Allan du Toit

Allan du Toit
Allan du Toit (right) with US Navy officers George Cox and Garry Hall
Born	Durban, South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa (1975–87)  Australia (1987–)
Service/branch	South African Navy (1975–87)  Royal Australian Navy (1987–)
Years of service	1975 – present
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	Head of Navy Capability Border Protection Command Combined Task Force 158 HMAS Tobruk
Battles/wars	Bougainville civil unrest Peace Monitoring Group War in Afghanistan Operation Slipper Iraq War
Awards	Member of the Order of Australia

Rear Admiral Allan Kendall du Toit AM, RAN is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy,^[1] currently serving as Australia's Military Representative to NATO.^[2][3] Du Toit has previously served as the Commander Border Protection Command until being succeeded by Tim Barrett in February 2010.^[4]

Early life

Du Toit was born and raised in Durban, South Africa and emigrated to Australia in early 1987.^[1]

Military career

South African Navy

Du Toit joined the South African Navy as a midshipman in 1975 and graduated from the South African Military Academy in 1979. Du Toit went on to serve aboard frigates, submarines and mine countermeasures vessels as a mine warfare specialist and Principal Warfare Officer and was a junior member of the directing staff at the South African Naval Staff College. In 1986 he received a Chief of the South African Navy's Commendation.^[5]

Royal Australian Navy

Between November 2001 and March 2002 he was the RAN Task Group Commander and became the first non-United States officer to command a multinational naval force enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2004 Australia Day Honours List in recognition of this service as Commander of the Multinational Maritime Interception Force.^[5][6]

From September 2007 to March 2008 du Toit was the commander of Coalition Task Force 158 in the Persian Gulf. In this role he commanded forces from the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Iraq and Australia.^[5]

Du Toit has served in a number of joint and single service command positions, including Director General Military Strategic Commitments in 2006–07, Director General Joint Operations and Plans in 2005–06. du Toit was also the Project Officer for the Mine Hunter Coastal Project from 1993 to 1996.^[1][5]

Du Toit was appointed Commander Border Protection Command on 9 May 2008^[5] and served in that role until replaced by Rear Admiral Tim Barrett on 9 February 2010.^[4]

On 1 February 2012, du Toit was appointed Head of Navy Capability.^[1]

Education

During his time as an officer in the South African Navy du Toit graduated from the South African Military Academy and Naval Staff College. He also studied at the Stellenbosch University where he received a Bachelor degree in Military Science.^[1]

Du Toit received a Masters in Defence Studies and a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies from the University of New South Wales. He is currently undertaking part-time doctoral study at the University College, Australian Defence Force Academy.^[1]

Personal life

Du Toit lives in Canberra and is married to Tessa, a radiation therapist. They have two sons. Du Toit is patron of the ADF Basketball Association and is a rugby union and cricket supporter.^[5]

Writings

Du Toit wrote his first published book on warships when he was 15 years old; the book was later published while he was serving as a midshipman in the South African Navy. Du Toit has gone on to write two other books, one on warships and the other on South African naval history.^[5]

• du Toit, Allan (1976). Ships of the South African Navy. S. A. Boating Publications. 
• du Toit, Allan (1992). South Africaʼs Fighting Ships: Past and Present. Ashanti Publications. ISBN 1874800502. 
• du Toit, Allan (1996). From Cradle to Grave?: The Place of the Aircraft Carrier in Australia's Post-war Defence Force. Australian Defence Force Academy. 

Honours and awards

	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	2004 Australia Day Honours List, the citation reads "for exceptional command and leadership as the Commander of the Multi-national Maritime Interception Force enforcing United Nations Sanctions against Iraq as part of Operation SLIPPER".[6]
	Australian Active Service Medal
	Afghanistan Medal
	Iraq Medal
	Australian Service Medal
	Defence Long Service Medal with 2 clasps	(25-30 Years Service)
	Australian Defence Medal
	General Service Medal (South Africa)
	Good Service Medal (Bronze) (South Africa)	for 10 years service in the Permanent Force

References