HAMPSHIRE troops celebrated another successful year with a royal seal of approval.
The Princess Royal was the guest of honour to hand out awards at HMS Collingwood’s annual ceremony. Escorted by Commodore Steve Kirby ADC Royal Navy, the Commodore of HMS Collingwood, Princess Anne inspected the 96-man guard of honour, and then took the salute during a march past.
She then attended the establishment’s annual Ceremonial Division, presenting the servicemen and women with their awards.
Those receiving awards included Petty Officer Medical Assistant Marc Salama, who was awarded the Operation Herrick Afghanistan campaign medal having completed a six-month deployment attached to 1st Battalion The Rifles.
He said: “The Princess Royal congratulated me on my award and thanked me for going out to Afghanistan. She asked me exactly what I was doing out there and how I found it. It was a great honour to receive this from her.”
HMS Collingwood in Fareham is the headquarters of the Marine Warfare School, teaching skills to prepare students for sea battle.
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