Military Freemasonry and Aldershot Army & Navy Lodge

What attracts Armed Forces personnel to Freemasonry?

Freemasonry provides an atmosphere that should appeal to servicemen both serving and retired.  Teamwork, ceremonial, ritual, good leadership and a sense of belonging. The Services and Freemasonry have much in common.  Both organisations seek to build a strong sense of camaraderie, that is to say mutual trust and friendship, among groups that spend a significant amount of time together.   In a military Lodge there is a special spirit of comradeship, where the esprit de corps, sometimes forged in combat, is rekindled in the bonds of Masonic brotherhood. Masonry may also be considered as a journey,  one of spiritual self-discovery rather than dealing with material matters.

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Service Lodges in Hampshire & IoW

Hampshire has a long association with the Armed Forces.  There has been a Naval Base in Portsmouth since 1194. Aldershot has been known as the “Home of the British Army” since a Garrison was established there in 1854.  As a result of these strong military ties many Lodges in the Province of Hampshire& IoW  were formed specifically to cater for service personnel.  Examples are: - Victory No. 3509 for the Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm No. 8867 for Naval Aircrew, Royal Marine Portsmouth No. 6423 for amphibious soldiers, Aldershot Army and Navy No. 1971 originally for officers garrisoned in Aldershot, Pegasus Forces No. 9393 for airborne soldiers, Hermes No. 5532 for the Royal Air Force and Andover Combined Services No. 8300 for all three services.  In addition many of the other Lodges in the Province have strong service connections.

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