Commander Peter Thompson

Commander Peter Thompson, RAN joined the RAN from Taree, NSW in January 1985 as a General List officer. Graduating from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1987, he was posted to a number of training establishments to undertake his initial seaman officer training gaining his full bridge watchkeeping certificate in HMAS Parramatta (III) (DE 46) in 1989. After a period of at-sea consolidation, he also served as an Officer of the Watch in HMA Ships PERTH (DDG 38) and TORRENS (DE 53). From 1992 to 1996, Thompson served in HMAS Warrnambool (FCPB 204) as Executive Officer, as a Divisional Officer at the RAN Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus and as assistant-Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) officer in HMAS Brisbane (DDG 41).

Graduating as a Principal Warfare Officer (Surface Warfare) in 1997, Thompson served on exchange with the Royal New Zealand Navy as the ASW officer in HMNZS Wellington (F 69). Returning to Australia in 1999 Thompson joined the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters – Maritime and saw active service ashore in East Timor firstly in Dili as part of HQ INTERFET and then as the Naval Liaison Officer in the Occusi Enclave.

Thompson returned to sea as the ASW Officer HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06) in 2000 and conducted two operational deployments to the Solomon Islands for Operations TREK and ANODE. After serving briefly as the Operations Co-ordinator at Maritime Headquarters, Thompson was posted for two years as Executive Officer HMAS Tobruk (LSH 50) during which time he saw operational service in Bougainville for Op BEL ISI II.

In 2005 Thompson undertook the Australian Command and Staff Course. Following Staff College, he was posted as Director of Operations – Navy at Navy Headquarters. CMDR Thompson assumed command of HMAS Tobruk between July 2008 and January 2010.

CMDR Thompson holds a Masters of Management, a Diploma of Applied Science and a Graduate Certificate in Maritime Studies.