Captain honoured by the Queen
HONOUR Captain Jock Alexander with his former ship HMS Illustrious at Greenwich
A PORTSMOUTH Royal Navy flyer was awarded the OBE for his work with aircraft carrier fast jets today.
Former Sea King pilot Captain Jock Alexander will receive the honour from the Queen at a Buckingham Palace ceremony.
‘This was totally unexpected,’ he said.
‘I’m proud and grateful but would stress that this was a team effort by a hugely talented group of officers who are passionate about naval aviation.’
Capt Alexander’s award is in recognition of two years he spent at Portsmouth’s Command headquarters, during which he played a crucial role in the development of the Royal Navy’s new generation of fixed wing jets.
The letter from the Palace said he was held in the highest regard across the international defence community for his professional integrity and expertise.
‘Your cheerful, unstinting and selfless dedication was exceptional and in the finest traditions of the service,’ it added.
Capt Alexander, who is originally from Kilmarnock, in Scotland, joined the navy 1977, earning his helicopter pilot’s wings seven years later.
In addition to his OBE, the 51-year-old received a Bronze Star Medal in 2008 – the fourth-highest combat award in the US armed forces – for a deployment to Iraq, during which he was involved in Op Charge of the Knights to retake Basra.
He has also been a member of the Royal Navy’s Alpine Skiing team, as well as playing rugby for RN & RM Scotland.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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