Chas Cooke

Chas Cooke was born in Gravesend, Kent, in January 1957. Having moved to Bedford in 1968 Chas left school on his 15th birthday and, for a short period worked at Woburn Safari Park, before joining the Royal Navy in October 1972. After training as an electrical mechanic Chas spent 18 months serving in the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal before volunteering to serve in submarines.

For 13 years Chas served in nuclear fleet submarines, ballistic missile submarines and conventional diesel electric submarines.

Finally leaving the Royal Navy in 1987 Chas became a police officer and after serving for 10 years as a beat officer, firearms officer and evidence gatherer he joined the Air Operations Unit spending the final 12 years of his police service acting as crew on the police helicopter in his force area.

Now working for a government regulator, Chas has been married to Caroline since 1976 and they have three adult sons and, at the time of writing, one grandson. Chas has lived in Surrey since leaving the Royal Navy and is now settled in the county. He is the founder and Honorary Life Vice president of the HMS Courageous Association which he formed in 2000. His hobbies include writing, photography, web site design and telling stories.