Royal Navy's first female admiral celebrates the service's 'incredible women' for International Women's Day

Rear Admiral Jude Terry this year became the first female admiral in the Senior Service’s history in a move she said shattered a century-old ‘glass ceiling’ within the navy.

And today the high-flying officer took to Twitter to champion her fellow female sailors who are ‘achieving amazing things’.

The 48-year-old naval chief said: ‘I wanted to acknowledge the incredible women that are in the Royal Navy who are delivering operational effect whether deployed on ships, submarines, in our aircraft or with the Royal Marines or supporting the front line from the home base.

‘We are blessed to have fantastic women in the team who are collectively achieving amazing things.

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‘I am really proud to have served for 24 years as part of the naval family. It’s given me some fantastic opportunities and some challenges and does the same for everyone who joins, no matter what their race, gender or background.

‘It has made me who I am today. Whatever your role in our modern navy, wherever you are and whatever you have to wear today, you will have a positive impact as part of our team and I’m really grateful to you.’

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The admiral’s comments came as a pair of naval sisters spoke of their time in the Senior Service to mark both International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.

Lieutenant Commander Karen Barnicoat dreamed of becoming a naval aviator and followed her older sister, Anna, into the military.

Joining in 2001, Karen qualified as a warfare officer and after basic training and a foreign exchange appointment at the French Naval College, served at sea in both warfare and ship navigation roles before qualifying as an anti-submarine warfare specialist and Merlin Mk2 helicopter operator.

Anna joined up first in 1997. At just 17 she enrolled as a nurse in the Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Nursing Service, qualifying in 2000 and progressing to Chief Petty Officer rank before receiving a commission as a nursing officer.

She specialised as a theatre nurse and enjoyed postings to Gosport’s Haslar Hospital and Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit Portsmouth at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

She said: ‘I love being in the Royal Navy, I thrive on a challenge and have had some wonderful opportunities so far. As a wife and mum balancing both work and family can be challenging and I am grateful to my husband who is a key catalyst to my success, giving up his own career to be a full-time parent when we started a family.’

Karen added: ‘I’ve enjoyed a huge variety of roles at sea, flying and in staff positions. Like Anna, I love a challenge, meeting new people and learning new things and the opportunities I’ve had have certainly ticked all of those boxes.

‘From flying as an aircrew instructor, flight commander or senior observer, to serving at sea on a battlestaff, in NCHQ as flying training manager or more recently in MoD Whitehall as military assistant to the assistant chief of defence staff (personnel capability), I’ve certainly been kept on my toes and had some fantastic experiences.’

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