Gem of a Jubilee day for Chief Petty Officer Diamond
Royal Navy engineer Brian Diamond, who serves on board his namesake ship HMS Diamond, has been presented with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.
The Chief Petty Officer was among 12 crew on board the Type 45 destroyer receiving the medals in a ceremony on board the ship at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The 30-year-old marine engineer, who works on the ship’s sophisticated propulsion system, said:
When I joined HMS Diamond - my namesake ship - it raised a few eyebrows. But now to receive a Diamond Jubilee Medal in addition to that, I feel really proud - this is a special time for the whole nation.
CPO Diamond, from Portrush in Northern Ireland, joined the Navy 13 years ago and has been with the ship since it was handed to the Navy from its builder BAE Systems in 2010.
He will be among the 190 crew for the ship’s maiden operational deployment to the Gulf next month.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is being awarded to all Armed Forces personnel with at least five years’ service to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, said:
This medal recognises the important and difficult job our Armed Forces have carried out defending our nation and its interests, both at home and abroad, and it is a fitting tribute to their dedication and professionalism.