HMS Tracker

Military experience

Samuel Nightingale was educated at New Mills School and Goldsmiths' College, University of London. He joined the Royal Navy in 2003 as a Direct Graduate Entrant, completing Initial Sea Training in HMS Cumberland and Fleet Training in HM Ships Invincible and Shoreham before joining HMS Walney as the Gunnery Officer in 2005.

During his first complement appointment he took part in numerous Mine Warfare Operations in UK waters, and as far afield as the Black Sea.

Further Officer of the Watch appointments followed in the destroyer HMS Nottingham and frigate HMS St Albans, which brought operational deployments to the South Atlantidic, Mediterranean, Baltic and Middle East. As part of the RN Boarding Team during the deployment East of Suez in 2010 he joined the struggle against the illegal maritime trade of narcotics and piracy, and helped provide support to the critical oil infrastructure in the Gulf.

Returning to the UK for the Fleet Navigating Officer’s Course in the summer of 2010, he completed an enjoyable assignment as the Navigating Officer of HMS Tyne in the Fishery Protection Squadron, with responsibility for patrolling the UK's Extended Fisheries Zone.

Samuel joined the Faslane Patrol Boat Squadron and assumed Command of HMS Pursuer in April 2012. In September 2012 he was promoted and assumed Command of the Squadron and subsequently HMS Tracker