HMS Pursuer

Military experience

Conor O’Neill was educated at King’s College School, Wimbledon and joined the Royal Navy in 1999 as a University Cadet (Warfare). He completed Initial Sea Training in HMS Cornwall and Common Fleet Training in HMS Invincible before going up to Wadham College, Oxford in October 2000 to read for a degree in Modern History and Politics. At the end of his final year he was sponsored by the Hudson Trust to complete a year of historical research into Irish republican terrorism, leading to a Master of Studies degree in 2004.

After specialist training in HMS Cattistock, mainly in home waters, he joined HMS Liverpool as a Bridge Watchkeeper in 2005. During his time onboard she completed Operational Sea Training and deployed twice, first on Atlantic Patrol Task (South) and then to the Baltic Sea in support of a state visit of Her Majesty the Queen to the Baltic States.

Following Fleet Navigating Officer’s Course in 2007, he enjoyed a short but busy assignment as the Navigating Officer of HMS Cumberland during her exit from refit, before moving across to her sister ship HMS Chatham.

Having completed a period of Directed Continuation Training she deployed to the Arabian Gulf in 2008, primarily to act as the flagship for the RN Command of Combined Task Force 158 in the Northern Gulf.

In addition, she also conducted wider duties in support of Operation TELIC and CALASH, including hosting the first meeting between Iraqi and Kuwati naval leaders since the 1990 conflict and a significant narcotics interdiction in the Arabian Sea.

Having returned to the UK, he served on the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training (Mine Warfare and Patrol Vessels) as a navigation sea-rider before assuming Command of HMS Tracker and Oxford URNU in September 2009. There followed 18 rewarding months training regular and reserve officers, both afloat and ashore, the highlight of which was the Summer of 2010 when he acted as Commander Task Unit for the first P2000 deployment to Gibraltar since 1997.

Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in October 2011, he assumed Command of the Faslane Patrol Boat Squadron and HMS Pursuer shortly thereafter.