Bristol - HMS Flying Fox

Military experience

Educated in Carlisle, Sue Jameson left home for Dundee University and a degree in Botany and Zoology. On completion she moved to Durham University, where she combined her Science with postgraduate education studies to train as a Secondary School Science Teacher.
She joined the Women’s Royal Naval Reserve as an Officer Candidate in HMS Camperdown in 1988, before transferring to HMS Calliope in 1990.

Moving south to take up her first teaching post in Devon, Sue’s career continued at HMS Pellew. She passed her Fleetboard exam in 1992 and began her Naval career as a Junior Boarding Officer in the Naval Control of Shipping branch. Following Options for Change in 1994, Sue transferred to the Operational Headquarters Branch and HMS Vivid before joining HMS Flying Fox in 1995.

Sue’s career has followed the evolution of the Women’s Royal Naval Service from a “Blue Wren” to seagoing and operational deployments. Serving in Helmsdale, Orwell, Carron, Cardiff, Southampton, Newcastle, Ark Royal, RFA Sir Bedivere, RFA Cardigan Bay and HDMS Vædderen, she has never lost the love of the sea, combining it with shore postings in headquarters around the UK and with the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Germany. She attended the Junior Staff Course at Greenwich and the Senior Staff Course at Shrivenham, and has been posted to Flag Officer Sea Training, the Maritime Warfare School in HMS Collingwood and US Navy’s Warfare College in Rhode Island.

Sue was mobilised twice between 2006 and 2009, and spent most of this period abroad. In 2007, she went to Bahrain for Operation Telic as the Information Operation’s Officer for the Combined Maritime Force Headquarters with US 5th Fleet and UK Maritime Component Commander. Selected for promotion in 2009, she was mobilised for another six months with Operation Herrick as the Military Strategic Communications Liaison Officer based in the British Embassy, Kabul.

Having thoroughly enjoyed her time abroad, both of these career-defining mobilisations have significantly shaped Sue’s outlook on the Naval Reserves of the 21st century. She was delighted to be appointed the Commanding Officer of HMS Flying Fox from October 2009.
In her spare time, she likes nothing better than enjoying the outdoors with her family, especially when it involves cheering on her sons from the touchline.