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Royal Navy boss feared he would be closing base
The outgoing head of Portsmouth Naval Base has revealed he feared it would be axed by the government.
Commodore David Steel today leaves the job he described as 'the pinnacle of my career'.
But he readily admits he feared the gates would close for good when the MoD's naval base review began soon after he arrived in 2006.
He said: 'When I was told I would be coming to Portsmouth it really was like coming home.
'I live in Petersfield and had served here three times before, so it was the perfect appointment.
'The romance of Portsmouth, the base's history as one of the oldest in the world, and its role as home to the majority of the surface fleet were all tremendous positives.
'But when the review began there was the assumption that Portsmouth would be the first base to close if any were. The thinking at the time was that we were not a nuclear base and we were the oldest base, so there must have been less investment in Portsmouth than the other places.
'We were in the centre of a city so upgrade work would be expensive and, frankly, my heart sank.
'Three months after taking this magical appointment I was going to be the officer to close the base.'
So began a huge and ultimately successful rearguard action by local councillors, MPs and The News' Hands off our Base campaign.
Cdre Steel said: 'I realised after taking stock that people didn't understand what the base had to offer.
'Within these walls are 70 organisations, 40 of which support the defence community as a whole – not just the fleet.
'Little by little we started to catch the attention of the decision makers, and it meant that the base made the case itself.
'Coupling our industry with the ethos of Portsmouth, its team approach, was a major factor in the success story we see today.'
By the time the first Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring arrives at her Portsmouth home on January 28, Cdre Steel will have taken up his role with the MoD's Pay Review Body, which he confesses is a regret.
He said: 'Leaving this base and this role is like losing an arm, because of the ties I have made over the years.
'But it is the navy's way and I accept that.
'I am comforted that when I began here in late 2006 there was a community of about 17,000 people working in Portsmouth, and as I leave the figure is about the same.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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