HRH PRINCE ANDREW
Naval Career, Honours & Titles, Service Appointments
The Duke of York joined the Royal Navy in 1979 on a short service
commission, as a Seaman Officer specialising as a pilot.
He entered Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, where he took the
full range of initial professional training and concurrently undertook the
Royal Marine 'Green Beret' course with the Young Officer's batch of 1979 at the
Commando Training Centre, Lympstone.
He was awarded his Green Beret the week before he passed out of
Dartmouth in front of The Queen at the Lord High Admiral's Divisions.
After passing out of Dartmouth, Prince Andrew went on to elementary
flying training with the Royal Air Force at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire, where he
learnt to fly the Bulldog.
Subsequently he went through basic flying training with the Royal Navy
at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose, Cornwall, where he learnt to fly
the Gazelle helicopter. He received his Wings from The Duke of Edinburgh in
April 1981, as well as winning the award for the best pilot.
After converting onto the Sea King helicopter and conducting operational
flying training, he joined his first front-line unit 820 Naval Air Squadron
before embarking in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier HMS INVINCIBLE.
Only six months later, Prince Andrew was to see active service. Along
with his squadron, he sailed in HMS INVINCIBLE as part of the Task Force that
sailed to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands.
Throughout the conflict he flew on various missions, including
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare search (ASUW). He also
helped in casualty evacuation, transport and Search and Air Rescue (SAR).
After completing his first front line tour in July 1983, Prince Andrew
was appointed to 702 NAS at RNAS Portland in September to convert on to the
Lynx helicopter. On promotion to Lieutenant in February 1984, The Queen
appointed him a Personal Aide-de-Camp.
In May of that year, on completion of his conversion training, he joined
815 NAS as the Flight Pilot in the Type 22 Frigate HMS BRAZEN where he served
until March 1986.
The Lieutenant's Greenwich Course and Helicopter Warfare Instructors
(HWI) Course continued the Prince's professional training, and he returned to
702 NAS early in 1987 as a staff Helicopter Warfare Instructor.
In May 1988, having been selected for transfer to the General List for
officers, he joined the Type 42 Destroyer HMS EDINBURGH as an Officer of the
Watch to earn his Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificates, a
pre-requisite for a General List officer.
After the year's seagoing appointment that included a Far East and
Australia deployment he was awarded his Certificates, and returned once again
to RNAS Portland to form HMS CAMPBELTOWN Flight. He joined 829 NAS in September
1989 and served as Flight Commander until the autumn of 1991.
In 1992, The Duke of York was appointed to the Army Command and Staff
Course at the Staff College, Camberley and, in February that year, was promoted
to Lieutenant Commander.
On completion of the Staff Course he was selected to command the Hunt
Class Minehunter HMS COTTESMORE from April 1993 until November 1994. The Duke
of York returned to flying duties with a refresher course in 702 NAS before
taking up the appointment as Senior Pilot 815 NAS at RNAS Portland, where he
served until October 1996.
The Duke of York was appointed to join the Ministry of Defence, London,
in January 1997 as a staff officer in the Directorate of Naval Operations with
specific responsibility for Frigate and Destroyer aviation.
In January 1999, the Royal Navy
announced that he was to be promoted to Commander and take up an appointment
within the Diplomacy Section of the Naval Staff.
In December 2000 it was announced that The Duke of York would conclude this
appointment in April 2001, before he formally left the Royal Navy at the end of
July 2001.
In July 2005 His Royal Highness was promoted to Honorary Captain in the Royal
Navy.
SERVICE APPOINTMENTS
The Duke of York holds one naval
service appointment:
Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, which he took over from The Duke of Edinburgh
in 1992.
His Royal Highness also holds appointments in the British Army and Royal Air
Force:
Colonel in Chief of the Staffordshire Regiment, one of Britain's line
regiments.
Colonel in Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment, the result of the merger between
two former Irish regiments, the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence
Regiment. (It is the largest infantry regiment in the Army.)
Colonel in Chief of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (a role formerly undertaken by
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).
Colonel in Chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers (a role formerly undertaken by
Princess Margaret).
Colonel in Chief of the Small Arms School Corps.
Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire (1996), the RAF station
next to Gordonstoun School.
The Duke of York has the following Commonwealth appointments:
Colonel in Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (1997).
Colonel in Chief of the Queen's York Rangers (1997), a Canadian militia cavalry
regiment in Toronto, Ontario.
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HONOURS AND DECORATIONS
Prince Andrew was awarded the Silver
Jubilee Medal in 1977.
Prince Andrew saw service in the Falklands campaign and received the South
Atlantic Campaign Medal in 1982.
The Duke of York was awarded the New Zealand Commemoration Medal in 1990.
The Duke of York received the Canadian Decoration in 2001.
Prince Andrew was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on
2 June 2003 to mark the 50th anniversary of The Queen's Coronation.