CELEBRATING the 25th anniversary of the launch of the current ship to carry the name HMS Monmouth, members of the original crew gathered in Monmouth on Saturday 9th June and renewed old acquaintances.

They enjoyed refreshments in the Mayor’s Parlour and visited the screen in St Mary’s Church dedicated to the 738 crew of HMS Monmouth who perished at the Battle of Coronel on 1st November 1914.

They then gathered on the old Monnow Bridge for a pint and a picture with members of the town’s Royal Naval Association (RNA) who have maintained strong links with the crew of the ship. It was the RNA that raised the £13,000 for the installation of the screen in St Mary’s Church in memory of the 1914 crew.