80th Anniversary COPP Event and Ceremony

80th Anniversary of the 1945 Official standing down & disbandment of the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties

Please come along to the Ceremony at HISC to Remember this Occasion on Saturday 25th October 2025

2025 has been an outstanding year with the 80th Anniversaries of both VE Day & VJ Day, now the summer holidays are over we can concentrate on this important Anniversary for the Combined Pilotage Parties (COPP).

The Combined Operations and their units flew the White Ensign both in the UK and on sorties abroad therefore the White Ensign is pivotal in this ceremonial event to acknowledge the ending of the COPP’s service to the United Kingdom.

The Hauling Down of the White Ensign Ceremony is planned towards the end of the day, to represent the occasion.

There will be attendees representing the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, COPP families, COPP researchers and publishers (both locally and from afar), HISC members who are COPP relatives and those that have followed and, in many cases, been involved in the ongoing COPP story.

Exhibits will be on show.

Tickets

Tickets are £20 per person and are available from HISC on: 02392 463768

The Order of The Day

Arrival is from 12:30am onwards (coffee/refreshments and light lunches are available to purchase at HISC) for those wishing to meet up with others and browse the exhibition

The event begins at 2pm

Welcome Speech

High Tea at 3pm

Speech

Loyal Toast

The Cutting of a Celebration/Remembrance 80th Anniversary cake at 4pm

Tea & cake at 4:15pm

Participants and guests gather by the mast at 5-5.15pm for a short Ceremony, to honour the hauling down of the White Ensign and COPP flag in recognition of this significant anniversary.

(The ceremonial party will be in the centre of the road to the east of the HISC flagpole)

Guests disperse