WAVING goodbye to HMS Drake, the head of the Royal Navy in the South West retired in style aboard a luxury yacht.

Commodore Jake Moores left the base for the final time in uniform after 37 years in the Navy.

 

The former submarine commander has served on the hunter killer Trafalgar Class and the giant Vanguard Class strategic nuclear deterrent submarines, commanded the Faslane flotilla in Scotland and commanded the Royal Navy's officer training centre Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.

 

Most recently he has commanded the Devonport flotilla's 21 ships and submarines in Plymouth.

 

To mark his last day in office his staff organised for Cdre Moores and his wife Julie to depart the naval base on a 45-ft Princess Yacht for the short sail up the Hamoaze to Mayflower Steps on the Barbican.

 

He was waved off by Devonport Flotilla HQ staff and crews of Devonport ships and submarines moored in the naval base.

 

Cdre Moores said: "I have finally come to terms with leaving the Navy after 37 years. I have seen great change in my time. I leave it in better shape.

 

"The Navy is smaller now, but it is more committed, more professional and effective. There are fewer ships, but they are more capable with more armaments, such as the amazing Type 45 destroyers.

 

"I am proud to say Devonport flotilla is playing a strategically important role throughout the world as I speak, in the Middle East and the Atlantic.

 

"My focus has been there because of this presence. The future is very healthy too with the Astute class submarines proving already to have the potential to be hugely capable for years to come."

 

He was inspired by the Combined Cadet Force to join the Navy and, after experiencing life on board HMS Odin, he was determined to join the submarine service in 1981 after graduation.

 

He later brought the submarine HMS Opportune out of refit in Plymouth and passed the famous 'Perisher' training course for submarine commanding officers.

 

Since then he became the first captain of the refitted nuclear armed HMS Vanguard.

 

Cdre Moores said: "I feel privileged to be the first CO of the refitted submarines built to carry the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent and to fire a test missile off the East Coast of the US before going on the first patrol."

 

In retirement he will be busy as a trained mediator, a consultant on leadership and management as well as a consultant to Twofour Group to develop their digital simulation training.

 

He is superseded by Cdre Richard Farrington.