Five ‘Mo Bros’ from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose successfully made it through to the final heats of ‘The Big Tache off’ in support of ‘Movember’.

First Lieutenant Neil Bennetts and Aircraft Engineering Technicians (AET) William Howard, Sam Wharton, Liam Browne and Brendan Hogan all took part in the annual event to raise money in support of cancer charities and increase awareness of men's health. Each squadron was tasked with nominating their best and worst moustache growers to represent them at the final.

There are different Service traditions within the Armed Forces, which see Sailors being required to grow full beards and not moustaches, and Soldiers (including Royal Marines) and Airmen being permitted to grow moustaches, but not beards! At the approval of the Commanding Officer, the Culdrose competitors spent most of ‘Movember’ cultivating their beards in accordance with Navy Regulations, but were allowed to reduce this to a moustache on the morning of the competition.

The event was judged by Commander Ian Fitter, who set the participants the difficult task of eating a sugary doughnut without licking their lips. Their moustaches were then re-inspected to see which could attract the most sugar!

The vote was then opened up to audience participation with onlookers shouting yay or nay for their preferred ‘tache. As each person was eliminated Commander Fitter covered them in shaving cream and handed them a disposable razor. AET William Howard was pronounced the winner and given the more coveted prize of men’s health magazines, shaving balm , a quality safety razor, and of course rapturous applause.

Speaking about why he supports the participation of ‘Movember’, Commander Fitter said:

“Movember is an excellent way of promoting awareness of a serious health issue, as well as health more generally, in a fun way. As the regulations of the Royal Navy require personnel to be clean shaven, or grow a full beard, it also (very temporarily) allows sailors to sport a moustache.”

The winner AET William Howard was thrilled to have won and spoke for all the participants when he said: “We are all just happy we have raised lots of money for prostate cancer. There has been lots of support for us around the base – and a lot of laughs at our expense too!”