Commander Stephen Walton

Commander Stephen WALTON commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1992, qualifying as a Seaman Officer in 1994 before extensive service at sea in a wide range of ships from Patrol Boats and Mine Hunters, to Frigates, Destroyers and Aircraft Carriers around the globe. He has conducted Counter Terrorist work in Northern Ireland (1994-6), boarding operations, sanctions enforcement and interventions in the Middle and Far East (1997, 2000 and 2001), operations in the North and South Atlantic and Fisheries Protection in UK waters (2004-6).

Ashore he has worked in several higher level headquarters including Navy Command HQ in Mine Warfare and Diving capability management, PJHQ(UK) and overseas in NATO HQs in Naples, Italy and Brunssum, Holland, in both current operations and future plans mostly focused on the Middle East. His operational experience has included several tours of Iraq (2014, 2017 and 2018) and Afghanistan (2001 and 2021) in a variety of roles. When not busy with ‘work’, he is a highly experienced sailor in both dinghies and yachts, a highlight of which was leading the RN team during a circumnavigation of the globe in 2015-16.

Commander Walton holds a Masters in Applied Security Strategy from the University of Exeter where he studied British involvement in the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant. He wishes to extend this research area, but is also keen to examine the Royal Navy’s contribution to Counter-Terrorism Operations in Northern Ireland 1969-1998.