Born and educated in Yorkshire, JC joined the RN in 1997 as a Short Career Seaman Officer. Watchkeeping and navigation duties followed in SHEFFIELD, WESTMINSTER, and
CATTISTOCK before taking over as the Executive Officer of the Northern Ireland Protection Vessel BRECON, conducting anti-terrorism activities Op BANNER. Staff Course and Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) training at MWS followed in 2004.

Appointed to YORK as the PWO(U) in 2005, JC was swiftly 'jumped' to SOMERSET to fill a critical gap. Taking SOMERSET from refit, through Operational Sea Training, trials of the newly fitted Sonar 2087, SOMERSET then joined SNMG2 in the Mediterranean, tasked with Op ACTIVE ENDEAVOR and two major Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercises with accompanying Tactical Development white papers produced. Taking over as Ops Officer was timed with a further deployment with TAURUS 09 to the Far East and a major role in the re-generation of Task Group ASW capabilities, for which JC was awarded a COMUKTG Commanders commendation.

Appointed ashore to MWS in 2010 as the lead C4ISR instructor, this was interrupted by an OpTour to Yemen as the 2I/C of the Maritime Training and Advisory Team, providing assistance to the Yemen Coastguard. An enjoyable if demanding tour, allowed for travel around a unique country, a trip to Socotra a particular high point. Following Yemen came the appointment to the Surface Warfare Officers School, Newport Rhode Island in 2011 as the sole international exchange officer. Providing ASW experience to the US Navy's officer schoolhouse over a three-year period, the biggest challenge mentoring a single Department Head class (PWO equivalent) of 55 students!

In 2014, JC returned to the UK in the position of OiC PWO, at the Maritime Warfare School during a period of ‘revolution’ for the senior warfare professional qualifying course. A further OpTour followed in late 2017, as the RN Liaison Officer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh. Tasked with liaison between the UK Embassy, UKMCC Bahrain, KSA RSNF, KSA MoD and the Gulf Coalition Council over a 6-month period during a critical time for Op RESTORING HOPE, the Saudi attempt to restore a legitimate government to Yemen.

Joining the Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory in 2018 as a Military Advisor (UW Systems) JC was involved in various studies and trials around his ASW and Autonomy,
including an important Capability Investigation into ASW which resulted in the current ASW Spearhead Programme. OpTour again followed in early 2020, when he was lucky to be
selected to be the Chief of Staff for SNMG2 (Mediterranean), led by an Italian 1* embarked on ITS CARIBIENERRE and FASAN (Italian ASW FREMMs class frigates). COVID curtailed
an ambitious international engagement programme, but did allow for extended periods on Op SEA GAURDIAN, a non-Art V maritime security operation aimed at deterring terrorism.

Sep 2022 JC took up his current assignment as ASW desk officer to the Navy DEVELOP Directorate where he is responsible for through-life sponsorship of all ASW related SENSE,
DECIDE and EFFECT capabilities from a General Service and Naval Aviation perspective. Academically he holds an MA in Security and Strategy, from the Centre for Security Studies
University of Hull. A Yorkshire man at heart, he tolerates living in Hampshire, with his two daughters Lottie (20) Caitlin (17) and Sophocles the dog. He enjoys most sports and is a
qualified Badminton England L2 coaching at RN and grass roots.