Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB, CVO
Peter Wilkinson joined the Royal Navy in 1975 and chose submarines as soon as he could. He served in both diesel and nuclear submarines (Opportune, Onslaught, Resolution and Churchill) before being selected to attend the Commanding Officers’ Qualifying Course. He then commanded HM Submarines Otter, Superb and Vanguard before completing his operational career as Captain of the Second Submarine Squadron. He then undertook a range of staff appointments in London and Portsmouth, including Defence Services Secretary and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel). He retired from the Royal Navy in 2010.
Since retiring, he has been Chairman of the Seafarers Charity and the Forces Pension Society. He was National President of the Royal British Legion from 2012-2016. He also recently chaired the Appeal to build the new submariners’ Memorial at the National Arboretum.
He lives at Warsash with his wife, Tracey, and enjoys watching all sport, working on his family history and fighting the eternal battle against weeds in the garden.
On behalf of Peter Wilkinson
Chairman of The Submarine Family Board
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for inviting me to become Chairman of The Submarine Family Board at last week’s meeting. I look forward to working with you all as we move this important project forward, making sure that it adds value to the current outstanding work of the SA, WRS and the Friends of the Museum, with COSM and his staff drawing in and representing those currently serving.
I was hugely impressed at the meeting by how much has been achieved already and look forward to talking with Chairmen/Presidents/representatives of the various elements to both take stock, and to hear their ideas of what needs to be done next.
Although last week’s meeting covered a lot of ground, I think, in an ideal world, much of the discussion should have been resolved at working group or executive committee level, rather than at a top-level Board meeting. I can see from looking at the minutes of past meetings that this has been mentioned already and I will talk with John Lewis about how we go about actually making it happen. I think membership of the Board and membership of the exco will fall out naturally from those conversations.
After that, we could be in a position to focus on the strategic direction of the TSF (and possibly make changes to its constitution) to make sure that it works as effectively and efficiently as possible for the benefit of everyone in ‘The Submarine Family’.”
Emma Farley, Business Support Officer
Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity
