Your Shipmates
This site is predominantly for those who joined BRNC in September 1985, and was set up by those in that intake and they remain the focus of the reunion cycle but we are happy to have Half Term Flights and anyone else who was part of the College in that final term of 1985.
Please do take a few minutes to add your profile here. For those who have already added a profile, feel free to update us all on how much of the last few years was spent recovering from the last reunion and any other notable events since your last update/ posting.
So, scroll down and take a look at what your old Shipmates have been up to for the last 38 (and counting) years.....
Click here to download a full list of our entry.
Click here to download a list of the Sep 85 Holdover Entry
Click here to download the BRNC Sep 85 List of College Staff and OUT's at BRNC and on DTS.
Given that the turnout in 2022 reflected the uncertainties of the past couple of years, we are keen to make it to 100 shipmates in 2025. So please do refresh the content here and pass on the message to anyone else who may not be aware of the website and the BRNC 85 social network.
All profiles will be checked before they go live which will mean that there may be a short delay...go to the NAAFI or the Gunroom, have a half of Websters and check back later!
Jim Ross
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Food and Drink |
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Comment:
Is it really 5 years since the last get together! |
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| Which Division were you in?: | Cunningham |
| Best memory of BRNC: | You lot of course! |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Trying to brasso damp cannons on the parade ground at 6am! Why was I doing that in the first place? |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: Working in the food and drink industry and raising a family. | |
Guy Sidford
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Enterprise Architect |
|---|---|
| Which Division were you in?: | Blake |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Getting back from PLX to find my cabin mates had a hot bath run and a cheese cheese tostie waiting. Bliss! |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Getting to Sandquay with minutes to spare and realising that I had forgotten something - how many steps were there? |
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What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?:
Joined the IT industry working for some of the biggest companies out there. Currently lead Architect for a global cloud offering. I did my BSc in Geology I would have studied at Bangor if the Holdover offer had not come through. When not working usually found arguing with my youngest son or off in woodland flinging arrows at some target or other. |
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| Anything of note happen since you attended the last reunion?: What reunion? | |
Mark Slade
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Pharma Sales |
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| Which Division were you in?: | St Vincent |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Being told DTS was Invincible and we were off to the Carribean! |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | EMAs - never got used to getting up that early in the morning! |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: Left in '91 slightly early due to eyesight,(I see no ships!). Joined Pharmaceutical industry and have been selling drugs ever since, (GSK and now Eli Lilly). Married to Liz with 3 boys, Tom (12), Ed (10) and Will (7). | |
Paul Sterriker
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Company Director |
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Comment:
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| Which Division were you in?: | Blake (of course!) |
| Best memory of BRNC: | How can you pick one? Finishing PLX felt pretty good, but doing 2 lengths to pass my swim test as I was so slow that the PO thought I'd done 4 was awesome! |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Coming down with Appendicitis during a lecture. The definition of a pain in the arse! |
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What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?:
Decided to resign at the beginning of 1987 following a car crash and missing out on 6 weeks of OOW course. Marriage seemed preferable to fishery protection duties. Decided to make love, not war! Started my first business in \'89 setting up a contract cleaning company, set up a creative marketing company back in \'96 and set up my current medical staffing business in \'02, which is going pretty well. Been married 21 years now to Lisa (we met in \'86 whilst home on a weekend pass from HMS Minerva) and have two great sons, Joshua, who\'s now coming up on 24! and is a qualified Operating Department Practitioner and Lewis who\'s 22, graduated last year and is now working in the family business. Despite playing in goal and up front for the college football team I took up rugby at 24 and enjoyed 10 great years of concussions and manual facial re-arrangement before a torn ACL finally brought it to an end. The big thing these days is Tennis and the occasional round of golf when invited. Really looking forward to seeing the class of \'85 again and to hearing about what everyone\'s been up to since. |
