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Prince William visits the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport

10th June 2008

Prince William met the families of the last two submariners to die in service today as he opened an area of remembrance dedicated to them and other fallen seamen in Hampshire.

The Prince, who is Commodore-in-Chief of Submarines, opened the Area of Remembrance at The Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

Prince William is an officer with the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals), but is currently serving a two-month attachment with the Royal Navy as part of a tailored programme to help him learn more about his future role as head of the Armed Forces.

To coincide with Prince William’s visit, Clarence House announced today that he has taken on the role of Patron of an appeal to help preserve the only surviving World War II submarine in the United Kingdom, HMS Alliance.

The Area of Remembrance lists some 5300 names of submariners who gave their lives in the service of the country from 1904 to the present day.

Prince William spent a private moment with the relatives of Anthony Huntrod and Paul McCann who died following an explosion onboard the submarine HMS Tireless in March last year.

Mr Huntrod, 20, an operator maintainer, from Sunderland, and 32-year-old Mr McCann, a leading operator mechanic, from Halesowen, West Midlands, were killed when an oxygen device exploded while the vessel was on operations in the Arctic.

The names of the two seamen were the last to be added to a wall of remembrance which lists more than 5,000 submariners who have died from 1904 to the present day.

After officially opening the memorial, Prince William observed a minute's silence with dignitaries and invited guests.

The Prince stood with his head bowed as a trumpeter played the Last Post before the period of reflection began.

The Prince also had the opportunity to tour HMS Alliance which is based at the museum, and spent around 20 minutes examining the craft's cramped control room and engine compartment.

Launched in July 1945, Alliance was designed for service in the Far East but the Second World War ended before she could be put into action.

The vessel went on to see more than 25 years of service and is now the star attraction at the museum but needs vital restoration work costing up to £4million.

The Prince, who is Commodore-in-Chief, Submarines, said: "It is of great importance that such heritage is safeguarded to help future generations to understand the past heroism and sacrifice of Britain's submariners.

"I wish the appeal every success in its crucial efforts to preserve this historic submarine for the nation."

Prince William also toured the Navy's first submarine Holland 1, which was recovered in 1982 after 70 years on the seabed.

He also spoke to Jillian Haimes, 69, a retired dressmaker from Hereford who is a relative of one of the first submariners to die in service.

Her grandfather, Chief Petty Officer Albert Fleming, was killed with 10 other crewmates when the conning tower of their vessel HMS A1 hit a ship in Portsmouth harbour in March 1904 and sank.

She said: "I think it's wonderful William is supporting the memorial.

"He's just come into the Navy and it's nice to have his support for the submariners, who are quite a forgotten service."