Nigel Coates (admiral)

Rear Admiral Nigel Stephen Coates AM, RAN (8 March 1959 – 2 June 2010) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy.

Education
Coates joined the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay in 1975 as a Junior Entry officer, to complete his high school education.

Coates spent 18 months in Newport, Rhode Island where he attended the US Naval War College and also earnt a Master of Arts (International Relations) from Salve Regina University.

Career
Coates joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1975. For the first 15 years of his career he served as aide-de-camp to the Governor General, received PWO (Principal Warfare Officer) and other training, served on HMA Ships HMAS Hobart (D 39), HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01), HMAS Brisbane (D 41) and HMAS Darwin (FFG 04), and at Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) in Sydney.

In 1993, he was promoted to Commander and served at the Australian Defence Force Academy, initially as Senior Military Instructor, and then as Commanding Officer of the Corps of Officer Cadets. In 1996 he assumed command of HMAS Canberra (FFG 02), in 1998 he assumed command of Sea Training at MHQ, and in 1999 attended the US Naval War College.

In 2001 he was promoted to Captain and assumed command of HMAS Anzac (FFH 150), which saw operational deployment in the Persian Gulf; Coates was subsequently appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for this service.

In mid-2002 he was appointed Chief of Staff to Chief of the Defence Force in Canberra, and in late 2003 he was promoted to Commodore and appointed Chief of Staff, at Headquarters Australian Theatre (HQAST in Sydney). In 2005 he returned to Canberra as Director General, Navy Personnel and Training (DGNPT).

In July 2007 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT). He relinquished command of the Fleet in October 2009 and was relieved by Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore.

Personal
According to his official biography, "Coates and his wife Vickie enjoy sailing and have three children who also enjoy sailing – occasionally."

In 1996 while sailing in the Australian Capital Territory, he suffered a traumatic amputation of the top of his ring finger.

Coates was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer in late 2009, shortly after relinquishing command of the Australian Fleet. He died on 2 June 2010, aged 51, at the Medical Centre, Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The funeral service with full naval honours was held in the Naval Dockyard Chapel, Garden Island, Fleet Base East, Potts Point, New South Wales on 9 June 2010.

Honours and awards

 * Queen's Gold Medal (Dux of RAN Initial Training course)
 * Jubilee Sword (Dux of Seamen Officers training course)
 * 1991 Maritime Commander's Commendation
 * 1995 Chief of the Defence Force Commendation
 * 1997 Gloucester Cup (Commanding officer, HMAS Canberra)
 * 2001 Gloucester Cup (Commanding Officer, HMAS Anzac)