Marine Institute welcomes Princess Royal

The Marine Institute will host HRH the Princess Royal, colonel-in-chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, on Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University will welcome HRH the Princess Royal, colonel-in-chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 12:05 pm. The Princess Royal will visit the Marine Institute's Centre for Marine Simulation to experience a realistic and immersive simulation exercise depicting the actions of a World War II corvette escorting a convoy across the North Atlantic. Following the simulation, the Princess Royal will meet with Battle of the Atlantic veterans along with naval staff, students and Marine Institute employees.

Glenn Blackwood, executive director of the Marine Institute, is pleased to welcome the Princess just four short months after hosting HRH Prince of Wales, Prince Charles in November 2009. "We are honored to welcome the Princess Royal to showcase our world class facilities, more specifically our Centre for Marine Simulation (CMS)," said Blackwood. "The simulation will take the grainy black and white footage of the Battle of the Atlantic and transform it into a realistic experience that showcases the bravery and sacrifices demonstrated by those involved and we are very proud to take the Princess Royal on the inaugural journey."

"It is a great pleasure to showcase these unique facilities to Her Royal Highness, which recreate so vividly such an important part of our naval history," said Dr. Christopher Loomis, president and vice-chancellor pro tempore of Memorial University. "As the colonel-in-chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, and as our newest honorary graduate, the Princess Royal has a special connection to Memorial University."

Rear Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander, Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) and Joint Task Force Atlantic (JTFA), Dr. Christopher Loomis, President and Vice-Chancellor pro tempore, Memorial University, and Glenn Blackwood will greet the Princess Royal. The simulation was created in association with the Canadian Navy to celebrate the Canadian Navy Centennial. The Marine Institute has a long and distinguished partnership with the Canadian Navy.

Since 1992, the Marine Institute has graduated more than 800 navy cadets and houses the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School (CFNES St. John's) on its campus. The general public are invited to view the arrival and departure of the Princess Royal at the Marine Institute outside the west entrance to the Marine Institute or in the 2nd floor west corridor. The general public are advised to enter by the Marine Institute's main entrance as the west entrance will be closed. The convoy simulation will be available to the general public in the summer of 2010 with dates to be announced later this year.