ROYAL NAVY MEDIA RELEASE

HMNBC 26/23 Tuesday, 20 June 2023

HMS GLASGOW STRENGTHENS TIES WITH HER NAMESAKE CITY

ROYAL Navy personnel form HMS DEFENDER and HMS GLASGOW joined Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren on Monday, June 19, to carry-out a very important task.  The Commanding Officer of HMS DEFENDER, Commander Peter Evans visited Glasgow City Chambers where he handed over the affiliation with the city to Commander Philip Burgess, the Commanding Officer of HMS GLASGOW.

Constructed at BAE Surface Ships Govan and launched at Scotstoun, DEFENDER is one of six Clyde-built Daring class Destroyers in service with the Royal Navy.  The Type 45 destroyer, which was built on the Clyde by BAE Systems, returned to Glasgow at the weekend with her 200-strong crew to hand over the affiliation which she has held since 2009 whilst she was still in build.

“HMS DEFENDER has finally returned to her second home and affiliated city of Glasgow, a place that both I, and the Ship’s Company are always eager to visit and enjoy. DEFENDER was, of course, built in Glasgow and we have a number of sailors who call the city home.” Said Commander Peter Evans, Commanding Officer of HMS DEFENDER.

“DEFENDER has been busy since her last visit, and it is testament to the engineering prowess of the ship builders here in Glasgow that we have completed missions all over the world, from the equator to the arctic. We have a great reputation at home and with our allies, and it is in part due to the strong support we get from our affiliated City and organisations. Now, with HMS GLASGOW taking form, we will formally handover our affiliations to her.”  

HMS GLASGOW is the first of eight City-class Type 26 Frigates, to be built in her namesake city with HMS CARDIFF and HMS BELFAST also under construction at BAE Systems on the Clyde.

Commander Philip Burgess, Commanding Officer of HMS GLASGOW said: “It is with great pleasure that the affiliation previously held by HMS DEFENDER now fully passes to the ninth Royal Navy Ship which bears the name of the city. We look forward to building on those ties that we have already began to establish with the people and organisations in Glasgow.”  

In addition to the hand over, both Commanding Officers and a few crew members joined Brigadier Andy Muddiman, Naval Regional Commander Scotland and Northern Ireland and members of the Army and the Royal Air Force, to witness the raising of the Armed Forced Day Flag in George Square.  The Flag was raised ahead of the city’s forthcoming Armed Forces Day (AFD) being held in the Square on Saturday, June 24.

Commander Peter Evans, Commanding Officer of HMS DEFENDER chats with the Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren as Commander Philip Burgess, Commanding Officer of HMS GLASGOW signs the Affiliation with the City of Glasgow.

L-R: Lt Col Rachel Emmerson, Cdr Philip Burgess, Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren, Brigadier Andy Muddiman and Squadron Leader Chris Loughlin 602 Squadron with the Armed Forces Day Flag.