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ADMIRALS OF THE RAN


Vice Admirals

Burrell, Sir Henry Mackay, KBE 1960 (CBE 1955) CB 1959; b. 13 Aug. 1904 Wentworth Falls, NSW; educ. Parramatta High Sch; entered RAN as Cadet Midshipman 1918; Midshipman 1922; served in Sydney & with RN; specialised in navigation 1930; 1939-45 War (Staff Officer (Ops) at Navy Office 1939-40, Naval Attache Washington 1940-41, CO Norman 1941-43; Dir. of Plans 1943-45; CO Bataan 1945); Capt. 10th Destroyer Flotilla 1945-46; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1946-48, 1954; CO Australia 1948-49; Imperial Def. Coll. 1950; Asst. Aust. Def. Rep. London 1951-52; CO Vengeance 1953-54; Flag Officer Comdg. Aust. Fleet 1955-56, 1958-59; Second Naval Member ANB 1956-57; Chief of Naval Staff 1959-62 (retd.); d. 15 Feb. 1988 Canberra

Chalmers, Donald Bruce, AO 1991; b. 29 Apr. 1942 Young, NSW; entered RAN Coll. 1958, grad. 1960; specialised in navigation 1969; attended US Naval War Coll. 1979; CO Perth 1981-83; Dir. RAN Tactical Sch 1983; Dir. Capability Review, Dept. of Def. 1983-87; Dir. Surface Warfare Comd & Control 1987; Royal Coll. Def. Studies 1988; Dir-Gen. Naval Manning & Training 1989 & Head RAN Officer Career Study; Comdr. Flotillas, Maritime HQ 1990-92; Asst. Chief Naval Staff (Personnel) 1992-93; Maritime Comdr. Aust. 1993-95; Asst. Chief of Def. Force (Development) 1995-97; Chief of Navy 1997-99 (retd.); US Legion of Merit 1998, Knight Grand Cross Order of Crown of Thailand 1999

Clarkson, Sir William, KBE 1918 CMG 1913; b. 26 March 1859 Whitby, Eng; educ. at private sch in Whitby; marine engr. at Newcastle upon Tyne; joined SA Naval Forces as Engr. Lieut. 1884, brought gunboat Protector to Adelaide 1885; China during Boxer Rebellion 1900-01; transferred to Comwlth Naval Forces 1905; supervised construction of first RAN destroyers UK 1908-10; Acting Mgr. Comwlth Small Arms Factory, Lithgow NSW, 1911-12; Third Naval Member ANB (as Engr. Rear-Adm 1916) 1911-23; 1914-18 War (Dir. of Transports 1914, Controller of Shipping 1917); prom. Engr. Vice-Adm on retirement 1923; Dir. Comwlth Shipping Board 1923-27; d. 21 Jan. 1934 Sydney

Collins, Sir John Augustine, KBE 1951 CB 1940; b. 7 Jan. 1899 Deloraine, Tas; entered RAN Coll. 1913; Midshipman 1917; 1914-18 War, with RN Grand Fleet; specialised in gunnery; naval staff course Greenwich UK 1932; CO Sydney 1935-37 (during Abyssinian crisis); Asst. Chief of Naval Staff and Dir. Naval Int. 1938-39; 1939-45 war (CO Sydney 1939-41 (incl. in famous action against Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni in Jul. 1940), Asst. COS Singapore 1941 (MID), Cmdre Commdg. China Force Java 1942 (awarded Commander Cross Order of Orange Nassau), CO Shropshire 1943-44, Cmdre Commdg. HM Aust. Sqdn 1944-46 (seriously wounded Leyte 1944, awarded US Legion of Merit (Officer) 1946); Imperial Def. Coll. 1947; First Naval Member ANB and Chief of Naval Staff 1948-55 (retd.); Aust. High Commissioner in NZ 1956-62; d. 3 Sep. 1989 Sydney

