Meet the Team

Chairman: Robert (Dixie) Dean

Dixie was born in Borstal near Rochester in Kent . He joined the Royal Navy as a boy seaman in 1971 at HMS GANGES as a TAS Rate and completed both the ASW Sonar course and the Underwater Weapons Course at HMS VERNON.  A draft to HMS PHOEBE in the UW Billet shaped his future and after serving on HMS PHOEBE and HMS TRIUMPH he was transferred to the Minewarfare Branch.  He served on a variety of small ships, spent many an hour as an instructor in the Minewarfare Section and was only one of two CPO(MW)s to serve as the SCPO(MW) on the staff of the Fourth MCM Squadron.   On promotion to WO(MW) in 1991 Dixie was appointed to the Minewarfare School  followed by three years on the Saudi Project where he was awarded the MBE in 1998 for ‘Services to Defence Sales Overseas’.  His last job was as the Naval Minewarfare Applicator on the staff of the Director Ships Weapon Engineering at Abbey Wood.  Dixie left the RN in April 2000 to take up employment with the Fleet Publications & Graphics Organisation as the Minewarfare Author.   Hobbies include his allotment growing veggies, his two grandchildren, DIY and the MWA Southern Dit Sessions.

Vice Chairman: Taff Reader

Taff joined the Navy in 1971 initially as a UW prior to becoming a founder member of the Minewarfare branch on its formation in 1975. Realising after nearly 38 years that the navy is not the life for him, he is due to call it a day in March 08. He will however continue to be a purveyor of Minewarfare Specialists to the fleet, as a civilian in the role of Minewarfare Manager at the training school. A position he has held on and off on occasions over recent years.

Membership Secretary: Wayne (Pony) Moore

Pony was born in a small town called Much Wenlock where he still lives today, Married to Gill for 25 years who gave him 3 beautiful daughters, Taryn, Robyn and Kirstyn. He re- joined the RN in 1981 and joined the elite MW branch, serving on HMS Upton, HMS Bronnington, HMS Bossington and HMS Nurton from AB up to PO(MW). He also served on two HUNT's; HMS Quorn and HMS Ledbury (In which he served during Op Granby - Gulf war 1) and also a Sandown Class, HMS Grimbsy and a P2000 HMS Exploit. He became MCM1 Squadron Chief and was promoted to WO(MW) in 2002. Now in his final years of service and his last appointment is FOSTMWTOC (MW School). His hobbies include DIY, painting in water colours and running.

Treasurer: Pete Whitehead

South West England Rep: Dorian (Simmo) Simmonds

Simmo is a legendary Ex CPO(MW)(O).He left the RN in March 2000 after serving the full 22 years.

His ships included HMS Wooton, HMS Soberton, HMS Walkerton, HMS Atherstone & HMS Hurworth with breaks at Vernon, AUWE, Dryad, FOST(MPV) & Caledonia.

He is now working for the Probation Service in Somerset, supervising Offenders in the Community, so nothing changes really!!

Scotland & NI Rep: George Coyle

George trotted into HMS Raleigh in June 1978 where on completing basic and seamanship training then to HMS Vernon to become a 'TAS APE' serving on HMS Jupiter and HMS Torquay.  

Branch changing to Minewarfare in 1982,  He soon found himself drafted to HMS Wilton, then Ledbury and finally onto the Atherstone.  Between these fine floating palaces he spent training and surviving his first encounter instructing babies and killocks at HMS Vernon.  He also spent a short time back at the 'college of knowledge' before a tidy spell working for the Captain of the Port (Portsmouth).  As promised when I hit the CPO (MW)(O) signal, He was hauled back into the school at Dryad instructing Sandown Class PJT's.  The last six years in the Andrew were spent as FOST(MPV) Staff and Squadron Chief to MCM3. He is 'happily' married to Lindy and residing in Helensburgh.

North England & Foreign Rep: John Docherty

John joined the RN as a boy seaman in 1962 and did basic training for 1 year in HMS Ganges. First draft was to HMS Beachampton in the Vernon squadron before being posted to the Far East in a 2nd WW destroyer (HMS Caesar) for 2 years.

After that it was a mix of Leanders and Tons interspersed with the occasional shore drafts.  Later jobs included Squadron Chief to MCM10, Small Ships Operational Sea Training staff and a couple of jobs on the staff of COMMW as the Mining Lead and then the MCM lead.

John left the Andrew in 1992 as a WOMW and is currently working in London through the week as a civil servant in the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA). He lives in County Durham with his wonderful wife Ellen.

Ships Rep: CPO (MW) Antony(Pinta) Beer

Webmaster: Wayne (Ronnie) Barker

Ronnie joined the RN in 1977  serving on frigates and MCMVs as well as the 'Scabby AB' . Several shoreside jobs inc. various AUWE postings, RNR Shoreham, and the 'College of Knowledge'.

Having left the RN in 2001, and gaining a BSc degree and becoming a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Ronnie now works for LSC Group on the Future Sub Programme on the MoD Cost Assurance team in Barrow in Furness.

Living (at weekends) in the Midlands with his wife of 30 years and three sons.