HMAS Canberra

This site is dedicated to all Royal Australian Navy and Australian Defence Force personnel who have served in HMAS CANBERRA.

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HMAS CANBERRA (1) D 33 from the 9th of July 1928 until she was sunk in action off Savo Island on the 9th of August 1942.

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HMAS CANBERRA (2) FFG-02 from the 21st of March 1981 until Decomissioning on the 12th of November 2005.

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HMAS Canberra (3) LHD-02 from Commissioning on the 23rd of November 2014.

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Commander R.W Gates CSM, RAN

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Rear Admiral Raydon Gates graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1974. His early career was spent primarily at sea serving in over 15 ships with two postings to the United Kingdom for specialist warfare training.  His sea service culminated with the command of the guided missile frigates HMAS CANBERRA in 1991-93 and HMAS ADELAIDE 1995-97. 

He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for his command of CANBERRA during an operational deployment to the Middle East enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. He was awarded the French Order of Maritime Merit for his command of ADELAIDE during the Southern Ocean rescue of the stricken Vendee Globe yachtsmen, Thierry Dubois and Tony Bullimore.

His shore postings have included operational and personnel positions in Sydney and Canberra in various headquarters.

Rear Admiral Gates has been awarded a Masters Degree in Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies, and a Diploma of Company Directorship.  He is a graduate of a number of strategic leadership management programs from Mt Eliza Management College, Australian Graduate School of Management, Oxford University and Harvard University.

He was promoted Rear Admiral in January 2001 and appointed the inaugural Commander of the Australian Defence College in Canberra responsible for joint staff training of officers from O-1 to the O-6 rank levels.  He was Maritime Commander Australia July 2002 to June 2004 responsible for the entire Australian Fleet.  He commanded the Fleet during the Iraq War and the continuing Global War on Terror. 

He was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in the 2005 Australia Day Honours List for his distinguished service as a Flag Officer.  Rear Admiral Gates was accredited as the Australian Defence Attaché and Head Australian Defence Staff (Washington) from August 2004 to July 2008. He retired from the RAN in November 2008 after a career of 37 years.

Rear Admiral Gates was the CEO of the Kokoda Foundation until 2010. Raydon was appointed the CEO of Lockheed Martin in late 2010. A native of Western Australia, he is married to Alison and they now reside in Canberra.

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