Remembrance Exhibition at the Michaelhouse

Petty Officer McDonald is originally from Alexandria and has served with the Royal Navy for over 17 years, five of which he spent as a mine warfare expert before transferring his talents to photography.

He has captured images ranging from far flung warzones to humanitarian operations and military exercises in UK waters during his time with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. His stunning photographs have won prize after prize during his career.

“The Royal Navy needs its own photographers because there are some circumstances where civilians simply couldn’t go”, said Petty Officer McDonald. “As a military photographer we are trained to soldier as well as capture intelligence, technical, public relations and arial photography in extremely arduous conditions.”

He has served in Northern Ireland, the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Iraq, as well as aboard a variety of warships. The head of the photographic section at HM Naval Base Cylde, Warrant officer Ian Arthur said “Tam is an exceptional photographer in that he has all the technical knowledge that the naval job requires – however in one aspect he excels… he has the natural eye for that one great picture.”

The Reverend Christian Heycocks Royal Navy, Chaplain to University Staff, who served with Petty Officer McDonald in Iraq helped organise the exhibition. He will be preaching on Remembrance Sunday at Great St Mary’s, the University Church at ‘A Service of Remembrance and Reconciliation’. This will be attended by official representatives of the University, the City and Council.

The exhibition runs from November 3 – 15 in the Michaelhouse Café which is open to the public from 8am to 6pm daily.

The service at Great St Mary’s is will be at 10.55am on 9 November. Attendees should be seated by 10.40am.