Latest news with #GenSirGwynJenkins
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Queen becomes first female Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Queen will on Wednesday become the first woman and the first member of the Royal family to be appointed Vice Admiral of the UK. The honorary appointment, which dates back to the mid-16th century, was made in recognition of her ongoing support for the Royal Navy and the 'high regard' in which she is held by all. Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said it would 'further enhance Her Majesty's relationship with the service'. The announcement was made ahead of the Queen's attendance at a ceremony at Devonport in Plymouth, the UK's biggest naval base, to mark the end of the first 15-year commission of HMS Astute. The Queen is Lady Sponsor of the submarine, and will join the ship's company to celebrate the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history. Camilla, 77, named the hunter-killer sub in 2007 and watched it enter service three years later. Since then, the Queen has written to the 135-strong crew at least once a year, recently sending English breakfast tea and shortbread, which was 'really well received on board'. Office created in 1513 The office of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom was created by Henry VIII in 1513 and the most recent holder was the former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff, the late Adml Lord Boyce. Boyce died aged 79 in 2022, following an impressive naval career that took him from officer cadet to chief of the defence staff in 40 years. He succeeded Sir Donald Gosling, who died aged 90 in 2019, and who was made Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom by Elizabeth II in 2012, in acknowledgement of contribution to maritime life and the Royal Navy. With a deep love of the sea, he long campaigned for a new Royal Yacht Britannia and reportedly left £50 million in his will to the cause. Gen Sir Gwyn said: 'We are honoured to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to HM Naval Base Devonport. Her Majesty's visit has been a tremendous boost to morale, and the honorary appointment reflects the high regard in which Her Majesty is held by all of us.' As Sponsor, the Queen is regarded as a member of HMS Astute's ship's company, attending key moments in the vessel's life and is kept regularly informed of the ship's activities. Commander Christopher Bate, the Commanding Officer of HMS Astute, said crew took enormous pride in Her Majesty's sponsorship of their submarine – and her support for all aboard since she formally named the vessel, as the Duchess of Cornwall. almost 20 years ago. 'Her Majesty The Queen has supported us from the very beginning,' he said. 'She has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work. Her continued engagement with our activities and achievements over the years has meant a great deal to us. 'It is a proud and memorable moment to welcome Her Majesty to HMS Astute and for her to meet our families as we mark the end of our first commission.' On arrival, on the naval base, the Queen will be met by Commander Bate before inspecting a Guard of Honour consisting of submariners. She will then descend onto the deck or 'casing' of the submarine for the ceremony, during which the Ensign and Union flag will be lowered and the National Anthem played. The ship's company will then conduct a 'Cheer Ship' for the Queen – a Royal Navy tradition carried out as a special form of salute. HMS Astute will now undergo a major overhaul at Devonport before returning to the seas for her second commission. The Queen most recently visited the boat during a break in operations in Faslane five years ago. She apologised then that she was unable to shake crew members' hands, due to the coronavirus pandemic – and thanked them 'from the bottom of my heart' for their service. 'I remember so well Aug 27 2010, as we watched this magnificent boat enter into active service,' she said at the time. 'On that day, I half-jokingly wondered if I would ever join you for a dive. 'While that has not yet proved possible, somewhat to my relief, I have taken an enormous interest in your work over the past decade.' In addition to HMS Astute, she is Sponsor of the UK's flagship HMS Prince of Wales, currently deployed to the Pacific, and Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Navy Medical Service and Naval Chaplaincy Services. The King is Lord High Admiral, the ceremonial head of the Royal Navy.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Picking a Marine to run Navy shows China that Britain is serious about amphibious warfare
The appointment of Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, a Royal Marines officer, as head of the Royal Navy is a massive vote of confidence in the 'Future Commando Force' concept by the Prime Minister and Ministry of Defence (MoD) The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, to give Gen Sir Gwyn his full title, is responsible for commanding the 'dark blue' part of the Navy – the ships, submarines and aircraft that project Britain's global maritime power (which has admittedly been eroded by decades of underfunding). But he also commands the 6,000 or so Royal Marines who are expected to storm enemy beaches once safely delivered to combat zones by their sister organisation. The problem in recent years has been twofold. First, that phrase, 'safely delivered'. With modern anti-ship missiles able to reach hundreds of miles out to sea and ubiquitous surveillance from satellites and drones, just getting to the fight has been seen in recent years as a huge problem, one which has focused the minds of those in the Ministry of Defence who wear Royal Navy uniforms. The second problem causing some angst to Britain's naval planners – and particularly those from the Royal Marines – has been how to fight in territory held (or dominated) by an enemy force, even if our own troops can make it safely to the shore. Future Commando Force concept These two issues have led to the development of the Future Commando Force concept: an amphibious group able to defend itself at sea, project force onto land and take the fight to the enemy once ashore. Finding a way to do this effectively in the face of fearsome (mainly Chinese) capabilities that can render such an outfit irrelevant has taken considerable teamwork from both sides of the Navy. Gen Sir Gwyn is seen as the perfect champion to lead this work, having a foot in both camps and a deep understanding of the capabilities of each in the face of a challenge that is worsening daily. Senior Royal Navy officers have already told The Telegraph that Gen Sir Gwyn's appointment is a positive endorsement of the Future Commando Force concept. It marks a significant uptick in the fortunes of the Royal Marines. With the UK re-focused on global conflict after the expeditionary years in