LAST week the Nation’s flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived at Glen Mallan for the third time since her launch in 2014.
Making the journey from Portsmouth to the Firth of Clyde with the 65,000-tonne carrier and her crew, were five Officer Cadets from the East of Scotland University Royal Navy Unit (URNU).
Acting Midshipman Calvin Sunley, Officer Cadets, Anthony Lavell, Patrick Hartley, and Acting Officer Cadets Emily Squire and Cara Browning all set sail with the ship when she left her homeport of Portsmouth on January 28.
Throughout the transit the Officer Cadets were kept extremely busy by the Ships’ Company, getting involved in a whole range of training activities including Firefighting and Damage Control, Navigation Training and Sea Boat Drills.
The group were also taken on walk rounds, spending time on the Flight Deck where they witnessed flying operations and were given internal familiarisation of the embarked helicopters.
All the young Officer Cadets were completely awestruck by the experience and for some it really was a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity.’ All of the students remarked that it was an honour to sail on the UK Flagship.
Acting Midshipman Calvin Sunley said: “It was amazing to join HMS Queen Elizabeth for a week on her journey from Portsmouth to Scotland, witnessing air operations being conducted by the different types of aircraft that were embarked.
“I managed to speak to officers, senior rates, and ratings in all departments to understand how the ship operates whilst observing and getting involved in exercises.
“I am very grateful for my time onboard as, by experiencing day to day life and learning about the command processes in each department, it has helped me decide on what type of role I wish to pursue once my university studies are complete.”
In addition to this, four members of the HMS Queen Elizabeth crew travelled across to Edinburgh to speak with the Cadets at the URNU drill night which takes place every Tuesday.
The Officers delivered a presentation focused around the recent operations and exercises that the ship has participated in.
The Cadets posed lots of questions during the session which the HMS Queen Elizabeth crew members were only too happy to answer, sharing their experiences and engaging with the Cadets on a variety of subjects including Specialisations within the Royal Navy and Defence Engagement.
University Royal Naval Units (URNU), under the command of Britannia Royal Navy College, are here to give university students a broader understanding of Royal Navy life.
They offer the chance to gain transferable skills, from public speaking to organisation, by showing leadership and management opportunities.
URNU East Scotland trains a range of undergraduates from universities across the Edinburgh and Tayside region, including Abertay, Dundee and St Andrews.
