Young sea cadets got the rare honour to embark onto an Italian destroyer ship during its fleeting London visit in its European tour.
The Hornchurch and Upminster Sea Cadets (HUSC) were invited to visit the Luigi Durand de la Penne naval warship last Firday when it moored in the West India Dock.
The crew of studying officers normally use a training ship but the HUSC were impressed to discover that their Italian counterparts had arrived in the real thing.
The cadets, based in Wood Lane, Elm Park, got to inspect the guns and view the helicopter on the flight deck.
“It was quite an experience,” said HUSC chairman of six years Chris Butcher.
The ship’s Lt Lorenzo Malandrucco presented the local cadets with baseball caps and a book on the Italian navy.
Anyone interested in joining the sea cadets or the royal marine cadets can contact Mr Butcher on 01708 555 184 or hornchurchseacadets@hotmail.co.uk.
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