Submariners Association

The Derby Submariner Branch of SOCA was formed in 1980 and today goes under the banner of The Derbyshire Submariners.   Much has happened since then but we still have five founding members in the branch with a number of around 25 Submariners as members and a half dozen Associate Members.


Since the beginning of the branch the Derby SOCA and latter day The Derbyshire Submariners have been represented at the majority of National events including National Reunions, Embankment Parades, and with Members acting as Guard of Honour on HM Queen Elizabeth II visit to Derby as part of her Golden Jubilee Celebrations.  For the 60th Anniversary of WWII our Standard paraded into Buckingham Palace escorting HM Queen Elizabeth II, two Members' were guests at the Palace.


The Branch has regularly hosted members of the crew of Derby's adopted Submarine HMS/M Sovereign before she was decommissioned, and the support for the Special Care Baby Unit at The Royal Hospital, Derby was recognised by the naming of a ward 'The Dolphin Ward' with a suitably inscribed plaque and Dolphins on display.  In 2002 the Branch was active in pursuing the granting of the 'Freedom of the City' to HM Submarine Service, and now hosts HMS/M Ambush which is Derby's affiliated ship as well as other submarines such as HMS/M Vanguard who visited in 2010. The Branch also supports the TS Kenya Sea Cadets and is active in supporting the many events of the Derby & District Ex Services Association.


As with our Royal Navy today the Branch Member numbers have dwindled over the years and the Branch is only 50% of its original size.  However the Derbyshire Branch remains very young at heart, a fact not borne out by the ages of a lot of the members.


Our monthly branch meetings are held at TS Kenya (see below for address) on the first Thursday of the month at 7:15 pm. These meetings are well supported and over the last couple of years we have worked a winter routine of midday meetings in a local club.  We also have a social luncheon club meeting once a month on the third Wednesday which is held at different venues for variety, and wives and friends are welcome.


The Branch has a monthly newsletter which includes a calendar of social and other events and a branch webpage for those online where copies of the branch newsletter are also available.  We have an enthusiastic management team, but ALL Full Members are considered as being Committee, and encouraged to participate in the Branch decisions.  Submariners are renowned for pulling their weight; those members of the Derbyshire Branch do, and encourage socialising with other submariners wherever possible.  We welcome submariners from all era's spanning from WWII submariners to some of our members at present serving on active service on Royal Navy Submarines.  We don't try to be a good Branch, we just are.


For more information about The Derbyshire Submariners get in touch with the contact (given below).

Contact:

Address:





Telephone:
Email:
Webpage:

Meetings:
(April to September)


Telephone:
Meetings:
(October to March)


 

 Derbyshire Submariners
 Mr. Terry Hall (Secretary)
69, Station Road,
Stanley Village,
Nr. Ilkeston,
Derby,
DE7 6FB

01159 303641
nobbyderbysa@yahoo.co.uk
Derbyshire Submariners

TS Kenya,
53a Farm St
Derby
DE22 3UJ
01332346543

Jubilee Club
155 Chaddesden Lane,
Chaddesden
Derby
DE21 6LJ

The Submariners Association's, National Website can be found by clicking on the following link.

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