| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSDalriada |
| Commissioned | 1965 |
| Status | Extant |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Stone frigate |
HMSDalriada isGlasgow'sRoyal Naval Reserve unit. It is based inGovan, one of the city's southwestern suburbs.
HMSDalriada was established as aRoyal Naval Reserve Headquarters Unit for Greenock and the Firth of Clyde, Scotland in 1965 and originally occupied former air defence buildings on the outskirts ofInverkip.Dalriada remained in Inverkip until 1982, when the unit moved to the Navy Buildings inGreenock, on the site of the former gun battery atFort Matilda.[1]
Dalriada was named after the 6-7th-century Gaelic over-kingdom Dál Riata in which modern Greenock is located. The Ship's Badge ofDalriada has the boar's head ofClan Campbell (who occupied the territory of the ancientDál Riata Kingdom in the High Middle Ages) with a Celtictorc and surmounted with a coronet. The letters R N R surround the device and all is enclosed within a diamond surmounted in turn by a plaque with the ship's name and above that theNaval Crown.[2]
The principal RNR unit in Glasgow and the West of Scotland had been, since 1903, HMSGraham, (Clyde Division RNR) based at Whitefield Road in Govan. At that time RNR Divisional HQs such as HMSGraham were considered senior to HQ Units such as HMS Dalriada, especially in having greater numbers of Reservists and RN Staff attached and in operating active Ton Class Minesweepers as part of the Tenth Mine Counter Measure Squadron. InitiallyDalriada had been set up as a tender unit to HMSGraham on which it relied for administrative and other functions.[3]
The 1990Options for Change changes in RNR Force sizes saw the closure of HMSGraham and the refocusing of the RNR in the West of Scotland on HMSDalriada. This left Glasgow City without an RNR presence, and the Govan site was handed over to the Army for use by the Territorial Army's205 (Scottish) Field Hospital of the2nd Medical Group.[4]
After some years the RNR presence in the City of Glasgow was restored through the creation of a satellite unit to HMSDalriada –Govan Division (but not located on the site of the old HMSGraham which remains in Army hands). In April 2013,Dalriada moved to Govan, subsuming its satellite unit and co-locating with theRoyal Marines Reserve Glasgow Detachment.[1]
Members of HMSDalriada often take part in ceremonial events hosted by the city of Glasgow, often alongside their regular counterparts from HMSNeptune,HMNB Clyde. During the Glasgow2014 Commonwealth Games,Dalriada provided personnel to supplementPolice Scotland's security operation. Many of the unit's members also took part in flag raising and medal presentation ceremonies as part of the event.[5]
55°51′18″N4°19′07″W / 55.85510°N 4.31859°W /55.85510; -4.31859
