Ken Doolan

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Kenneth Allan Doolan
Born Sydney, New South Wales
Allegiance Australia Australia
Service/branch  Royal Australian Navy
Years of service 1953 – 1993
Rank Rear Admiral
Commands held Australian forces in the Gulf War
Maritime Commander Australia
HMAS Brisbane
HMAS Tobruk
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Gulf War
Awards Officer of the Order of Australia
Other work President, Returned and Services League of Australia
National Secretary, Order of Australia Association
Member, Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal
Member of the ANZAC Centenary Advisory Board

Rear Admiral Kenneth Allan "Ken" Doolan, AO,[1] RAN (born 15 January 1939) is an Australian naval officer, author, and is currently National President[2] of the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL). He was a Rear Admiral in the Royal Australian Navy, his most senior commands being Fleet Commander including Operational Commander of all Australian combatant forces deployed to the First Gulf War.

Early life

Doolan was born in Sydney, and received his primary education in Brisbane.

Naval career

Doolan joined the Royal Australian Navy as a 13 year old Cadet Midshipman in January 1953, attending the Royal Australian Naval College. He graduated in 1956, undertook sea training in the frigate HMAS Swan (U74) in 1957 and in December 1958 graduated from the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Devon.

Significant postings held during his 41 year naval career included:

Second career

After leaving the Australian Defence Force, Doolan has been:

  • Commissioner, Inquiry into the East Coast Armaments Complex, 1994–1996
  • Member, Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal, 1996–1999
  • National Secretary of the Order of Australia Association and Company Secretary of that Association’s Foundation, 2002–2005
  • Member, National Defence Committee of the Returned and Services League, since 2002
  • Established a book publishing company with his wife - Grinkle Press, 2006
  • President,[3] Australian Institute of Navigation, 2007 -
  • President, Returned and Services League of Australia, September 2009 -

He first came to public notice as President of the RSL in late September 2009 when he made statements in support of Breeanna Till, the pregnant widow of an Australian serviceman Sergeant Brett Till who was killed in Afghan war (ADF Operation Slipper) in early 2009.

Family

Doolan is married to Elaine. They live in rural New South Wales near the national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

Publications

  • Maritime Power in the 20th Century – The Australian Experience Chapter 13, Allen & Unwin, 1998
  • A commanding presence: the life of G.H. Barker bookseller, naturalist and ornithologist, Ginninderra Press, 2002[4]
  • We Were Cadet Midshipmen – RANC Entrants 50 Years On (contributor & publisher), Grinkle Press, 2006
  • HMAS Tobruk: warship for every crisis, Grinkle Press, 2007[5]
  • Steel Cat: the story of HMAS Brisbane: Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, Grinkle Press, 2009[6]

External links

References

  1. ↑ DOOLAN, Kenneth Allan, AO, It's an Honour, 1991-01-26, accessed 2009-09-28
  2. ↑ War widow 'not penniless and abandoned', Brisbane Times, 2009-09-28
  3. ↑ Office Bearers, Australian Institute of Navigation, accessed 2009-09-28
  4. ↑ A commanding presence : the life of G.H. Barker bookseller, naturalist and ornithologist, biography of George Herbert Baker (1880-1965) (Doolan's maternal grandfather), National Library of Australia
  5. ↑ HMAS Tobruk : warship for every crisis, National Library of Australia
  6. ↑ Steel Cat: the story of HMAS Brisbane: Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, National Library of Australia
Military offices
Preceded by
Rear Admiral Ian MacDougall		 Maritime Commander Australia
1990 – 1991 		Succeeded by
Rear Admiral Robert Walls
  • Lt Col W. K. Bolton (1916–1919)
  • Sir Gilbert Dyett (1919–1946)
  • Sir Eric Millhouse (1946–1950)
  • Sir George Holland (1950–1960)
  • Sir Arthur Lee (1960–1974)
  • Sir William Hall (1974–1978)
  • Sir William Keys (1978–1988)
  • Brigadier Alf Garland (1988–1993)
  • Major General Digger James (1993–1997)
  • Major General Peter Phillips (1997–2003)
  • Major General Bill Crews (2003–2009)
  • Rear-Admiral Ken Doolan (2009)
Authority control
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