HMS Collingwood Officers' Association

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This Web Site aims to make it easier to find out about the Officers’ Association and what we’re doing, whether you’re a member or new to the site. Do have a look round!

We’re really happy to take feedback – so do let our Webmaster know if something’s not right or could be improved!

For all the latest on what’s going on in the Establishment, check out the Royal Navy’s website:
HMS Collingwood

  • Trafalgar Ladies Night 2024

    We’re delighted to advise that our premier event of the year, our Trafalgar Ladies Night is now open for booking. To book, select the booking menu item under What’s On or click here. Closing date for booking is Fri 18th October 2024.

    The dinner will be held on Friday 1st November 2024. The bar opens at 19:00 for a 19:50 dinner call. The bar will close at 23:59 for carriages at 00:30. Rig is Dinner Jacket or equivalent. Uniform (2B) welcome.

    It will be a traditional four course dinner with pre-dinner drink, wine, port, ships of the line, coffee & mints. Members and their first guest, £55 per person; subsequent guests £60 per person.

    This is our premier event and will run along the lines of previous years with music by the HMS COLLINGWOOD Volunteer Band Brass Quintet and Parade of the Baron of Beef by the Fort Cumberland Guard. We do hope you’ll be able to join us!

    The port is kindly being sponsored by the Association of Royal Navy Officers (ARNO).

  • Day Trip to the National Memorial Arboretum

    Any local veterans who would like to visit the National Memorial Arboretum, please contact Colin Gaylor on colin@southampton-veterans.co.uk

  • Autumn Social Programme

    Our Social Secretary has circulated some dates for your diary:

    Friday 1st Nov 2024 – Trafalgar Ladies Guest Night
    This is our premier event and will run along the lines of previous years with music by the HMS COLLINGWOOD Volunteer band and the Parade of the Baron of Beef by the Fort Cumberland Guard. The price to attend is expected to be significantly higher than previous years due to increased costs but we do hope this does not put you off and that you will continue to support us. Sadly accommodation in the Mess will not be available. Bookings will open in due course.

    Friday 20th Sep 2024 – OA informal ‘Formal’ lunch
    A 2-course lunch with a glass of port on completion, open to all OA Members and guests. This will also be open to the old SD L&R fraternity. Depending on numbers, it will be held in the COLLINGWOOD Room, Main Bar or Dining Room. Wine and other drinks will be at your own discretion, but please remember there are NO CASH facilities and you cannot ‘Chit’ on your OA Number. Cost, based on previous charges, will be around £20 per person. Closing date for booking will be Monday 9th September. The bar opens at 11:45 with lunch at 13:00.

    Fish & Chip Lunches

    We’ve also decided to start a regular monthly OA Friday Fish & Chip Lunch. This will be a very informal ‘Fish and Chip’ lunch in the main dining room using the standard lunchtime menu and on a serve yourself basis. Cost is around £5 per head and will be CARD ONLY charged at the end of the servery. A chance to catch up at a relatively low cost, the bar will open at 11:45 and we need to be in the dining room for 12:30.

    Friday 27th September 2024 – Friday Fish & Chip Lunch. Closing date for booking will be Friday 14th September.
    Friday 18th October 2024 – Friday Fish & Chip Lunch. Closing date for booking will be Monday 7th October.

  • OA Sword 2024

    Photo of Admiral Connell inspecting the Guard
    Rear Admiral Connell inspects the Guard

    On the 3rd May this year, the OA Sword was presented at Ceremonial Divisions at HMS COLLINGWOOD by the Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Martin Connell CBE. We were treated to an arms display by the Guard, as well as three rifle volleys and a march past by the whole parade.

    The OA Sword had previously belonged to Lt Cdr Ted Wood, born in 1921 who joined the Royal Navy in 1937 as an Engine Room Artificer Apprentice and served throughout the war, including in battleship HMS NELSON (1941-1943) during the Siege of Malta and later HMS JAVELIN (1943-1946). He retired as a Lieutenant Commander in around 1971. A huge thank you to his son, Mr Richard Wood, who very kindly donated the sword.

    Photo of Admiral Connell presenting the OA Sword
    Admiral Connell present Lt Cdr Lowe with the OA Sword for Lt Jones

    A beautiful slightly curved model, the sword was purchased second hand from Daufman’s Tailors of Queen Street, Portsea in the 1950s but was thought to have originally been sold in around 1900 from Matthews & Co Naval Tailors of Wickham Road, Portsea.

    The Sword was awarded to Lieutenant Will Jones, for his work in the career management for all junior Warfare Officers. Many congratulations to Lt Jones for this award and we wish him well in his future career. Unfortunately, in true Naval style, Will was deployed 24 hours before the ceremony, so the sword was accepted on his behalf by Lt Cdr Gav Lowe. We hope to arrange a small ceremony when Will returns to the UK.

  • Remembrance Ceremonies

    Remembrance Parade, HMS Collingwood

    Friday 10th November was again a bright sunny morning at HMS COLLINGWOOD and over two hundred Officers, Staff, Trainees and Civilians mustered at 1030 at the Falklands Memorial for the Remembrance Day Parade.

    Also present were some of the wives widowed during the previous year. An ecumenical service led by the Establishment Chaplain included hymns, prayers and a reflection, culminating in the last post and the two minutes silence.

    A roll call of those in Naval Service who had died during the previous twelve months was read out and wreaths were laid by Captain Tim Davey on behalf of the Establishment and by Captain Jim Palmer on behalf of the Officers’ Association.

  • Annual General Meeting

    This year’s OA Annual General Meeting was held in the HMS COLLINGWOOD Wardroom on Friday 7th June 2024. Minutes of the meeting will be published on the Committee Minutes page when available. Many thanks to those members who attended.

Joining

If you would like to know more about the Association, or would like to join, please contact our Membership and Social Secretary, Lt Cdr Martin Carr, Email: social@hmscoa.org.