HMS Talent Returns Freedom Rights to Shrewsbury

Members of the public were able to show their support for the crew of HMS Talent as they paraded through the town today [THURS] as they returned the Freedom of the Rights of the Town.

The parade saw the end of a long-standing affiliation between Shrewsbury and HMS Talent which commenced in 1989, with the Freedom of the Town being granted in 2002.

Following a Defence Integrated Review in 2021, the decision was taken to decommission HMS Talent from May 20 this year.

The parade commenced at the Castle and marched through the town to the Square, where His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner, took the salute, with the Mayor of Shrewsbury and past Mayors and other civic dignitaries in attendance.

Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Elisabeth Roberts, said: “It is with a sense of sadness that we welcomed members of HMS Talent to the town for the last time as the Freedom of the Rights of the Town are returned.

“Over the years, we have enjoyed strong links with the submarine and its crew, and we will miss that association. We wish all those crew the best as they are transferred to other vessels.”

HMS Talent returned the Freedom of the Town, which had been a gift given 20 years ago by the people and Mayor of Shrewsbury, and has been proudly held ever since, displayed inside the submarine next to the Officers’ Mess. A spokesman for HMS Talent added: “Today marked the end of what has been a long, rich and fruitful relationship between the town of Shrewsbury and the submarine HMS Talent. It is an affiliation that dates back to 1989 and is therefore older than most of the crew onboard the submarine today, where the average age is in the early twenties.

“HMS Talent shares many warm memories with the town and has regularly visited to march through the town centre where operational commitments have allowed.

“Former mayors have sailed in the submarine and the crew have previously participated in dragon boat racing and have certainly not shied-away from visiting the towns public houses or sampling the local ales.

“The submarine has always felt welcome and valued when visiting Shrewsbury and it has been an honour and a privilege to have enjoyed such a warm and healthy relationship with the town for so many years.”

Following the parade, the crew visited Hope House, their chosen affiliated charity throughout their association with Shrewsbury.

HMS Talent, a nuclear-powered submarine capable of being submerged for several months, was launched on April 15, 1988, by HRH The Princess Royal. Fitted with sophisticated sonar equipment and computers, the Fleet submarine’s task was to locate and destroy enemy surface ships and submarines whilst remaining undetected. Its armament consisted of sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and wire guided homing torpedoes which carried their one miniature sonar.

ENDS/

Published: 27 October 2022