Martin Alabaster
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral
Martin Alabaster CBE
(born 1958) is a retired former senior officer in the British Royal Navy
.
. He later joined the Royal Navy
and entered Britannia Royal Naval College
in Dartmouth
, at the rank of Midshipman
in January 1977. Martin completed his Naval General Training, and then went up to Queens’ College, Cambridge to read Engineering.
. He later attained an MSc in Electronics at Southampton University and then became the Project Manager for Seawolf missile development. He also returned to the Britannia Royal Naval College
as a Senior Divisional Officer. Whilst in the rank of Commander
, he spent some time in HMS London
as the Weapon Engineering Officer as well as acting as Naval Assistant to the Chief of Fleet Support
.
His promotion to captain saw him in the role of Assistant Director of Combat Systems, Communications and Electronic Warfare and he became the first Director of Equipment Capability. In 2001 he became a member of the Royal College of Defence Studies
. He was promoted to Commodore and spent three years in the Defence Procurement Agency in Abbey Wood as the Head of Project Management. He then spent a further two years in the Fleet Headquarters as Assistant Chief of Staff (Engineering), responsible for all aspects of engineering and safety in ships, submarines, aircraft and establishments of the Fleet Command. He then once again returned to Britannia Royal Naval College
, Dartmouth, as commander of the facility. He left this role when he was promoted in September 2008 to Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland
(FOSNNI) and Flag Officer Reserves, stationed in HM Naval Base Clyde. This position made him the Royal Navy’s senior officer in Scotland with representational duties everywhere north of the M4. As Flag Officer Reserves he commands the Royal Naval and Royal Marines Reserves. He was appointed CBE on 11 June 2011. He then retired from service on 9 September 2011.
.
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Martin Alabaster CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1958) is a retired former senior officer in the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Early life
Alabaster spent his early years in Devon, Pembrokeshire and Hampshire but for the majority of his upbringning lived in south London. There, he attended Dulwich CollegeDulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
. He later joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and entered Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, at the rank of Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
in January 1977. Martin completed his Naval General Training, and then went up to Queens’ College, Cambridge to read Engineering.
Naval career
Alabaster took up his first sea appointment as the Weapons Section Officer in HMS BristolHMS Bristol
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Bristol, after the English port city of Bristol: was a 48-gun ship launched in 1653, completely rebuilt in 1693, captured by the French in April 1709, recaptured two weeks later and sunk. was a 54-gun fourth-rate launched in 1711. She underwent...
. He later attained an MSc in Electronics at Southampton University and then became the Project Manager for Seawolf missile development. He also returned to the Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
as a Senior Divisional Officer. Whilst in the rank of Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
, he spent some time in HMS London
HMS London
Thirteen ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS London, after the city of London. Another has been named HMS Loyal London:*HMS London was a 40-gun East Indiaman purchased in 1636 and listed until 1653....
as the Weapon Engineering Officer as well as acting as Naval Assistant to the Chief of Fleet Support
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
.
His promotion to captain saw him in the role of Assistant Director of Combat Systems, Communications and Electronic Warfare and he became the first Director of Equipment Capability. In 2001 he became a member of the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
. He was promoted to Commodore and spent three years in the Defence Procurement Agency in Abbey Wood as the Head of Project Management. He then spent a further two years in the Fleet Headquarters as Assistant Chief of Staff (Engineering), responsible for all aspects of engineering and safety in ships, submarines, aircraft and establishments of the Fleet Command. He then once again returned to Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, Dartmouth, as commander of the facility. He left this role when he was promoted in September 2008 to Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland
Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland
The Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland is a senior post in the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is based at HM Naval Base Clyde and the holder of the post is the Royal Navy’s senior officer in Scotland with representational duties everywhere north of the M4. The...
(FOSNNI) and Flag Officer Reserves, stationed in HM Naval Base Clyde. This position made him the Royal Navy’s senior officer in Scotland with representational duties everywhere north of the M4. As Flag Officer Reserves he commands the Royal Naval and Royal Marines Reserves. He was appointed CBE on 11 June 2011. He then retired from service on 9 September 2011.
Personal life
Martin Alabaster married Moira Bain, a professional violinist and viola player, with whom he has two children, Hugh (born 1995) and Maddy (born 1997). His main residence is in Bradford-on-Avon, in Wiltshire, with a second home in HelensburghHelensburgh
Helensburgh is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde and the eastern shore of the entrance to the Gareloch....
.