A Message from Our Chair

2 Dec 2022 - Martin Mackey, our Chair, has asked me to publish this message:

“I was delighted to be elected as the MCDOA Chair at the AGM on 25 November 2022 so I’d like to introduce myself. I’ve sent a personal letter to all our members but wanted to provide something for the website.

I’ve been a member of the MCDOA for many years and been in the ‘small ship’ world since the early 90s serving in Tons, Hunts and Sandowns. I’ve also had the honour to command HMS RAMSEY, HMS PEMBROKE, the 2nd MCM Squadron and the UK MCM Force in the Gulf. I’m qualified as a Minewarfare and Clearance Diving Officer and Principal Warfare Officer. Today I’m the Superintendent of Defence Diving and the Head of the Defence Diving Standards Team having taken on that role in May 2022.

This year we celebrated the MCDOA’s 30th anniversary. How we do minewarfare and diving is changing rapidly as the Royal Navy shifts away from using crewed ships to deal with sea mines and underwater threats to uncrewed autonomous systems. I know that when we mark our 50th anniversary, how we did our job yesterday will be very different to how we’ll do it tomorrow. Today we’re going through that change. At the heart of all of this are our people. The need for the MCDOA will be ever present so my ambition is that we to continue to provide a vital link between our past, present and future by fulfilling our aim of perpetuating our “Esprit de corps and comradeship amongst Minewarfare and Clearance Diving officers”.

I’m also keen to strengthen our links with the Ton Class Association, the Minewarfare Association, the RN Clearance Divers’ Association and the Vernon Monument project. I’ve written to their respective Chairs to introduce myself and highlighted that we all share a common bond which I’d like to try and foster during my time as the MCDOA Chair. Responses have been really positive.

Once again, I’m delighted to be the MCDOA’s Chair. I hope I’ll serve our members well and to lead the Association onwards and upwards.

Martin

M C Mackey
Commander Royal Navy”

Our Secretary Kyle De-Banks and Social Secretary Kev Giles with Martin Mackey prior to our recent AGM on Horsea Island

Martin Mackey presenting service leaver Dave Stanbury with his leaving ‘gizzit’ at our recent dinner in HMS NELSON