Officer in Charge

David Noakes RNR Lieutenant Commander David Noakes RD MSc FCIS Royal Naval Reserve

Lieutenant Commander David Noakes joined the Territorial Army on leaving school and learnt to drive very large lorries. In 1989 he joined the Royal Naval Reserve, initially based at the former HMS CERES near Leeds and then HMS EAGLET (Liverpool) and HMS PRESIDENT (London) before returning to the newly opened CERES Division in Leeds in 2005 as the Unit Training Officer. He became the 1st Lieutenant in October 2009 and was selected as the Officer in Charge, CERES Division in January 2011.

As a member of the Logistics Specialisation he has undertaken many exercises and courses including sea time in HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and FS SIROCO and has spent two operational training periods as Flag Lieutenant to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet.  He was mobilised in January 2009 and served in Djibouti for six months in support of the EU sponsored anti piracy mission.

In his civilian career, David is the Company Secretary of a marine towage company based in Middlesbrough. He has an MSc in Financial & Legal Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.

David is married to Catherine, a Reader in Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds. They have one young son, Simon and live near Thirsk, North Yorkshire.