HMS Enterprise

Military experience

Derek Rae gained his Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Marine Geography from the University of Wales, College Cardiff before joining the Royal Navy in 1994.

Following initial warfare officer training, a natural progression from his degree was to undertake the RN’s specialist Hydrographic and Meteorology course with a subsequent appointment to HMS Herald, conducting surveys in the Mediterranean and the Gulf.

In 1999, he was given the opportunity to spend 2½ years on exchange with the Royal New Zealand Navy with appointments to HMNZS Resolution and as 2I/C of their Detached Hydrographic Survey Unit, operating a multibeam echo sounder (MBES) fitted catamaran; participating in high definition MBES surveys of the shipping routes surrounding New Zealand.

On return to the UK in 2001, he undertook the Advanced Survey Course at the RN Hydrographic School prior to Initial Staff course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College.

A period as Operations Officer in HMS Roebuck followed, conducting Military Data Gathering (MDG) in the Adriatic and Irish Seas.

Appointed as the first Operations Officer in HMS Enterprise he stood by the ship in build before participating in MOD Capability Acceptance Trials. Once the ship was operational, he returned in HMS Enterprise to the Adriatic and also planned the ship's participation in its first major NATO exercise - Destined Glory 04 off the island of Sardinia.

Subsequently appointed to Command the Royal Navy's smallest survey vessel HMS Gleaner in 2005, he was charged with conducting MDG in strategically important commercial and military ports around the UK.

Departing HMS Gleaner in 2006 his first non-seagoing appointment saw him working in London for the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability). During this period he worked in the Underwater Effects Directorate (responsible for HM capability); also seconded to the Ground Manoeuvre Directorate, he was responsible for staffing Urgent Operational Requirements to improve the capability of armoured vehicles used on Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

His appointment to HMS Echo in 2008 as Executive Officer saw the ship deployed to the Far East for 20 months, conducting MDG operations in the South China Sea, and due to the manning routine he had the opportunity to exercise Temporary Command for 1 month in 3.

Brief appointments followed as Directing Staff at the Joint Services Command and Staff College and as a Staff Officer at the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office prior to promotion and selection for Command of HMS Enterprise.