HMS King Alfred (Portsmouth)

HMS King Alfred is the Royal Naval Reserve unit associated with Portsmouth.

Role

Led by Commander Steve Tatham, HMS King Alfred is located on Whale Island in Portsmouth and is one of the largest units in the country.

Being in the heart of a naval city gives HMS King Alfred reservists excellent opportunities to see the work of the Royal Navy first hand. The Reservists also get to use the tremendous facilities that can be found locally.

Unit history

1939

The First HMS King Alfred

The first HMS King Alfred was a World War 1 Cruiser, during WW2, the name was associated with Naval Reservists. Then in 1939 HMS King Alfred was established in Brighton and Hove.

1945

Training history

By 1945, nearly 88% of the Royal Navy’s commissioned strength had trained at HMS King Alfred, with over 20,000 Reservist Officers having passed out of the establishment.

1946

On the move

King Alfred moved from Hove to Exbury House, in the New Forest, before King Alfred was decommissioned and Exbury House became HMS Hawke.

1994

Commissioned

The present King Alfred was commissioned as an RNR training centre following the closure of the RNR establishments in Southampton, Brighton and on Portsdown Hill in Portsmouth.

2003

Freedom of the City

There has always been a strong Royal Naval Reserve presence in Portsmouth, and this was formally recognised in 2003 when HMS King Alfred was awarded Freedom of the City.

2011

Freedom of the City parade

Eight years after being granted the Freedom of the City of Portsmouth, reservists finally had the chance to celebrate that honour. Sailors from HMS King Alfred marched through the City.

2021

Move to PNB

HMS KING ALFRED moved from Whale Island to Portsmouth Naval Base where parts of historic Semaphore Tower and adjacent buildings had been specifically refurbished for Reserve training, including a virtual reality suite for sea boat and RN vessel acquaints.

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