Rear Admiral Stephen Moorhouse, Director of Force Generation at Navy Command recently visited RAF Marham to meet with the Royal Navy personnel based here and to have a tour around some of the facilities. He met personnel at 207 Squadron, the Operational Conversion Unit, before heading over to the Integrated Training Centre where he presented certificates to RAF Marham’s newest Royal Naval Engineers to graduate their training. The awards ceremony saw certificates given to 22 Air Engineering Technicians, 5 Leading Hands and 1 Chief Petty Officer who, after a culmination of studying, exams and practical assessments, had completed the course to maintain one of the most advanced aircraft in the world.
Rear Admiral Moorhouse then attended a ‘Splice the Mainbrace’ ceremony in the Officer’s Mess attended by all Ranks. The main brace was a long and heavy rope that was used to trim the main yard on which hung the main sail. If it broke, or was shot away in battle, it had to be unreeved from its blocks, brought down on deck and spliced together. This was heavy and highly skilled work and was rewarded with an extra tot of rum. The order ‘Splice the Mainbrace’ later came to mean that all the crew were awarded a tot of rum on a special occasion. On this occasion it was awarded to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The last time that ‘Splice the Mainbrace’ was ordered at RAF Marham was 10 years ago on the birth of Prince George.
