DAVE BUCKNELL

RANK:COMMANDER JOINED: SPECIALISATION:RESERVIST PREVIOUS UNITS:HMS BRAZEN, HMS EXETER

Military experience From a military family (all-be-it the Royal Air Force), DiBs joined the at BRNC Dartmouth as a Short Career Seaman Officer in 1983, with the rank of Midshipman. He spent his Fleet Time in HM Ships Gavinton (where he was involved in live mine hunting operations in the Red Sea, and awarded the General Service Medal) and Scylla. Following Officer Watch Course in 1985 he was let loose on the Fleet as Guns/Corro of HMS Bicester, again involved in live mine countermeasures, this time in the Gulf during the “Tanker war” in 1987.

HMS as Diving Officer was DiBs’ next appointment, followed by HM Ships, Danae, Alderney (As navigator) and Exeter (As Navigator 2). 1993-94 brought the Principal Warfare Officer course, where he qualified as in Anti-Submarine Warfare and was appointed to HMS Brazen as the Operations Officer in 1995.

During his time in HMS Brazen DiBs was involved in Operation Sharp Guard where he was awarded the NATO (Former Yugoslavia) medal. Service with Senior Naval Officer Northern Ireland was next as Chief Of Staff, where a clasp to his GSM was awarded, and then to Principal Joint Head Quarters Northwood as an Operations Controller.

Thereafter DiBs returned to the Fleet as Squadron Warfare Officer (Underwater) to the 4th Squadron (Type 23 ). His final appointment before leaving the regulars was JFHQ where he was a J3 (Operations), Staff Officer responsible for Training and Doctrine.

Seamless entry to the RNR followed in October 2001, with DiBs joining HMS Flying Fox as an Informations Operations Officer. During his time at HMS Flying Fox, he has held various appointments including Unit Training Officer and Executive Officer. Mobilisation to Baghdad working for General Patrius followed in 2007/8, where he was awarded the Op Telic Medal.

On his return he was appointed SO2 of the Above Water Force Protection Branch. After just over 2 years DiBs was promoted to Acting Commander and was appointed SO1 AWFP (later re- named Seaman Reserves).

During his tenure as head of the Finest Fighting Branch of the RNR, DiBs has been responsible for the transition of the most heavily mobilised branch of the RNR into a more structured and effective branch that could better meet the challenges of Future Reserves 2020.

Appointed as Commanding Officer of Flying Fox on 29 November 2012, DiBs relishes the challenge of taking his Ship and Ships Company on its journey to meet the recruiting and retention issues associated with FR20.

In his day job, DiBs leads the C4ISTAR Sales Team at Atkins, and has somehow managed to find the time to marry Rachel, a Staff Nurse on the District Team in Gloucester, where he lives with their 4 girls in the Doomsday Gloucester village of Hempsted.

Additionally he is secretary for Gordon League RFC (Rugby being one of his passions, along with skiing, 20th Century Military History and Golf which he plays to an appalling handicap!)