Sarah Oakley

Career After graduating from Dartmouth in 1996, Oakley's early career was at sea and on operational tours. From there she was posted as Communications Officer in the Type 23 frigate HMS Kent, and then as navigator of another ship of the same class, HMS Norfolk.

From July 2017, Oakley headed the Fishery Protection Squadron. When HMS Forth was commissioned in April 2018, Oakley commented "Forth brings with her an array of new technology, and we will be increasing the number of ships we have from four Batch One Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to five Batch Two ships. It is fabulous to watch the Navy grow again and to see that the squadron will play such an important part in its development." She relinquished command of the squadron in April 2019. In December 2020 she was awarded the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

In May 2022, Oakley took over command of the Britannia Royal Naval College. At the college’s passing out parade in August 2022, BBC News noted that it was the first such parade "with a female captain at the helm."

She is a Director of the Royal Navy Rugby Union.

Personal life On 26 September 2020, in a COVID-19 compliant wedding at St Mary’s Church, Alverstoke, Gosport, Oakley married Group Captain Darren Thorley, Royal Air Force. Apart from the vicar and the couple, the only others present were the photographer and the verger, who acted as witnesses.

In June 2021, Oakley joined the Parochial Church Council of Alverstoke.