HMS Express

Military experience

Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire in 1979 Jon Browett’s first taste of the Royal Navy was as a student at Cardiff university where he joined Wales University Royal Naval Unit as an honorary Midshipman in the RNR. Following successful completion of a degree in Marine Geography he continued his work with the URNU as a Training Officer until committing himself to a full time career in the Royal Navy in 2002.

Following completion of Initial Officer training he undertook Fleet Training in HMS Invincible, HMS Atherstone, HMS Glasgow and a brief exchange appointment to the Republic of Singapore Ship Persistence before completing the Preliminary Navigating Officers course and taking up his first complement appointment as Navigating Officer HMS Walney.

Qualifying as a Fleet Navigating Officer directly on completion of his appointment to Walney Jon returned to sea as Navigating Officer HMS Southampton. Joining Southampton on her way to the South Atlantic he completed a deployment to the Falkland Islands taking in the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of America and Africa before returning to the UK and spending the remainder of his time on board in waters closer to home conducting core syllabus training and a number of high profile visits.

As Southampton entered extended readiness Jon made the move to the West country, indulging his long held loves of teaching and navigation he took up an appointment as Head of Navigation at Britannia Royal Naval College. During his time at the college he was responsible for the implementation of the navigation element in an all new entry and training system as well as the design of a bespoke Warfare Officer Foundation course, aimed at improving the capability of junior Warfare Officers through training and into their first complement appointments.

During his time at Dartmouth he also conducted a short tour appointment to HMS Liverpool, returning to the luxury of a Type 42 Destroyer as stand in Navigator bringing her out of refit and completing his pre PWO training.

By taking up an appointment in Command of HMS Express and as Officer in Charge Wales University Royal Naval Unit in March 2010 Jon has returned full circle to his naval roots in Cardiff and to Command the Ship that cemented his desire to join the RN.

Jon is married to Trudi, they have a young daughter Evie (Nov 2009) and a small scruffy terrier, Chester. They now live in Wales where most of his spare time is spent keeping an ageing van roadworthy and an ageing boat seaworthy and not indulging his other passions for sailing, windsurfing and rugby.