Davyd Thomas

Davyd Rhys Thomas
Davyd Rhys Thomas
Born	2 May 1956 (age 67); Commander Australian Fleet (2005–07); Commodore Flotillas (2004–05); HMAS Newcastle (2001–02); HMAS Darwin (1994–96)
Battles/wars	Gulf War Operation Desert Shield; War in Afghanistan Operation Slipper;
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia; Conspicuous Service Cross; Commendation for Distinguished Service
Other work	President of the Australian Naval Institute (2008–11); Member of the ANZAC Centenary Advisory Board (2011–present); Vice President of Austal (2012–present)

AO, CSC (born 2 May 1956) is a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy

.

Naval career

Davyd Rhys Thomas was born on 2 May 1956 in Newcastle, New South Wales,^[1] and joined the Royal Australian Navy College from that city in 1974. After gaining a Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate in 1978, he served as executive officer of HMAS Aware, a Darwin-based patrol boat.

Thomas was promoted to lieutenant in 1979, during which time he commenced his warfare training, and served on HMAS Brisbane. A short stint on the staff at the RAN Apprentice Training Establishment, prior to professional warfare specialist training in the United Kingdom, followed in 1983.

Upon his return to Australia, Thomas served as the operations officer on HMAS Vampire, and later on HMAS Perth as Gunnery Officer. He then completed the RAN Staff Course in 1987, and was subsequently employed as the surface weapons trials officer at the RAN's Test and Evaluation Centre in Sydney.

Thomas was then posted as executive officer of HMAS Adelaide, and participated in the first RAN contingent to the Persian Gulf in 1990, as part of Operation Desert Shield; he was promoted to commander in December 1990.

He then served in

Fleet Base West. In September 1994, Thomas assumed command of HMAS Darwin

, based on the West Coast.

In the

HMAS Newcastle

in March 2001.

As the commanding officer of Newcastle during

Operation Slipper in the Persian Gulf, Thomas conducted maritime interdiction in support of coalition forces enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. For this he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service in June 2003.^[3]

He was promoted to the rank of

Member of the Order of Australia in mid-2002 for "exceptional service to the Royal Australian Navy".^[4]

He later assumed the position of Commodore Flotillas and Commander Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (Maritime) in February 2004.

Thomas was promoted to

Commander Australian Fleet

(COMAUSFLT).

On 3 August 2007, Thomas assumed command of the Australian Defence College, which on 14 January 2008 became Joint Education, Training and Warfare (JETW) Command (which encompasses the Australian Defence College Headquarters, the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Australian Command and Staff College, the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and the ADF Warfare Centre).^[5]^[6]

Thomas assumed the duties of

Officer of the Order of Australia for his service as Commodore Flotillas, Maritime Commander Australia, Commander Australian Fleet and Commander, Australian Defence College.^[7] He relinquished the post of DCN on 18 February 2011 to Rear Admiral Trevor Jones.^[8]

Honours and awards

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	Australia Day Honours List 2009^[7]
	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	Queen's Birthday Honours List 2002^[4]
	Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC)	Australia Day Honours List 1997^[2]
	Commendation for Distinguished Service	Queen's Birthday Honours List 2003^[3]
	Australian Active Service Medal	with ICAT and IRAQ 2003 clasps
	Afghanistan Medal
	Australian Service Medal	with KUWAIT clasp
	Federation Star	40 plus years service
	Australian Defence Medal

References

^ "Davyd Rhys Thomas". RAN Admirals. Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 30 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
^ ^a ^b It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Conspicuous Service Cross – 26 January 1997
^ ^a ^b It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Commendation for Distinguished Service – 9 June 2003
Citation: For distinguished performance of duty as the Commanding Officer, HMAS NEWCASTLE, in the Persian Gulf during Operation SLIPPER.
^ ^a ^b It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Member of the Order of Australia – 10 June 2002
Citation: For exceptional service to the Royal Australian Navy as a senior Naval Officer through personal commitment and dedication to professional excellence.
^ "JETW Command". Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
^ History of the ADC Archived 7 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Officer of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2009
^ "Deputy Chief of Navy". Defence Leaders. Department of Defence. Retrieved 23 March 2011.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Rear Admiral Russ Crane	Deputy Chief of Navy 2008–2011	Succeeded by Rear Admiral Trevor Jones
Preceded by New position Replaces Commander Australian Defence College	Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare January – May 2008	Succeeded by Rear Admiral James Goldrick
Preceded by Brigadier Brian Dawson (acting)	Commander Australian Defence College 2007–2008	Succeeded by None Replaced by Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare
Preceded by New position Replaces Maritime Commander Australia	Commander Australian Fleet 2007	Succeeded by Rear Admiral Nigel Coates
Preceded by Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt	Maritime Commander Australia 2005–2007	Succeeded by None Replaced by Commander Australian Fleet

[1] "Davyd Rhys Thomas". RAN Admirals. Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 30 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.

[CSC-2] It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Conspicuous Service Cross – 26 January 1997

[CDS-3] It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Commendation for Distinguished Service – 9 June 2003
Citation: For distinguished performance of duty as the Commanding Officer, HMAS NEWCASTLE, in the Persian Gulf during Operation SLIPPER.

[AM-4] It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Member of the Order of Australia – 10 June 2002
Citation: For exceptional service to the Royal Australian Navy as a senior Naval Officer through personal commitment and dedication to professional excellence.

[5] "JETW Command". Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2008.

[6] History of the ADC Archived 7 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine

[AO-7] It's an Honour Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Officer of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2009

[8] "Deputy Chief of Navy". Defence Leaders. Department of Defence. Retrieved 23 March 2011.

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Fleet Commanders of the Royal Australian Navy
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet	Sir George Patey Sir William Pakenham Arthur Leveson Sir Lionel Halsey John Dumaresq Albert Addison Thomas Wardle
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron	George Hyde Edward Evans Leonard Holbrook Robin Dalglish Wilbraham Ford Richard Lane-Poole Wilfred Custance Wilfrid Patterson John Crace Victor Crutchley John Collins Charles Nichols Harold Farncomb John Collins Harold Farncomb
Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet	John Eccles John Eaton Roy Dowling Henry Burrell David Harries Henry Burrell Galfry Gatacre Hastings Harrington Alan McNicoll Otto Becher Thomas Morrison Victor Smith Richard Peek Gordon Crabb David Stevenson William Dovers David Stevenson William Dovers Anthony Synnot David Wells Geoffrey Gladstone Neil McDonald James Willis David Leach Peter Doyle John Stevens Michael Hudson Geoffrey Woolrych Ian Knox Peter Sinclair
Maritime Commander Australia	Peter Sinclair Ian MacDougall Ken Doolan Robert Walls Donald Chalmers Chris Oxenbould Chris Ritchie John Lord Geoffrey Smith Raydon Gates Rowan Moffitt Davyd Thomas
Commander Australian Fleet	Davyd Thomas Nigel Coates Steve Gilmore Tim Barrett Stuart Mayer Jonathan Mead Mark Hammond Jonathan Earley