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  • Dartmouth’s Britannia Royal Naval College cadets caused anger.

    May 12 2014

    EARLY morning revelry at Dartmouth’s Britannia Royal Naval College caused anger when it could be heard across the river. Officer cadets revving up for last Thursday’s passing-out parade had underestimated the noise they were making. TM Smyth, of Kingswear, said they were awoken at 6am by loud, blaring music and an accompanying ‘black rapper, club-style’ man shouting on a microphone. The hi-jinks – which went on for about an hour – included the songs In the Navy and YMCA, by the Village People, and even the sing-along favourite the Hokey Cokey. The college has apologised to Mr and Mrs Smyth for the disturbance, which it says is part of college tradition and only happens on the morning of the passing out parade. In an email to the Chronicle, TM Smyth said: ‘For the first time I write to my local councils and the local paper. At 6.20am, I rang the number listed online for the BRNC which is a local number 01803 832141, which was answered by an Ministry of Defence call centre, and I was then put through to the gate at BRNC Dartmouth. ‘I complained to the person who answered and they replied: “We’ll pass on your concerns”. ‘Sorry not good enough. ‘The community supports the BRNC, quite rightly. We hear operational firing late in the evening and often have military bands etc, all of which, as it’s a working military college, we all expect and admire.