Royal Naval Reserve

02/11/2026

How do you prepare for the unexpected? By training together. 💪

Personnel from HMS FLYING FOX joined the Portishead Coastguard Rescue Team at Ashton Court, Bristol, for a night-time casualty search and rescue exercise.

🌑 Working in darkness and challenging conditions, personnel practised essential search and rescue techniques, casualty care and extractions, while using technology to support search efforts and enhance situational awareness.

🤝 More than just training. The exercise provided a valuable opportunity to build professional relationships with Coastguard Rescue Officers, share knowledge and develop an understanding of how to integrate effectively with civil authorities.

Supporting civil authorities is an important role of the UK's Reserve Forces. Exercises like this strengthen the skills, teamwork and partnerships needed to respond effectively when required.

31/10/2026

⚓️ Heritage 🫡

As we close out October, the Royal Naval Reserve joined the wider Royal Navy in celebrating the 221st anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar, a momentous victory for the Royal Navy over the combined French and Spanish fleets in 1805.

The Units across the entire Maritime Reserves held services, parades, memorials and formal dinners to mark the occasion. 👏

Here we recognise the contributions of some of our lesser known, but integral, people within the RNR... the venerable "Bish"!

HMS FLYING FOX's Padre, Reverand Eddie, delivered a sermon at Christ Church with St Ewen, Bristol, on the life and dedication of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

🗣️ The sermon touched upon Admiral Horatio Nelson’s commitment and courage, as well as his respect and trust for each man under his command.
Nelson’s tactical brilliance and the courage and determination of each sailor, ensure that their legacy lives on, continuing to inspire the newest generations in the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve.

Further North, from HMS Scotia, the Reverand Fergus led the Trafalgar Commemoration Service on Calton Hill beneath the Nelson Monument in Edinburgh City.

Wessex RFCA , Lowland Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association

29/10/2026

🫡 CMR Visit 🫡

Commodore Suzi Nielsen visited HMS King Alfred as she continues her tour of Royal Naval Reserve units, and was hosted by the Commanding Officer, Commander Nathan Ditton.

During the visit, Cdre Nielsen received a briefing about the unit, its role, what the people have been doing, Operational training and the diverse branches administered from Portsmouth. She was also given a tour of the facilities, marking her first visit since the unit's relocation to HMNB Portsmouth in 2021.

The evening concluded with a Fireside Chat, where members of the Ship's Company had the opportunity to discuss the future of the Maritime Reserves directly with CMR. From Able Seaman to Lieutenant Commander, personnel across all ranks were able to ask questions, share perspectives, and hear first-hand about the vision for the future.

HMS King Alfred looks forward to the years ahead under Cdre Nielsen's leadership and the opportunities her command will bring.

Want to know more about the Royal Naval Reserves 👇
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves

23/10/2026

HMS Pegasus was delighted to welcome Commodore Suzi Nielsen OBE ADC RN, Commander Maritime Reserves (COMMARRES), on a visit hosted by Commander Phil Richardson, Commanding Officer HMS Pegasus.

The visit began with a briefing on the employment of Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) Air Branch personnel and the vital contributions they make to the Royal Navy’s Operational Output at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, demonstrating the value, expertise and commitment of Reservists in supporting the Fleet and wider Defence.

The Commanding Officer presented COMMARRES with a HMS Pegasus Ship’s Badge to kick start her collection as she works her way around the Maritime Reserve units.

COMMARRES was given a tour of several units across Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, including the Merlin Synthetic Training Equipment Facility and Air Traffic Control, providing an opportunity to see first hand how RNR Air Branch personnel are integrated into the wider Fleet Air Arm community and contribute to operational capability.

Want to learn more 👇
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves

19/10/2026

Members of the Maritime Reserve on Exercise Campbell Hardy 26.

Read how the Royal Marines Reserve trained in Wales and utilised members of the Royal Naval Reserve's General Warfare branch, U.S. Navy Corpsmen and other members of the UK Armed Forces to sharpen their skills as they prepare for operations.

This highlighted one of the key strengths of the Reserve Force: the wide range of professional skills that its personnel to bring to training and operations.

BZ Royal!

Want to find our more about how to elevate your skills 👇
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves

RFCA for Wales
Royal Navy
Royal Marines

Royal Marines Reservists have strengthened their operational readiness during a two-week tactical exercise in Wales, testing their skills under simulated battlefield conditions.

