The Worshipful Company of Engineers, through its charitable arm the Engineers Trust, is honoured to recognise outstanding performance and leadership across all branches of the Armed Forces and their civilian engineering support teams. Awards were presented at the Company’s Awards Dinner on 3rd June 2025.

Services Engineering Postgraduate Award 2025

Awarded to an officer completing a postgraduate technical degree who has achieved overall academic excellence and contributed most to the advancement of technical knowledge or its application through a research project.

Captain Jack Goode RLC has significantly contributed to defence explosive safety as part of his postgraduate study in Explosive Ordnance Engineering.  The primary aim of his project was to generate experimental data to validate a computational model that is currently used to predict how fragmentation behaves when interacting with a fluid medium. This type of modelling is crucial for assessing the effectiveness and performance of explosive ordnance in underwater or amphibious environments.

He designed and conducted trials involving a purpose-built water tank and a high-pressure gas gun capable of launching projectiles at controlled velocities. By using a high-speed camera he was able to capture detailed slow-motion footage, allowing the projectile’s velocity to be measured at key points through its trajectory in water. This data was then compared against model predictions to assess the model’s validity. 

His report highlighted these findings and added further analysis into how the size, shape and density of a projectile influence velocity and how kinetic energy is retained during passage through fluid.

This work is informing a piece of longer-term research into modelling Eurofighter supersonic fuel tanks as a potential inter-missile barrier. 

His efforts to date have initiated a strand of work that will mature with separate firings that will include internal baffles, and variable fragment geometries to further increase the confidence of the model.  This, in turn, will improve safety and reduce costs within the defence sector. 

Capt Goode is congratulated for initiating an exceptionally interesting area of study that will be of benefit to real world safety in the near future.

Captain Jack Goode RLC receiving his Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

Army Engineer officer of the Year 2025

Major Luke Facey R Signals led a small, multi-disciplinary team to design, develop and build a novel, cloud-based digital solution to support an overseas-facing Defence organisation.  His outstanding work mitigated potential cyber threats to the organisation’s mission and the wider pan-UK defence digital enterprise, whilst also ensuring that the new digital solution met compliancy with UK and wider data protection regulations. Collaborating closely with operational stakeholders across multiple locations, Maj Facey fostered innovation and collaboration.  The new capability provides a centrally-managed product that can be tailored to individual sites thereby ensuring that the user’s needs of Confidentiality, Integrity and the Availability of Data / Information Pertinence are fully met.  

Major Luke Facey receiving his Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

Army Engineer Soldier of the Year 2025

Staff Sergeant Jordan Bridges REME has exhibited unwavering dedication and a strong commitment in his role as the Airframe Structures Desk Officer on the Wildcat Helicopter Delivery Team.  He has actively pursued his professional development with the aim of attaining accreditation as an Incorporated Engineer, a prerequisite for being awarded a Letter of Airworthiness Authority. This is now in the final stage, and coupled with his significant aviation experience, this will grant him airframe structural airworthiness responsibility for the Wildcat helicopter usually held at full colonel level.

Jordan’s initiative was displayed in his work addressing a corrosion issue on the Wildcat platform. He led multiple innovative product trials on aircraft to minimize an increase in the maintenance burden. He has tackled challenging maintenance issues faced by frontline personnel, including improving the fasteners used to secure over 140 panels across the aircraft.  His staff work was meticulous, outlining all technical and logistical requirements with exacting precision.  Additionally, he has led logisticians and maintenance organizations to initiate a successful trial on live aircraft, proving the feasibility of a project that will be implemented across the Wildcat fleet. This initiative is projected to save approximately 5,000 maintenance workforce hours annually, along with significant reductions in traditional modification time and cost.

He has also demonstrated his ingenuity by designing and producing a 3D printing a tool to aid the identification of bolt sizes.  This tool will enhance maintainability and reduce safety incidents. The innovation has been recognized by Defence Intellectual Property Rights as patent-worthy.

