Lieutenant M. R. Hutchinson RN

Michael Hutchinson was born in 1981 and was educated in his home town of Durham.  He joined the Royal Navy in 2001 as a Naval College Entrant.

On completion of Initial Officer Training at BRNC Dartmouth he undertook fleet training in HMS Fearless on her final deployment to the Gulf during OP VERITAS.  His specialist fleet time was spent in Queen Elizabeth II as part of the Merchant Navy Liaison Scheme and then HMS Atherstone, a Hunt class mine hunter.

After completing Fighter Control Course at RNAS Yeovilton he was appointed to HMS Gloucester in 2004 to take up his first compliment appointment, this included Operational Sea Training, Exercise Joint Warrior and a deployment to the South Atlantic.  He joined HMS Illustrious in 2006 as a Battle Watch Director, participating in Aquila 06 in the Indian Ocean, Noble Midas in the Baltic and an intensive training exercise off the east coast of America.  This deployment included the embarkation of a full complement of American Marine Corps Harriers and allowed Illustrious to operate at full capacity.  He has also spent a brief period in HMS Albion as Group Warfare Officer to the Amphibious Task Group during OP VELA.

His next appointment in 2008 saw him stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  This Operational Tour saw him participate in some of the most demanding and interesting operations undertaken in support of the coalition effort to date.  On returning to the UK, he spent just under a year instructing at the Royal Navy School of Fighter Control, prior to undertaking Preliminary Navigating Officers Course at HMS Collingwood in preparation for Command.

He assumed Command of HMS Archer and Aberdeen University Royal Naval Unit in November 2009.

Michael lives in Southsea with his fiancé Gillian.  His interests include cooking and keeping fit, he particularly enjoys squash and cycling.  He has recently taken up gliding and has just completed his first solo flight.