AT the age of 12, the future Royal Marine Lee Hanmore was taken by his dad to a book signing.

MORE than 200 sailors and aircrew helped to save the electricity supply to thousands of homes in flood-stricken Gloucestershire.

Nearly 15 years after being first mooted, eight years since Britain decided to pull out of the Anglo-Italian-UK Project Horizon, four years after being laid down, 17 months on from her launch, the first of the Navy’s next-generation destroyers slipped her moorings at Scotstoun and headed down Glasgow’s great artery under her own power for the first time, aided by the tug Bruiser.

IRAQI sailors and marines are defending the oil platforms which are their lifeblood after passing their sternest test yet.

ON FRIDAY June 14 1968, HMS Resolution slipped away from her berth at Faslane.

IN 1982 it took barely a month for the Corporate task force to reach the Falklands.

THIS is a sight you’ve never seen before – a US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey preparing to touch down on the flight deck of a foreign warship – in this case HMS Illustrious.

AFTER almost six months patrolling the not-especially-warm waters around the Falklands, the men and women of HMS Edinburgh finally had the chance to let their hair down in the ultimate party city.

AFTER almost six months patrolling the not-especially-warm waters around the Falklands, the men and women of HMS Edinburgh finally had the chance to let their hair down in the ultimate party city.

SAILORS from Britain’s strike carrier HMS Illustrious and her trusty escort HMS Manchester have been ‘on the town’ as the duo paid a high-profile visit to the city that never sleeps.

THE first warship built in Portsmouth in four decades has been welcomed into the bosom of the RN family.

Twas the night before Midsummer and all through the ship, not a creature was stirring, not even the chefs in the galley with their ghettoblaster…

VETERAN minehunter HMS Ledbury has been earmarked to test new mine detection kit which will double her fighting capacity.

WITH the rotors barely stopped after flying over the capital for Falklands 25 commemorations, the Lynx fliers of 847 Naval Air Squadron packed their bags for a massif deployment.

THE first of the Navy’s next-generation cruise missiles successfully smashed into a test target during trials.

SPECIALIST clearance divers will soon be able to deal with unexploded devices at depths up to 200ft thanks to new kit being introduced.

TEN Royal Navy bands will provide a day’s free musical entertainment as they battle it out for the honour of Britain’s top volunteer naval band.

DID you hear the one about the randy bull and the helicopter crew?

THE drugbusters of RFA Wave Ruler’s dedicated helicopter flight have earned the inaugural trophy presented in honour of their fallen comrades.

THE hallowed sands and bocage of Normandy were the destination for more than two dozen reservists on a D-Day pilgrimage.

THE roar of typhoons swirling around HMS Somerset could mean only one thing: the frigate was being treated to an air display from Britain’s top jet.