Al Nekrews dined out on Horsea Island

12 Aug 2025 - I am grateful to MCDOA member David Hunkin OBE for this contribution:

“Recently the Branch dined out Capt Al Nekrews CBE QGM at our Warrant Officers and Officers Mess, Horsea Island as he heads into civvy street.

Al has had a unique career which is unlikely ever to be repeated and fittingly, his leaving dinner turned out to be the same!

An hour or so before kick-off as we all headed to Horsea in mess kit, a message came through. Portsmouth had a deluge of rain which flooded the galley and for health and safety reasons, the staff had all been sent home! Quick as a flash, Cdr Rory Armstrong stepped in and in true MCD style, he was not going to be beaten so he improvised. He jumped on the phone and ordered £400 of pizza!! Cutlery was banned, and we opened an array of boxes to choose our ‘starters and mains’. Great fun and certainly not one to be forgotten – BZ Rory!

Rory also led on the tribute to Al running through an incredible career from stoker to air engineer, PTI, BRNC, small ship navigator, MCD and then an incredible career in frontline EOD that few if any can match. As a mark of the sort of leader Al is, in response he walked around the room recalling tales for every member seated. Some were true, some he clearly made up on the spot!!! Some, (Yorkie Tudor) forgot their rig so ‘Mary the Cleaner’ as he was instantly christened by Al came in for constant abuse all night. You will see from the photos that some other legends of the Branch were also present such as John Dad, Ginge Fullen, Andy Pearce and Yorky Haran to name but a few.

It was a great night and a fitting location to say farewell to a giant of our Branch. He will not entirely leave us entirely however joining the new Naval Special Operations Reserve alongside his new consulting business for which we wish him every success.

In September, many of us will gather at HMS EXCELLENT for his Top Table as a farewell from those from across his career. This however was a good bye from us, his Branch, and he can be rightly proud of the huge impact he has had across our capability.

Farewell, following seas and thank you Al.“

I am sure all members of our community will join me in wishing Al continued health, wealth and happiness in all his future endeavours.