Page 116 - OO_2018

It has been another busy year for our military contingent. The forces remain a popular career path for many, with a steady stream of OOs joining the Army in particular. Higher up the chain, OOs have served on operations on the high seas, in the air and on the ground across the globe. A range of interesting command and staff appointments also highlights the valuable contribution that OOs continue to make to our Armed Forces.
Starting with the senior
service, since joining the Navy
in 2002, Lt Cmdr Adrian
Visram (S 98) has been at sea
pretty much the entire time,
serving in all manner of ships
from offshore patrol vessels,
destroyers and aircraft carriers.
He was selected for command
in summer 2016 and since then
has commanded HMS Grimsby
and Penzance, and is currently
in command of HMS Shoreham. He expects to remain deployed for the rest of 2018, before returning to the UK and taking command of HMS Pembroke in early 2019. He recently paid an official call on Commodore Mike Walliker (D 82), who was Commander British Forces Gibraltar.
After spending time with the Royal Navy, Steve Hindmarch has transferred to the Army Air Corps. Col Matt Jackson (G 90) and Capt Tom Arkell (St A 07) were re-acquainted again at the Joint Service Command and Staff College earlier this year after last meeting in Afghanistan in 2012. Following his appointment as Deputy Brigade Commander, Col Matt is instructing on the Higher Command course, where Tom was undertaking the Intermediate Command and Staff course. Lt Col Tony Turner (N 94) and Lt Col Jon Dowd (Lx 90) also continue to serve in the Royal Marines.
Lt Col Sam Cates (Lx 96) has enjoyed a fantastic last 18 months in the Army. Selected for an in-service degree, he attended the University of Cambridge
as a Mountbatten Scholar to study for an MPhil in International Relations and, in the margins, was lucky enough to play in the 128th golf Varsity Match. After a short eight-month stint as SO1 Lessons in Army HQ, he rejoined his old unit and, in so doing, assumed command of 2 Rifles, a light-role infantry battalion, based in Northern Ireland.
Lt Col Mark Mankowski (Sn 94), of the Royal Australian Artillery, has recently returned from the Middle East, where he was working for the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve Headquarters. He enjoyed the opportunity to work for a multinational corps level headquarters, which made for a particularly interesting World Cup! He has now returned to Headquarters Forces Command in Sydney, where he will be looking after training policy for the rest of 2018. In January 2019 he will assume command of 16 Air-Land Regiment.
On to the Guards, Capt Felix Jones (B 09) has taken over the Irish Guards Anti-Tank Platoon, having finished a Platoon Commander posting in
Catterick, where he also completed P Company. He looks forward to training in Kenya later this year. Also serving in the Irish Guards is Lt Ali Humphreys (G 10). Capt Adam Smith (F 06), of the Welsh Guards, is currently working in Folkestone with the MTMC(C). Capt Rob Deering (Sc 06) left the Army shortly before Christmas last year after spending five years with the Coldstream Guards.
From the KRH, Capt Will Wade (St A 07) has been working as SO3 BATUS in Canada. Lt Col Pete Perowne (G 98) is at Advanced Command and Staff course. Lt Col James Cunningham (Sn 95) still serves in the Army.
I have spent the last five months deployed on Op TOSCA in Cyprus as a Platoon Commander. This has consisted of a lot of sport,
endless drinks parties, as well as a bit of patrolling in a very sterile Buffer Zone. I look forward to returning to the UK to take command of a Sabre Troop with the Royal Lancers. Also deployed in Cyprus is Lt George Scrupps (Sc 12) with 2 Royal Anglian and Fl Lt Ed Arkell (St A 06), who has returned to operational duties in the Middle East with 3 (F) Sqn on Op SHADER.
OCdt Pete Dennison (F 11) will commission into the Rifles Regiment. 2Lt Ben Atkinson (Ldr 11) has recently commissioned into the Royal Ghurka Rifles and looks forward to completing his Nepali language course after the Platoon Commanders Battle course in Brecon.
The OO Armed Services Club is no doubt short of a number of Corresponding Members, particularly from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. All serving and retired OOs, as well as those interested in a career in the Armed Forces, are warmly encouraged to make contact with the club by email to ensure they are included in all future correspondence and events.
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THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2017 –2018
NEWS FROM HOME
Armed Forces
By Lt Dom Titcomb (G 11)