Andrew presents on Naval and Maritime History and Affairs. He retired in 2023 as a Navy Commander after 46 years of Active Duty and Reserve service with the British Army and Royal and Royal Australian Navies as a specialist in merchant navy and civilian sea trade operations. Andrew has deployed to sea many times as the embarked Naval Liaison Officer on merchant ships. For 17 years he was a presenter and course director at the internationally renowned Australian War College preparing mid-level Australian and international Navy, Army, Air Force and Public Service officers for senior rank. He holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Government, History and Defence with further specialisation in Naval history. Andrew has contributed to journals, books and the Official History of the Australian Navy.

His presentation package includes generalist talks on ships (merchant and warships), the life at sea and maritime folklore and traditions, and specialist historical and maritime affairs talks that can be tailored to a specific cruise program. Andrew also provides expert assistance with onboard ANZAC, Armistice/Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. He is jointly located in Australia and in the UK.

GENERAL PRESENTATIONS

1. A Life on the Ocean Wave
* Naval and sea traditions and folklore: terminology and slang (aka Jackspeak) [lightheartedly converting passengers into sailors]; crossing the line ceremonies; other formal and odd naval ceremonies such as courts martial and sitting for toasts; flags; bosuns whistle/bugle calls; ship's time by bells; gun salutes; uniforms; naval punishments; pirates - old and modern.

2. The Merchant Navy
* Board types of merchant vessels including difference between cruise ships and ocean liners; merchant navy traditions; difference between ship's flag and ownership; officers and crews - jobs. training, employment; careers and their life at sea; merchant ships and the Navy.

3. Protection of Maritime Trade
* Convoys old and new; Naval protection and escort; merchant ship tracking; the changing nature of merchant shipping - containerisation and bulk trades; interesting facts about certain trades; vital cargoes; critical international routes and bottlenecks; just-in-time production/trading and Covid19; unmanned ships.

SPECIALIST NAVAL AND MARITIME HISTORY PRESENTATIONS

* Ultra, Bletchley and the War at Sea
* The Longest Battle (1) - Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1943
* The Longest Battle (2) - Battle of the Atlantic 1943-1945
* The Battle for Norway 1940
* Great Sea Battles (one topic for each presentation)
- Sinking of HMS Hood and KMS Bismarck 1941
- Battle of the North Cape (Norway) and sinking of KMS Scharnhorst 1943
- Arctic Convoys 1941-1944 and KMS Tirpitz
- Malta and Operation Pedestal
- The War at Sea in the Mediterranean 1940-1943
- The Gallipoli Naval Campaign 1915
- Battle of the Coral Sea 1942
- Battle of Midway 1942
- Battle of Leyte Gulf 1944
- Loss of HM Ships Repulse and Prince of Wales and Fall of Singapore 1941-42
- The (alleged) mystery of the loss of HMAS Sydney 1941

SPECIALIST STRATEGIC PRESENTATIONS
- Merchant shipping and global political and economic security
- What is so important about the South China Sea to world security
- Australia and merchant shipping - security vulnerabilities and future directions

All presentations can be mixed/varied to be tailored for specific voyages, interests and/or passenger demographics and each last no longer than 45 minutes. Strong use of graphics in visuals with modest use (due to unreliability issues) of embedded video. Content, while historically accurate according to the latest research, is adjusted where the demographic (such as family orientated voyages) requires some adjustment to mitigate potentially distressing content. Strategic presentations are explicitly the Presenter's own interpretations and views but are delivered in a neutral manner, not imposing a particular view on who is right or wrong.

Qualified teacher with experience in secondary, specialist and university education. 17 years as Presenter and Course Director at the Australian War College. Presentations to audiences up to 1500 persons. Australian Navy lead liaison with the international merchant navy.

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.