Skandia Life Cowes Week sent its own unique explosive 101st birthday greetings to the Queen Mother.

A traditional 21-gun salute boomed out across Cowes Harbour from the Royal Yacht Squadron, the most exclusive yacht club in the world.

In charge of the salute was the squadron's signalman, Peter Scott who primed the historic brass cannons, which have fired a birthday salute to the Queen Mother for decades.

At exactly 8am the first cannon was fired as the White Ensign, the squadron's flag, was raised by launchman, 18-year-old Henry Alington Maguire.

Normally during Skandia Life Cowes Week the cannons, on The Prince's Battery in the shadow of the squadrons imposing walls, are used to signal the start and finish of the regatta's hundreds of races with the smoke and explosions very much part of the atmosphere.

Prince's Battery was built in 1895 and marked the 13th year that the then Prince of Wales was elected commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The signal cannons were presented by the Prince and were the armanents of the Royal Yacht Adelaide, which was named after Princess Amelia Adelaide, who was Queen of William IV.

During the Second World War, King George VI took the salute of the D-Day invasion force from the battery.

Appropriately on the Queen Mother's birthday racing took place for the prestigious Queen's Cup at the regatta.

The impressive trophy was presented to the Royal Southampton Yacht Club by Queen Victoria in 1897, her diamond jubilee year.

The cup was subsequently raced for on the opening day of the regatta.

However, shortly after the turn of the century it mysteriously disappeared.

It was rediscovered in 1937 in a second-hand shop in Cardiff by a club member, Captain "Jonah" Jones who bought the trophy back for £35.

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