International Fleet Review

"For a full list of ships present, see List of ships present at International Fleet Review, 2005"

The International Fleet Review took place on 28 June 2005, as part of Trafalgar 200, the celebrations to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

2005 Review Line-up

During the afternoon of June 28 2005 Queen Elizabeth II, as Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, embarked onboard HMS "Endurance" and, escorted by THV Patricia, set sail to review a fleet of over 167 ships of the Royal Navy and of over 30 other nations. The last fleet review by the Queen in the United Kingdom was for the commemoration of Battle of the Atlantic anniversary in 1999.

The review took place on the Solent, between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, in England. The Fleet Review is a 600-year-old British tradition, and used to be of Royal Navy ships only. This review, however, went with the modern trend to inviting foreign warships too, and was the largest on record in terms of nations attending and of number of ships [ [http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEML6U5DIAE_index_0.html International Fleet Review viewed from space] ] [ [http://www.seabritain2005.com/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.508 Mod Trafalgar 200 Foreign Navies Enroute for International Fleet Review] ] - 167 naval and merchant ships attended, including 57 British warships.

The Queen reviewed the fleet from on board the Royal Navy's Antarctic Patrol Vessel HMS "Endurance". Huge crowds gathered along Southsea Common and Gosport Sea Front, to witness the largest gathering of naval vessels in the Solent since the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review in 1977.

The crowd was entertained by aerobatic and flying displays, including an appearance by a Spitfire, helicopter aerobatics and a special performance by the Red Arrows. While the weather had been very wet, the clouds appeared to clear in time for each display.

At the end of the day's festivities, centred around the review, a massive firework display was held as a 'reconstruction' of the Battle of Trafalgar (with "Grand Turk" standing in for HMS "Victory", and with a red and a blue side rather than French and English ones), now known to be one of the largest firework displays in recorded history.

Events of the day

* Fleet Review by HM the Queen: 1300-1500
* Steam past, Tall ships sail past, Small craft sail past and flypast of international maritime aircraft: 1500-1645
* Air displays: 1700
* Nelson’s Walk from Southsea Common and embarkation to "Grand Turk": 2000
* Son et lumière: 2100-2230
* Fireworks display: 2210-2225
* Fleet Lighting: 2230

Images from the day

ee also

*International Festival of the Sea, 2005