26 APRIL 2011 WELCOME HOME FOR HMS CORNWALL FOR THE LAST TIME
Pipers: Don, Nigel, Alex, Greg, Jim, Ian, Tom, David, Jenson
Drummers: Don, Tom, Geoff, Steve, Jonathan, Ed,
Plus three Pipers and a Drummer from North Devon.
According to the forecast it promised to be a sunny day. HMS Cornwall was coming home and had requested the Band welcome the ship home from its final voyage.
It was a happy day for the families and a sad day for the Ship’s Company saying goodbye to their ship at its decommissioning.
The band played a medley of music, including Highland Cathedral, Green Hills, Waters of Kylesku and Trelawney. They had a break until the ship slowly came into view at around 11 am and then played Amazing Grace.
The Band played until the sailors and officers left then boarded the ship for photos in its bow. There was a large portrait of a youthful Princess Diana smiling happily on the gangway wall as she had launched the ship in 1988. There was also a painting of the first HMS Cornwall dated 1622 and paintings and photos of the subsequent ships that followed with that name to the present ship.
