Image: Stock Image-Gun Salute HMS Drake-RN MOD 45165427

Description: *STOCK IMAGE* Pictured is a 21-Gun Salute on HMS DRAKE’S Quarterdeck, Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth. 3lbs rounds were fired from Hopkiss guns originally from HMS Tamar, the Royal Navy’s Base in Hong Kong”. The guns came to Plymouth after the Base was handed back to the Chinese in 1997. The flags flying from the masts is known as ‘Dress Ship’. The firing of gun salutes is a very old custom which originated in the early days of sail. Ships, when on good will visits to foreign ports, discharged all their guns to seaward on arrival thus indicating to the authorities ashore that their guns were empty and their visit peaceful. Gun Salutes always consist of an odd number of rounds; the firing of an even number of rounds in olden days was always reserved for occasions of mourning. A salute is referred to as, for example, 'a salute of 21 guns' or a '21-gun salute' though nowadays only 2 or 3 guns actually fire the 21 charges. Organization: Royal Navy Object Name: DR150019001 Category: MOD Supplemental Categories: Flags, Ceremonial, Operations, Royal Navy, People Keywords: Gun, Weapons, Historic, Equipment, HMS Drake, Shore-bases, Royal Navy, Gun Salute, 21 Gun Salute, Stock Image, Royal Gun Salutes Country: UK
Title: Stock Image-Gun Salute HMS Drake-RN MOD 45165427
Credit: Photo [1] Metadata source: https://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/Home/Search?Query=45165427.jpg&Type=Filename
Author: LA(Phot) Caroline Davies
Permission: Images are downloadable at high resolution, made available at http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk for reuse under the OGL (Open Government License).
Usage Terms: Open Government License version 1.0
License: OGL v1.0
License Link: http://NationalArchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/1/
Attribution Required?: Yes