Martyn John Gough (21 April 1966 – 28 April 2023) was a British

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

priest, who served as a

military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases, they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term ''cha ...

and was Chaplain of the Fleet and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy from 2018 until his retirement in 2021. At the time of his death he held the voluntary position of National Chaplain to the Royal British Legion.

Early life and education

Gough was born on 21 April 1966 in

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; ) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and River Cynon, Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tydf ...

, Glamorgan, Wales. He was educated at

Aberdare High School Aberdare High School (Welsh: ''Ysgol Uwchradd Aberdâr'') was a comprehensive school in Aberdare, Wales. The school was situated between the villages of Trecynon and Cwmdare and sited opposite the Coleg y Cymoedd site (formerly called Coleg Morg ...

, an all-boys

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...

when he joined, which changed to an all-boys

comprehensive school A comprehensive school is a secondary school for pupils aged 11–16 or 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is restricted on the basis ...

from 1978, the start of his second year. He studied at the

University of Wales, Cardiff Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...

, graduating with a

Bachelor of Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a two- to five-year undergraduate degree or graduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically (but not exclusively) pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, de ...

(BTh) degree in 1987. From 1988 to 1990, he trained for ordination at

St Stephen's House, Oxford St Stephen's House is an external theological college with observer status at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Church of England. From 2003 to 2023 it was a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford. The college typicall ...

. During this time, he completed the Oxford postgraduate certificate in theology. He later continued his studies and was awarded a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

(MA) degree by the

University of Wales, Lampeter University of Wales, Lampeter () was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest Academic degree, degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited degree awarding powers sinc ...

in 2005.

Ordained ministry

Gough was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

in the

Church in Wales The Church in Wales () is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The position is currently held b ...

as a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

in 1990 and as a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

in 1991. He served in the

Diocese of Llandaff The Diocese of Llandaff is an Anglican (Church in Wales) diocese that traces its roots to pre-Reformation times as heir of a Catholic bishopric. It is headed by the Bishop of Llandaff, whose seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Pet ...

in Wales, and in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

Diocese in Europe The Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, known simply as the Diocese in Europe (DiE), is a diocese of the Church of England. It was originally formed in 1842 as the Diocese of Gibraltar. It is geographically the largest diocese of the Church of Englan ...

. He served curacies at St Theodore's Church, Port Talbot from 1990 to 1992, and then, from 1992 to 1994, at

St Margaret's Church, Roath St Margaret's Church (, dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch) is a nineteenth-century Church in Wales parish church in the suburb of Roath, Cardiff, Wales. It includes the mausoleum of the Marquises of Bute. History A church dedicated to St Mar ...

in Cardiff. In 1995, he moved to the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe and served as an assistant chaplain in Milan. Gough joined the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

in September 1998. He began his navy career at

HMNB Devonport His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roya ...

and served on board the

Type 22 frigate The Type 22 frigate also known as the ''Broadsword'' class was a ship class, class of frigates built for the British Royal Navy. Fourteen were built in total, with production divided into three batches. Initially intended to be anti-submarine ...

flotilla A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small ''flota'' ( fleet) of ships), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. Composition A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same cla ...

. He was then posted to , serving at sea as its chaplain and also accompanying Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the ship in 2004. He held various appointments relating to fostering

vocations A vocation () is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity. A calling, in the reli ...

: he was a vocations advisor from 2007 to 2014, and served as assistant director of ordinands (2007–09) and then director of ordinands for the Royal Navy (2009–14). He was secretary of the Armed Forces Synod from 2012 to 2016. He was posted to Afghanistan as a senior chaplain during 2013 and 2014. Gough was Deputy Chaplain of the Fleet from 2014 to 2018. In October 2018, he was awarded the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (LS&GCM) in recognition of 15 years' service in the Royal Navy: this reflected the change in regulations in 2016 that allowed for regular officers to be awarded the LS&GCM. He served as Chaplain of the Fleet, the most senior chaplain in the

, from 2018 until his retirement in 2021. He was additionally Archdeacon for the Royal Navy, the most senior Anglican navy chaplain and a member of the

General Synod of the Church of England The General Synod is the tricameral deliberative and legislative organ of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church ...

. He was an

Honorary Chaplain to The Queen An Honorary Chaplain to the King is a member of the clergy within the United Kingdom who, through long and distinguished service, is appointed to minister to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarch of the United Kingdom. When the reigning mona ...

(QHC) from 2018 to 2021, and was made an

Honorary canon Canon () is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to an ecclesiastical rule. Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the precinct of ...

Portsmouth Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, commonly known as Portsmouth Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral church in the centre of Old Portsmouth in Portsmouth, England. Since 1935 the historic church has been the cathedral of the Dioc ...

in June 2020. Following his retirement from the Royal Navy in 2021, Gough held

permission to officiate A permission to officiate (PTO), also known as a licence to officiate, is a concessionary ministry licence granted by an Anglican bishop. It is most commonly issued to a retired deacon, priest, or lay reader over the age of 70 years. It allows the ...

in the

Diocese of Salisbury The Diocese of Salisbury is a Church of England diocese in the south of England, within the ecclesiastical Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the historic county of Dorset (which excludes the deaneries of Bournemouth and Christchurch, ...

. He had intended to return to full-time ministry but "Church of England's desk-officers were wary of a talented clergyman with senior leadership experience who had not risen through their own internal-preferment structures". The See of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales became vacant in 2021, but he declined to have his name put forward for election. He also became the National Chaplain to the

Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants. Membership Service in th ...

, and officiated at the

Festival of Remembrance A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival constitutes ...

held at the Royal Albert Hall on 14 November 2021.

Personal life

Gough was married, and had two children. Gough had been diagnosed with cancer in late 2022. He died on 28 April 2023, at the age of 57.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gough, Martyn 1966 births 2023 deaths 20th-century Welsh Anglican priests 21st-century Welsh Anglican priests Chaplains of the Fleet Church of England archdeacons (military) People from Aberdare People educated at Aberdare High School Alumni of Cardiff University Alumni of St Stephen's House, Oxford Deaths from cancer in the United Kingdom