Colonel Tom Blythe

Biography

Tom Blythe joined the Royal Marines in 1989, passing out of the Commando Training Centre in November 1990. As a junior officer he served initially in Northern Ireland with 42 Commando and trained recruits before specialising as a Landing Craft Officer in 1994, subsequently serving at RM Poole and with 539 Assault Squadron as a troop commander and as the Operations Officer.

After completing Junior Division of Staff College he was appointed Adjutant of the Commando Logistic Regiment and deployed to Kosovo as part of KFOR. As a Major he commanded O Squadron within the Fleet Protection Group principally employed on nuclear security operations, but also deploying to the Caribbean in command of a combined UK/US/NL Marine company. His staff experience as an SO2 was focussed almost exclusively at the Joint Operational level with appointments in COMUKAMPHIBFOR, UKMARFOR, and HQ LAND Commitments, culminating with an appointment in Acting Higher Rank as Chief Afghan Development Policy within HQ ISAF.

On substantive promotion to Lieutenant Colonel he gained further command experience as Officer Commanding 9 Assault Squadron on board HMS Ocean taking part in several high profile overseas deployments. Thereafter, he consolidated his operational level and multinational experience with appointments to STRIKFORNATO, EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA, and ISAF Regional Command South West serving on operations in Somalia, Afghanistan and as part of the NATO Joint Force HQ for Libya. Most recently, in direct support of Defence Engagement Strategy, he has been employed delivering export staff courses as part of the Senior Faculty at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, prior to commencing his current role a Defence Attaché to Poland.

Outside of work he is married with 2 teenage daughters.