David Leach (admiral)

Vice Admiral David Willoughby Leach AC, CBE, LVO (born 17 July 1928) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1982 to 1985.

Early life

Leach was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, on 17 July 1928 to John Digby Leach, a First World War veteran and later Commissioner of Main Roads in Western Australia,^[1][2][3] and his wife Grace Lilian. Initially educated at Perth Modern School,^[1] Leach entered the Royal Australian Naval College in January 1942 aged thirteen.^[4]

Naval career

Leach commanded the guided missile destroyers HMAS Vendetta and HMAS Perth during the Vietnam War^[5] for which he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1969.^[6] In 1970 he managed naval liaison for the Royal Visit to Australia for which he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order.^[7]

He was appointed Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet in 1979 and Chief of the Naval Staff in 1982.^[5] He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1984,^[8] and retired in 1985.^[5]

References

Chiefs of the Royal Australian Navy
Director, Commonwealth Naval Forces	Sir William Rooke Creswell
First Naval Members, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board	Sir William Rooke Creswell Sir Percy Grant Sir Allan Everett Percival Hall-Thompson William Napier Sir William Munro Kerr Sir George Hyde Sir Ragnar Colvin Sir Guy Royle Sir Louis Keppel Hamilton Sir John Augustine Collins Sir Roy Dowling Sir Henry Burrell Sir Hastings Harrington Sir Alan McNicoll Sir Victor Smith Sir Richard Peek Sir David Stevenson
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Sir Anthony Synnot Sir James Willis David Leach Michael Hudson Ian MacDougall Rodney Taylor
Chiefs of Navy	Rodney Taylor Donald Chalmers David Shackleton Chris Ritchie Russ Shalders Russell Crane Raymond Griggs Timothy Barrett

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 Galfrey 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