Rob Garner was educated at Saddleworth School and Greenhead Sixth Form College. He joined the in September 2004, shortly after completing his A-Level exams.

During his time at Britannia Royal Naval College, Rob completed Initial Sea Training in HMS INVINCIBLE, joining the for part of her final deployment. After passing out from the College in August 2005, he completed his Common and Specialist Fleet Time training in HM Ships CHATHAM and ENTERPRISE. This included participating in events to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, survey operations in the Arabian Gulf, and a patrol in the South Atlantic.

Selected for navigation training, in March 2007 Rob commenced his first complement appointment as the Navigating Officer in the HUNT Class minehunter HMS LEDBURY. There followed 2 very enjoyable years, firstly on Fishery Protection tasking round the UK, before re-generating the Ship’s mine warfare capability and deploying around the Mediterranean and north west Europe with the Standing NATO MCM Group 2.

Rob joined the Type 23 HMS PORTLAND in March 2009 as Officer of Watch 1 half way through the Ship’s OP CALASH deployment to the Indian Ocean. For the next 4 months PORTLAND operated in the vanguard of coalition efforts to interdict the transport of illegal narcotics across the seas from Asia, and made a significant contribution to the safety of merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden, sweeping the Somali coastline, capturing and arresting pirates on numerous occasions. On return to the UK, Rob completed the Fleet Navigating Officers course, and stepped-up to become the Navigating Officer in PORTLAND in January 2010. From April to November 2010 the Ship undertook a wide-ranging Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South) deployment, which included 4 months’ patrol tasking around the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, participation in a Fleet Review to mark the bicentenary of Chilean independence, Anglo-US counter-narcotic operations in the Pacific, a transit of the Panama Canal, and finally defence diplomacy work in Ghana. In 2011 PORTLAND supported navigation and warfare training exercises around the UK and off , and made high-profile visits to the Pool of London and the Netherlands.

In January 2012 Rob joined the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training (Mine Warfare and Patrol Vessels) as a Staff Navigator. Throughout 17 highly rewarding months on the Staff, Rob delivered sea training to mine warfare and patrol ships in the UK, and also travelled to Bahrain and the Falkland Islands numerous times to conduct training on ships in theatre.

Rob lives in Saddleworth, on the edge of the Peak District National Park, and within striking distance of his home city of Manchester. He has avid interests in history, British and international politics, current affairs, cars, music and sport. A keen runner, cyclist, swimmer, and gym-goer, when times allows he prefers nothing better than getting out and climbing mountains in the English Lake District and Scottish Highlands.

Rob had the honour of assuming command of HMS SCIMITAR in July 2013.