COMMITTEE members

Vice Admiral Robert Pedre (Vice-Chair)

Deputy Chairman of the Royal Navy Club.

Currently the NATO Maritime Commander. He commanded HMS Cottesmore early in his career and was selected for promotion to Commander in 2009 after which he joined HMS Cumberland as the Executive Officer and Second in Command. He assumed Command of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship HMS Ocean in 2016. A high tempo operational period ensued with an Arabian Gulf deployment including CTF50 Flagship duties, followed by an Eastern Mediterranean deployment as the Flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group 2.

He completed the Higher Command and Staff Course before assuming Command of the UK’s amphibious forces as Commander Littoral Strike Group in May 2020, then in 2022, assumed duties as Deputy Commander UK Strike Force in 2022.

Captain John Cromie

Representative

Bio to be added

Commodore Rob Vitali

Representative

Bio to be added

Captain M Marriot

Representative

Bio to be added

Commander S Bodman

Representative

Bio to be added

Commodore Mike Walliker (Chairman of Trustees)

Mike Walliker is the Chairman of Trustees.

Commodore Mike Walliker retired from the Royal Navy in 2020 after a career spent mainly underwater.  He commanded two submarines and spent two years as “Teacher” before returning to the surface world in 2009, in command of HMS RICHMOND and as Captain ASW.

His last appointment was as Commander British Forces Gibraltar.  He is currently the Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, lives in South Devon and in his spare time is finally attempting to improve his golf handicap.

COMMANDER BRIAN P BOXALL-HUNT O.B.E. (Secretary)

Brian P Boxall-Hunt O.B.E. is the Secretary for the club.

Brian moved to the retired list in October 2005 after 35 years service as a Seaman, and Warfare, Officer and has been secretary of this ancient and auspicious club since 2015 whilst sharing his time working as CEO to the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society. His RN Club office is in the dining room of his family home in Crediton, Devon, and he is usually contactable there on Thursdays and Fridays, although monitoring emails and mobile phone all week. He considers it an absolute privilege to be secretary of a club which uniquely connects those who are qualified for, in command or have commanded at sea in the RN, and as a Club member himself is very much committed to sustaining it for the benefit of the membership.

Lieutenant Commander Dan Briscoe

Lieutenant Commander’s Representative

Dan joined the Royal Navy in 2007 and following initial training he deployed in HMS SOMERSET into the Mediterranean and in HMS GLOUCESTER to the South Atlantic. He was then selected to be the Flag Lieutenant to Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces, deployed into Somalia as part of Op ATALANTA. More recently he joined the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group as the Deputy Staff Operations Officer, generating for and completing the UK’s first operational Carrier Strike deployment, Op FORTIS. 

Having commanded HMS BANGOR and HMS PEMBROKE Dan is currently in command of HMS CHIDDINGFOLD.

Lieutenant Commander Gemma Britton

Lieutenant Commander’s Representative

Joining in 2006, Gemma has spent the majority of her career in T23 Frigates deploying to the Middle East, South and North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Between T23 appointments, she enjoyed a period as a Navigation Instructor in HMS COLLINGWOOD, where she also qualified as a Specialist Navigator and was selected to Command both HMS EXPRESS and Wales URNU.  Selected for Command again, after a period in FOST and on maternity leave, she has now commanded HMS HURWORTH and HMS MIDDLETON, with maternity leave between the two. She is currently commanding HMS LEDBURY.

Commander Jim Masters

Commander’s Representative

Jim Masters is a retired Commander and served from 1983 to 2015.

As a Gunnery Officer he served in a ship with no main gun (Type 22) but consoles himself in the enjoyment of several Type 42s as Fighter Controller and AAWO.  He commanded HM Ships LEEDS CASTLE and MIDDLETON.  His last job was in Operational Policy at Northwood/Main Building.

Since leaving he has been director in a Middle East defence start up and more recently doing business in a number of sectors in Eastern Europe and the Near and Middle East.

Commander Joel Roberts M.B.E

Commander’s Representative.

Joel joined the Navy in 2007 and has spent his entire career in navigation and warfare assignments in Mine Countermeasures Vessels, T23 Frigates, T45 Destroyers, Offshore Patrol Vessels, the UK Carrier Strike Group, and Fleet Operational Standards and Training (FOST) staff. He has previously commanded the Sandown Class minehunters HMS RAMSEY, HMS GRIMSBY and HMS BANGOR, the T23 frigate HMS IRON DUKE, and is presently in Command of HMS SOMERSET.