International Fleet Review
Encyclopedia
For a full list of ships present, see List of ships present at International Fleet Review, 2005
The International Fleet Review took place on 28 June 2005, as part of the Trafalgar 200
celebrations to commemorate the 200th year after the Battle of Trafalgar
in 1805.
, as Lord High Admiral
of the United Kingdom
, embarked onboard HMS Endurance
and, escorted by THV Patricia, set sail to review a fleet of over 167 ships of the Royal Navy
and of over 30 other nations. The last fleet review by the Queen in the United Kingdom was for the commemoration of Battle of the Atlantic anniversary in 1999.
The review took place on the Solent
, between Portsmouth
and the Isle of Wight
, in England
. The Fleet Review is a 600-year-old British tradition, and until the 2005 review consisted of mainly Royal Navy ships, with a small number of invited foreign ships, but there are today no longer enough Royal Navy warships available in home waters for this to be worthwhile. This review, therefore, went with the modern trend to inviting foreign warships too, and was the largest on record in terms of nations attending and of number of ships - 167 naval
and merchant ships
attended, including 57 British warships.
The Queen reviewed the fleet from on board the Royal Navy's Antarctic
Patrol Vessel HMS Endurance. Huge crowds gathered along Southsea
Common and Gosport
Sea Front, to witness the largest gathering of naval vessels in the Solent since the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review
in 1977.
The crowd was entertained by aerobatic
and flying displays, including an appearance by a Spitfire
, helicopter
aerobatics and a special performance by the Red Arrows
. While the weather had been very wet, the clouds appeared to clear in time for each display.
At the end of the day's festivities, centred around the review, a massive firework display was held as a 'reconstruction' of the Battle of Trafalgar (with Grand Turk
standing in for HMS Victory
, and with a red and a blue side rather than French and British ones), now known to be one of the largest firework displays in recorded history.
The International Fleet Review took place on 28 June 2005, as part of the Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200 was a series of events in 2005 held mostly in the United Kingdom to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, where a British fleet led by Admiral Nelson defeated a joint Franco-Spanish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. During the summer of 2005 there was an...
celebrations to commemorate the 200th year after the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
in 1805.
2005 Review Line-up
During the afternoon of June 28, 2005 Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, as Lord High Admiral
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, embarked onboard HMS Endurance
HMS Endurance (A171)
MV Polar Circle was built in Norway in 1990, chartered by the Royal Navy as HMS Polar Circle, and finally purchased as HMS Endurance. She is a former Antarctic ice patrol ship, and is a class 1A1 icebreaker...
and, escorted by THV Patricia, set sail to review a fleet of over 167 ships of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and of over 30 other nations. The last fleet review by the Queen in the United Kingdom was for the commemoration of Battle of the Atlantic anniversary in 1999.
The review took place on the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
, between Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Fleet Review is a 600-year-old British tradition, and until the 2005 review consisted of mainly Royal Navy ships, with a small number of invited foreign ships, but there are today no longer enough Royal Navy warships available in home waters for this to be worthwhile. This review, therefore, went with the modern trend to inviting foreign warships too, and was the largest on record in terms of nations attending and of number of ships - 167 naval
Naval ship
A naval ship is a ship used for combat purposes, commonly by a navy. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose...
and merchant ships
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
attended, including 57 British warships.
The Queen reviewed the fleet from on board the Royal Navy's Antarctic
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
Patrol Vessel HMS Endurance. Huge crowds gathered along Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
Common and Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
Sea Front, to witness the largest gathering of naval vessels in the Solent since the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review
Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth realms...
in 1977.
The crowd was entertained by aerobatic
Aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...
and flying displays, including an appearance by a Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
aerobatics and a special performance by the Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
. While the weather had been very wet, the clouds appeared to clear in time for each display.
At the end of the day's festivities, centred around the review, a massive firework display was held as a 'reconstruction' of the Battle of Trafalgar (with Grand Turk
Grand Turk (frigate)
The Grand Turk was the original name of a three-masted sixth-rate frigate, that was designed to represent a generic Nelson age warship replica, with its design greatly inspired by HMS Blandford...
standing in for HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
, and with a red and a blue side rather than French and British ones), now known to be one of the largest firework displays in recorded history.
Events of the day
- Fleet Review by HM the Queen: 1300-1500
- Steam past, Tall shipTall shipA tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall Ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival....
s sail past, Small craft sail past and flypastFlypastFlypast is a term used in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and other countries to denote ceremonial or honorific flights by groups of aircraft and, rarely, by a single aircraft...
of international maritime aircraft: 1500-1645 - Air displays: 1700
- Nelson’s Walk from Southsea Common and embarkation to Grand Turk: 2000
- Son et lumièreSon et lumière (show)Son et lumière , or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance....
: 2100-2230 - FireworksFireworksFireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display: 2210-2225 - Fleet Lighting: 2230