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C A P T A I N  W  R  C A N N I N G, ROYAL NAVY
COMMANDING OFFICER HMS BROADSWORD
CAPTAIN SECOND FRIGATE SQUADRON
[ Captain Canning ] Building Particulars ] First Broadsword ] Ships Company ]

Captain Bill CANNING was born on 17 November 1930 in Egypt, where his father was serving with the British Army. He joined the Royal Navy in January 1949 and, after early training, served in frigates at home and on the Far East station.

In 1957 he commanded, as a Lieutenant, the minesweeper HMS INGLESHAM and subsequently served in the destroyer HMS CONTEST, the frigate HMS BLACKWOOD, and HMY BRITANNIA.

In 1962 he attended the Army staff course at Camberley and in 1963 his second command was HMS STRIKER, in the Persian Gulf. In 1964 he joined the staff of the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, for two years.

Promoted Commander in 1966, he returned to sea in command of the destroyer HMS CAMBRIAN and followed this with two years in the Ministry of Defense between 1969 and 1971.

As second-in-command of the cruiser HMS BLAKE, he was promoted Captain in 1973 and returned to London for two further years in the Ministry of Defense.

Captain Canning's more recent appointments have included command of HMS NORFOLK and two years on the staff of the Command-in-Chief, Naval Home Command before joining HMS BROADSWORD in October 1981.

Captain CANNING lives in Liphook, Hampshire with his wife. Daphne. They have a 24 year old son who is a Lieutenant in the Royal Marines and a daughter of 21 who is working in London.

Out of uniform. Captain canning's interests include sport generally, trout fishing, wildlife and 'DIY' around the home.