Military Links
The Carpenters’ Company values its links with the armed forces.
HMS Daring
The Company is affiliated with HMS Daring, a new Type 45 destroyer which has now officially entered service after undergoing months of rigorous sea trials. Daring was launched by the Countess of Wessex in 2006 and the ship’s Commissioning Ceremony took place on 23rd July 2009. This is the seventh ship to bear the name and is the first of six T45 destroyers being built on the Clyde.
Find out more about HMS Daring.
4 RIFLES
The Company is affiliated to the 4th Battalion The Rifles, formed in 2007 as the successor to the Light Division. The Rifles has the widest range of roles and is the largest infantry regiment in the army. The 4th Battalion is a mechanised infantry regiment based in Bulford, Wiltshire, and has recently been deployed in Afghanistan.
More about 4 RIFLES.
Other Associations
The Company is affiliated with the Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham. The School provides training in all engineering disciplines including carpentry and joinery, and an annual award is presented by the Company to the engineer judged ‘Premier Carpenter of the Year’.
The Carpenters’ Company also supports the West Ham Sea Cadets, part of a national youth organisation for boys and girls aged 12-18. The Sea Cadets aim to encourage good citizenship and offer a wide range of activities from sailing to music and cookery.
HMS Norfolk
The Company was affiliated to this Type 23 frigate in 1989. Norfolk was commissioned for service in June 1990 at Devonport, and decommissioned in 2005. The commander of HMS Norfolk presented the ship’s bell to the Carpenters’ Company as a mark of thanks for its support, and this now hangs in Carpenters’ Hall.
