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Captain Jolyon Woodard


Commanding Officer at Brittania Royal Naval College


Interview by Steph Woolvin T


here is a new man in charge at Britannia Royal Naval College. Captain Jolyon Woodard has


taken over as the Commanding Officer. He started at the college himself as a fresh-faced cadet in 1991 and is thrilled to be back - swapping his dormito- ry for the four-bed Captain’s House. Our reporter Steph Woolvin went to meet him… Captain Woodard or Jol, as he likes to be called,


is certainly at ease in his large office which comes complete with a beautiful view taking in everything from the Higher Ferry to the castle and beyond. You won’t find the traditional Captain’s whisky decanter in the corner of the room but instead a trendy coffee maker. Nor is there any sign of the telescope that used to be handed down from one Commanding Officer to the next in a small but meaningful ceremony. These days a mobile phone is left on the desk and there’s a pat on the back to be going on with! But Jol isn’t shunning all the traditions that come with his highly responsible role. “This place is steeped in history, it’s been helping create bright-minded strong naval leaders for hundreds of years and you shouldn’t mess with a winning formula. But we must remain relevant and continually challenge ourselves to move with the times.” Jol isn’t a stranger to Dart-


mouth, he was born in Truro in 1969 and his family moved here when his dad got a job at the Naval Col- lege flying the Wasp helicopter. He would take cadets up in it to see if they had what it took to be a pilot. At that time Jol was three and went to nursery in Stoke Fleming. He moved to Sussex and later attended Exeter University to study Geography and Economics. His family were back in Cornwall by then and he would of- ten send his washing home for his mum! “I remember one particular weekend I decided to try and get home on my little moped with all my washing on the back. It went at about 16 mph and took me over six hours!” He went onto join the Royal Navy through a bursary scheme. Early in his career he served as the Royal Barge Officer on Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. “I thought it was the best job in world. I used to help take the royal party ashore. One really wet and windy day I was standing to attention, as the Queen was onboard and a huge wave came up over the side and drenched me. I remember she kept look- ing straight at me then walked off. Later, the Admiral came to find me and I thought ‘that’s it, I’m for the chop’, in fact, he said Her Majesty was very impressed with my fortitude… but that next time I was allowed to duck!” Jol joined the Commando


Helicopter Force, affectionately known as ‘the Junglies’, in 1995


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