International Fleet Review 2005

International Fleet Review
2005
	HMS Trafalgar, a Trafalgar-class attack submarine, on transit to the fleet review in Portsmouth Dockyard, part of the Trafalgar 200
Date	2 June 2005
Also known as	IFR 2005
Type	Military

The International Fleet Review was the most recent Royal Navy

Trafalgar 200 celebrations to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. For the celebrations to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, instead of a Fleet Review such as marked that of Queen Victoria, there was a cavalcade of boats down the Thames

.

2005 Review Line-up

During the afternoon of 28 June 2005,

QE2. The previous fleet review by the Queen in the United Kingdom was in 1999 for the commemoration of the anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic

.

The review took place at

merchant ships

attended, including 57 British warships.

The Queen reviewed the fleet from on board the Royal Navy's Antarctic Patrol Vessel HMS Endurance. Huge crowds gathered along Southsea Common and Gosport Sea Front, to witness the largest gathering of naval vessels in the Solent since the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review in 1977.

The crowd was entertained by aerobatic and flying displays, including an appearance by a Spitfire, helicopter aerobatics and a special performance by the Red Arrows. While the weather had been very wet, the clouds appeared to clear in time for each display.

At the end of the day's festivities, centered on the review, a massive firework display was held as a 'reconstruction' of the Battle of Trafalgar (with

Grand Turk standing in for HMS Victory

, and with a red and a blue side rather than French and British ones), now known to be one of the largest firework displays in recorded history.

Events of the day

Fleet Review by the Queen: 1300-1500

Steam past, Tall ships sail past, Small craft sail past and flypast of international maritime aircraft: 1500-1645
Air displays: 1700
Nelson's Walk from Southsea Common and embarkation to Grand Turk: 2000
Son et lumière: 2100-2230
Fireworks display: 2210-2225
Fleet Lighting: 2230

Images from the day

Red, white & blue trails - The Red Arrows
The aircraft carriers assembled at the Review
Ships at the International Fleet Review as seen from Fort Blockhouse in Gosport, Hampshire
Some of the 'battle' participants
Grand Turk
, before 'battle'
Jolie Brise in the evening light before 'battle'
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II with Admiral Sir Alan West on board Endurance