Christ Church Cathedral has a long history of welcoming the Armed Forces and on 21 October we said goodbye to HMS Clyde and her ship's company after a 12-year tour of duty.

The service was attended by the Governor and the Commander of British Forces South Atlantic, together with a large number of well-wishers. It was a great pleasure to welcome back the Revd Paul Sweeting, former Rector and now the current Military Padre.

It was an opportunity for all of us to show our appreciation and to demonstrate their gratitude for the many years of close association with Clyde, at the same time wishing her, and her officers and crew, well for the future.

It is hard to imagine any other small town in the Overseas Territories with such a proud naval heritage and, as a token of the high regard in which the ship and her crew are held, the Cathedral rang a special peal on the bells before the service. 

Commenting on Clyde’s imminent departure, Lt. Commander Richard Skelton said:

“The Royal Navy has a long history with the Falkland Islands and it is with an immense sense of pride and sadness that HMS Clyde bids farewell to the Islands that she has called home for the past 12 years. But, as we say farewell we also say thank you: it is a huge honour and privilege for my Ship’s Company and I to be invited to celebrate Clyde; she has become an enduring presence within the waters of the South Atlantic and I can think of no other warship that is so closely integrated with her community.”

Revd Ian Faulds
Rector of the Falkland Islands