Royal Navy minehunter HMS Quorn to exerise '˜right of passage' through Melton for the first time

The special relationship between the Melton borough and Royal Navy minehunter HMS Quorn will be celebrated next month with a Freedom of Entry Parade through the town.
Crew members from HMS Quorn took part in Melton's annual Remembrance Sunday parade for the first time last year EMN-161005-144851001Crew members from HMS Quorn took part in Melton's annual Remembrance Sunday parade for the first time last year EMN-161005-144851001
Crew members from HMS Quorn took part in Melton's annual Remembrance Sunday parade for the first time last year EMN-161005-144851001

It will be the first time HMS Quorn has exercised its right to march through Melton ‘with bayonets fixed, drums beating, and colours flying’ since being awarded the Freedom of the Borough in 2006.

The spectacle is due to take place on Wednesday, June 1 at 11am.

The parade and inspection will take place at the car park of Melton Council’s Parkside offices, before the parade marches off at 11.20am into Burton Street, up to the Market Place and moving along Nottingham Street. It will then about turn and march back to Parkside by the same route.

A rolling road closure will be in place, with roads re-opening immediately after the parade has passed to keep disruption to a minimum.

A reception for civic and military guests will take place after the parade at Parkside hosted by the Mayor of the Borough of Melton.

The Mayor of Melton-Elect, councillor David Wright, said: “This will be a very special occasion for Melton and I urge people to come along and see the parade and the ship’s company marching through the town centre.”

HMS Quorn’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Conor O’Neill, said: “The ship’s company of HMS Quorn are honoured to be exercising the Freedom of the Borough that was generously conferred on us a decade ago.

“As the third ship to bear the name, we are looking forward to maintaining our proud links with the borough which have endured through many years.”

HMS Quorn represents the cutting edge of mine countermeasures capability. She uses her powerful sonar, underwater mine disposal system and mine clearance divers to locate and destroy mines.

Built by Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilders Ltd. at Woolston, Southampton and launched on January 23, 1988, HMS Quorn was commissioned into the Royal Navy one year later.

With a ship’s company of 44 and weighing 685 tonnes, HMS Quorn is part of the Royal Navy’s Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCM2) based in Portsmouth.

The Royal Navy’s minehunters are deployed around the UK and all over the world keeping the sea lanes clear, whether from historic mines or future threats.