Crane, Russell Harry, AM 2007 CSM 2000; b. 11 Jun. 1954; joined RAN as junior recruit 1970, served Melbourne; selected for offr. trg 1972; served as seaman offr., recd. bridgewatch. cert. 1975; trained in UK 1977; served in HMAS Curlew and Melbourne; on exch. RN 1981-83; CO Curlew 1983-85; Exec. Offr Torrens 1988; Dir., Minehunter Coastal Proj. 1991; CO Derwent 1993-94; Dir. Maritime Int. Centre, Syd., 1994; Chief Staff Offr., Comd. Control Comms. & Int., Maritime HQ 1996-98; CO Success 1998-2000 (incl. E. Timor 1999); Dir-Gen. ISR & EW, HQ ADF 2000-01; Comdr. Aust. Naval Systems Comd. 2001-04; Dir-Gen. Coastwatch (as Rear-Adm) 2004-06 (Comdr, Jt. Offshore Protection Comd. 2005-06); Dep. Chief of Navy 2006-08; Chief of Navy 2008-

Creswell, Sir William Rooke, KCMG 1911 (CMG 1897) KBE 1919; b. 20 Jul. 1852 Gibraltar; educ. Aitken's Private Sch, Gibraltar, and Eastman's Naval Academy, Southsea UK; RN 1865-78; to Aust. 1879, pastoralist in NT; SA Naval Forces 1885-1900 (Naval Comdt from 1893, Capt. from 1895); Naval Comdt Qld 1900-04, but comd SA gunboat Protector to China during Boxer Rebellion 1900-01; Naval Comdt Vic & Dir. Comwlth Naval Forces 1904-1911; First Naval Member ANB (as Rear-Adm) 1911-19 (retd.); prom. Vice-Adm on Retd. List 1922; d. 20 Apr. 1933 Armadale, Melbourne

Dowling, Sir Roy Russell, KCVO 1963 KBE 1957 (CBE 1953) CB 1955 DSO 1945; b. 28 May 1901 Condong, NSW; entered RAN Coll. 1915; Midshipman 1919; to UK 1919, served in Ramillies, Venturous (present at scuttling of German Fleet at Scapa Flow); served in Adelaide 1922-24; specialised in gunnery in HMS Excellent 1925; Flotilla Gunnery Officer in Anzac; instructor at Gunnery Sch Cerberus 1928-30; Gunnery Officer in HMS Colombo 1931; Sqdn Gunnery Officer in Canberra 1933-35; CO Gunnery Sch 1935-35, Swan 1937-39; 1939-45 War (Exec. Officer HMS Naiad 1940-42 (sunk off Egypt), Dir. of Plans 1942-43, Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1943-44, CO Hobart 1944-46 (Flag Capt. and Chief of Staff to Cmdre Collins 1945-46)); Dir. of Naval Ordnance, Torpedoes & Mines 1946-48 ; CO Sydney 1948-50; Second Naval Member ANB (Chief of Personnel) 1950-52; Imperial Def. Coll. 1953; Flag Officer Comdg. Aust Fleet 1953-55; First Naval Member ANB & Chief of Naval Staff 1955-59; Chrmn. Chiefs of Staff Cttee. 1959-61 (retd.); Perm. Aust. Sec. to the Queen 1963-69; d. 15 Apr. 1969 Canberra

Harrington, Sir (Wilfred) Hastings, KBE 1963 (CBE 1957) CB 1962 DSO 1943; b. 17 May 1906 Maryborough, Qld; educ. Wychbury Prep. Sch, Maryborough; entered RAN Coll. 1920; to UK for training 1924, served in HMS Malaya; served in Australia, Canberra and Albatross; to RN 1933, HMS Cornwall; Exec. Officer Swan 1937-38; 1939-45 War (CO Yarra 1939-42 (MID), Exec. Officer Australia 1942-44 (MID), CO Quiberon 1944-45); CO Warramunga 1948-50; Dir. of Manning 1950-51; Imperial Def. Coll. 1952, then attached Admiralty Naval Eqpmt Dept. 1953-54; CO Sydney 1955-57; Flag Officer-in-charge East Aust. Area 1957-58; Second Naval Member ANB (Chief of Personnel) 1958-59; Flag Officer Comdg Aust. Fleet 1959-62; First Naval Member ANB & Chief of Naval Staff 1962-65 (retd.); apptd. Aust. Commissioner-Gen. to 1967 Canadian Intnl. Exhibition, Montreal (Expo 67), but d. 17 Dec. 1965 Canberra

