Adrian Nance

Commodore (retired) Adrian Nance OBE is a former Royal Navy officer.

Adrian Nance was educated at Eltham College. He graduated from Birmingham University with a BSc in chemical engineering in 1976.

Adrian Nance was Commodore of the Royal Navy Maritime Warfare School based in HMS Collingwood from 2004 to 2006. He was commanding officer of HMS Ark Royal from 2003 to 2004. He commanded the Sixth Frigate Squadron based from HMS MONTROSE from 1997 to 1998. Nance was appointed an Additional Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Military Division, in June 1991, for his service as Commander aboard the destroyer HMS Cardiff in the first Gulf War. During the 1991 Gulf War, HMS Cardiff's Lynx helicopter claimed two Iraqi TNC-45 fast attack craft, two ZHUK fast patrol craft and one Landing Craft resupplying Iraqi forces in Saudi Arabia. He was one of the youngest commanding officers in the Royal Navy when he was promoted to command of the destroyer HMS Nottingham. He was twice the senior anti-air warfare officer for British forces in the Gulf Tanker war, and was awarded the General Service Medal (Gulf clasp). He survived the sinking of HMS Sheffield in the Falklands Conflict in 1982. HMS Sheffield was part of the task force sent to the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War. She was struck by an Exocet air-launched anti-ship missile from a Super Etendard aircraft belonging to the Argentine Navy on 4 May 1982 and foundered on 10 May 1982. Nance was awarded the South Atlantic Medal in 1982. He is a Life Vice-President of the Royal Naval Association. Since retiring he has founded the Wings Like Eagles charity, whose purpose is to send helicopters faster to disasters in southern Africa.