A wee dram for a giant
Queen christens Navy’s new carrier with a bottle of single malt whisky
THE Queen hailed the biggest ship in the history of her Royal Navy as ‘a source of inspiration and pride for us all’ as she named it yesterday – by breaking a bottle of single malt whisky on its bow.
But some among the crowd clearly did not feel the same about Alex Salmond being there and booed the First Minister at the ceremony for the 72,000-ton, 932ft-long aircraft carrier.
Mr Salmond was joined by his father Robert, 92, a Royal Navy veteran who was on the Fleet Carrier HMS Indomitable when it was torpedoed supporting the invasion of Sicily in 1943.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who was in command of the destroyer HMS Wallace in the same action, was by the Queen’s side at yesterday’s official naming ceremony of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth
‘A reputation for excellence’
at Rosyth – the dockyard in Fife where it was assembled.
The Queen, wearing a turquoise outfit and hat, said: ‘Lord Mountbatten told my father on becoming King that “there’s no more fitting preparation to be King than to be trained in the Royal Navy”.
‘My own personal associations, especially as the proud sponsor of six other warships and submarines, remind me that that reputation for excellence continues to this day.
‘In sponsoring this new aircraft carrier I believe that Queen Elizabeth, as flagship for the Royal Navy, will be a source of inspiration and pride for us all.’
After uttering the traditional words for such an occasion – ‘I name this ship Queen Elizabeth, may God bless her and all who sail in her’ – Her Majesty pressed a button to release the Islay whisky, which successfully smashed on the huge ship’s hull.
However, the prestigious occasion was inevitably influenced by the independence referendum.
The aircraft carrier was built in sections at six shipyards across the UK – Appledore, Birkenhead, Govan, Portsmouth, Rosyth and Tyne.
And there are fears Scotland would miss out on such large and lucrative shipbuilding contracts if it breaks away from Britain.
In a nod to this, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas told the crowd: ‘When you’re a big nation, you do big things and this is one of those journeys. In our nation’s long history of strategic responsibility and of global reach, today is a special day.’
Mr Salmond insisted the ship- yards would still have a long-term future in an independent Scotland. But he faced booing and heckling from the crowd who had turned out for the launch.
The First Minister had brought with him his father, who served as a wartime petty officer on two aircraft carriers and was responsible for repairing aircraft radios.
Some 3,500 people involved in the design and construction of the carrier watched the celebrations, alongside dignitaries and politicians including the Prime Minister, David Cameron, the First Sea Lord, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.
Earlier, the Red Arrows flew over the dockyard, leaving a trail of red, white and blue smoke.
The First Sea Lord said: ‘ The naming of HMS Queen Elizabeth heralds a new dawn, not only for the Royal Navy but for the delivery of our nation’s security. Her journey ahead will be global, strategic and one of inter-service and international partnership.’
The Prime Minister, who was also booed, but less than Mr Salmond, wrote in a naming book for the carrier: ‘As a national instrument of power and influence, HMS Queen Elizabeth is not just an investment in the future of the Royal Navy and our defence. She is an investment in the future of British security, British prosperity and our country’s place in the world.’ HMS Queen Elizabeth has run late and over-budget at £6.2billion for it and its sister carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.
However, despite fears the Prince of Wales could be mothballed on completion to save money, Mr Hammond indicated next year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review could enable it to enter service.
These issues, and the persistent drizzle at the event, did nothing to overwhelm the sense of pride among the naval personnel and dockyard workers at what had been achieved.
The naming ceremony, a naval tradition dating back hundreds of years, marked the first time in more than 15 years that the Queen has christened a Royal Navy warship.
A lone piper then played as the culverts opened and the dry dock began to flood, a process that will take up to two weeks before the carrier is afloat.
It will then be eased out of its berth, which is only just over 5in wider than the ship’s hull, and into the basin at Rosyth.
Final fitting out of equipment will then take about two years before the ship is handed over to the Royal Navy for sea trials.