Admiral

Admiral (Australia)

Admiral is the highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Navy rank of Admiral. It is a four-star rank. Since World War II, in general, the only time the rank is held is when the Chief of the Defence Force is a Navy officer.Admiral is a...

 Michael Wyndham Hudson AC (10 March 1933 – 27 February 2005) was a senior officer within the Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

, particularly notable for playing an important role in the introduction of the Collins class submarine

Collins class submarine

The Collins class is a class of six Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The Collins class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; all six submarines are named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in...

s, Anzac Class frigates and establishing two-ocean basing for ships of the RAN. He served as Chief of Naval Staff

Chief of Navy (Australia)

The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...

 from 1985 to 1991.

Early life

Michael Hudson was born on the 10 March 1933 in Taree, New South Wales

Taree, New South Wales

Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...

. His family moved to the Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 suburb of Mosman

Mosman, New South Wales

Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...

 when he was of a young age, where he developed an early interest in the Navy, frequently watching the Naval shipping from Balmoral

Balmoral, New South Wales

Balmoral is an urban locality in the suburb of Mosman in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Balmoral is located in the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman and is part of the Lower North Shore....

. His first year of secondary schooling was spent at North Sydney Boys High School

North Sydney Boys High School

North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.- History :...

.

Service history

Hudson joined the Royal Australian Naval College as a cadet midshipman in January 1947. Graduating three years later with the King's Medal

King's Medal

The King's Medal may refer to:* H. M. The King's Medal, Swedish royal medal* King's Medal of Merit, Norwegian award*The King's South Africa Medal awarded to military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa on or after January 1, 1902, and had completed 18 months service before...

, he decided to specialise in navigation.

As a midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

, Hudson was posted to HMAS Sydney, which included a six month deployment for service in the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

.

Hudson proceeded to command HMA Ships Brisbane, Stalwart

HMAS Stalwart (D 215)

HMAS Stalwart was an Australian-designed and constructed Escort Maintenance ship of the Royal Australian Navy . Commissioned on 9 February 1968 and decommissioned on 9 March 1990, Stalwart served as a destroyer tender, the RAN flagship, and a training vessel during her career...

, Melbourne, and Vendetta

HMAS Vendetta (D08)

HMAS Vendetta was one of three Daring class destroyers built for and operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The destroyer was built by Williamstown Naval Dockyard and entered service in 1958. During her early career, Vendetta was deployed to the Far East Strategic Reserve on multiple occasions...

, which included a posting as Fleet Operations Officer during the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

, having previously served a tour in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation

Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation

Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...

 from 1964 to 1966.

Hudson then received a series of staff appointments in the Navy Office, firstly as Director of Naval Plans, later becoming Director of Naval Plans and Policy. He then assumed the position of Flag Officer Commanding Her Majesty's Australian Fleet. On 11 June 1984 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service in this position.

Hudson was promoted to vice admiral

Vice Admiral (Australia)

Vice admiral is the second-highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy and was created as a direct equivalent of the British rank of vice admiral. It is a three-star rank...

 and was appointed Chief of Naval Staff

Chief of Navy (Australia)

The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...

 on 21 April 1985. During his tenure, he signed contracts for the replacement of Collins class submarines, ANZAC class frigates and the Paluma class survey vessels. Also during this period, naval infrastructure was overhauled, Two-Ocean Basing commenced, and service conditions were improved. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia on 13 June 1987.

To honour his distinguished forty-four years of service to the Navy, Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Australia

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...

 Bob Hawke

Bob Hawke

Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....

 promoted Hudson to the rank of admiral

Admiral (Australia)

Admiral is the highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Navy rank of Admiral. It is a four-star rank. Since World War II, in general, the only time the rank is held is when the Chief of the Defence Force is a Navy officer.Admiral is a...

 on the day of his retirement - 8 March 1991.

Later life

In retirement, Hudson took an active interest in the welfare of naval veterans and serving personnel. He served as National President of the Naval Association of Australia and Chairman of the Australian Veterans' Children Assistance Trust.

Admiral Mike Hudson died at Royal North Shore Hospital

Royal North Shore Hospital

The Royal North Shore Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located in St Leonards. It serves as a teaching hospital for Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney and has approximately 740 beds. It is the referral hospital for Northern Sydney and the Central...

, Sydney, on 27 February 2005.

External links

• The Naval Association of Australia - Admiral Mike Hudson AC RAN