A CAPTAIN who has helped thousands of youngsters embark on a career in the navy has left his ship.

Commanding officer of HMS Sultan and commandant of the Defence School of Marine Engineering Captain Trevor Gulley has said goodbye to his crew after 34 years in the Royal Navy.

The 55-year-old marine engineer joined the Navy in 1982 after completing a naval architect technician apprenticeship at Devonport Royal Dockyard.

He has since served around the globe including in Portsmouth, Bath, Plymouth and Naples and worked on a number of ships including HMS Invincible and HMS Bulwark before taking the helm at HMS Sultan five years ago.

In June 2014 he was appointed an Aide-de-Camp assistant to the Queen and was later made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) recognising his work leading the Royal Navy's marine engineering training.

As he said his goodbyes he and his wife Priscilla were given a ride around the establishment in HMS Sultan's Super Sentinel steam lorry.

Capt Gulley, from Torpoint, Cornwall, said: “It has been a huge honour and privilege to be the commanding officer at HMS Sultan and commandant of the Defence School of Marine Engineering over the past five and a half years.

“The success and reputation for excellence at HMS Sultan rests very firmly with the many staff, both military and civilian, who work so tirelessly to train Royal Navy air and marine engineer officers and technicians. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all staff for their loyalty and dedication throughout my tenure.

“Equally, and in recognition of the close links between the establishment and the Gosport Borough, I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people of Gosport who have continued to support this site at the numerous events hosted at HMS Sultan.

“As a proud Cornishman I’ve enjoyed a wide and varied career with the Royal Navy. There have been so many highlights throughout the past 34 years and I look forward to many more with all of the fresh challenges that being ‘a civvy’ brings.”

Capt Peter Towell OBE will now take Capt Gulley's place as commanding officer at HMS Sultan and commandant of the Defence School of Marine Engineering.