A multi-lingual Royal Navy senior non-commissioned officer has been honoured by the Queen.

Warrant officer David Bagnall, from Wrexham, was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours List after 26 years of service to defence diplomacy and operations, language training and worldwide operations.

He said: “I am both honoured and humbled in equal measure to receive the MBE.

“Whilst I feel that there are many servicemen and women far more deserving, I am overjoyed that Her Majesty has seen fit to recognise me and my career in such a magnificent way.”

Warrant Officer David Bagnall on tour of duty in Afghanistan

David joined the Royal Navy in 1992, initially as a radio operator before transferring to the communications technician branch in 1996, qualifying as an Arabic linguist and since then learning Russian, Albanian, Serbian, Afghan Pashto, Spanish, Italian and Persian, amongst others.

The MBE citation states David has made a significant contribution to operations and defence diplomacy in the UK and worldwide at the highest level throughout his career through his skill in 15 languages and that his professionalism is exemplary.

David’s performances in Iraq and Afghanistan, where his leadership was directly responsible for saving the life of coalition personnel, are especially noteworthy.

For saving the life of an Iraqi civilian he was awarded a General Officer Commanding Commendation for Bravery in Basra, Iraq.

The citation summarises David as being as being unswervingly
loyal and a fine example to all, adding: “his extraordinary linguistic skills have made a significant
and lasting impact on operations and overall his performance is in the finest traditions of the Royal Navy”.

He has served on land and at sea, providing language support for operations in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Postings have included various locations throughout the UK.

He taught Arabic at the former joint Services Intelligence and Security Centre at Chicksands and served in a NATO HQ in Italy. He now works in Cyprus.

David was selected to be the military interpreter for the Royal visit to Libya in 2004, while in 2011 he travelled to Rome to interpret for defecting Libyan generals who fled the former regime.

He has also been a member of a Royal Navy field gun team and is a member of the Royal Navy Martial Arts Association.

David is married to his second wife Karen who served in the Royal Air Force, and they have two children, Thomas, 12, and Hannah, 10.

Born and raised in Wrexham, by parents, Ron and Nora Bagnall (now deceased) he still has close family in Wrexham – his son, Matthew Bagnall, 20, and sister and brother-in-law.