New Commanding Officer for Royal Navy’s Scottish minehunter squadron

The Royal Navy’s Scotland-based minehunter squadron has a new Commanding Officer.

The First Mine Counter Measures Squadron (MCM1), which is based at HM Naval Base Clyde, operates a fleet of seven Sandown Class vessels each of them equipped with the latest in mine hunting technology.

On June 21, outgoing Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Davey, handed-over the top spot to Commander Jools Howe after two years in the post.

Commander Howe has recently returned from a six-month tour in Bahrain as Commander United Kingdom Mine Countermeasures Force, or COMUKMCMFOR.

During that time he was the Adaptive Force Commander, leading the UK / US coalition force in the Gulf which consisted of eight mine hunters, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay, specialist explosive disposal divers with their unmanned surface and underwater vehicles, and the US mine hunting helicopters.

“It is an honour and a privilege to assume Command of MCM1 here on the Clyde,” said Commander Howe. “I am really looking forward to the challenge and using my recent operational experience, and that of the rest of the Squadron Staff, helping prepare the ships and their great people for the full range of forthcoming tasking.”