The Royal Navy’s first female admiral has said the service “genuinely doesn’t look at your gender”.

Commodore Jude Terry will be responsible for sailors and Royal Marines after being selected for promotion to rear admiral.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the 47-year-old, who has served for almost 25 years, will become the most senior woman in the Royal Navy, past or present.

Commodore Jude Terry
Commodore Jude Terry will become the most senior woman in the Royal Navy’s history (Ministry of Defence/PA)

Commodore Terry, from Jersey, will be promoted next year and take over as the Royal Navy’s director of people and training and naval secretary.

“Someone had to be first,” she said.

Commodore Terry continued: “I have always thought of myself as a naval officer first, then a logistics officer, then Jude, and finally as a female.

“The Navy genuinely doesn’t look at your gender and is an equal opportunities employer – it wants you to be part of a team and deliver outputs to support operations.

“I have been really lucky throughout my career.

“I’ve enjoyed great jobs, wonderful support from my family, worked with great people, seized the opportunity to see the world and contribute to a number of operations which have made a difference to people’s lives including Afghanistan, Somalia and Sierra Leone, to name a few.”

Commodore Terry joined the Navy in 1997 and has spent most of her career in Plymouth-based warships, including survey vessel HMS Scott and two spells with helicopter carrier HMS Ocean.

She has travelled to the Gulf and Middle East, Indian Ocean, Far East and the Caribbean, and was made an OBE in 2017 in recognition of her work in the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the operations hub for the UK military.

Defence Minister Baroness Annabel Goldie said: “Commodore Jude Terry’s promotion to rear admiral is a fantastic step for both herself and the Royal Navy.

“Jude has displayed the utmost professionalism, determination and skill throughout her career in defence.

“I warmly congratulate her and I look forward to seeing future generations of female leaders across our armed forces inspired by Jude’s trailblazing journey.”

There are currently six female commodores in the Royal Navy and 19 women holding the rank of captain.

First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin said: “I am delighted with Commodore Jude Terry’s selection for promotion to rear admiral.

“Jude is part of a cohort of trailblazers in the Royal Navy who have seized the opportunities on offer, and risen to the top.

“This builds on a rich career of naval and broader defence appointments, all of which she has excelled at.”