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Submarines at Fleet Reviews
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2005 Fleet Review
The 2005 International Fleet Review was noticeably different to the last review in 1977. From the outset its organisers had seen it as an international event bringing together the navies of the world. Also, rather than primarily displaying combat vessels, the Royal Navy wanted to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar by linking the event with the 19th century and including large numbers of tall ships. The nature of the occasion meant that the Royal Navy only ordered three submarines to attend. These included HMS Trafalgar and HMS Turbulent. At the last moment the Navy instructed HMS Sovereign, the only British craft named after a ship in Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet, back to port from its place in the review because of ‘a number of routine defects’. They replaced the vessel with HMS Trenchant.
