AustrAliAn NavAl PersonAlities lives from the AustrAliAn DictionAry of BiogrAPhy Cover painting by Dale Marsh Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, HMAS Armidale Oil on plywood. 49.5 x 64.8cm Australian War Memorial (ART 28160) First published in February 2006 Electronic version updated October 2006 © The Australian National University, original ADB articles © Commonwealth of Australia 2006, all remaining articles This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Announcement statement—may be announced to the public. Secondary release—may be released to the public. All Defence information, whether classified or not, is protected from unauthorised disclosure under the Crimes Act 1914. Defence Information may only be released in accordance with the Defence Protective Security Manual (SECMAN 4) and/or Defence Instruction (General) OPS 13-4—Release of Classified Defence Information to Other Countries, as appropriate. Requests and inquiries should be addressed to the Director, Sea Power Centre - Australia, Department of Defence. CANBERRA, ACT, 2600. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry Gilbert, G. P. (Gregory Phillip), 1962-. Australian Naval Personalities. Lives from the Australian Dictionary of Biography. Biography ISBN 0 642 296367 1. Sea Power - Australia. 2. Navies - Australia. 3. Australian - Biography. 4. Australia. Royal Australian Navy. I. Gilbert, G. P. (Gregory Phillip), 1962-. II. Australia. Royal Australian Navy. Sea Power Centre. (Series: Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs; No. 17). 359.092294 AustrAliAn NavAl PersonAlities lives from the AustrAliAn DictionAry of BiogrAPhy selected and condensed by GREGORY P. gilBERT sea Power centre - Australia iv Sea Power Centre - Australia The Sea Power Centre - Australia (SPC-A - formerly the Maritime Studies Program) was established to undertake activities which would promote the study, discussion and awareness of maritime issues and strategy within the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the defence and civil communities at large. The aims of the SPC-A are: to promote understanding of sea power and its application to the security of Australia’s national interests; to manage the development of RAN doctrine and facilitate its incorporation into ADF joint doctrine; to contribute to regional engagement; and, within the higher Defence organisation, contribute to the development of maritime strategic concepts and strategic and operational level doctrine, and facilitate informed force structure decisions. Internet site: www.navy.gov.au/spc Comment on this Paper, or any inquiry related to the activities of the Sea Power Centre - Australia, should be directed to: Director, Sea Power Centre - Australia Telephone: +61 2 61276512 Department of Defence Facsimile: +61 2 61276519 Canberra ACT 2600 Email: [email protected] AUSTRALIA Australian Dictionary of Biography For further information regarding the Australian Dictionary of Biography, the principal source for the biographies in this volume, contact: Dr Di Langmore General Editor Mr Darryl Bennet Deputy General Editor & ADB Online Project Manager Internet site: adb.anu.edu.au Australian Dictionary of Biography Research School of Social Sciences Telephone: +61 2 6125 2676 Coombs Building, No. 009 Facsimile: +61 2 6125 3644 Australian National University Email: [email protected] Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Disclaimer The views expressed are the authors’ and not necessarily those of the Royal Australian Navy or the Department of Defence. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in this publication. v The Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs series is a vehicle for the distribution of substantial work by members of the Royal Australian Navy as well as members of the Australian and international community undertaking original research into regional maritime issues. Papers will be drawn generally from manuscripts not scheduled for publication elsewhere but that nonetheless merit extensive distribution. Candidates are considered by an editorial board under the auspices of the Director of the Sea Power Centre - Australia. Other volumes in the series are: No. 1 From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: Post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955 by Hector Donohue No. 2 No Easy Answers: The Development of the Navies of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka 1945–1996 by James Goldrick No. 3 Coastal Shipping: The Vital Link by Mary Ganter No. 4 Australian Carrier Decisions: The Decisions to Procure HMA Ships Albatross, Sydney and Melbourne by Anthony Wright No. 5 Issues in Regional Maritime Strategy: Papers by Foreign Visiting Military