Lieutenant Colonel Neil Willson, Commanding Officer Commando Training Centre, Lympstone
Commanding Officer CTCRM
Neil Willson joined young officer training at CTCRM in September 1985 and then appointed to Troop Command at 42 Commando in Plymouth. Following Arctic Warfare Training in Norway and a tour of South Armagh was selected for and subsequently managed the Royal Marines Biathlon Team. This was followed by specialisation training as a Physical Training and Sports Officer in 1989.
Further appointments followed at the Royal Marines School of Music at Deal, with the Army at NCOs Tactical Wing Brecon, a UN Military Observer tour in Former Yugoslavia in 1990/91 and as the Operations Officer of the Commando Logistic Regiment.
He was then appointed as the Adjutant of 45 Commando Group with subsequent operational deployments to the Gulf and Northern Ireland. With the closure of the Barracks at Deal, was then appointed to play a key role in setting up the new Band Service and School of Music structure in Portsmouth. This was followed with an appointment as the Inspector of Physical Training for the Royal Marines and Secretary of the Royal Marines Sports Association.
An overseas posting to Headquarters ARRC in Germany resulted in a 2 year sabbatical with the Army, initially as a MRLS Battery Commander in 2003/04 with 39th Regiment and then as the Royal Artillery Majors appointer at the RA Manning and Career Management Division at Glasgow.
A return to the Royal Marines followed in May 2005 as OC Infantry Support Company at CTCRM and after 1 year was selected as an Acting Lieutenant Colonel and served in Headquarters Regional Command (South) (HQ RC(S)) at Kandahar during Operation Herrick 5.
He was then appointed as the Second in Command of 42 Commando Group working with 650 extraordinary people both on a Norway deployment to the Arctic Circle and then work up, deployment and recovery of the Unit to Operation Herrick 9 as the Regional Battle Group (South).
He was subsequently promoted to Lt Colonel and assumed the role of Commanding Officer at CTCRM in March 2011.
Married to Melanie and after too many married quarters finally bought a house in Lympstone Village, near Exeter. One daughter, Eleanor and a crazy rabbit. Enjoy all sports (particularly skiing, anything in the water, tennis) and chilling out with family and friends.
