Royal Navy Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve’s (RNR) connection to Northern Ireland is a long and distinguished one, dating back to the formation of the Ulster Division of the Royal Volunteer Reserve in Belfast in 1924. Having been based for 85 years on board HMS Caroline, a light cruiser built in 1914, which later saw action at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the unit moved ashore to its new headquarters in Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn in 2009 and commissioned as HMS Hibernia, a name historically connected with the island of Ireland.
Home to nearly 100 Reservists drawn from across the community, HMS Hibernia is the focus for much of the Royal Navy’s regional activity in Northern Ireland. Although many of the Reservists serving on HMS Hibernia come from the Greater Belfast area, some regularly travel from as far afield as Newry, Dungannon and Londonderry.
Despite being one of the smallest RNR units, HMS Hibernia maintains a busy training programme throughout the year for new entry training and is an important administrative centre for the many Reservists who regularly travel to Great Britain for specialist training and exercises. In recent years, many of its maritime reservists have also served abroad on operations in the Carribbean and the Middle East as well as patrolling the shores of the British Isles.
HMS Hibernia is located within Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, approximately 10 miles from Belfast city centre and is easily accessible by road, train and bus networks.
Training night: Thursday 1915 – 2130
HMS Hibernia continues to provide trained Reserve personnel thereby allowing the Royal Navy to draw on additional manpower as required for exercises and operations. In recent times personnel from HMS Hibernia have contributed to the UK Maritime Component Command Bahrain, the Royal Navy base of operations in the Gulf region, Exercises Helios Encounter in Cyprus and Joint Warrior in Scotland as well as supporting on an individual or small numbers basis to on-going tasks alongside their full time colleagues . HMS Hibernia continues to go from strength to strength and retains a well-deserved reputation in representing the Royal Navy in Northern Ireland.
The Royal Marine Reserve also train in Belfast at Palace Barracks.
The Royal Marines Reserve (RMR) provides the Royal Navy with a commando-trained General Reserve, volunteers who have all passed the same rigorous tests of their mental and physical abilities as their Regular counterparts to earn the coveted Green Beret.
The RMR recruits young men from varied backgrounds and with no previous military experience, as well as former Royal Marines and Regular Soldiers and those who have transferred from the Army Reserve.
Across the UK, there are currently about 600 Royal Marines Reservists who combine their civilian day jobs with serving part-time as fully-trained Commandos, having successfully completed the same commando course as the Regulars. This enables Reservists to work alongside their regular colleagues, as proven by the fact that roughly 10% of the RMR are currently serving on long-term attachments in regular Royal Marines units.
Royal Marine Reservists continue to develop their core skills in the form of live firing and tactical exercises in the UK and overseas while weekday training may also encompass sports, abseiling and unarmed combat.