8 May 2010 - NCI Gosport has achieved another important milestone today with their first female Watchkeeper qualified. Claire Smart, who is currently serving with the Royal Navy at Portsmouth, passed the Station Training Officer's competency assessment with flying colours and this means that she will now be able to take charge of the watch in the lookout station at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour.

It is now hoped that Claire's achievement will soon be matched by NCI Gosport's other two female trainees, Erica Dawtry and Monika Schickedanz.

Claire Smart
NCI Gosport's first female Watchkeeper
(Picture: Dave Russell)