Sailors who faced down missile and drone attacks in the Middle East lead Royal Navy personnel recognised in combined New Year and Operational Honours approved by The King.
Thirty-two men and women from across the Senior Service are named in the end-of-year list, nine officers and ratings specifically for operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Yemen over the winter/spring of 2022-23.
They have been singled out for their efforts either in the line of fire of Houthi rebels indiscriminately attacking shipping – or by directing the complex operation to protect merchant vessels and keep the link between the Middle East and Mediterranean open.
Commander Pete Evans was the Commanding Officer of HMS Diamond during an historic deployment that saw the Type 45 destroyer shoot down nine drones and a Houthi missile. He earns an OBE for his leadership under constant threat of attack during an operation which moved at a relentless pace. He says the award belongs just as much to the 200 men and women under his command for their actions and resolve in testing circumstances.
“I’m incredibly proud of HMS Diamond’s ship’s company, who showed an incredible amount of professionalism and bravery in the Red Sea. It was their actions which kept the merchant mariners in the region safe,” he said. “We were told to stop merchant ships coming to harm and we definitely did that.”
Fittingly several former members of HMS Diamond’s crew are recognised in the honours (they have since left the destroyer, which is undergoing an extensive refit in Portsmouth Naval Base).
Among them is Able Seaman Warfare Specialist M Winton, mentioned in dispatches for his actions. With the pitching of the ship moving at high speed, the darkness, and low altitude of the small targets, Able Seaman Winton picked out an enemy drone, took aim and successfully destroyed it with the 30mm cannon. This manual aiming of the weapon system, unaided by targeting technology, undoubtedly saved the lives of the civilian sailors on board the merchant ship.
Also earning an OBE is Commander Rich Kemp for his role as HMS Richmond’s Commanding Officer during the frigate’s own mission facing down the Houthis. Richmond relieved Diamond while the latter resupplied and underwent maintenance in Gibraltar – for 35 days Cdr Kemp sustained his ship in the highest threat areas, shooting down two attack drones.
The ten months Commander David Armstrong spent as deputy commander of an international naval group in the Middle East spanned the most successful in the history of Combined Task Force 150 with 22 tonnes of illegal narcotics seized by coalition warships, including British frigates HMS Montrose and Lancaster.
Now in command of HMS Iron Duke, which returned home to Portsmouth from patrols just five days before Christmas, Cdr Armstrong receives the King’s Commendation for Valuable Service for “a consummate performance” during his stint in Bahrain where he proved to be an outstanding diplomat “combined with his ability to bring the best out of the team”.
Warrant Officer 1 Nick Ollive is made an MBE for his outstanding service to the Royal Marines, most recently as Corps Regimental Sergeant Major – advisor and confidante to two Commandant General Royal Marines and an exceptional leader for all non-commissioned Royal Marines, particularly important in a time of change. His advice and experience has made “a significant, long-lasting, and game-changing difference to how the Royal Marines operate”.
Commander Teilo Elliot-Smith was in the vanguard of the Royal Navy’s overseas patrol ship programme to deploy a new generation of warships around the globe. As Commanding Officer of HMS Tamar he laid the foundations for the ship’s ongoing long-term mission to Asia and the Far East – a vital element of the UK’s ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ of the past few years and the RN’s permanent return to the region in a generation.
“Trailblazer” Rear Admiral Jude Terry, the first female admiral in the Service, is made a Companion of the Order of the Bath for her “significant contribution” to the Royal Navy and wider Defence in her role as People Director – a challenging portfolio encompassing training, education and recruitment.
