Plymouth College appoints Rear Admiral as Ex-Officio Governor

Published: 28 November, 2011

Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), Rear Admiral CCC Johnstone CBE, has joined the Plymouth College Board of Governors.

Deployed to most parts of the compass during his naval career, Admiral Johnstone, has served as Navigator, Fighter Controller and Principal Warfare Officer in ships ranging from Minesweepers to Aircraft Carriers.  He also served as First Lieutenant in HM Yacht Britannia during an appointment that culminated in the handover of Hong Kong.

Admiral Johnstone has commanded HMS Iron Duke where he was engaged in the Atlantic and the Adriatic, and HMS Bulwark where he undertook operations in the Northern Gulf, Horn of Africa and off Beirut.  He was awarded a CBE for the Gulf Deployment and the evacuation of British nationals out of Lebanon.

Promoted to Captain in 2002, Admiral Johnstone served as the Fleet Programmer within the Fleet Headquarters and was involved with planning for operations in Iraq, the Fire Fighters' Strike, hurricanes in the Caribbean and the tsunami in the Indian Ocean.  Promoted to Commodore in 2007 he undertook a short tour as the Director Naval Personnel Strategy before joining the Ministry of Defence in 2008 as Director of the Naval Staff.  This was closely followed by his appointment as Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Admiral Johnstone is a Member of the Higher Command and Staff Course and the Royal College of Defence Studies.  He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House and a member of the Royal Naval Club of Argyll.  He assumed his role as Flag Officer Sea Training in July 2011.

Plymouth College Chairman of Governors, Chris Robinson, said: "We are honoured and delighted that Admiral Johnstone has joined the Board of Governors.  The Royal Navy has always featured very strongly throughout the life of Plymouth College and Admiral Johnstone's appointment ensures that it will continue to do so in the future."