David Devenney

The Revd. Dave Devenney is a Church of Scotland Royal Navy Chaplain, notable for being one of the handful of Commando Trained chaplains.

Devenney was born in 1957 and his first job was as a policeman in Glasgow. He then joined the Royal Marines, gaining his green beret and serving as second-in-command of a rifle section (his section commander was Corporal Alan Sharpe) of 42 Commando in the Falklands during the Falklands War.

On leaving the Forces he undertook theological training and was ordained in the Church of Scotland, serving as the minister of Aboyne and Dinnet Church, Deeside, from where he led a pilgrimage to the Falkland Islands 20 years after the conflict. Amongst other events he took a service where the family of Staff Sgt Chris Griffin, killed in a "friendly fire" incident, laid a wreath at his grave at Blue Beach war cemetery and put down a stainless steel cross, surrounded by stones from the beach near their home in Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk. He also baptised Denzil Connick, secretary of the South Atlantic Medal Association, on the summit of Mount Longdon, where he had his leg blown off by an Argentine shell.

He left Aboyne in December 2002 to become a Royal Navy chaplain, serving with Royal Marine Commandos.

In 2006 he led the Commando Training Centre's team in the Spean Bridge Commando Speed March competition and in 2007 he led a pilgrimage to Port-En-Bessin in Normandy "to commemorate the outstanding military achievement" of 47 Royal marines Commando in taking the village on 6 and 7 June 1944.

Whilst serving at the de-compression unit at Bloodhound Camp, Episkopi, his ministry extended not just to the Royal Marines returning from duties in Afghanistan, but to 'Spike', a rescue dog.