Fellows with the Royal Australian Navy Maritime Studies Program–1998 edited by David Wilson No. 6 Australia’s Naval Inheritance: Imperial Maritime Strategy and the Australia Station 1880–1909 by Nicholas A. Lambert No. 7 Maritime Aviation: Prospects for the 21st Century edited by David Stevens No. 8 Maritime War in the 21st Century: The Medium and Small Navy Perspective edited by David Wilson No. 9 HMAS Sydney II: The Cruiser and the Controversy in the Archives of the United Kingdom edited by Captain Peter Hore, RN No. 10 The Strategic Importance of Seaborne Trade and Shipping: A Common Interest of Asia Pacific edited by Andrew Forbes No. 11 Protecting Maritime Resources: Boundary Delimitation, Resource Conflicts and Constabulary Responsibilities edited by Barry Snushall and Rachael Heath No. 12 Australian Maritime Issues 2003: SPC-A Annual edited by Glenn Kerr No. 13 Future Environment Policy Trends to 2020 by Centre for Maritime Policy, University of Wollongong, edited by Glenn Kerr and Barry Snushall No. 14 Peter Mitchell Essays 2003 edited by Glenn Kerr No. 15 A Critical Vulnerability: The Impact of the Submarine Threat on Australia’s Maritime Defence 1915–1954 by David Stevens No. 16 Australian Maritime Issues 2004: SPC-A Annual edited by Gregory Gilbert and Robert Davitt vi vii Abstract This Paper in Australian Maritime Affairs contains a selection of naval personalities that have been previously published within the Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB). Since 1966 the ADB has expanded, incorporating the lives of many of Australia’s most famous and infamous personalities, and currently the work runs into sixteen biographical volumes which now cover individuals who passed away prior to 1980. By including some of the most interesting naval personalities from the ADB within this volume it is hoped that a wider audience may gain familiarity with the deep and lasting contribution that these individuals have made to Australian maritime and indeed national affairs. The selected biographies include naval officers, sailors, administrators, and professionals who have made a lasting contribution to Australia. This collection is recommended as a source of inspiration. Naval personalities who have exhibited personal discipline, moral fortitude and strong leadership capabilities in the past, are most suitable role models for Australia’s present and future naval personalities. viii ix Editor’s Note Whereas the Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) is aimed at a wide audience, the biographies within this volume were selected from those individuals whose lives have influenced Australian naval and maritime traditions. Originally the selection was limited to persons who had made a lasting contribution to Australia’s maritime tradition and the Australian Navy, however a thorough reading of the ADB identified numerous individuals who were influenced by our maritime traditions and who went on to make lasting contributions to Australian society. The Australian Navy itself has always consisted of a combination of naval professionals who are to some extent separate from the society that they protect, and a reserve element, drawn from the greater society, who meet the naval challenge in times of need. This volume aims to adequately represent all such groups. It is as role models that these lives remain relevant to us today. Often their moral fibre, ingenuity and dedication in difficult situations can provide us with imagery that inspires us to think how we too might react in a similar situation. For contrast, a few characters that have perhaps been more infamous than otherwise are included. The selected biographies by no means exhaust the available subjects, rather the current selection is mostly limited to persons who passed away prior to 1980 and were subsequently selected for inclusion within the ADB. A few biographies prepared for future volumes of the ADB have also been included. Some preference has been given to Australian-born and raised subjects, although this criteria has not been followed too stringently. Indeed the dominating role of the Royal Navy (RN) in the earliest history of Australia requires the inclusion of persons of British birth who served in Australian waters. Much of the early history of maritime affairs in Australia was enacted and written by British males, and subsequently women, Australian Aborigines and persons from non- British backgrounds are under-represented both in this volume and in the earlier volumes of the ADB. The most recent volumes of the ADB have helped to overcome this bias. Some readers may believe that famous names not included in the current volume should have been incorporated, however, the editor can only apologise in advance by