THE FORMER Commander of a city submarine has taken over as head of Torpoint's Royal Navy Submarine School.

Cdr Kevin Gomm has relieved Cdr Nick Meredith in the post, which is based at HMS Raleigh.

Cdr Gomm joined the Royal Navy in 1978 and since then has served on seven Royal Navy submarines, including two and a half years in command of Devonport-based HMS Trenchant.

He was awarded an OBE in June 2010 recognising his achievements while on board.

The 52-year-old is no stranger to working in a training role. He served as the Senior Warfare Training Officer at the Royal Navy Submarine School from September 1999 and then became the Head of Training at the Devonport Submarine Command Training Facility in 2003.

Prior to taking up his new appointment, Cdr Gomm served as the Devonport Flotilla Submarine Commander at Devonport Naval Base.

Cdr Gomm said: "I am very pleased to be returning to Raleigh and the Submarine School.

"I had a fantastic time here in my previous job in the school and look forward to the challenges of delivering high quality training to the submarine flotilla."

Cdr Nick Meredith took command of the Royal Navy Submarine School in 2008.

He is moving on to take up a new appointment at NATO Headquarters in Belgium.

Cdr Meredith said: "Over the last three years I have been immensely privileged to work with the outstanding people, both military and civilian, in the submarine school and throughout Raleigh.

"This appointment has been the most enjoyable and rewarding one of my naval career to date and will take some beating."

From its base at HMS Raleigh the Royal Navy Submarine School provides training to officers and ratings specialising in Weapons Engineering and Warfare operations.

Courses range from initial professional training to allow submariners to operate beneath the waves to later career courses which prepare personnel for promotion and to use new equipment.