Knox, Ian Warren, AC 1989 (AO 1985); b. 9 Feb. 1933 Wilcannia, NSW; educ. Prince Alfred CoIl. Adelaide; entered RAN Coll. 1947, grad. 1950; qual. as anti-sub. warfare specialist in UK 1957-58; Project Officer during development of Ikara ASW missile system 1960-63; staff officer in Navy Office Canb. 1964-66; Exec. Officer Perth (Vietnam) 1966-68; Dir. Underwater Weapons 1968-70; CO Torrens 1971-72; attended USN War Coll. 1972-73; CO Hobart 1973-74; Strategic & Internat. Policy Div., Dept. of Defence 1975-77; Member Aust. Delegation to third, fourth, fifth & sixth sessions of UN Law of the Sea Conf.; Dept. Defence (Navy); studies into career structures of officers 1978; Royal Coll. Def. Studies 1979; CO Melbourne 1980; Dir-Gen. Naval Plans & Policy 1981-82; Chief Naval Op. Requirements & Plans 1982-84; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1984; Flag Officer Comdg Aust. Fleet & Maritime Comdr. Aust. 1985-86; Asst. Chief Def. Force (Policy) 1987; Vice-Chief Def. Force (as Vice-Adm) 1987-89; also Comdr. Joint Forces Aust. 1988-89; retd. 1989; company director 1989-98

Leach, David Willoughby, AC 1984 (AO 1981) CBE 1969 LVO 1970; b. 17 Jul. 1928 Perth; educ. Perth Modern Sch; entered RAN Coll. 1942, grad. 1945; served with Brit. Pacific Fleet 1946-47; Sub-Lieut. courses in UK 1948; CO Vendetta 1964-66, Perth (Vietnam) 1968-69; Aust. Naval Rep. UK 1971-74; Dir-Gen. Naval Op. Requirements 1975-76; Royal Coll. Def. Studies 1977; Chief Naval Material 1978; Flag Officer Comdg Aust. Fleet 1979-80; Chief of Naval Personnel 1980-82; Chief of Naval Staff 1982-85 (retd.); Member Woollahra Council 1991 (Mayor 1994)

MacDougall, Ian Donald George, AC 1993 (AO 1991) AFSM 2000; b. 23 Feb. 1938 Sydney; entered RAN Coll. 1954; CO Otter 1969-71, Onslow 1971-73, Hobart 1979, Supply 1980-82; Dir. Submarine Policy 1982-84; Comdr. Aust. Submarine Sqdn 1985-86; Dir-Gen. Joint Ops & Plans, Aust. Def. Force 1986-87; Maritime Comdr. Aust. 1989-90; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1990-91; Chief of Naval Staff 1991-94 (retd.); Commissioner NSW Fire Brigades 1994-

McNicoll, Sir Alan Wedel Ramsay, KBE 1966 (CBE 1954) CB 1965 GM 1941; b. 3 Apr. 1908 Hawthorn, Vic; educ. Scotch Coll. Melbourne; entered RAN Coll. 1922; Midshipman 1926; served with RN; specialised as torpedo officer 1933-34; 1939-45 War (HM Ships Fiji, Medway, King George V, and HMAS Hobart 1945); Dir. of Plans, Navy Office 1948-49; CO Warramunga 1949-50 & 10th Destroyer Flotilla; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1951-52; CO Australia 1952-54; Imperial Def. Coll. 1955; Head, Aust. Joint Services Staff London 1957-58; Dep. Sec. (Mil.), Dept. of Def. 1958-59; Second Member ANB 1960-61; Flag Officer Comdg. Aust. Fleet 1962-64; Fourth Naval Member ANB 1964; Flag Officer-in-Charge East Aust Area 1964-65; First Naval Member ANB & Chief of Naval Staff 1965-68 (retd.); Aust. Ambassador Turkey 1968-73; d. 11 Oct. 1987 Canberra

