A key member of the team working on the UK’s strategic missile deterrent submarines has received an award for his dedication, professionalism and leadership during long service to the Royal Navy. At the end of 2012, after 33 years of exemplary service, Warrant Officer1 Jeff Griffiths left the Royal Navy having been awarded a valedictory award certificate at Plymouth.
No sooner had Jeff left the Navy and Devonport Naval Base at the end of 2012 then he returned this year in a new guise to join Babcock’s Tactical Weapons Test Organisation within the submarine business.
Captain Paul Methven, Superintendent Submarines for the Royal Navy at Devonport , presented the certificate at a ceremony held on January 9 (Tuesday) and said:
“Jeff has made an immense contribution over many years to ensuring our submarines are maintained to the right quality and get back to sea on time.
“His knowledge of systems and of how to get things done is second to none and we shall miss him.
“But I’m delighted that he is remaining part of the submarine enterprise and that he’ll be able to use and pass on his experience to others in his new career in industry.”
Jeff said:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed serving in the RN submarine service and I’m pleased that I will be able to continue supporting the submarine fraternity in my new civilian post.”
Prior to trading his ID card and Naval Base car pass for Babcock variants, Jeff worked in the Superintendent Submarines team within Devonport.
He was a key part of the delivery of HMS Vigilant’s successful long overhaul and refuel period where, in an example of real joint working between MOD and Industry, he stood in for Babcock’s Weapons Trials Manager as the Test Group Chairman, responsible for ensuring all the commissioning trials for the tactical systems were completed correctly.
A veteran of the Falklands Conflict, Jeff joined up in 1979 as an artificer engineer apprentice, completing his apprenticeship at the naval training establishment HMS Collingwood near Portsmouth and then serving on a number of nuclear submarines including HMS Resolution and HMS Spartan, all of which have now decommissioned.
Rising to the highest non-commissioned rank in the Royal Navy Jeff is well known within the submarine community and especially at Devonport, where he has held a number of jobs helping many submarines through their maintenance periods and back to sea.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, January 10, 2013; Image: Royal Navy