Christopher Clayton

Last updated

Christopher Hugh Trevor Clayton
Born21 May 1951
Allegiance Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Service/branch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Navy
Years of service1972–2007
Rank Rear admiral
Commands held HMS Chatham (1995)
Commodore Naval Aviation (2000)
HMS Ocean (2003)
Battles/wars Falklands War
2003 invasion of Iraq
Awards Mention in Dispatches

Rear Admiral Christopher Hugh Trevor Clayton (born 21 May 1951), is a former Royal Navy officer who served as a Lynx helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. He went on to become a senior naval officer, commanding ships during the Hong Kong handover ceremony and 2003 invasion of Iraq and later serving high-level positions in NATO.

Contents

Early career and Falklands War

Clayton was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead. [1] After school he joined the Royal Navy as an aviator and was appointed an acting sub-lieutenant on 29 February 1972. After flying training, he was then commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 29 November 1973. [2] After being promoted to lieutenant on 16 October 1974, [3] [4] Clayton was selected for a Full Career Commission in 1980,[ citation needed ] transferring to the General List.

On 2 April 1982, the disputed British overseas territory of the Falkland Islands was invaded by neighbouring Argentina. [5] The United Kingdom, nearly 8,000 miles (13,000 km) away, assembled and dispatched a naval task force of 28,000 troops to recapture the islands. [5] [6] The conflict ended that June with the surrender of the Argentine forces; the battles fought on land, at sea, and in the air had cost the lives of some 900 British and Argentine servicemen. [5]

Clayton served on HMS Cardiff, piloting their HAS.3 Lynx helicopter, serial no. 335 or "IVOR", as part of 815 Naval Air Squadron. Cardiff arrived at the islands late in the conflict on 26 May. [7] Cardiff's primary role was to form part of the anti-aircraft warfare picket, using her anti-air Sea Dart missiles to protect British ships and attempting to ambush Argentine re-supply aircraft. She was also required to fire at enemy positions with her 4.5-inch gun. [8]

Clayton piloting Cardiff's Lynx helicopter Lynx 335 HMS Cardiff March 1982.jpg
Clayton piloting Cardiff's Lynx helicopter

On 13 June, around midday, Clayton was performing the routine forenoon clearance search of the area south of the Falkland Sound. [9] Two Argentine Daggers of Gaucho flight [nb 1] spotted Clayton's Lynx and jettisoned their external fuel tanks in preparation to engage. [nb 2] They began strafing the helicopter with their cannons, but Clayton evaded the attacks and managed to escape. The Daggers returned home empty-handed, their original mission had been to attack British positions on Mount Longdon with retarded bombs. [10] After the initial Argentine surrender, Clayton flew the OC of 40 Commando, Lt Col Malcolm Hunt, to Port Howard to accept the surrender of the Argentine garrison stationed there. In recognition of his service during the war, Clayton was awarded a Mention in Dispatches. [12]

Commands

Clayton was promoted to commander on 31 December 1988, [13] then to a captain on 31 December 1995. [14] Clayton commanded the Type 22 frigate HMS Chatham during the 1997 Hong Kong handover ceremony. Hong Kong had been a British colony since 1841, but Britain's lease was due to finish and control was to be handed to the People's Republic of China. Chatham's role was to act as guardship for the royal yacht HMY Britannia, [15] Clayton said of the experience; "There is no sense of withdrawal, this is very much one professional armed forces handing over the protection and sovereignty of Hong Kong to another, the People's Liberation Army. So I look on it as a classic military evolution and one which we hope to do with some style, orderly, and professionally." [16]

He became the first officer to hold the post of "Commodore Naval Aviation" (COMNA), he was based at Northwood Headquarters during this time. [17] The post was created in 2000 to command the newly formed Joint Force Harrier. In 1998, the UK's recently elected labour government reassessed the country's defence needs and published their findings in a policy document titled the Strategic Defence Review. [18] One of its key initiatives was a call for the amalgamation of both Royal Navy and RAF Harriers into one force. [19] This would create a closer harmonization of common operating procedures and maintenance practice. [20]

