The Jordan Trophy was presented to the RFA by Lieutenant Christopher Jordan, Royal Navy, who was the first RFA Defensive Weapons Officer for the service between 1983 to 1987.  Senior officers attached to the MOD after the Falklands war quickly realised that the RFA needed a defensive weapons capability and more importantly, a professional to teach the ships crews how to use the weapons effectively.

The Jordan Trophy was presented to the RFA by Lieutenant Christopher Jordan, Royal Navy, who was the first RFA Defensive Weapons Officer for the service between 1983 to 1987.  Senior officers attached to the MOD after the Falklands war quickly realised that the RFA needed a defensive weapons capability and more importantly, a professional to teach the ships crews how to use the weapons effectively.

An approach was made to the Royal Navy to find a suitable candidate and Lieutenant Chris Jordan was loaned to the RFA in 1983, Chris formally established a dedicated RFA Gunnery Course at HMS Cambridge, the RN Gunnery School for live firing at the time.  He also established the RFA Weapon Directors Course at HMS Dryad.  Between 1983 and 1987 sixty two RFA Defensive Weapons Officers (WDO’s) qualified and Engineer officers were attending maintenance courses during the same period.

Chris moved to Flag Officer Sea Training (F.O.S.T.) Staff in order to sea ride the RFA Flotilla in Above Water Warfare (AWW) and continued to train Weapons Crews and the Command Safety team in the efficient and safe practice of live firings.  It was Chris’s intention to promote RFA Above Water Warfare as much as possible, and by awarding this trophy it would maintain and encourage team spirit and keen competition within the service.

Historically, the Jordan Trophy has been awarded every six months for the “best overall performance in AWW, by ships undertaking Operational Sea Training”. During the second Gulf War, the awarding of the Trophy appeared to have declined in importance, and this combined with a subsequent decline in the amount of warfare training in Operational Sea Training, meant that valuable recognition of a ships hard work may not have been identified.  Following discussion within Fleet and F.O.S.T., the Jordan Trophy is now awarded to “the unit that has achieved the most to maintain Warfare Operational Capabilities (OC) and promote warfare awareness within the RFA.  This opens the Jordan Trophy to the whole of the RFA Flotilla, whether the ship is deployed or in UK waters, and hopefully will encourage all Commanding Officers to compete for this award.

The Jordan Trophy continues to be awarded every six months, but is now awarded on the 2nd April and 2nd October each year.  This ties in with ammunition returns and also provides good feedback as to which ships are doing the most to maintain Warfare Operational Capabilities.  In view of the change in eligibility, despite units not having been through Operational Sea Training, ships weapon crews have worked tirelessly in an Operational Environment to maintain a Warfare capability.  This recognises both the hard work and enthusiasm for gunnery shown by the Command Team and Weapons Crews, and recognises the valuable work that has been conducted in an Operational Theatre or deployment throughout the period: subsequently engendering a spirit of enthusiasm and pride in standards of Warfare achieved in the RFA Flotilla.

Whilst it is sometimes difficult to take the trophy out to a ship currently operating away from home waters, the Commodore announces the worthy winner by signal to Fleet and the RFA Flotilla.  A certificate and a photograph of the trophy are forwarded to the winning ship.  The trophy is on display in the trophy cabinet on the ground floor of Navy Command Headquarters, Whale Island, Portsmouth.

Footnote:

After a period of four years on loan to the RFA, Chris was appointed to the Royal Yacht, HMS Britannia as the Boatswain, after which he was appointed to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth as a Divisional Officer.  Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Chris returned to gunnery duties as the Staff Gunnery Officer to Commodore Mine Warfare, establishing a Naval Military Training School in Scotland and sea riding the Minor War Vessels of the UK Flotilla, Hong Kong Squadron, Gibraltar Squadron and the Falkland Islands Patrol Craft.  For his final appointment in the Royal Navy, Chris was head hunted for the appointment as the Ceremonial Training Officer for the whole of the Royal Navy between 1993 and 1999.  This was the busiest period for RN Ceremonial in recent years as it saw the 50^th Anniversary of D-Day, Victory over Europe and Victory over Japan, including all State Events in London and Edinburgh. Chris also produced the re-write of the Ceremonial Drill Book (BR 1834) for the Royal Navy, and in 1997 he was awarded the MBE.

On leaving the RN, after 35 years service, Chris became the Operations Manager for the Sail Training Association (Tall Ships).  Chris joined the RFA and became the Afloat Training Officer, later to become the Afloat Development Officer, as a First Officer (X) and is responsible for all RFA Ratings and Cadets in training, ensuring that standards are achieved and maintained.  Overseeing the manning of the RFA Training Ship, the BRNC Course at Dartmouth, and all of the New Entry Inductions. The RFA Apprenticeship Course requirements, Ship Affiliations, Awards and Trophies Committee, the RN/RFA Uniform Committee and the Ceremonial Advisor to the RFA Flotilla.

Jordan Trophy Winners