He has played a pivotal role in devising solutions to issues affecting availability. Demonstrating engineering expertise and analytical skills, he has used his own experience as well as insights from other platforms and civil industry to identify methods for maintaining structural integrity.

Not only has Jordan focused on his own development, but he has also utilised his spare capacity to improve engineering standards across RNAS Yeovilton.  Using working groups, he has successfully raised awareness of common maintenance errors that lead to damaged airframes. As a result, morale has improved and the frequency of maintenance-related damage has been reduced.

SSgt Jordan Bridges receiving his Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

Royal Air Force Engineer Officer of the Year 2025

Squadron Leader Amy Parkinson RAF is the senior engineer officer responsible for all off-aircraft engineering activities, including Survival Equipment, Armament Engineering and General Engineering support at the Royal Air Force Waddington airbase. Sqn Ldr Parkinson has devised a pioneering and first of its kind maintenance approach which has transformed Survival Equipment deviation policy across Defence. This has resulted in significantly improved equipment availability, improved support to operations and substantial financial savings. She has also pioneered the introduction of engines-running refuelling at RAF Waddington which was not standard practice for the multi-engine aircraft based at the unit.  This has greatly increased the flexibility of the airbase and the capabilities offered to the wider Royal Air Force and Defence.

Sqn Ldr Amy Parkinson receiving her Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

Royal Air Force Engineer Technician of the Year 2025

Chief Technician Richard Tilbury RAF has completed an extraordinarily complex task over the last year.  The thrust mount clamp in F35 aircraft across the global fleet was suffering from microscopic fatigue cracking, leading to an instruction by the manufacturer to remove and inspect the clamp periodically.  This caused a significant maintenance penalty.  No 71 Squadron was tasked by the UK Engineering Authority to investigate whether it might be possible to inspect the clamp in-situ. The work fell to Chf Tech Tilbury who has led the task with exemplary fortitude and relentless determination. He has worked with Industry and in-service engineers to design and manufacture an ultrasonic probe that solves the problem despite the geometry of the clamp. Chf Tech Tilbury’s solution has reduced the down-time of the aircraft significantly and improved its availability at the front line.  His design has now been adopted by all F35 partner nations.

Chf Tech Richard Tilbury receiving his Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

HMS Anson Award

HMS ANSON is affiliated to the Worshipful Company of Engineers, which is pleased to support the Commanding Officer’s Engineering, Leadership and Innovation Award. Awarded to an HMS ANSON Junior Rate, Senior Rate, Warrant Officer, or Commissioned Officer who has demonstrated exceptional engineering ability, leadership and innovation over the previous 12 months.

Petty Officer (Weapons Engineer Submariner) Charlie West RN has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication in training and in mentoring new Engineering Technicians, ensuring their professional growth and operational performance, throughout his time onboard.  His ability to convey complex concepts effectively and to instil confidence in Engineering Technicians has resulted in many personnel achieving their dolphins and qualifying in their required watchkeeping positions, greatly enhancing HMS ANSON’s overall proficiency.

In addition to his mentorship, PO West’s expertise in maintenance and his meticulous attention to detail were instrumental in the successful Fleet Operational Standards and Training inspections and preparations for MOD 1 Spearfish certification firings. His proactive approach to troubleshooting has ensured that mission essential systems have remained operational and he has directly contributed to the Command’s overall success, reinforcing operational effectiveness and warfighting capability. His unwavering professionalism, technical expertise, and dedication to duty set an outstanding example for his peers and subordinates alike. His contributions reflect great credit upon himself, HMS ANSON and the Submarine Service.

PO Charlie West receiving his Award from Rear Admiral Steven McCarthy, Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor JP [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

The Worshipful Company of Engineers Charitable Trust (the Engineers Trust) acknowledges excellence in engineering, supports engineering education and research, gives grants and assists in the relief of hardship and poverty.