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| Anything of note happen since you attended the last reunion?: Married for 26 years now! Boys are 22 and 23 and both working in the family business. Still playing tennis on the rare occasion when all parts are in semi-operational order. Looking forward to the 30th reunion and hopefully to seeing even more of you scran-bags than last time. | |
Richard Swarbrick
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Head of Service Redesign, NHS Devon |
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Comment:
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| Which Division were you in?: | Blake |
| Best memory of BRNC: | The Team (especially Bursars and Grad Tech)! |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Jumped-up Pusser staff officers |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: Wafu-warfare (moved my helo, golf-clubs and bar, to my entire satisfaction, around the globe - wouldn't have missed it for the world!) with lots of Joint experience including NI, JHQ and Staff college as DS and PMC. Left 2008 to join NHS as senior management in commissioning and service redesign, cancer lead and Armed Forces NHS/Mil healthcare national champion. married to wonderful Susie (2/O Elcomb) with Catherine (16) and Edward (6). | |
Neil Tumber
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
| Which Division were you in?: | Blake |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Learning to drive the boats on the river |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | I don't have a worst memory. I was enjoying it all |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: Being a global industrial director for Bunge - one of the world's largest agribusiness companies. I had the privilege to travel the world! | |
Derek Turner
| Which Division were you in?: | Blake |
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| Best memory of BRNC: | - |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | - |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: - | |
Adrian (Tel) Venables
Then
Now
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 1 |
| Occupation: | Academic |
| Which Division were you in?: | Hawke |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Plates of chocolate digestives at stand easy and gallons of Pimms in the Senior Gun Room bar |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Divisions and the run from Hawke to Sandquay to be in time for river lessons |
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What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?:
Having left as a PWO (CEWI) after 24 years, I exploited my experience to move into the cybersecurity industry. Work as an employed and self employed consultant drew me back into the RNR working in Cyber Operations. For my mid-life crisis I decided not to buy a motorbike and instead did a PhD. That resulted in an appointment back in uniform at the Defence Cyber School (as it then was) in the Defence Academy as their Lead Academic Instructor. The RNR cyber role also introduced me to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia and their cyber exercise programme. After a number of years travelling regularly to Estonia I emigrated there after accepting a job at the Tallinn University of Technology where I am now the Director of the Cybersecurity Masters Programme and Head of their Satellite Ground Station. Following retirement at 55 from the RNR, I was recruited into the Estonian Defence Force Reserve Cyber Defence League, so I am sort of still serving, but under different colours. Teaching commitments prevent me from travelling to the UK during term time, but I hope you enjoy the 40th reunion at HMS EXCELLENT. |
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Tim Waters
Now
| Occupation: | Headmaster |
|---|---|
| Comment: Pity I can only make the dinner.... | |
| Which Division were you in?: | Hawke |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Sailing out past the Castle on one of the yachts |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Only 3 of us left at end of PLX and all that kit to carry off. |
| What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?: 6 Years at Oxford (mainly rowing). Vol Ret mid way through Grad Tech in 1988. Realised that there were not going to be any diesel-electric boats soon (and that's why I'd joined). And I was hopeless anyway. Tried teaching as a "gap job" but loved it. Taught at Abingdon and Portsmouth Grammar. Have been Head of Royal Wolverhampton School and now Trinity School Teignmouth. Marriage number 2 (this one's working) with 3 sprogs. Going grey and wondering what the next 25 years hold. | |
Iain Whyte
Then
Now
| Occupation: | Royal Navy |
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| Which Division were you in?: | Cunningham |
| Best memory of BRNC: | Escaping DTS to sail round the Caribbean on Adventure (Nich 55) |
| Worst memory of BRNC: | Senior Mids rounds and watching neatly ironed and squared away clothing disappearing out of the windows towards the tennis courts at the back of D Block...rescrub! |
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What have you been doing for the last 39 years!!?:
With the exception of 2 years career break to go back to University, have continued RN career, working in a broad range of jobs from supporting Royal to a variety of training projects, more recently have been on the staff at BRNC, briefly in the Maritime Battlestaff and latterly as a Requirements Manager for an Integrated Project Team. Currently doing pre-deployment training for more travels in September this year. Now living on the edge of the New Forest, married to Natasha with 2 boys, Tom (5) and Ben (2.5). |
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