Peek, Sir Richard Innes, KBE 1972 (OBE 1945) CB 1971 DSC 1945; b. 30 Jul. 1914 Tamworth, NSW; educ. Penrith; entered RAN Coll. 1928; Midshipman 1932; specialised in gunnery 1938; 1939-45 War (HMS Revenge, Cerberus, Hobart, Australia); Korea (CO Tobruk 1951-52, US Legion of Merit 1951); Dep. Chief of Naval Personnel 1954-56; with Admiralty London 1959; CO Melbourne 1962; Fourth Member ANB 1964; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1965-66; Flag Officer Comdg. Aust. Fleet 1967-68; Second Member ANB 1968-70; First Naval Member ANB & Chief of Naval Staff 1970-73 (retd.)

Ritchie, Christopher Angus, AO 2001 (AM 1992); b. 16 Jan. 1949 Melbourne; entered RAN Coll. 1965, grad. 1968; CO Tarakan 1973-74; served in Parramatta, then trained as Principal Warfare Officer in UK 1976; ASW Officer in Derwent; on staff of Fleet Comdr; Air Gp ASW Officer in Melbourne; ASW instr at UK Sch of Maritime Ops; Sec. to Chief of Naval Pers; CO Torrens 1986-87; Dir. Co-ord, then Dir. Naval Force Development, Navy Office; 1990-91 Gulf War (CO Brisbane); Maritime Comdr. Aust. 1997-99; Dep. Chief of Navy 1999; Head Capability Systems, Dept. of Def. 1999-2001; Comdr. Aust. Theatre 2001-02; Chief of Navy 2002-05 (retd.)

Shackleton, David John, AO 2000; b. 2 Mar. 1948 Leeds, Eng; settled Aust. 1959; educ. Croyden High Sch, Adelaide; joined RAN 1966 as Supplementary List Seaman Officer; qualified as warfare officer 1975; Vietnam War (Perth 1968-69); Exec. Officer Perth 1983; CO Derwent 1988-89, Brisbane 1992; Dir-Gen. Naval Policy & Warfare 1993-96; Dir-Gen. Information Management, Def. Acquisition Orgn. 1996-97, Dir-Gen. Comd & Support Systems 1997-98; Head Capability Development Aust. Def. HQ 1998-99; Chief of Navy 1999-2002 (retd.)

Shalders, Russell Edward, AO 2003 CSC 1991; b. 28 Sep. 1951 Ararat, Vic; entered RAN Coll. 1967; to UK for training 1972; Exec. Officer Ardent, then Signals Comms Officer Vendetta 1973-74; on loan PNGDF as CO PNGS Samarai 1975; to UK for training 1978; Ops & ASW Officer Vendetta 1979; staff of Dir. Naval Officers Postings, Navy Office; US Naval War Coll. 1981; ASW & Ops Officer Hobart 1982, then Exec. Officer 1984; staff of RAN Staff Coll. 1984-86; navy staff at Aust. Embassy Washington 1986-87; CO Sydney 1988-89; Comdr. Sea Training, Maritime HQ 1989-90; CO Darwin 1990-91 (served first Gulf War), Perth 1993-94; attended Royal Coll. Def. Studies, London 1995; Dir-Gen. Joint Exercise Plans; Dir-Gen. Ops Policy & Doctrine, then Dir-Gen. Info Strat. Concepts; Cmdre Flotillas, Maritime Comd 1998-99; Dir-Gen. Coastwatch, Aust. Customs Service, 1999-2001 (as RAdm); Head of Def. Personnel Executive, Dept. of Def. 2001-02; Vice-Chief of Def. Force 2002-05 (& Chief Joint Ops 2004-05); Chief of Navy 2005-08 (retd.)

