The 5 Collins Submarine Commanders' Career Details

Following Official Australian Submarine Availability – List of Commanders, March 18, 2020 I’ve reordered the official Royal Australian Navy (RAN) submarine list (table here) from submarine name alphabetical order to the more conventional order of date Commissioned, which coincides with Pennant number. See Table A. 

Also drawing from the RAN website are the official career details and photos of Australia’s five Commanding Officers of submarines. See List B.

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Table A. (as at March 20, 2020)

Name	Pennant [number]	Commissioned	Commanding Officer	Status
HMAS Collins	S73	27 July 1996	Commander Darren White
HMAS Farncomb	S74	31 January 1998	Commander Michael Power
HMAS Waller	S75	10 July 1999	Commander Christopher Ellis	Full-cycle docking
HMAS Dechaineux	S76	23 February 2001	Commander Bradley Francis
HMAS Sheean	S77	23 February 2001	[none?]	Intermediate Docking
HMAS Rankin	S78	29 March 2003	Commander Robin Dainty	Mid-cycle docking

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List B.

Commander Darren White (above)

Commander Darren White, RAN was born in Cape Town, South Africa He attended a local boarding school and graduated in 1992. Commander White enlisted into the South African Navy in 1994 and was drafted to SA Naval College in Gordon’s Bay, where he received his commission after successfully completing Officer training.

Commander White rotated through the various Squadrons and attained his Bridge Warfare Certificate in 1998. After selection for the MCM Squadron, he qualified as a MCM Officer in 1999. Commander White went on to complete two consecutive Executive Officer appointments on Minesweepers before volunteering for Submarine duty in 2002. 

He commenced submarine training and qualified as a Submarine Officer in November 2003. In 2004 Commander White was selected for Project WILLS (South African Type 209 submarine acquisition project). In 2005 he deployed to Germany and crewed two of the newly acquired submarines on their maiden voyages from Germany to South Africa, the first as the Sonar Officer and the second as the Executive Officer.

Commander White completed Perisher in 2008 and thereafter completed two consecutive Type 209 Submarine commands. This was followed by an Executive Officer appointment on a MEKO 200 Frigate, prior to immigrating to Australia.

Commander White joined the RAN in January 2015 and immediately commenced CCSM training, which included postings to HMAS Rankin, Waller and Farncomb before being appointed as the Executive Officer of HMAS Dechaineux in December 2016. This appointment included a successful North East Asia deployment. Commander White has a Bachelor degree in Business Administration.

Commander White assumed command of HMAS Collins in January 2020.

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Commander Michael Power (above)

Commander Michael Power was born in Hastings, Victoria. He entered the Royal Australian Naval College in January 2007 as a direct entry warfare officer, before proceeding through the Junior Warfare Officer Application Course.

While still under training Michael served in the Middle Eastern Area of Operations in 2009 whilst posted to HMAS Toowoomba, before attaining his Bridge Warfare Certificate on HMAS Anzac the following year. Shortly after this qualification, Michael joined the Submarine Service in 2011, commencing Submarine Officer Training Course.

Michael’s first significant submarine posting was to HMAS Farncomb in September 2011. During this posting he was awarded his ‘Dolphins’ in March 2012, before achieving his Officer of the Watch Dived proficiency later that same year.

While completing the Junior Officer Leadership Course in 2013 he was awarded both the Hue Paffard Award and Dux of the course. Following a brief posting as Navigator of HMAS Farncomb in 2014, Michael completed the Submarine Warfare Officers Course, where he was awarded the Submarine Sword of Excellence as Dux of the course.

Michael served onboard HMAS Rankin as the Sonar officer and Operations Officer in 2015 and 2016 respectively. In December 2017 he was appointed as the Executive Officer of HMAS Sheean, however only served in that role until September the following year as he had been selected to attend the Netherlands Submarine Command Course (NLSMCC) in January 2019.

Upon successful completion of NLSMCC and the Australian Commanding Officer Designate Course, Commander Power assumed Command of HMAS Farncomb in November 2019.

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Commander Christopher Ellis (above)

Commander Christopher Ellis, born in England, spent his schooling years in Canada before joining the Canadian Armed Forces in 1987. He attended Royal Roads Military College, and Collège Militaire de Royale; graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration.

In 1992, after completing initial Naval training on HMCS Saskatchewan, Commander Ellis volunteered for submarine service. He conducted his submarine training on HMC Submarines Ojibwa and Okanagan, with his dolphins being awarded in August 1994. He then re-joined Okanagan in 1996 as the navigating officer having recently completed the Destroyer Navigation Officer course in 1995.

