Frequently Asked Questions

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We're a group of people who served aboard HMS Andromeda (F57) between 1968 and 1993, along with their partners, families, and friends. We exist to keep the ship's company together, preserve the memory of the ship, and give everyone a reason to stay in touch - mainly through our annual reunion, the Cenotaph March Past, and this website. 

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A small volunteer committee - Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, who is supported by Webmaster. It's not a chain of command. It's a few people who care enough to keep the show on the road. No gold braid, no egos, no standing on ceremony. You can meet the committee on our About Us page. 

No. We're an unincorporated association - a voluntary group of members operating under a simple constitution. No registration, no red tape, no board of directors. Just shipmates. 

Anyone who served aboard HMS Andromeda (F57) at any time between 1968 and 1993 can join as a Full Member. Any rank, any branch, any role - Royal Navy, Royal Marines, or attached personnel.

Partners, families, and friends (including families of those who have crossed the bar) can join as Associate Members.

£10 per year. That's it. The annual subscription is due by 31st January each year.  NOTE: You don't need to be a member to attend a reunion. But members can attend the AGM, Gala Dinner and Cenotaph

Full Members receive an invitation to the annual reunion, access to the gala dinner, eligibility to march at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, voting rights at the AGM, and access to the members' Facebook group.

Associate Members receive the same benefits, except eligibility for the Cenotaph March Past and voting at the AGM.

No. The reunion weekend is open to everyone with a valid association to the ship - members and non-members alike. You can turn up for a drink, spend the evening in the bar, or come for a DTS without being a member. If you'd like to attend the gala dinner or the AGM, we ask that you're a paid-up member. But we'd genuinely rather see you for an hour as a non-member than not see you at all. 

Contact the Membership Secretary via the website or email hmsandromedasecretary@gmail.com. It takes two minutes and there are no hoops to jump through. 

The 2027 reunion is in Portsmouth. Full details are on the Reunions page. 

We rotate the location around the country - north, midlands, and south - so that nobody is always furthest away. If this year's too far, next year's might be on your doorstep. 

No. Come for a day. Come for the Saturday. Come for a drink on Friday evening. Come for the dinner only. There's no minimum stay and you're not locked into anything. 

Thursday and Friday are for early arrivala and are informal - checking in, catching up, and getting settled. Saturday is the main event: the AGM in the morning (kept short, followed by a tot), a free afternoon, and the gala dinner in the evening. Sunday and Monday are departures or to wind things down gently. Everything except the AGM and the gala dinner is completely informal. 

No. They're there for those who enjoy them. If you'd rather be in the bar, exploring the local area, or simply doing your own thing, that's absolutely fine. Nobody will notice - or care 

Casual all weekend except Saturday evening. For the gala dinner: smart - jacket and tie, lounge suit, or equivalent. Medals may be worn if you wish, but they're entirely optional. No mess dress, no uniforms, no anxiety about getting it wrong. 

We negotiate a group rate at a reunion hotel each year. You're welcome to stay there or book your own accommodation nearby - entirely your choice. Either way, you're welcome at all events 

You'd be surprised. And even if you don't recognise a soul, you'll have something in common with everyone in the room - you all served on the same ship. If you'd like someone to say hello when you arrive, or to be introduced to people who served around the same time, just let us know. Every first-timer says the same thing afterwards: "I wish I'd come years ago." 

Yes. Partners are welcome. The social events are open to everyone, and there's usually plenty to do in the local area for anyone who fancies some time away from the dit spinning and lamp swinging. 

Yes, if you're a Full Member of the association. The march takes place every year on Remembrance Sunday in November. We parade as a formed body under the HMS Andromeda banner. 

Applications are coordinated through the committee. Details and the annual timeline are published on the Cenotaph page of the website. Numbers are limited by the Royal British Legion, so early registration is important.  

The Cenotaph March Past is open to Full Members only — those who served aboard HMS Andromeda. Associate Members are very welcome to attend as spectators. 

 HMS Andromeda (F57) was a Batch 3 Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 25th May 1966, launched on 24th May 1967, and commissioned on 2nd December 1968. She served for 25 years before being decommissioned in 1993. 

HMS Andromeda's primary role was Anti Submarine Warfare throughout the cold War period

The Full history of the HMS Andromeda Ships Crest is on the Ship's Crest Page of this website

Yes. HMS Andromeda was part of the Falklands Task Force in 1982 under the command of Captain James Weatherall. She was the first British warship to enter Port Stanley after the Argentine surrender on 14th June 1982, and led the victory sail past ahead of Bristol, Invincible, Broadsword, and Hermes. Her white ensign was flown over Port Stanley to mark the recapture. 

Andromeda was decommissioned from the Royal Navy in 1993 and sold to the Indian Navy in 1995, where she was recommissioned as the training ship INS Krishna. She served with the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron for 17 years, training generations of Indian naval cadets. Krishna was decommissioned on 24th May 2012 at Mumbai - 44 years to the day after her launch. She was subsequently sunk as a target in the Bay of Bengal by Indian Navy ships. The ship is gone, but her story isn't finished - and that's partly what this association is for. . 

The ship's bell is on permanent display at Doncaster Mansion House, a Grade I listed Georgian building on High Street, Doncaster (DN1 1BN). It was presented to Doncaster Council when Andromeda was decommissioned in 1993, reflecting the town's formal adoption of the ship. The bell has been borrowed for past reunions, including the 2014 reunion in Doncaster. 

The white ensign that flew over Port Stanley after the Falklands was personally presented to Doncaster Council by Captain Sir James Weatherall at Doncaster Mansion House. It is displayed alongside the ship's bell. 

Doncaster formally adopted HMS Andromeda in the early 1980s as part of the Royal Navy's town affiliation scheme. The adoption created a bond between the ship's company and the town, and both the bell and ensign were presented to the council as a permanent record of that connection.  

Yes. Doncaster Mansion House is open to the public on selected days and is managed by the Friends of Doncaster Mansion House (Charity 1171398). Check their website or social media for opening times before you visit. the bell and ensign were presented to the council as a permanent record of that connection.  

Yes. The HMS Andromeda F57 Association has a Facebook group for members and anyone connected to the ship - serving or retired, members or not. It's where we share reunion news, photos, dits, and conversations. Search for us on Facebook or ask the Secretary for a link. 

No. Everything important - reunion details, news, the programme - is published on this website. Facebook is a bonus, not a requirement. 

Check the website, join the Facebook group, or contact the Secretary to make sure we have your email address. We share reunion details, news, and updates by email as well as on the website and Facebook.