Lady Captain is delighted to visit Londonderry

Saying she was “very privileged” to be taking part in the Clipper Homecoming Festival, Lt Cdr Oakley also had a special message for the people of Londonderry.

She said the ship’s company were looking forward to going onshore to explore all that there was to offer in the city.

“We had the Foyle Pilot bringing us in and we were talking about the history of the Foyle Pilots with the Battle of the Atlantic. It was very interesting that it has taken the Royal Navy to be a vibrant presence again in Londonderry. It is a privilege to be here and we are looking forward to meeting lots of people from the local are and to joining in all the celebrations in the Clipper Festival,” she said.

“I am proud to be the Captain of HMS Mersey. I joined HMS Mersey on May 26 this year, so I actually have only be in command for a very short period of time, and this is our first PR visit.”

In addition to opening the ship to visitors to the 10-day Clipper Homecoming Festival, Lt Cdr Oakley and her crew hosted an evening reception on board on Saturday evening, and during the day let young and old alike try on key pieces of kit and equipment, including using heat-seeking goggles and on-board fire fighting equipment as well as giving them a tour of the ship and explaining the complex controls on the bridge.

Not normally a job associated with a woman, Lt Cdr Oakley said she had originally studied modern history in university, but had been “very keen to stop studying and get out and do something” with her life.

“The Navy offers you huge amounts of responsibility at a very young age. So, as a very young 21-year-old Deck Officer I was effectively driving the ship on the Captain’s behalf for eight hours to 10 hours plus every day. Driving a multi-million pound warship is very exciting and as you can imagine, is a huge amount of responsibility.

“So, that was me 16 years ago and here I am now, nearly 17 years later, in charge of my own warship,” she said.

As women captains go, Lt Cdr Oakley is one of a small handful of women occupying commanding positions within the Navy.

“We have had a number of women over the last few years. Clearly it has taken time to get people to the right level of experience. My colleague Cdr Sarah West has just taken command of HMS Portland, which is a Type 23 Frigate, so she is the most senior lady Captain leading the way for the rest of us,” Said Sarah.

A Type 23 Frigate, or Duke Class frigate, was originally designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), but the addition of the vertical-launched Seawolf point missile defence system and the Boeing Harpoon surface-to-surface missile, has expanded its role to include anti-surface warfare. HMS Portland, which Cdr West commands, was commissioned in 2001.

Sarah continued: “Then there is myself, here on HMS Mersey, and there have been some lady commanders of smaller ships, the P2000 class models that we use mainly around the UK in-shore waters,” she said.

Asked if she thought she was a good role model for other women, Cdr Oakley said: “I’d like to think so. My philosophy has always been to do my job to the best of my ability and to be professional, and by doing that I now find myself in a position where I’m take command of my own ship.”

The HMS Mersey is an offshore patrol vessel, and while the main duty is to patrol and protect the fishing waters around the UK, she can also be turned out for other more specialist duties when required. She is, however, not the first ‘HMS Mersey’ as that title has previously been conferred on five ships and a shore establishment (in Liverpool) since 1814.