Clayton commanded the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Ocean was the UK's lead amphibious landing ship, providing sea-based logistics to the Royal Marine's 3 Commando Brigade and acting as a launch pad for their attack on the Al-Faw Peninsula. [21] Her helicopters also played a role in securing the city of Basra. [22] When interviewed about the experience Clayton said; "There's a sense of pride in a job really well done. [Ocean] played a major role in the operations out there. But also we have to remember that we're the lucky ones coming back. Not everyone has. There are many we have to think about, including one of our ship's company who was killed in action, Marine Chris Maddison. Our thoughts will be about him and with his family." [22]

Later career

Clayton became a rear admiral on 30 August 2004 and took a post at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. His role was as an assistant director, in charge of the Intelligence Division of NATO's International Military Staff. [23] [24] The Intelligence Division provides day-to-day strategic intelligence support to the Secretary General; it has no intelligence gathering capacity of its own and therefore relies on input from alliance members. On this basis it could be described as a "central coordinating body" for the collation, assessment, and dissemination of intelligence within NATO Headquarters. [25] He retired on 29 December 2007. [26]

Over the course of his naval career, he attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course and the Higher Command and Staff Course. [24]

External image
Searchtool.svg Clayton in 2006 (far right)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Gaucho flight originally consisted of three Daggers, Lt Aguirre's aircraft had to remain at the Rio Gallegas airbase due to a brake failure. [10]
  2. ↑ A common practice to reduce drag and weight in combat situations. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military of the Falkland Islands</span> Military unit

The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory and, as such, rely on the United Kingdom for the guarantee of their security. The other UK territories in the South Atlantic, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, fall under the protection of British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI), formerly known as British Forces Falkland Islands (BFFI), which includes commitments from the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. They are headed by the Commander, British Forces South Atlantic Islands (CBFSAI), a brigadier-equivalent appointment that rotates among all three services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falklands War</span> Undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982

The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The conflict began on 2 April 1982, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, followed by the invasion of South Georgia the next day. On 5 April, the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender on 14 June, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders were killed during the hostilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Navy</span> Naval warfare force of the United Kingdom

The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force and a component of His Majesty's Naval Service. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services, it is consequently known as the Senior Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleet Air Arm</span> Aviation arm of the Royal Navy

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five RN fighting arms. As of 2023 it is a predominantly "rotary" force, with helicopters undertaking roles once performed by biplanes such as the Fairey Swordfish. It operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike and the AW159 Wildcat and AW101 Merlin for commando and anti-submarine warfare.

<i>Invincible</i>-class aircraft carrier Royal Navy aircraft carrier class

The Invincible class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy. Three ships were constructed: HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal. The vessels were built as aviation-capable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platforms to counter the Cold War North Atlantic Soviet submarine threat, and initially embarked Sea Harrier aircraft and Sea King HAS.1 anti-submarine helicopters. With cancellation of the aircraft carriers renewal programme in the 1960s, the three ships became the replacements for Ark Royal and Eagle fleet carriers and the Centaur-class light fleet carriers, and the Royal Navy's sole class of aircraft carrier.

HMS <i>Ocean</i> (L12) 1998 unique amphibious assault ship of the Royal Navy

HMS Ocean was a Landing Platform Helicopter, formerly the UK's helicopter carrier and the fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. She was designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force. She was constructed in the mid-1990s by Kvaerner Govan on the River Clyde and fitted out by VSEL at Barrow-in-Furness prior to trials and subsequent acceptance in service. Ocean was commissioned in September 1998 at her home port HMNB Devonport, Plymouth.

HMS <i>Hermes</i> (R12) 1959 Centaur-class light fleet carrier of the Royal Navy

HMS Hermes was a conventional British aircraft carrier and the last of the Centaur class.

HMS <i>Invincible</i> (R05) 1980 Invincible-class light aircraft carrier

HMS Invincible was the Royal Navy's lead ship of her class of three light aircraft carriers. She was launched on 3 May 1977 as the seventh ship to carry the name. She was originally designated as an anti-submarine warfare carrier, but was used as an aircraft carrier during the Falklands War, when she was deployed with HMS Hermes. She took over as flagship of the British fleet when Hermes was sold to India. Invincible was also deployed in the Yugoslav Wars and the Iraq War. In 2005, she was decommissioned, and was eventually sold for scrap in February 2011.

HMS <i>Illustrious</i> (R06) 1982 Invincible-class light aircraft carrier

HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and was affectionately known to her crew as "Lusty". In 1982, the conflict in the Falklands necessitated that Illustrious be completed and rushed south to join her sister ship HMS Invincible and the veteran carrier HMS Hermes. To this end, she was brought forward by three months for completion at Swan Hunter Shipyard, then commissioned on 20 June 1982 at sea en route to Portsmouth Dockyard to take on board extra stores and crew. She arrived in the Falklands to relieve Invincible on 28 August 1982 in a steam past. Returning to the United Kingdom, she was not formally commissioned into the fleet until 20 March 1983. After her South Atlantic deployment, she was deployed on Operation Southern Watch in Iraq, then Operation Deny Flight in Bosnia during the 1990s and Operation Palliser in Sierra Leone in 2000. An extensive re-fit during 2002 prevented her from involvement in the 2003 Iraq War, but she was returned to service in time to assist British citizens trapped by the 2006 Lebanon War.

HMS <i>Cardiff</i> (D108) Type 42 destroyer

HMS Cardiff was a British Type 42 destroyer and the third ship of the Royal Navy to be named in honour of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standing Royal Navy deployments</span>

Standing Royal Navy deployments is a list of operations and commitments undertaken by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy on a worldwide basis. The following list details these commitments and deployments sorted by region and in alphabetical order. Routine deployments made by the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines and their location of operations is classified.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Benjamin Bathurst, is a former Royal Navy officer. He has become the only person holding the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, apart from King Charles III, since the death of Lord Boyce. After training as a pilot and qualifying as a helicopter instructor, Bathurst commanded a Naval Air Squadron and then two frigates before achieving higher command in the Navy. He served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1993 to 1995: in that capacity he advised the British Government on the deployment of Naval Support including Sea Harriers during the Bosnian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Fieldhouse, Baron Fieldhouse</span>

Admiral of the Fleet John David Elliott Fieldhouse, Baron Fieldhouse, was a Royal Navy officer. He commanded five submarines and a frigate before achieving higher command from the 1970s. Following the invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentine forces in April 1982, Fieldhouse was appointed Commander of the Task Force given responsibility for "Operation Corporate", the mission to recover the Falkland Islands. The campaign ended in the surrender of Argentine forces in June 1982. He became First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in December that year and, in that role, persuaded the British Government to fund the replacement of ships lost in the Falklands War. He went on to be Chief of the Defence Staff from 1985 until his retirement in 1988.

Commander Nigel David "Sharkey" MacCartan-Ward,, born Nigel David Ward, is a retired British Royal Navy officer who introduced the Sea Harrier Fighter, Reconnaissance, Strike aircraft to service and commanded 801 Naval Air Squadron during the Falklands War. He was known as Mr. Sea Harrier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathon Band</span> Royal Navy admiral (born 1950)

Admiral Sir Jonathon Band is a retired Royal Navy officer who was the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2006 to 2009. Before serving as First Sea Lord he was Commander-in-Chief Fleet. Since becoming First Sea Lord, Band had been a firm advocate of the creation of new ships to meet new threats and maintain the status of the Royal Navy as one of the world's leading naval forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan West, Baron West of Spithead</span> Retired Royal Navy admiral (born 1948)

