David Russell (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
David John Russell was born in Leeds
in 1952 and attended Leeds Central High School. He joined the Royal Navy
in 1970 and commanded three submarines and one surface warship during a career in which he reached the rank of commodore
. He was the first Commanding Officer
of HMS Vanguard
, the United Kingdom's first Trident missile
submarine
.
Following the attacks on 11 September 2001, he directed the UK submarine response in the campaign against terrorism when UK submarines engaged terrorist targets in Afghanistan
with Tomahawk cruise missiles. He also developed the strategic goals and produced operational deployment, corporate recource and output plans for the UK fleet. He led the UK effort to rescue survivors from the sunken Russian submarine Kursk
in the Barents Sea
in 2001.
Graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies
in 1995 and the Joint Service Staff College in 1998, he completed the Financial Seminar for Senior Managers at London Business School in May 2002 and joined the Bedford Charity (Harpur Trust)
as Chief Executive in June 2002. In 2004 he gained a first class honours degree in law with the Open University
.
He lives in Bedford
with the youngest of his three daughters.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in 1952 and attended Leeds Central High School. He 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...
in 1970 and commanded three submarines and one surface warship during a career in which he reached the rank of commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
. He was the first Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of HMS Vanguard
HMS Vanguard (S28)
The eleventh HMS Vanguard of the Royal Navy is the lead boat of her class of Trident ballistic missile-armed submarines. The submarine is based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane....
, the United Kingdom's first Trident missile
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
.
Following the attacks on 11 September 2001, he directed the UK submarine response in the campaign against terrorism when UK submarines engaged terrorist targets in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
with Tomahawk cruise missiles. He also developed the strategic goals and produced operational deployment, corporate recource and output plans for the UK fleet. He led the UK effort to rescue survivors from the sunken Russian submarine Kursk
Russian submarine Kursk explosion
On 12 August 2000, the Russian Oscar II class submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea after an explosion. The investigation showed that a leak of hydrogen peroxide in a torpedo led to explosion of its fuel, causing the submarine to hit the bottom which in turn triggered the detonation of further...
in the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
in 2001.
Graduate 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...
in 1995 and the Joint Service Staff College in 1998, he completed the Financial Seminar for Senior Managers at London Business School in May 2002 and joined the Bedford Charity (Harpur Trust)
Harpur Trust
The Bedford Charity is a charity in Bedford, England which is principally concerned with the operation of private schools. The Bedford Charity is the legal name, but it is most often referred to as the Harpur Trust....
as Chief Executive in June 2002. In 2004 he gained a first class honours degree in law with the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
He lives in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
with the youngest of his three daughters.