Chris Ritchie

Christopher Angus Ritchie
Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie (left) receives an award from Admiral Vern Clark, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, February 2003
Born	(1949-01-16)16 January 1949 Melbourne, Victoria
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Royal Australian Navy
Years of service	1968–2005
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Chief of Navy (2002–05) Deputy Chief of Navy (1999) Maritime Commander Australia (1997–99) HMAS Brisbane (1990–91) HMAS Torrens (1986–87) HMAS Tarakan (1973–74)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Gulf War
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia Legion of Merit (United States)
Other work	Patron of the Australasian Hydrographic Society

Vice Admiral Christopher Angus "Chris" Ritchie AO, RAN (born 16 January 1949) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of Navy from 2002 to 2005.

Early life

Ritchie was born in Melbourne on 16 January 1949 to Angus Lachlan Ritchie and Colleen Burnice Ritchie.^[1]

Service history

Ritchie graduated from the RAN College at Jervis Bay in 1968. He received further training at sea and in the United Kingdom before undertaking a succession of seagoing appointments and a staff appointment at the NATO School of Maritime Operations at HMS DRYAD. His commands have included HMAS Tarakan, HMAS Torrens, and HMAS Brisbane.

During his period in command of HMAS Brisbane, the ship deployed to the Persian Gulf where she participated for the duration of the Persian Gulf War.^[2] In 1991, as a result of this service, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

In 1992 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom. On completion of this course he was promoted to commodore and had appointments in Naval Policy and Warfare, and Military Strategy and Concepts. In 1997 he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed as Maritime Commander Australia. He then served as Deputy Chief of Navy and Head of Capability Systems.^[2]

As a consequence of his service in these appointments, and in addition to receiving the Centenary medal,^[3] he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Australia in January 2001.^[4] He was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Commander Australian Theatre on 3 August 2001. He was the first Commander to have previously served as a Component Commander to the Headquarters. He assumed command of the Royal Australian Navy from Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral David Shackleton on 3 July 2002 and retired in July 2005.^[2]

References

↑ "Vice Adm. (Rtd) Christopher Angus Ritchie". ConnectWeb. Who's Who in Australia Online. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
1 2 3 Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie AO, RANR – Ancors Fellow Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security – Archived July 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ It's an Honour – Centenary Medal – 1 January 2001
Citation: For services to Australian society through the Royal Australian Navy.
↑ It's an Honour – Officer of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2001
Citation: For distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force and the Royal Australian Navy as the Maritime Commander Australia, Deputy Chief of Navy and Head Capability Systems.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chris Ritchie.

Military offices
Preceded by Vice Admiral David Shackleton	Chief of Navy 2002–2005	Succeeded by Vice Admiral Russ Shalders
Preceded by Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould	Deputy Chief of Navy 1999	Succeeded by Rear Admiral Geoffrey Smith
Preceded by Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould	Maritime Commander Australia 1997–1999	Succeeded by Rear Admiral John Lord

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

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