[Guzzman]

I think that there is little doubt that this shield was presented by a Zeebrugge veteran to the Marine Cadet detachment at a Sea Cadet Unit - TS (Training Ship) Hawk. My son is a Sea Cadet at TS Indomitable. His unit is too small to have a Marine Cadet detachment but many in the local area do and some have done since the 1950s.

The shield certainly has the look of something produced in the late-1960s from a local trophy shop. The King's Crown helmet plate may have belonged to the Zeebrugge veteran if he continued to serve post-1923. Or it may have just been one that was found and added to the shield. The more modern Queens Crown beret badge also suggests this - and it's also the badge worn by Marine Cadets.

Unfortunately Sea Cadet Units are listed under their location rather than their TS name - and there are over 400 of them! And it's possible that TS Hawk no longer exists.

As has been said before, such shields were often presented to various SCC units for excellence in competitions in drill, shooting, etc. Just because it's called the Zeebrugge Shield I wouldn't read too much into it! Though I'm very sure that the Marine Cadet detachment that received it were very proud of it - especially as it was presented by a Zeebrugge veteran.

Royal Navy training establishments are always HMS whatever - never TS whatever. And the RN doesn't operate any vessels named TS whatever either. When I was at Dartmouth I went on a Training Cruise on HMS Fearless - it wasn't renamed TS Fearless simply because it was being used for training!

Pete