The longest serving Naval Base Commander (Portsmouth) since the Napoleonic era, Commodore Jeremy Rigby, has bid farewell to the Naval Base after six years in post and 37 years of service to the Royal Navy.
Commodore Rigby today handed over the reins to Commodore Jim Higham who will take over the position of Naval Base Commander with immediate effect.
“I have had the immense good fortune to have enjoyed six years as the Naval Base Commander.
“It is the people that make this Naval Base both successful and such a great place in which to work. The future couldn’t be brighter.
“We know we have the Type 45s here; we will have at least one class of the frigates based here; the carriers will be here and we will be looking after the minehunters.
“I wish Commodore Higham the best of luck at such an exciting time.” said Cdre Rigby.
Appointed as Captain of the Base in 2011 and promoted to Naval Base Commander (Portsmouth) in 2012, Cdre Rigby cites HMS Queen Elizabeth’s first entry to the base as his obvious highlight in the role.
“The transformation of the Ship Hall into the Minor War Vessels Centre of Specialisation and the first minehunters going in for deep maintenance, delivering the 15 Dock regeneration project, and the work to establish the Centre of Specialisation for Frigates and Destroyers have also been significant milestones” said Cdre Rigby.
When asked what the Commodore will do next he said: “I am going to have some time off working in the garden, have a gap year and go travelling around South America and the Himalayas.
“Then I might come back and find something rewarding like a charity to work for.”
Cdre Higham was formally the Head of Warship support for Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). Born in Plymouth, he joined Britannia Royal Naval College as a university cadet in 1988 and subsequently studied engineering at Warwick University before beginning his career as a Naval Weapons Engineer.
