Sailors aboard HMS Westminster were paraded in court as King Neptune held sway when the frigate crossed the Equator. Sailors aboard HMS Westminster were paraded in court as King Neptune held sway when the frigate crossed the Equator. Read more posts and click here

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The age-old ceremony proved a brief, but ‘brilliant’, interlude, amid a counter-piracy patrol of the Indian Ocean.

Pictures: LA(Phot) Dan Rosenbaum, HMS Westminster

ORDINARILY we wouldn’t encourage sailors to ‘paint’ their captain’s head with bright yellow custard.

But if you’re upholding a 200-year-old tradition to maintain morale in the middle of a counter-piracy patrol, it’s perfectly acceptable.

Sailors aboard HMS Westminster marked passing over the Equator as only mariners know how, with the fun ceremony of ‘crossing the line’.

Westminster’s CO welcomes King Neptune (aka CPO(ME) Alan ‘Sharkey’ Ward) aboard at the beginning of the ceremony

Two in every five members of Westminster’s 200-strong ship’s company – sailors and a specialist Royal Marines boarding team – had never experienced sailing over the imaginary line separating the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

To be allowed to pass, the ‘Equatorial virgins’ must go through an initiation ceremony at the Court of King Neptune before receiving a certificate as proof of passage.

On the evening before Westminster approached 0° latitude Neptune’s helpers – a mix of ‘bears’ and ‘policemen’ – did the rounds of the Portsmouth-based frigate, issuing court summons to novices who’d never crossed the Equator before.

Just an every day, normal occurrence on a Type 23 frigate… Mid Phillipa Little hangs her head as her charge is read out in front of King Neptune

The following afternoon, with stage, thrones and ducking stool rigged, Westminster’s Commanding Officer Capt Hugh Beard was the first to be initiated, followed by the ship’s youngest sailor, Midshipman Philippa Little: “Having only been onboard a few weeks, I didn’t know what to expect, but I am glad I was one of the first, as the pool water got rather dirty really quickly!” she said.

In all, more than 80 members of the ship’s company were found guilty by the court, with Capt Beard’s deputy, Executive Officer Lt Cdr Toby Waite, the last to be put on trial.

“I knew something was up as soon as the police started to swarm around my group, I had already guessed that I would be dunked, if you were to give the senior ratings a chance to dunk the XO you would be a fool not to take it!”

CPO(ET(WE)) Neil Crowe acts as a member of King Neptune’s police rounding up suspects

With Neptune appeased and the ship now across the equator, the day was finished off with a flight deck barbeque at sunset, and AB Jimmy Clements entertaining the ship’s company with his guitar and guest singers.

“I have been in the Navy for eight years and this is by far the highlight of my naval career, it’s been absolutely brilliant, I want to thank all the senior rates for their time, effort and enthusiasm for this traditional event, brilliant just brilliant,” said Westminster’s navigator Lt Rob Couzens.

Capt Beard added: “Traditions play an important role within the armed forces and particularly the Royal Navy and we must strive to ensure they survive. Finding an opportunity within our tasking was always going to be difficult, but Neptune must have been looking after us as there were no suspect vessels within sight.”

With fun ceremonies over, the ship resumed her Operation Kipion deployment – the name for the Royal Navy’s maritime security mission east of Suez, hunting down pirates, smugglers, drug-runners and others who might try to use the Indian Ocean or Gulf for criminal purposes.

Sailors aboard HMS Westminster were paraded in court as King Neptune held sway when the frigate crossed the Equator.