In addition to their involvement with their trades, charities and education, City Livery Companies often form connections with the military and many are affiliated with one or more branch of the Armed Forces. The Brewers’ Company is proud to be affiliated with HMS Belfast, the Royal Lancers and 9F (Islington) Squadron ATC.
The Company remains in regular contact with its affiliates and supports them with annual donations to communal funds, as well as awarding Brewers’ Company Awards annually to a soldier, sailor and cadet nominated for outstanding achievement by their commanding officers. Liverymen have enjoyed opportunities to visit the Company’s affiliations and look forward to welcoming their representatives to Company events each year.
HMS Belfast
Between 2002 and 2024, the Brewers’ Company was affiliated with HMS Albion, one of the Navy’s two amphibious assault ships, whose pennant number, L14, corresponded with the Brewer’s status as the 14th most senior of the City livery companies. In 2024, HMS Albion was withdrawn from service and the Company’s affiliation with the ship ended. As a parting gift, the Captain presented the Company with the final White Ensign flown aboard the ship during the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In October 2024, the Master Brewer, Katherine Smart, announced that the Company would be starting a new affiliation with HMS Belfast, a Type 26 Frigate currently under construction on the banks of the Firth of Clyde in Glasgow. HMS Belfast is the third of a Class of 8 state of the art submarine hunters (the first being HMS Glasgow – pictured) and will likely go to sea in late 2027 or 2028.
Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own)
Formed following the amalgamation of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) and the Queens Royal Lancers, the Brewers’ Company became affiliated with the Royal Lancers at their formation parade in May 2015. The regiment is based in Catterick, North Yorkshire and are one of 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade’s Armoured Cavalry Regiments. Armoured Cavalry soldiers are the frontline reconnaissance soldiers of the Brigade. Trained to operate ahead of lead combat units, and prepared to deploy early into combat, their soldiers are able to deliver up to date, accurate information and intelligence about the enemy in order to shape the commanders decision making process. Their famous capbadge, represents their Regimental Motto, ‘Death or Glory’ and is one of the most recognisable in the British Army. The essence of being a Royal Lancer is encompassed by the Regimental ethos: ‘All of one company’, ‘Do as you ought, not as you want’ and ‘Think to the finish’.
9F (Islington) Squadron
The affiliation between the Brewers’ Company and 9F (Islington) Squadron, Air Training Corps was formalised in June 2015 and in 2017 the Squadron dedicated a new standard, featuring the Brewers’ Company coat of arms. 9F (Islington) Squadron is London’s oldest surviving Royal Air Force Cadets Squadron, whose RAF counterpart and parent unit, 9 Squadron, was a bomber squadron during WWII and is still operational today. 9F (Islington) Squadron pride themselves on their variety of activities, their standards of discipline and their standing in the community. Their motto is Ad Astra Nos Rededo – ‘To the stars we return’. This affiliation is particularly appropriate, given the association between the Brewers’ Company and the London Borough of Islington through the Dame Alice Owen Foundation.