In July 1997, Commander Ellis commenced a two year exchange with the RAN where he was employed as HMAS Onslow’s Sonar Officer, executed the duties as the Manager of Tactical Training at the submarine school, and attended the Submarine Warfare Officer Course. Returning to Canada in 1999, he was then posted to the United Kingdom to conduct Upholder conversion training as the Operations Officer on HMS Ursula (HMCS Corner Brook).

After returning to Canada with Corner Brook in 2003, he attended the RAN Submarine Executive Officer course, and returned to Australia early 2004 to sail with HMAS Rankin to Hawaii.

In July 2004, Commander Ellis was appointed the Executive Officer of HMCS Victoria. This appointment concluded with him joining Rankin later in 2005 so as to prepare for an upcoming Submarine Command Course (SMCC).

In July 2006, Commander Ellis became the second Canadian to successfully complete the Royal Netherlands Navy SMCC. On his return to Canada, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and appointed Victoria’s Commanding Officer. He subsequently commanded HMCS Windsor for her last operational cycle prior to attending the USN SMCC Class 12 in Groton, Connecticut in January 2007. He then passed the 2008/09 academic year in Toronto on the Joint Command and Staff Programme where he completed his Professional Masters in Defence Studies.

In 2009, Commander Ellis was again appointed Victoria’s Commanding Officer, and promoted to Commander. Victoria was the first of Class to complete a Canadian full cycle docking, and then to become weapon certified; a capability that culminated in the sinking of ex-USS Concord while participating in the exercise Rim of the Pacific 2012. On completion of his command in 2013, Commander Ellis was posted as the Deputy Commander of Submarine Operations.

Commander Ellis assumed Command of HMAS Waller in December 2019.

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Commander Bradley Francis (above)

Commander Bradley Francis, RAN was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. He joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2000 as a Seaman Officer. After completing his studies at the Australian Defence Force Academy he served in Fremantle Class Patrol Boats before gaining his Bridge Warfare Certificate in the Adelaide Class Frigate HMAS Canberra in 2005.

Joining the Submarine Service in 2006, Brad was awarded his ‘Dolphins’ in HMAS Sheean that year. He then served in HMAS Waller (2007-2008) and Royal Canadian Navy Submarines (2009-2010). After Submarine Warfare Officers Course in 2011, Brad served as a Warfare Officer in HMAS Dechaineux, Waller and Sheean over the course of 2012-14.

In November 2015, Brad was appointed as the Executive Officer of HMAS Rankin. Subsequent to this posting, he graduated from the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2017 and was then appointed as Deputy Director Submarines – Warfare within Navy Headquarters.

Brad is a graduate of the 2015 Netherlands Submarine Command Course (‘Perisher’) and the 2016 United States Submarine Command Course. His academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Arts from the University of New South Wales, and a Masters of Military and Defence Studies from Australian National University.

Commander Francis assumed Command of HMAS Dechaineux in December 2018.

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Commander Robin Dainty (above)

Robin Dainty was born in Grimsby, England in 1967. His father had previously served in the Royal Navy on Minesweepers and Submarines from 1953-1963 and it had always been Dainty’s intention to follow his father's lead. Towards the end of his schooling, Dainty applied to join the RN as an Able Seaman.

He joined HMS RALEIGH, the recruit training school in June 1983 and whilst there applied for submarine training as a direct entry submariner. Having completed his submarine training the following year, his first posting was to HMS Hermes (Aircraft Carrier) which came as a shock to both he and his family.

Shortly afterwards he joined his first submarine, HMS Revenge (SSBN) and was awarded his Dolphins in November 1984. Promoted to Leading Seaman in 1987 and then Petty Officer in 1990, Dainty served in HMS Ocelot (SSK), HMS Torbay (SSN) and HMS Talent (SSN). Having been promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1998 he was then selected for Commissioned Rank and joined Britannia Naval College in 1999.

Dainty returned to the submarine service after a short period in HMS Leeds Castle (FPV), enjoying periods in HMS Triumph (SSGN) and two tours in HMS Turbulent (SSGN), the first as the Navigating Officer and the second as the Operations Officer. These postings allowed him to witness the full range of submarine operations, including service during both Gulf War One and Gulf War Two.

He successfully completed Submarine Command Course (Perisher) in 2007 and then joined HMS Vengeance (SSBN) as the Executive Officer. He had the honour to Command Vengeance for a short period and Vengeance was to be his last appointment in the Royal Navy, joining the Royal Australian Navy in May 2011.

Initial service was in HMAS Dechaineux, followed by two years as the Executive Officer of HMAS Waller. He returned to HMAS Dechaineux in November 2014 as the Commanding Officer, departing her in January 2017 for an overseas posting at COMSUBPAC, Hawaii. Having returned to WA in February 2019, Dainty was selected to Command HMAS Collins.

Commander Dainty assumed command of HMAS Rankin in January 2020.

Pete