Celebrating 125 Years of the Submarine Service
24th June 2026Mansion House
Scuttling along the hot pavements trying to keep in the shade of buildings, I arrived half an hour early for the next event at Mansion House, only to find the door firmly closed against early arrivals.
I gathered up a few other refugees waiting outside in 30+ degrees, and we went into St Stephen Walbrook to wait quietly in the cool. Inside, the choir was rehearsing Choral Evensong for the Feast of St Stephen. It was such a joy to hear their voices soaring up into the dome of this beautiful square church: Wren and Hawksmoor combined with fabulous music. The plasterwork in the dome is spectacular if you get the chance to call in when passing.
At 1725 we emerged from our peaceful sanctuary to find quite a different atmosphere outside. A cheerful but determined crowd of Masters, Clerks and guests had assembled, all attempting to negotiate the rather modest front door of Mansion House at precisely the same moment. Once we had navigated security and climbed the grand staircase, we settled into the Egyptian Room for the evening's programme, where the hot sun was streaming through the huge, stained glass windows and the air conditioning units were working overtime, to little effect.
We were welcomed by Gary Langley, Consort to the Lady Mayor, wearing his uniform as Honorary Colonel of the Middlesex and North West London Army Cadets. He was followed by the Masters of the Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers and the Engineers, whose Companies were jointly hosting the event.
The evening marked 125 years of Britain's Submarine Service, and the presentations reflected both its remarkable history and its continuing strategic importance. Rear Admiral Andy Perks MBE, Head of the Submarine Service, set the scene with Why Submarines: The Strategic Context. Dr James Jinks took us on an illustrated journey through 125 Years of Submarines, packed with fascinating photographs and stories, before Commodore Ben Haskins CBE RN, Commander Submarine Flotilla and Deputy Rear Admiral Submarines, brought us into the present with an overview of The Submarine Service Today.
An enormous cake which celebrated the "Silent Service" was cut with ceremonial swords, and we were invited into another room for drinks and what is today described as "bowl food", while the Egyptian Room was cleared and converted into a parade ground.
The culmination saw the Royal Marines Band Service march into the Egyptian Room to perform a Ceremonial Sunset, filling the space with music. The ceremony marked the close of the working day, but more importantly honoured the dedication and sacrifice of all those who have served in Britain's Submarine Service, together with the families who have supported them, over the past 125 years.
After a day spent melting gently in ceremonial robes and chasing patches of shade across the City, it was a memorable and fitting finale—and certainly one of the more unusual settings in which to watch a military sunset ceremony.