Lieutenant Commander Anthony Allen
Lieutenant Commander Anthony David Allen, RAN joined the Royal Navy at the age of 17 in 1981 at HMS Raleigh, serving at FOST in Portland and HMS Drake. After service in HMS Glamorgan deployed to the Gulf in 1983, he transferred via the Upper Yardman scheme to Officer. He commenced training at BRNC Dartmouth in 1985, which continued at sea in HM Ships Stubbington and Glasgow. He started his lengthy navigation career in the Ton Class Minehunter HMS Kedleson, then as Officer of the Watch and Navigating Officer 2 in the Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal. As the Navigating Officer (NAV) of the new T23 Frigate HMS Iron Duke, he undertook class cold weather trials. Selected for the Medium Career Commission in 1992 and Minor War Vessel Executive Officer Designate courses in 1993, he joined HMS Shetland as Executive Officer on UK fisheries patrols, rewarded with the privilege of temporary command early in his career.
Selected for the General List in May 1995, Assistant Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) training followed in HMS Battleaxe on operations in the Former Yugoslavia conflict. Initial Staff Course at RNC Greenwich and PWO training at HMS Dryad took place in 1995-1997. Allen qualified as PWO (Above Water Warfare), re-joining Iron Duke for major Anti-Submarine Warfare trials, towed array exercises and live operations in the North Atlantic. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in February 1998, he became the Operations Officer (OPSO) in Iron Duke deployed with 7 Frigates as the Standing NATO Force Mediterranean, conducting operations during the Kosovo Conflict. Allen was selected for the 1999 Specialist Navigation Course, duxed the sea time and taught navigation in HMS Dryad. He served as Staff Warfare Officer Navigation at Flag Officer Sea Training, assessing major and minor warships of the RN and foreign nations, before returning to Dryad in March 2002 as Navigation Instructor. Lieutenant Commander Allen joined HMS Endurance, the RN’s Ice Patrol Ship in February 2003 for his capital ship post as OPSO, NAV and PWO, deploying twice to Antarctica.
Lieutenant Commander Allen arrived in Australia on exchange to HMAS Watson Navigation Faculty in January 2005. He taught all levels of navigation, then joined HMAS Tobruk as OPSO, NAV and PWO, and deployed to the Gulf in support of Operations Catalyst and Slipper. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2007 followed and he returned to the Navigation Faculty as Officer-In-Charge, to resign from the RN after nearly 27 years service and emigrate with his family to Australia. LCDR Allen joined the RAN on 25 January 2008 at Watson as senior navigation instructor and was selected for Command, proudly becoming an Australian Citizen mid year. He was OPSO, NAV and PWO in HMAS Success, post-RIMPAC 2008 from Hawaii to Sydney and started Commanding Officer Designate Course in February 2009.
On 16 June 2009 LCDR Allen became the proud Commanding Officer of the Ardent FIVE crew, serving in the modern Armidale Class Patrol Boats HMA Ships Launceston and Wollongong, conducting Operation Resolute. LCDR Allen is married to Jo who is the rock at the centre of his weird naval life and they have two fantastic children, Thomas (8) and Freya (5) with the family home in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
