Nigel Coates (admiral)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nigel Stephen Coates
War in Afghanistan
  • Operation Slipper
Awards
Member of the Order of Australia

AM (8 March 1959 – 2 June 2010) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy
.

Early life and education

Coates joined the

Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay
in 1975 as a Junior Entry officer, where he completed his high school education.

Coates spent 18 months in Newport, Rhode Island, where he attended the US Naval War College and earned a Master of Arts (International Relations) from Salve Regina University.

Naval career

Coates joined the

Principal Warfare Officer and other training, served on HMA Ships Hobart, Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin
, and at Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) in Sydney.

In 1993, he was promoted to

commander and served at the Australian Defence Force Academy, initially as Senior Military Instructor, and then as Commanding Officer of the Corps of Officer Cadets. In 1996, he assumed command of HMAS Canberra. In 1998, he assumed command of Sea Training at MHQ, and in 1999 attended the US Naval War College
.

In 2001, he was promoted to

Member of the Order of Australia for this service.[3]

In mid-2002 he was appointed Chief of Staff to the

Headquarters Australian Theatre
in Sydney. In 2005, he returned to Canberra as Director General, Navy Personnel and Training.

In July 2007, he was promoted to

Commander Australian Fleet.[4][5] He relinquished command of the Fleet in October 2009 and was relieved by Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore.[6]

Personal

According to his official biography, "Coates and his wife Vickie enjoy sailing and have three children who also enjoy sailing – occasionally."[7]

In 1996, while sailing in the Australian Capital Territory, he suffered a traumatic amputation of the top of his ring finger.[citation needed]

Coates was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer in late 2009, shortly after relinquishing command of the Australian Fleet. He died on 2 June 2010,

Garden Island, on 9 June 2010.[2]

Honours and awards

Member of the Order of Australia
(AM)		 Australia Day Honours List 2003[3]
Australian Active Service Medal[9] with 1 clasp[9]
Afghanistan Medal[9]
Australian Service Medal[9] with 2 (?) clasps[9]
Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps[9] 35–39 years service[9]
Australian Defence Medal[9]

References and notes

  1. ^ a b Australia mourns naval officer death Archived 1 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Ninemsn.com.au, 2 June 2010
  2. ^ a b Nigel Coates Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, onlinetribute.com.au, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 June 2010, retrieved 5 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b It's an Honour – Member of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2003
    Citation: For exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force and the Royal Australian Navy, particularly as Commanding Officer HMAS ANZAC during deployment on Operation SLIPPER and in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
  4. ^ Minister for Defence visits Fleet Base East, Australian Defence Force media release, 14 July 2009, retrieved 3 June 2010.
  5. ^ [1]Legacy Remembrance Ceremony-Sydney, Australian Defence Force media release, 2 September 2009, retrieved 3 June 2010
  6. ^ Change of command at Fleet Headquarters, Navy News, Vol. 52 No. 19, 15 October 2009, page 7.
  7. ^ "Rear Admiral Nigel Stephen Coates, AM, RAN, Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT)". Defence Leaders. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 30 July 2008.
  8. ^ Naval signal from Vice Admiral Russ Crane, 2 June 2010
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Refer to File:YE DSC01725.JPG

External links

Links at http://www.navy.gov.au:

Military offices
Preceded by
Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas
Commander Australian Fleet

2007–2009 		Succeeded by
Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore
New command Director General of the Australian Navy Cadets
2005–2007 		Succeeded by
Commodore Karel de Laat
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nigel_Coates_(admiral)&oldid=1184671291"