A DECOMMISSIONING ceremony marked the end of 63 years of navigation and warfare training at HMS Dryad, where orders for the D-Day landings were given.

The closure of the Southwick base follows the announcement that an integrated maritime warfare school is to be established at HMS Collingwood, near Fareham.

A message of thanks and good wishes from the Queen was read out during the ceremony, which ended with the ship's company marching out of the base followed by a ceremonial closing of the main gates and three cheers from the crowd of supporters who had gathered for the historic occasion.

Naval chiefs have promised that the wall map on which US General Eisenhower and his commanders watched progress of the events of D-Day will be preserved in its original position on the site.

And Dryad's commissioning pennant, which was lowered during the ceremony, will be displayed at the new premises. Commander David Evans, commanding officer of HMS Dryad, said: "Truly significant events have taken place here, so naturally the lowering of the commissioning pennant today is tinged with more than a little regret by the men and women who have trained here and gone on to serve their country so well in a wide variety of conflicts around the world."

The order to decommission was given by Vice Admiral James Burnell-Nugent, Second Sea Lord and Commander in Chief Naval Home Command. The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West and former First Sea Lord Admiral Jock Slater also attended the ceremony, as well as a number of former commodores and captains of HMS Dryad.

Four ships bore the name HMS Dryad before the site was established in 1941.

Its future remains uncertain with the site expected to be sold in 2007.