Old Bedian Lieutenant Commander Paul Ottewell RN made a recent visit to St. Bede’s to address the Lit. and Phil. Society on the role of the navy in the modern world. Before speaking to students he was given a tour of the College as he was keen to see how things had changed since he left the College in 1992. After visiting the Chapel and the Lady Corridor to find himself and his classmates on the photographs, he was particularly keen to go backstage in the Academic Hall. Paul had been a member of the stage crew under Mrs Anne Phillips and was delighted to find that, although there had been some changes to accommodate the needs of health and safety, much remained as he remembered it. After lunch in the dining room with some of his former teachers, he gave his talk to the students who were very interested in what he had to say about the work of the navy around the world, not just protecting the coastal waters of the UK, but also helping in the fight against drugs and piracy as well as coming to the aid of those in war zones or victims of natural disasters. Paul joined the navy on leaving St. Bede’s and after university, became a submariner. After a few years he decided to pursue his career in surface ships. A few days before visiting the College, Paul had just given up command of HMS Penzance. After a few weeks leave at home in Plymouth with his wife, Susie (another Old Bedian) and two children, he is due to take up his next command, HMS Ramsay, a minehunter in the Arabian Sea. We wish him well.
St Bede's College
Telephone: 44 (0)161 226 3323