15/10/2026

Great to see Maritime Reservists putting their training into practice in a realistic and challenging environment.

Acting as Opposing Force (OPFOR) gives Royal Naval Reserve personnel valuable experience in planning, tactical decision-making and operating alongside their Royal Marines Reserve colleagues, while developing transferable leadership, teamwork and resilience skills that benefit both military and civilian careers.

Exercises such as Campbell Hardy showcase the unique opportunities available through Reserve service, allowing personnel to challenge themselves, develop operational capability and make a real contribution to Defence training.

Interested in pushing your own limits? The Royal Naval Reserve could be for you. ⚓💪
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves


Royal Navy

13/10/2026

Last week we had what was the largest Passing Out class for a while leave Phase 1 Training at HMS Raleigh as part of Tisdall Division, with 11 of the 13 Royal Naval Reserve units represented.

A fantastic effort by all, the recruits from HMS Eaglet, HMS CALLIOPE, HMS Ceres, HMS FLYING FOX, HMS Forward - Royal Navy Reserves Training Centre, HMS King Alfred, HMS Cambria, HMS President, HMS Scotia, HMS Dalriada and HMS Sherwood now start their journey towards new skills and adventure in the Royal Navy.

Unlike our Regular counterparts, this group now start their Naval careers alongside their civilian day jobs, such as: firefighters, police, nurses, NHS staff, software engineer, marina manager and civil servants to name a few.

As an added bonus, this group will be the first to leave the Phase 1 Confirmation Course with a validated skills bundle under the new Pan Defence Skills Framework (PDSF). This is a great step forward in recognising skills learnt in the , but also from civilian life. Well done all 👏

BZ and welcome to the team.

Want know more about how you can start this journey? 👇
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves

09/10/2026

🏃 Want to fast-track your Royal Naval Reserve career?

The Accelerated Officers Programme (AOP) is an eight-week course that condenses RNR officer initial training into one block. The course runs throughout the summer – perfect for students and university leavers.

The first five weeks are spent at 📍 Britannia Royal Naval College, covering:

⛺ Weapon handling and basic fieldcraft
🚣🏼 Marinisation – seamanship and boat handling
🛟 Firefighting and sea survival
🔨 Damage control
🤝 Teamwork
💡 Leadership

Emily, a reservist from HMS FLYING FOX, was promoted to Midshipman after successfully completing the course. She said:

“My favourite part of the course was living and working at BRNC for five weeks. Doing ceremonial training on the parade ground, looking out over the scenic town of Dartmouth, is something I will not forget. I also loved camping out in the field and watching the sun come up.

“The course was tough and every minute was utilised, but it felt amazing when I passed the final leadership assessments and our hard work had paid off.”

🌊 After completing the initial training at BRNC, the course spent two weeks on HMS Prince of Wales, shadowing the different departments and getting to know the ship, her capabilities and the people who make it work.

🗣 Reflecting on the course, Emily said:

“I will carry many skills that I learnt on the course into my civilian job, particularly being able to communicate in different ways depending on the situation. I also gained a lot of confidence in presenting and public speaking, and learnt how different leadership styles can be effective in different scenarios.

“The RNR gives you opportunities you do not get in civilian life. As a course, we challenged ourselves a lot over the summer and got to know each other extremely well. These friendships will last a long time, as we helped each other through the tough times.

“The sense of achievement you get from pushing yourself and doing something out of the ordinary is brilliant!”

To find out more about joining the Royal Naval Reserve and the Accelerated Officers Programme (AOP), click here 👉 https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/royal-navy-reserves

28/09/2026

Great to see this level of integration on Exercise Campbell Hardy 26. 👏

The intensive two-week exercise in Sennybridge is designed to prepare Royal Marines Reservists to integrate with the Commando Force.

26/09/2026

⛵️ Setting sail for the annual RNR Sailing Exercise in the Solent! Over three days, over 25 reservists are crewing 5 boats representing Royal Naval Reserve units all across the UK to develop leadership, seamanship, and navigation skills 🧭 🗺️

Setting off from the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre in Gosport, they will be navigating the Solent, Beaulieu River as well as enjoying overnight stops in Lymington and the Isle of Wight ⚓️

It is a fantastic opportunity to build camaraderie and have some fun on the water, including a traditional naval 'Hands to bathe' where some participants even took a swim in the sea!

This event has been made possible by the generous support of the Ulysses Trust. 🙏