Military Links
The Carpenters’ Company values its links with the armed forces.
HMS Daring
The Company is affiliated with HMS Daring, a new Type 45 destroyer which has now officially entered service after undergoing months of rigorous sea trials. Daring was launched by the Countess of Wessex in 2006 and the ship’s Commissioning Ceremony took place on 23rd July 2009. This is the seventh ship to bear the name and is the first of six T45 destroyers being built on the Clyde.
Find out more about HMS Daring.
4 RANGER
The Company is affiliated to The 4th Battalion, Ranger Regiment (4 RANGER) who are part of the Army Special Operations Brigade.
The Ranger Regiment have deployed to over 60 countries in the last twelve months, from learning to operate in the freezing colds of the Arctic Circle to the hotter climates of Africa, the Middle East and south-east Asia. Created in December 2021 to meet the next challenges in warfare, the highly trained Army unit focuses on delivering special operations in high-threat environments with complex human terrain.
The newly formed Regiments cap badge takes inspiration and spirit from the peregrine falcon. Fast, agile and fiercely loyal to its partner, it operates around the world in all environments including deserts, mountains and cities.
Rangers draw their name from an elite unit that fought in the British Army in the 18th Century in North America, using irregular tactics.
The British Army shares this heritage with US Special Operations Forces, whose 75th Ranger Regiment traces its lineage back to the same grouping
4 RANGER is based at Normandy Barracks, Aldershot Garrison. It is regionally aligned to support training and operations in the Middle East.
Other Associations
The Company is affiliated with the Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham. The School provides training in all engineering disciplines including carpentry and joinery, and an annual award is presented by the Company to the engineer judged ‘Premier Carpenter of the Year’.
The Carpenters’ Company also supports the West Ham Sea Cadets, part of a national youth organisation for boys and girls aged 12-18. The Sea Cadets aim to encourage good citizenship and offer a wide range of activities from sailing to music and cookery.
HMS Norfolk
The Company was affiliated to this Type 23 frigate in 1989. Norfolk was commissioned for service in June 1990 at Devonport, and decommissioned in 2005. The commander of HMS Norfolk presented the ship’s bell to the Carpenters’ Company as a mark of thanks for its support, and this now hangs in Carpenters’ Hall.
