Trafalgar Night Dinner 2018

On Trafalgar Day Saturday 20th October the Leeds RNA branch commemorated the “Battle of Trafalgar” by holding a dinner at Horsforth golf club. It was well attended with 94 members and guests who enjoyed a memorable evening.

Commodore Phil Waterhouse (Naval Regional Command Northern England & Isle of Man) and Captain Scott Bower the Commanding Officer of the submarine HMS Audacious were the guests of honour on this great naval occasion. HMS Audacious is affiliated with the City of Leeds and our RNA Branch. Both VIP guests gave interesting speeches during the evening.

We were also thrilled to have with us some of HMS Audacious’s ships company, and 14 ships company from HMS Ceres the Leeds based Royal Naval Reserve. We also had former Falklands War naval veterans and their partners attending who previously served on the frigates HMS Yarmouth and HMS Danae. Major Laxmi Bantawa who previously served with the Gurkha regiment for many years attend the function along with his wife.

It is important these days that organisations such as the FAA and the RNR along with other military organisations attend each other’s events also we were thrilled when the Yorkshire branch of the Malaya & Borneo Veteran Association attended this commemoration dinner to Admiral Lord Nelson.

Everyone who attended enjoyed a wonderful evening of traditional naval formalities and lots of nautical banter. We set up a naval rum barrel and the “rum bosun” issued out the tots of rum when we “Spliced the Mainbraice”. A toast to both “Admiral Lord Nelson” and “Her Majesty The Queen” took place following the speeches.

Everyone is looking forward to next year’s Trafalgar Night dinner which will be held on Saturday 19th October 2018.

RNA Leeds No1 Headingley