The excellence of military personnel serving with the Royal Navy’s amphibious task group has been recognised at a medal ceremony in Plymouth.
Long Service and Good Conduct awards were presented to three officers at Royal Marines Stonehouse by Rear Admiral Robert Tarrant, Commander of Maritime Operations (COMOPS) for the Royal Navy.
The LSGC awards mark 15 years of highly professional service and are awarded on recommendation of commanding officers. Further deserving service is marked by the award of bars.
The task group comprises assault ships such as HMS Albion which use their landing craft to land Royal Marines and vehicles from the sea.
Lieutenant Commander Anthony Wallace said: “The award of a LS&GC medal is very welcome recognition of my career. It is a particular honour to be presented it by COMOPS - I look forward to adding a bar for further time served.”
He joined the Royal Navy in January 2000 following graduation from the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall with a degree in industrial geology he worked in the off-shore oil industry.
Initial Sea Training was in the former Plymouth warship HMS Chatham during operations in Sierra Leone followed by training in a frigate HMS Iron Duke and mine hunter HMS Atherstone.
After training as an officer of the watch he joined Plymouth-based HMS Albion and saw the then new class of ship through sea trials and her initial deployment on operations.
He completed warfare officer training prior to joining the mine hunter HMS Hurworth as operations officer. Anthony then joined HMS Chiddingfold as second-in-command and took part in fishery protection and a deployment with a NATO mine counter-measures task group.
Following a principal warfare officer’s course he re-joined HMS Albion before working in the UK Maritime Command HQ in Bahrain.
He returned to sea in HMS Lancaster in 2013-14, a period which included an Atlantic deployment, prior to joining the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation in Devonport Naval Base before joining the task group.
Lieutenant Commander Andy Patrick, hydrographer/meteorologist, said: “I think the award of the LS&GC is nice recognition of the dedication, work and loyalty that I have given to the Royal Navy over the last 21 years.”
He joined the Navy in 1996 as an operator mechanic rating and his first ship was HMS Southampton on Arabian Gulf deployment to the Arabian Gulf.
He progressed to HMS Sutherland for his second ship and visited the Falkland Islands on Atlantic patrol. He enjoyed his time on Sutherland so much that he extended his assignment to take part in a circumnavigation of the globe patrol with other ships.
On his return he was promoted to leading hand and went back to the Falklands for six months prior to bringing the then new HMS Albion out of build.
From HMS Albion he then made the major change to become an officer, by attending Britannia Royal Naval College in 2004, specialising as a warfare officer.
Andy was assigned to the mine hunter HMS Dumbarton Castle as gunnery officer, including a patrol to the Falklands.
He went on to complete the basic hydrography and meteorology officers course leading to deployments with the maritime aviation support force (MASF), the mine warfare battle staff, the Plymouth-based fleet hydrographic unit and Flag Officer Sea Training.
Most of the roles he has undertaken since training as in meterology and hydrography led to him being retained at high readiness and deployed in support of various operations, particularly within the anti-submarine warfare.
Career highlights include the global deployment early in his career, gaining a degree and being drafted at very short notice a joint exercise planning team. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 2016.
