RFA Orangeleaf

Military experience

Captain Dale John Morton Worthington OBE was born 26 November 1951 in Hyde near Stockport, Cheshire. He lives in Southport, Lancashire with his wife Hilary and family.

He was educated at Marple Hall Grammar School for Boys, near Stockport. At the age of sixteen, he entered an indentured cadetship with British India Steam Navigation in 1968, first serving on the cadet training ship Chindwara.

The four-year cadetship was engaged mostly on the Indian sub-continent trade routes to Japan, Australia, the Gulf and East Africa. A variety of services included school cruise liners, cargo/passenger ships and general cargo ships.

In 1972 he joined the RFA Service as a newly certificated Third Officer. After service on a wide range of RFAs, he gained his Master Mariner's certificate in 1979 and was promoted to First Officer.

In March 1982 he was appointed to the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training in the new post of RFA Staff Navigating Officer. However, the appointment was interrupted by the Falkland Island campaign during which time he was seconded to Cincfleet’s staff at Northwood, London to the logistics cell. He was promoted to Chief Officer in 1984 and appointed to RFA HQ from 1986 to 1988 to establish the RFA Training organisation.

He was promoted to Captain in April 1994 and took command of RFA Orangeleaf, in support of UK and NATO warships in the Adriatic. Commands since then have been Sir Galahad, Oakleaf, Sir Tristram, Brambleleaf, Gold Rover, and Black Rover.

He was appointed to the new build of Wave Ruler in January 2002, which was accepted from BAe Systems Ltd on 31 October 2002 and remained as owner Captain until June 2007. In January 2008 he took ownership of Fort Austin, but was curtailed due the vessel entering extended readiness in July 2009.

A recent command was RFA Fort George, in support of the Carrier Strike and Amphibious Groups on the Auriga deployment to the eastern seaboard of the USA and Canada.

He has recently taken Command of RFA Orangeleaf, engaged as FOST tanker until June 2011 and latterly in support of NATO and EU units in support of Op Ellamy, the blockade of the Libyan coast.

Operational service includes the 1972 and 1976 Icelandic Cod Wars; roulement of British Army units to Northern Ireland in 1974 and 1978 and evacuation of UK subjects from Cyprus in 1974. More recently, in support of UK/US units in the Gulf during operation Desert Fox.

Dale has two daughters aged 24 and 26. Main interests are the great outdoors; including hiking, skiing, sailing and gardening.