Douglas 'Oscar' Whild

Name: Douglas 'Oscar' Whild

Rank: Lieutenant Commander

When and why did you join the Navy?
I joined on the 19th October 1981. I was working in a timber yard doing labouring work. It was winter and freezing cold and I realised I couldn’t do that job for the rest of my life. On my lunch break I saw an advert for the Royal Navy in the newspaper and thought it was a good career choice and something I could do until I was ready to retire.

Which ships have you served on, and which was your favourite?
HMS Broadsword, HMS Battleaxe, HMS Brazen, HMS Brilliant, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Minerva, HMS Brecon, HMS Invincible, HMS Alderney, HMS Leeds Castle and HMS Victory.

HMS Victory is my favourite ship to serve on as it is the oldest commissioned warship in the world still in service. Also being the Commanding Officer gives me loads of different opportunities to do things not normally available to most people, such as visiting Buckingham Palace, meeting royalty and attending VIP events.

Where you serving now and what is an average day for you?
I am serving in HMS Victory and I am the Commanding Officer. I arrive at work at around 7.30am and usually go straight into sorting through all the emails. I get an awful lot of emails which need addressing, I also work with my PA to do admin type work such as answer any questions we may have had from the website and reply to any letters. Apart from spending far too much time at the computer, I also attend meetings, both onboard and off the ship and manage my staff who have to deal with the many day to day aspects of running a popular tourist attraction. I try to walk around the ship often to make sure it’s clean and neat and ready to be open to the public. If there is a VIP event on in the evening, I will make sure the Great Cabin is set up and the ship is ready for the guest’s arrival. I will meet the band and photographer and talk to them. I will then greet the Admiral and the guests. After dinner I will take the guests round for a tour of the ship, finishing around 11pm.

My day to day worries are about the safety of the public, the ongoing maintenance of the ship and replacement of wood where it has become rotten. There are also staffing issues for both the Naval personnel and the Civil Servants.

What qualifications do you need to do your job?
You need a very good naval background for the ceremonial and Flagship duties. Good management skills are essential as I have to manage 47 staff (Naval and Civil Servants). Good communication is important as well as I have to be able to communicate with all levels of people, from royalty downwards. Because of the long hours, you also have to be very dedicated.

What was your job before?
Well my job before this was as the Ships Facilities Co-Ordinator in Semaphore Tower here in Portsmouth. This meant I was responsible for looking after the requirements of modern warships, making sure they have enough fuel and water etc. I also looked after foreign ships when they came in to dock. I sorted out their programs, organized cocktails parties and made sure they had everything they needed. I was there for 5 years and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
To get the job as Commanding Officer of HMS Victory I had to have an interview with the Second Sea Lord. I think there were about 5 or 6 in the final selection process but he obviously liked me! When I started here I had to do a lot of reading up about Nelson and had to learn more about the ship as I didn’t know that much before. Then we had the handover and that was it, I was the Commanding Officer. I have been here for 2 years now.

What is the best part about being in the Navy?
The best part is having the chance to go to places you would never get to visit. I’ve been to places I would never have dreamt of going such as the South Atlantic; it’s always very windy there! Also the South Sandwich Islands, they are very remote. The islands are British territory and whilst carrying out an inspection, I was the 1st recorded person to set foot on one of the islands! I thought they should name the island after me, but clearly they didn’t!

Also another good part of being in the Navy is being able to work your way up and better yourself. As a young sailor I would never of thought I could get to be a Lieutenant Commander, let alone CO of HMS Victory.

What is the worst part of being in the Navy?
The worst part is having to leave your family and friends for long periods of time.

Where’s the best place you have visited with the Navy?
The West Indies were good, especially Paradise Island, Nassau in the Bahamas. That is a fabulous place. I didn’t have to pay to go there and I got paid whilst I was there, brilliant! Also it was a very interesting place to be. In Mombassa Africa, we took an overnight train to Nairobi, and I still remember waking up to see the sunrise over the African Bush. That was amazing!

Have you won any medals, and if so what for?
Yes I have won 5 medals. One for the Falklands Islands conflict in 1982 and I was also mentioned in dispatches for bravery. I was doing my basic training in 1981, and there was a gap in the training so I got sent to HMS Broadsword for a deployment to the Far East, we had just got to Gibraltar when the Falklands started. I wasn’t trained properly as I had only been in the Navy for four months, so the only job that was suitable for me was to be on the upper deck with a rifle. This was recognized and I received my "Mention in Dispatches" for bravery under fire.

I was also very slightly injured. Something shot out of a plane and hit the top button of my Arctic clothing near my neck. Whatever it was that hit me in the neck, had enough power to break through the button and to propel the bits through 6 or 7 layers of clothing into my arm. I wasn’t hurt badly as I only had a scratch on my arm, but I was taken down to the sick bay to be treated anyway. A message was then sent to say that I had been injured. However there was a mix up in the message and my parents received a letter saying I was badly hurt and would be returning on the hospital ship. They then drove down to Southampton to meet the ship but of course I wasn’t on it! The next day there was a feature in the paper with the title ‘Hero missing in action’ with a picture of my Mum & Dad holding up a picture of me!

I have also got medals for the Gulf War and Air Operations in Iraq, the Queens’s Jubilee and a Long Service and good Conduct medal.

Have you met any interesting people since being in the Navy?
I’ve met a lot of the Royal family, I’ve met the Queen four times, and I also served with Prince Andrew. In terms of other famous people, I have met Robert Hardy, Sid Little, Tommy Steele to mention but a few. I also meet loads of interesting people at the dinners I attend.

What would you be doing in you weren’t in the Navy?
I’d be an electrician, I think I might do that when I leave the Navy, I’ve always liked fixing things.