"Poignant" poppy display at HMS Sultan in Gosport as Royal Navy pays tribute to fallen for Remembrance Sunday
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Thoughtful Royal Navy cadets have planted a “poignant” poppy display for the fifth consecutive year.
Poppies have been appearing across HMS Sultan in Military Road, Gosport. Royal Navy and Royal Marine Volunteer Cadet Corps cadets planted a poppy garden inside the base on Monday (November 3).
Commander Fergus Ochtman-Corfe said: "The young cadets have done a cracking job with this poignant display, which complements all the other Remembrance activities taking place across HMS Sultan. At this important time of year, their dedication and hard work helps us all to focus on honouring those who have served and sacrificed for our nation."
Sultan VCC started the poppy garden after the Royal British Legion asked the nation to create and plant poppies to show their support for service personnel, emergency services and veterans, in 2020. Volunteers collected and planted the garden so the community could see that even in the face of adversity, the unit was supporting the cadets and community.
They decided to make the garden again in 2021, and have continued to mark Remembrance by planting the garden every November. The cadets invited Captain Terry Tyack RN, Deputy Commander RN Cadet Forces, and the Executive Officer, Commander Fergus Ochtman-Corfe, to join them for a short service ahead of the planting. Chaplain Reverend Mark Dalton lead the prayers.
The cadets' ceremony was the culmination of a number of poppy planting events on site. The Worshipful Company of Plumbers donated an especially designed planter, and have created lead poppies which are on display alongside Tommies made by Allied Trades within the base.
HMS Sultan’s house manager Elna Mee created a pair of two-metre-high poppy displays to promote the poppy appeal, displayed within the Marine Engineering Training Group's (METG) Pillar Building. Sailors will be involved during Remembrance Sunday services at Gosport War Memorial, the Fleet Air Arm Memorial, and the sunken garden in Lee-on-the-Solent.