Meet the Committee
Ian Freegard MBE
Chairman
Ian entered as an Assistant Writer in 1975, leaving 35 years later as a Lt Cdr (SD)(S)(W) (in old money) and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management. He served in INTREPID, PENELOPE and BATTLEAXE, SM3 and HM Submarine DREADNOUGHT, OSPREY, FONAC, DEFIANCE and the CENTURION Advisory/CBP Team before promotion to CPOWTR in 1987.
Key appointments as an officer included stints in Hong Kong during the drawdown period, and Portugal as a Staff Officer in the NATO Operations, Plans and Policy Division; Executive Assistant to the Senior British Officer South Atlantic and the Medical Director General (Naval); RN lead for the tri-service personnel administration project (JPA); Deputy Base Logistics Commander (PA) in Portsmouth; Project Officer for Appraisal system rollout; and, Fleet Adjudication Officer for Mobilised Reserves. Ian was appointed MBE in 2000 for services to humanity and retired after a second career with Interserve as Defence Contract South East Area Operations Manager. He lives in Lee-on-the -Solent.
Brenda Ryan
Membership Secretary
Brenda served in the Wrens/Royal Navy from 1975 until 1993 when she left on voluntary redundancy. She then spent 3 years in Cyprus accompanying her husband, Michael which was a great way to start civilian life. On their return Brenda had several jobs mostly centred in Financial Services where she still works today, albeit just 3 days a week.
They now reside in Saltash and have made the West Country their home, loving the pace of life and the area. They love to travel both in the UK and the wider world.
Martyn Cornish
Webmaster
PO(WTR)(SM) Martyn ‘Oggy’ Cornish joined the Royal Navy in September 2004 and was drafted to HMS NELSON Topmast UPO on completion of Writer Training at Ceres Squadron within HMS RALEIGH. It was after completion of this draft that he conducted his Submarine Service training after volunteering at the careers office.
On successful completion of his SM (Dry) training at SMQ South at HMNB Devonport, he joined his first submarine HMS TURUBLENT where he completed his SM (Wet) training which successfully awarded him his ‘dolphins’ and qualified as a ‘planesman’. He then was assigned to HMS TRENCHANT which was out over the Christmas period conducting SM OPS East of Suez (and beyond), however it included two weeks in the Seychelles (A personal highlight of his). After this he was assigned to JSU NORTHWOOD to JTEPS (Joint Tactical Exercise and Planning Staff) which carried out the planning of the Joint Warrior exercises. He then joined JFC Brunssum in the Netherlands where during his spare-time he helped coach the NATO base’s junior football team who were very successful. Selected for promotion in 2013 he passed the PPE and QC for LWTR.
Advanced to LWTR, he was drafted to HMS VIGILANT for a patrol before being assigned to HMS VICTORIOUS gold crew and conducted 2 SSBN deterrent patrols before returning to DMS WHITTINGTON. He then conducted his first 6 month Operational Tour of Bahrain at UKMCC as part of OP KIPION before assigned to HMS NELSON UPO where he completed he attended and passed POWTRQC and POLC.
For his first assignment as a POWTR he was assigned to Joint Force Support (Middle East) in Minhad, United Arab Emirates for his second operational tour as part of OP KIPION. Assigned to HMS TALENT as POWTR in Jan 2019 where he was action planesman and departmental co-ordinator. During COVID-19, he volunteered to be part of OP RESCRIPT at Aldershot Barracks before returning to HMS NELSON UPO. He then was assigned to HMS PRESIDENT to look after the reservists in the London and Eastern England Area. He has now joined the Payroll & Reward Taxonomy Area in the Defence HRS Programme.
Born in Portsmouth, PO Cornish still lives in the street he grew up in. An avid Portsmouth Football Club fan, his other interests include computers, technology and going to concerts.
Pat Prior
Treasurer
Pat joined as a Writer(G) in 1968 and left as a CPOWtr in 1983. She then joined the Reserves the following month as the Writers’ Training Design Leader, and instructed on all the professional qualifying courses. She was mobilised in 2003, retiring in 2005.
A Branch Secretary of the Royal British Legion, she has held positions of County Recruiting Officer and Welfare Worker, and is currently the County Poppy Appeal Co-ordinator and the organiser for five areas.
Widowed, with one son Pat lives in Gosport.
Lyn Gannon
Secretary
Lyn served in the Wrens/Royal Navy from 1976 until 2000 when she was medically boarded (having been medically downgraded for her final 12 years’ service!) due to a back injury and bad knees. She then worked for the RNBT for 17 years, firstly as PA to the CEO then became the Executive Assistant – eventually went part time and became the Office Manager.
Married to Mick (former Army Warrant Officer in the Royal Army Physical Training Corps), they live in Fareham, Hampshire where they enjoy lots of holidays and looking after friends dogs.
Jim Donaldson
Committee Member
After 33 years, 5 ships, several shore bases (primarily as a part of the Scottish Navy!) and a stint in both the Falkland Islands and at BDLS Australia, Jim retired as a CPOWtr in 1997. He has been the SSAFA treasurer for Hartlepool for the past 23 years and is the founding member of the HMS Carysfort Association – his first ship from 1966-69. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 1994. On retirement from the Navy, he worked for 15 years for Santander.
Married and living in Hartlepool, he has 2 children and 2 grandsons.
David Spicer
Committee Member
David left the Navy as a CPOWtr in 1990, having gone full circle in terms of drafting – his first, as a young Wtr was to RN Barracks Portsmouth (later HMS NELSON) and, as a CPOWtr it was his final role as the Centre Desk in the UPO there. In between times, he served in several ships – spent two stints east of Suez totalling 18 months in HMS EAGLE and saw at first hand the traumatic events of the Cod War in HMS CHARYBDIS. He served in two further ships (HERMES and INTREPID) as well as spending time on LFSs in both Naples and Hong Kong. He enjoyed service in various Command HQs – CinCFLEET, FONAC, and CinCNAVHOME.
On leaving the Navy in 1990, David became a Finance Bursar at Trent College until 2008 when he fully retired. He lives near Nottingham with his partner Melody and has three sons. He is a proud and active member of the Derbyshire Freemasonry, and has been for over 30 years.
Tony Webber
Committee Member
Having retired as a Lt Cdr (SD)(W) in 1993, Tony spent the next 10 years as an RO2, finishing his career as the Establishment Security Officer of HMS DRYAD. He was always very active and involved in sports and was the RN Volleyball Secretary for 15 years, and the Adventurous Training Officer for a number of establishments in which he served.
Following his Service career he worked for 12 years as an overseas Expedition Leader to various developing countries. In between Expeditions, he became involved in “Mass Participation Sports Events” as a member of various event Delivery Teams. Triathlon is the sport he was and still is mainly involved with as a British Triathlon Official – at all levels up to and including World Championships.
WO1 Ian McHugh
Committee Member
Ian joined the RN as a MEM back in 1987- seeing the light he transferred into the Writer branch in 1989. He has served afloat in Submarines, Frigates and Aircraft Carriers and his shore service has included UPOs and the Promotions Office, along with Career and Branch Management roles. He is currently serving as the LTO of the Writer Training Squadron at DSLA and is a Co-Opted member of the Committee, offering strategic support and a current perspective on all things “Writer”.
Ian lives in Stubbington with his wife Sarah and daughter Eleanor. He spends his weekends working on his allotment or playing table top role-playing games at conventions around the UK.