Captain Michael C M Mansergh CBE RN

“As I complete my final command with the Royal Navy, it has been wonderful to have witnessed the professional development of all who have passed through the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) organisation, from individual officers and ratings who are just at the beginning of their exciting careers, to ships and submarines developing into such effective teams, as they prepare for operations, during the rigours of sea training.

“I am hugely grateful to the military and civilian staff whose dedication has ensured FOST retains its worldwide reputation for excellence.

“I know Commodore Williamson will be supported in the same way, as today's Naval Service looks forward to training our people to operate the very capable ships, submarines and aircraft of the future,”

he said on departing.

Commodore Mansergh is the former Commanding Officer of HMS Collingwood and the Maritime Warfare School, moving to commence the position of Commander Operational Training in August 2013, whilst still based at the Fareham site.

Commodore Toby Williamson MVO Royal Navy will assume his role as Commander Operational Training (COMOT).

He will be based with his small staff in Vernon Building, HMS Collingwood, with responsibility for the delivery of Phase 2 to Tier 2+ individual and collective training through the Maritime Warfare School (MWS), Flag Officer Sea Training (South), Flag Officer Sea Training (North), Captain Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) and with direct linkage to Tri-Service training providers, including the Defence School of Maritime Engineering (DSMarE) and the Defence Maritime Logistics School (DMLS).

Commodore Williamson said of his new role,

“Training for operations is a ceaseless task. What to do is dictated by our potential enemies.

“How much we can do is constrained by resource. But imagination and resolve will determine our ways of training.

“In this sense, I shall seek to harness the professionalism of my whole team to prepare our ships, aircraft and submarines for the challenges they face in the future as much as they have in the past."

Commodore Mansergh was escorted from the establishment on a the limber of a Field Gun which was pulled by HMS Collingwood Field Gunners, through a route lined by personnel across the Fareham site who wished him farewell and bon voyage.