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Officers ready for ‘duty and service’ after completing training at Dartmouth
19 August 2024
More than 220 junior leaders are ready to serve in the Royal Navy – and many of its friends and allies – after passing out of the spiritual home of the Officer Corps.
Friends and family converged on Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth to witness the latest cohort of men and women to be formally commissioned as naval officers following demanding training.
Some 148 of those on parade – drawn from 14 nations – had completed the journey from civvy street, the 29-week Initial Officer Training Course designed to test a person’s leadership skills, fitness and military bearing on both land and sea.
Alongside them on the college’s famous parade ground overlooking the picture-postcard Devonshire town were 22 Senior Upper Yardmen and nine Warrant Officers selected to commission to the rank of officer, 22 Royal Navy Reserves and 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers ready to take their place in the Navy’s crucial support flotilla.
Guest of honour was Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell, who inspected the divisions and chatted to some of those on parade before addressing all present.
“The foundations of Naval leadership are forged and established here at BRNC, with generations having stood where you stand now.
“They have gone on to serve their country in peacetime and in war, now you follow in their footsteps.
“Take care of yourselves, but importantly, take care of those who you have the enormous privilege and responsibility to lead and if you do that you will be mission ready.”
Among those making the transition from rating to officer after 21 years’ service is former physical training instructor Regaina Crawley, now a midshipman.
“Passing the assessed maritime leadership exercise that concludes the 29 weeks training to become a Naval Officer was the absolute highlight of my time at BRNC,” said the 44-year-old from Portsmouth who will become a training manager once she has completed her instruction at HMS Nelson.
“To be able to continue contributing to the organisation I love, the Royal Navy, is a huge honour.”
Sub Lieutenant Joseph Doyle, age 25 from Bisley in Surrey, is an aspiring marine engineer submariner and the first member of his family to join the military.
“I have enjoyed everything, even the times of adversity but the best part has been the friendships I have made with people from so many different backgrounds and countries,” he said.
Captain BRNC, Captain Andy Bray said that two words defined the commitment of every man and woman passing out.
“Duty and service – words that I know will be going through the minds of every officer on parade today as they commission into the Naval Service – define a naval officer, and the ethos of the wider armed services.
“I am immensely proud of every one of the cadets who are starting their exciting and rewarding careers as Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary or Reserve officers today.
“I am grateful to my excellent staff who have led the cadets through these challenges to meet our exacting standards. I wish the officers commissioning today my heartfelt best wishes”.
The newly-commissioned officers now move on to their professional training specific to their chosen branch or specialisation.