Alan William John West, Baron West of Spithead, is a retired admiral of the Royal Navy and formerly, from June 2007 to May 2010, a Labour Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the British Home Office with responsibility for security and a security advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Prior to his ministerial appointment, he was First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2002 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 British Army Gazelle friendly fire incident</span> Accidental downing of a helicopter in the Falklands War

On 6 June 1982, during the Falklands War, the British Royal Navy Type 42 destroyer HMS Cardiff engaged and destroyed a British Army Gazelle helicopter, serial number XX377, in a friendly fire incident, killing all four occupants. Cardiff, on the lookout for aircraft flying supplies to the Argentine forces occupying the Falkland Islands, had misidentified the helicopter as an enemy C-130 Hercules. Although the helicopter's loss was initially blamed on enemy action, a subsequent inquiry found Cardiff's missile to be the cause.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the Falklands War</span> Events following the conclusion of the Falklands War in Argentina

The aftermath of the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina affected world geopolitics, the local political culture in Argentina and the UK, military thought, medical treatment, and the lives of those who were directly involved in the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime)</span> Royal Navys contribution to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force

The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (or JEF(M)) (formerly the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), and prior to that the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF)), is the Royal Navy's contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) maintained at very high-readiness and available at short notice to respond to unexpected global events. In addition to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, the JEF(M) also includes elements of the British Army and the Royal Air Force. While it is primarily poised to conduct war-fighting or strike operations, the JEF(M) is capable of undertaking a diverse range of activities such as evacuation operations, disaster relief or humanitarian aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Jones (Royal Navy officer)</span> Royal Navy admiral

Admiral Sir Philip Andrew Jones, is a retired senior Royal Navy officer. After service in the South Atlantic in 1982 during the Falklands War, he commanded the frigates HMS Beaver and HMS Coventry. He went on to be Flag Officer, Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff before being appointed Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. Jones served as First Sea Lord from April 2016 to June 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Who's Who".
  2. ↑ "No. 46138". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 November 1973. p. 14082.
  3. ↑ "No. 46318". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1974. p. 6864.
  4. ↑ "No. 48229". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 June 1980. p. 8994.
  5. 1 2 3 "Key facts: The Falklands War, Introduction". BBC News . Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  6. ↑ "Key facts: The Falklands War, Task Force". BBC News . Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  7. ↑ "Report of Proceedings". HMS Cardiff—The 1982 Ship's Company. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  8. ↑ "2 June 1982". Navy News. Archived from the original on 25 December 2004. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
  9. ↑ "13th June 1982". navynews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  10. 1 2 "13 de Junio" (in Spanish). Argentine Air Force. Archived from the original on 1 April 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  11. ↑ "Chapter 1 of BMGR INRMP" (PDF). luke.af.mil. March 2006. p. XXV (25). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  12. ↑ "No. 49134". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 October 1982. p. 12.
  13. ↑ "No. 51609". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 January 1989. p. 325.
  14. ↑ "No. 54265". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1995. p. 59.
  15. ↑ "HMS Chatham". navynews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  16. ↑ "UK Royal Navy warship takes up position in HK – Turkish Daily News Jun 03, 1997". turkishdailynews.com.tr. Archived from the original on 11 August 2006. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  17. ↑ "Admiral takes over as Harrier supremo". navynews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  18. ↑ "Ministry of Defence: Strategic Defence Review". mod.uk. Archived from the original on 23 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  19. ↑ "RAF Cottesmore – About Us". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "Strategic Defence Review" (PDF). mod.uk. July 1998. p. 119. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "HMS Ocean in line for major refit". mod.uk. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  22. 1 2 "HMS Ocean due home". news.bbc.co.uk. 27 May 2003. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  23. ↑ "Senior appointments 2005" (PDF). Royal Navy: 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 7 October 2006.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. 1 2 "The Navy list 2006" (PDF). Royal Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  25. ↑ "NATO Handbook: Military Organisation and Structures". nato.int. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  26. ↑ "No. 58620". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 February 2008. p. 2915.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.