32nd MCDOA Operational Updates and Dinner
23 Nov 2024 - This year’s events were made particularly special owing to the distance such members as David ‘Topsy’ Turner, Jason White QGM and Allan Rankin had travelled to be with us, i.e. South Korea, Algeria and Australia respectively.
The day’s events started with some early arrivals gathering in the Officers, Warrant Officers & Senior Rates Mess on Horsea Island before sitting down for a free lunch in the dining room.
After lunch, we wended our way to the Reclaim Conference Room in Bridge Building for the afternoon’s Operational Updates.
Lt Cdr Dave Bailey, Chief of Staff to the Commander Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron, kicked things off with an update on his squadron’s activities.
Lt Cdr Nick Court, Commanding Officer X-Ray Sqn Units 1 & 2, then provided an update on MTXG (Mine & Threat Exploitation Group).
Cdr Rory Armstrong, Commanding Officer DTXG (Diving & Threat Exploitation Group), then delivered an update on his group’s activities.
Lt Cdr James Oxley, Commanding Officer of DTXG’s Portsmouth & Devonport-based Bravo Squadron then described Operation Foster, last February’s disposal of a Second World War German 500kg bomb unearthed in a back garden in Plymouth.
Cdr Chris Stephenson, RN Development Capability Sponsor for Mine Warfare, Diving & Maritime Explosive Ordnance Disposal, then briefed on Mine Countermeasures and Maritime EOD.
Finally, Cdr Mark Shaw provided a Ministry of Defence overview of RN Mine Warfare & Diving capability.
As last year, the standard of presentations was superb and we owe a debt of gratitude to all the speakers for giving up their valuable time, as well as Ali Aindow, our Treasurer, for organising the briefs despite being absent on duty for the actual day.
Later in the day, 84 members and their guests assembled in the wardroom at HMS EXCELLENT for the annual dinner, organised by Kev Giles, our Social Secretary. We were met with kick-starting glasses of gin & tonic kindly sponsored by SMP (Submarine Manufacturing and Products Ltd). Our Guest of Honour was Honorary Capt Sir Robin Knox-Johnstone RD RNR, seen here with Defence Diving Standards Team members Roz Lunn and John ‘YoYo’ Ravenhall flanked by their boss Martin Mackey (MCDOA Chair & Superintendent of Defence Diving) and Yours Truly (Rob Hoole - MCDOA Vice Chair & Webmaster).
As usual, the evening started in the bar.
We then moved into the dining room where, as customary, the members of HMS NELSON’s Volunteer Band accompanied our entry with their usual panache. The food, cooked by Head Chef Marcus Elbourne and his team, was delicious and the service, under the direction of Maître d’ Leanne Miller, was faultless. The company, of course, was perfect and the atmosphere couldn't have been more convivial.
After the port, kindly sponsored by JFD (an amalgamation of James Fisher Defence and DIVEX), and the loyal toast, the singing started at its raucous best. As usual, the band members entered into the spirit of the occasion and fully enjoyed themselves, particularly during our rendition of ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’. They always tell me our dinner is their favourite function of the year.
After ‘Ease Springs’, Capt Ben Vickery RN, our President, welcomed our honourable guest and presented bespoke bottles of port to our members leaving the Service: Cdre Peter Laughton RN, Capt David ‘Topsy’ Turner RNZN who is coming to the end of 30 years in the RN followed by 20 years in the RNZN, and Cdr Richard Talbot RN. The toast ‘Absent Friends’ was also made in memory of those members who have crossed the bar since we last met: Cdr John Arrow RN (Superintendent of Diving and MCDOA Chairman 1995-98), Cdr John Grattan OBE RN, Cdr Chris Deere OMM RCN and Lt Cdr Gerald ‘Pincher’ Martin RN. Ben also mentioned the members present of LMCDO ‘74 (Geoff Goodwin & Stu Harper) celebrating their 50th anniversary, LMCDO ‘79 (Tim Curd, Allan Rankin & Colin Welborn) celebrating their 45th anniversary plus LMCDO ‘84A (Steve Marshall) and LMCDO ‘84B (Chris Ameye, Jon Chapple & Peter Greenwood) celebrating their 40th anniversary.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, our guest of honour, then delivered a speech recounting his early days of service as an RNR officer in the Merchant Navy, particularly in the Gulf, and some highlights of his round-the-world sailing career.
It was then back to the bar for the final stage of the evening before we dispersed our separate ways.
As ever, we owe a huge debt of thanks to Kev Giles, our Social Secretary, for organising such an amazing evening and to his fellow committee members Alex ‘Snowie’ Snow and Ali Aindow for providing him with such incredible support.
This announcement was published in this morning’s Telegraph:
