HMS Pembroke

Military experience

Chris Allan was educated at Hamilton College and graduated from the University of Glasgow before joining Britannia Royal Naval College in September 1996, specialising as a Warfare Officer.

Having completed Fleet training in HMS Peacock, and York, his first complement appointment was as the Navigating Officer of the Mine Countermeasures Vessel HMS Walney, which included both national and NATO deployments to the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas. In 2001 he joined the Type 23 Frigate HMS Marlborough initially as an Officer of the Watch, deploying first to North America and AUTEC followed by the Indian Ocean. After completing Frigate Navigating Officer’s course and returning to the ship, Marlborough was again east of Suez in 2003 playing a key part in OP TELIC and the battle for the Al Faw peninsula before continuing on to Australasia and the Far East to complete another rewarding deployment.

Chris took Command of the Patrol Boat HMS Example and the Northumbrian Universities Royal Naval Unit in 2004. Time based in Newcastle included deployments around the UK and navigating the River Seine to Paris to participate in the Centennial commemoration of the Entente Cordial with France. In 2005 he took Command of the Patrol Boat HMS Pursuer, in Cyprus, conducting Force Protection duties around RAF Akrotiri and the UK Sovereign Base Areas. On return he completed the Initial Staff Course and the Principal Warfare Officers Course, specialising in Communications and Electronic Warfare.

Warfare appointments included time spent as the PWO onboard the Amphibious Assault Ship HMS Bulwark and in HMS Portland conducting counter piracy operations in the Indian Ocean in 2009. Joining the Maritime Battle Staff, focus remained on the Middle East, first as Staff Coordinator for the European Union based at the Operational Headquarters for the Op Atalanta counter-piracy mission in Northwood before returning to the Arabian Gulf in 2010 as the Deputy Staff Officer Operations to the UKMCC in Bahrain supporting Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Units in theatre.

Chris joined MCM 1 Crew 3 in August 2011, initially taking Command of HMS Blyth before returning to Bahrain in January 2012 and assuming Command of HMS Pembroke.