its strength, when more than 300 jet fighters and anti-submarine planes sweep over, the fleet at 5.30 p.m. in a massed flypast. When the Queen finishes her review at 6 p.m., she will give the order, “Splice the mainbrace.” This order will be flashed to all units, and the Navy will join the rest of the nation in celebrating the Coronation. Although the classic remark, “The fleet’s all lit up,” which a 8.8. C. announcer made in 1937, is not expected to be repeated this year, electricians are already overhauling miles of wiring and thousands of bulbs for what the Admiralty describes as the illumination of the Fleet between 10.30 p.m. and midnight on the day of the review. A special fireworks display will also be given. For the millions of spectators lining the coast at Southsea and Portsmouth, the greatest thrill of the day will come when, at the flick of a switch, the warships will be outlined in thousands of fairy lights. -