Stevenson, Sir (Hugh) David, AC 1976 KBE 1977 (CBE 1970); b. 24 Aug. 1918 Brisbane; educ. Southport Sch, Qld; entered RAN Coll. 1932; Midshipman 1936; served with RN (HMS Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Garland, Devonshire), completed courses 1938-39; 1939-45 War (Hobart 1939-41, Napier 1941-43, 1944-45, Nepal 1943, MID); to UK for navigation course, exchange 1948-50, RN staff course 1956, further exchange until 1958; CO Tobruk 1959-60 & Snr. Officer 10th Destroyer Sqdn; HMNZS Royalist 1960-61; Dir. Plans, Navy Office 1962-63; CO Sydney 1963-64, Melbourne 1964-65; Imperial Def. Coll. 1966; Naval Officer-in-charge W. Aust. Area 1967; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1968-69; Flag Officer Comdg Aust. Fleet 1970-71, 1972; Chief of Naval Personnel 1972-73; First Naval Member ANB & Chief of Naval Staff 1973-76 (retd.); d. 26 Oct. 1998 Gold Coast, Qld

Taylor, Rodney Graham, AO 1992 (AM 1989); b. 11 Jun. 1940 Toowoomba, Qld; entered RAN Coll. 1954, grad. 1957; specialised as navigator; Vietnam (with Brisbane (MID)); CO Vampire 1979-80; CO Torrens 1983-85 & Comdr. 3rd Destroyer Sqdn; Dep. Fleet Comdr and Chief of Staff 1987-88; Cmdre Flotillas, Maritime HQ 1989; Asst Chief of Def. Force (Ops) (as Rear-Adm) 1990-91; Dep. Chief of Naval Staff 1991-94; Chief of Naval Staff 1994-97, Chief of Navy 1997 (retd.); Alpaca breeder; d. 1 Sep. 2002 Canberra

Tripovich, Matthew John, AM 2005 CSC 1991; b. 4 Jan. 1956; entered RAN Coll. 1974; served in various ships, incl. Assail (Exec. Offr), Torrens (Ops Room Offr) & Hobart (Air Intercept Controller); trained in UK 1984; Direction Offr Sydney, then DO, Sen. Warfare Offr & Ops Offr in Brisbane 1987; Fleet DO on staff of Maritime Comdr. Aust 1988; Exec. Offr. Brisbane (Gulf War) 1990-91; attended Jt. Svces Staff Coll. 1994; CO Canberra 1994-96; Staff Offr to CDF 1996-97; Dir. Maritime Combat Devel., ADF HQ; CO Anzac (East Timor) 1999; Dir. Gen. Naval Capability, Performance & Plans 2001; Comdre Flotillas & Comdr. Deployable Jt. Force HQ (Maritime) 2002-04; Dir-Gen. Navy Pers & Trg 2004-05; Head, Capability Systems, ADF HQ 2005-07; prom. VAdm & Chief Capability Devel. Gp 2007-

Walls, Robert Andrew Kevin, AO 1992 (AM 1987); b. 15 Mar. 1941 Colac, Vic; educ. Colac High Sch; entered RAN Coll. 1955; Dir. Aust. Frigate Project 1978-80; Comdr. Aust. Amphibious Sqdn & CO Tobruk 1981-84; CO Moreton; Dir. Naval Force Development 1984-87; CO Brisbane 1987-88; Nat. Def. Coll. New Delhi 1989; Dir-Gen. Naval Policy & Maritime Doctrine 1990; Dep. Chief Naval Staff 1991; Maritime Comdr. Aust. 1991-93; Asst. Chief Def. Force (Development) 1994-95; Vice-Chief of Def. Force 1995-97 (retd.); company director 1997-2000

Willis, Sir (Guido) James, KBE 1981 AO 1976; b. 18 Oct. 1923 Learmonth, Vic; educ. Wesley Coll. Melbourne; entered RAN Coll. 1937; Midshipman 1941; CO Latrobe 1946-47, Tobruk 1955, Quiberon 1959-61, Vampire 1962-63, Yarra 1966; Imperial Def. Coll. 1967; Dir-Gen. Ops & Plans 1968-71; CO Melbourne 1971-72; Dir. DDL Project 1972-73; Chief of Naval Personnel 1973-75; Chief of Naval Material 1975-76; Asst. Chief of Def. Force Staff 1976-78; Flag Officer Comdg Aust. Fleet 1978-79; Chief of Naval Staff 1979-82 (retd.); d. 15 Jun. 2003 Adelaide


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