Commanding Officer HMAS Warramunga
Commander Bruce Legge, RAN
Commander Bruce Legge, RAN was raised and schooled in Victoria, and joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Seaman Officer under the Direct Entry Officer scheme in August 1986. After completing initial entry and junior seaman officer training in August 1987, Commander Legge served in HMA Ships Swan and Derwent before being awarded his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate in HMAS Cook in May 1989.
After consolidating bridge skills in Cook he posted to HMAS Darwin at the beginning of 1990, where he served for two years that included Exercise RIMPAC 1990 and two operational deployments to the Persian Gulf (Operation DAMASK I & III). Following an eight month posting as an OOW in HMAS Perth, Lieutenant Legge commenced an Air Intercept Controller (AIC) course at RAAF Williamtown in August 1992. A posting as the commissioning AIC/OOW of HMAS Newcastle filled the following two and a half years.
During 1996 he completed a Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) course specialising in Air Warfare and then commenced a 26 month PWO posting in HMAS Melbourne at the start of 1997. During this period he was involved in the Five Power Defence Agreement exercise (Exercise FLYING FISH) and multi-national Exercise RIMPAC 1998. He was also the ship’s Operations Officer for an extensive workup package, conducted away from the home port, off Western Australia. In March 1999 he was posted to HMAS Watson in the Staff Officer Air Warfare billet where he remained until November 2000 when he began a two year exchange posting to Commander Third Fleet staff in San Diego, USA. Lieutenant Commander Legge gained valuable joint operational experience in the headquarters of the USN Third Fleet whilst being the sole planning officer for Exercise RIMPAC 2002 and was awarded the US Meritorious Service Medal.
Upon return to Australia in January 2003, he became a member of the Australian Fleet Sea Training Group team by fulfilling the position of Fleet Direction Officer. He returned to HMAS Melbourne in June 2004 as the Executive Officer and was involved in two border protection deployments (Operation RELEX II) and preparations for FFG Upgrade. He completed his job as Executive Officer six months early, as he was selected for the UK Joint Staff Course from July 2005 to July 2006. He returned to Australia in August 2006 on promotion to Commander in the demanding role of Commander Operations at Fleet Headquarters. In March 2008 he assumed the role of Commander Fleet Plans, where he remained before assuming command of HMAS Warramunga on 14 July 2009.
In post-graduate studies, Commander Legge completed a Master of Arts (Maritime Policy), graduating with distinction, in June 2002 by own time studies at University of Wollongong. He also completed a Master of Arts (Defence Studies), graduating with Merit in 2006 through Kings College London.
Commander Legge is a very keen follower of Australian Rules football and cricket and also attempts to maintain fitness through jogging (having completed three marathons), swimming and the occasional game of social tennis.
