Commander M E J Anderson Royal Navy Commanding Officer HMS RICHMOND Commander Mark Anderson was born and educated in Belfast before gaining a degree in Physics from St Andrew’s University and entering the Royal Navy. Early appointments to the Hong Kong Squadron, West Indian Guard Ship and Northern Ireland Squadron were followed by an assignment to the Mine Hunter, HMS LEDBURY as Gunnery Officer, completing his time onboard as a Boarding Officer for the Fishery Protection Squadron. Anderson then joined the Amphibious Assault Ship, HMS OCEAN as Bosun. This included deployment to the Gulf as part of the international maritime response post the attacks of 9/11. Appointed to HMS SUTHERLAND as Navigating Officer in the summer of 2002, Anderson took the Ship from the refit sheds through Basic Operational Sea Training and then ultimately to and from the Persian Gulf as part of Operation TELIC and the War Against Terrorism. He returned to the UK in December 2003 to spend two months completing his Initial Command and Staff Course prior to an enjoyable assignment as Executive Officer, HMS MERSEY. A period of warfare training followed when Anderson specialized in Underwater Warfare. This then led to an assignment as Operations Officer of HMS KENT which included a demanding deployment to the Far East in support of UK counter terrorism policy and diplomacy. Anderson then undertook Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare training for which he the won the Ogilvy medal as top student of 2008. This resulted in a 2 year assignment to the Royal Navy Maritime Warfare School (HMS COLLINGWOOD) as OIC of the Underwater Warfare Training Element. Assuming Command of the offshore patrol vessel HMS MERSEY in February 2011, Anderson conducted maritime security duties and fishery protection around the UK before taking Command of the Falkland Island Patrol Vessel, HMS CLYDE in July 2012. Thereafter Anderson spent most of 2013 working with the Army to help transform NATO’s HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps into an “Integrated Land Command”. Commander Anderson and his family live in Hampshire. His spare time outside the Royal Navy is mainly spent keeping fit and playing the piano, when not providing a taxi service to his 3 sons. .