A group of veterans have been guests of honour on board HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth. Among the group were five veterans who served in World War 2. They had coffee with Captain Angus Essenhigh, who took command of the ship 6 weeks ago. They were also given a tour of the bridge.
Among the veterans was former Wren Marie Scott who transmitted a short message from the bridge. At the age of 17 she worked in the special communications centre for Operation Overlord at Fort Southwick in Hampshire. She passed on messages via a VHF radio set to troops landing on the beaches at Normandy. She was presented with the Legion d'honneur for her service in June 2019.
This was a chance for veterans to share stories with the next generation of the Royal Navy. The veterans were brought to Portsmouth in a fleet of London cabs. The event was organised by the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans who arrange trips across the UK and around the world for military veterans of all ages.