HMS Bangor

Military experience

Born in Kent in 1974, Richard Hutchings was educated at the Colchester Royal Grammar School before graduating from the Universities of Middlesex and Nantes (France) with Honours Degrees and a French Masters in International Finance and Economics. Joining the Royal Navy in 1996 as a Warfare Officer, his initial training appointments included HMS Plover during the handover of Hong Kong and HMS Invincible.

A volunteer for submarines, he qualified in HMS Victorious after initial submarine warfare training. After further warfare and navigation training, he was then appointed to Northwood Headquarters as a Submarine Control Officer. In 2002, Richard returned to the Surface Fleet and was appointed to HMS Invincible as the Assistant Navigator, during which time the Ship completed post-refit trials and worked up to conduct fixed and rotary wing flying operations.

Richard assumed command of HMS Sabre in 2004, one of the 2 fast patrol boats tasked to support the maritime defence and sovereignty of Gibraltar. Subsequently completing the Principal Warfare Officers’ (PWO) Course and specialising in Underwater Warfare, he then served in HMS Westminster as the Operations Officer and PWO(U) from 2007.

A varied operational programme included a deployment contributing to counter-piracy operations, multi-national exercises and support to the UK’s efforts to offer disaster relief to Burma after Cyclone Nargis. On return to the UK, the Ship spent a considerable period as the Duty Towed Array Patrol Ship at high readiness for National Tasking.

Appointed to the staff of the Flag Officer Sea Training as a Staff Warfare Officer in 2009, he was responsible for planning and delivering warfare training both to RN ships and foreign naval units, specialising in anti-submarine warfare.

He assumed command of MCM1 Crew 1, embarked in HMS Blyth in March 2011. In June 2011 he deployed to the Gulf, assuming command of HMS Pembroke. His interests include rugby (coaching and watching), squash and dinghy sailing.