Iraq and Afghanistan, some analysts had cautioned that the days of amphibious forces were over. Power projection, they argued, would come from the air, through long-range precision missiles and drones knocking out enemy defences. Regular infantry from the Army could then be dropped off by friendly naval ships to march into the newly-acquired territory. What would the point be of expensive specialised amphibious troops such as the Royal Marines, if the concept of surviving, let alone fighting one's way into such an environment had been rendered irrelevant by technology? To accept that maxim, however, would be an act of self-deterrence and an endorsement of one of the key theories of Sun Tzu as he wrote in The Art of War. The ancient Chinese philosopher theorised that the supreme art of war was to subdue the enemy without fighting. He advocated achieving victory through strategic manoeuvring, diplomacy and the display of military might to make an enemy force decide it was not worth fighting in the first place. The Future Commando Force has looked at this problem and decided against self-deterrence. It is believed that small, aggressive groups, highly supported by technology such as secure communications, drones and radars, and operating in concert when required can get inside an area dominated by an enemy force (under the somewhat clunkily titled Anti-Access/Area Denial, or A2AD, umbrella) and project sufficient power to hold on until heavier forces arrive. Such a force does not come cheap, however, and will require some reorganisation not just of the Navy and Marines, but also Britain's Army, which would be required to offer supporting functions. Cash and the desire for more tinkering with the organisation chart are currently in short supply. However, it is an idea very much in line with current thinking in the US Marine Corps (if not totally bought-into yet by the wider US Navy), the cousins alongside whom Britain's commando forces, based around a core of Royal Marines, might have to fight if China decided to test Taiwan's defences and the world's appetite to reject military conquest. Britain's maritime planners – both Navy and Marine – hope the 'Future' part of the concept will be jettisoned in the Government's long-delayed Strategic Defence Review, currently inching tortuously towards publication this summer. The endorsement of the Prime Minister, through the appointment of Gen Sir Gwyn, suggests that is a likely scenario. The US, and China, will have taken note.
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
General accused of locking away SAS war crimes evidence is made navy chief
A general accused of failing to report evidence of war crimes committed by the SAS in Afghanistan has been appointed as the new head of the Royal Navy. Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins – the first Royal Marine to become First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff – replaces Adm Sir Ben Key, who was removed from it last week while under investigation over allegations of misconduct. However, he has become the focus of controversy this week amid reports that he oversaw the rejection of resettlement claims made by Afghan troops who served with UK special forces. Jenkins also led UK Special Forces (UKSF) in Afghanistan when alleged war crimes were committed and which are the subject of a public inquiry looking specifically at the period between mid-2010 and mid-2013. The BBC's Panorama reported that he had appointed a UKSF officer under his command to assess the Afghan commando applications to resettle in Britain after special forces headquarters was given a controversial veto. Thousands of applications from individuals with credible evidence of service with Afghan special forces were then rejected, according to the investigative programme. It was also previously reported that Jenkins had been warned in writing in 2011 that SAS soldiers were claiming to have executed handcuffed detainees in Afghanistan. Instead of referring the details to military police, he was reported to have placed it in a classified dossier and locked it in a safe. The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment. The general had been in line to become the UK's national security adviser until Keir Starmer last year cancelled the appointment made by his predecessor, Rishi Sunak. John Healey, the defence secretary, said on Thursday that Jenkins was 'a proven leader with a distinguished career in both the military and at the core of government'. 'I know he will deliver in this pivotal role, making Britain secure at home and strong abroad,' he added. In a statement, Jenkins said: 'Throughout my career, I have always been motivated by the vital role the Royal Navy has in keeping our nation safe. 'To do that now, we need to accelerate our return to a war fighting force that is ready for conflict, expand our modernisation efforts and deliver the Royal Navy our nation needs.' The Chief of the Defence Staff, Adm Sir Tony Radakin, described Jenkins as one of the outstanding Royal Marines of his generation, who brought 'a wealth of operational and organisational expertise'. 'In a more dangerous and demanding world, Gen Jenkins has the instincts and ambition needed to continue the modernisation of the Royal Navy, ensuring it can meet future threats and continue to safeguard our nation's security and prosperity,' Radakin said. Jenkins was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1990. After becoming a colonel, he was deployed for 12 months to Afghanistan, for which he was awarded an OBE, and returned to the UK in 2012 as the military assistant to the prime minister, David Cameron. After two years, he was promoted to brigadier and took up a civilian appointment in the Cabinet Office as the deputy national security adviser for conflict. After returning to the military in 2017, he took command of 3 Commando Brigade, overseeing operational deployments around the world, and was promoted to major general in 2019. In August 2022 he was appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff and promoted to general. Since August 2024, he has been the strategic adviser to the defence secretary. The appointment was made as the activities of UK special forces in Afghanistan came under the spotlight again this week, after former personnel accused colleagues of committing war crimes there and in Iraq, making the allegation that they executed civilians including a child. Members of the Special Boat Service (SBS), the Royal Navy's elite special forces regiment, are accused for the first time, along with soldiers from the SAS. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the department was fully committed to supporting the independent inquiry relating to Afghanistan. 'It is not appropriate for the MoD to comment on allegations which may be within the scope of the statutory inquiry, or to speculate on outcomes,' they added.
