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Vice Admiral David Willoughby Leach, AC, CBE, LVO (17 July 1928 –19 January 2020) was a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1982 to 1985.

Early life

Leach was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, on 17 July 1928 to John Digby Leach, a First World War veteran and later Commissioner of Main Roads in Western Australia, and his wife Grace Lilian. Initially educated at Perth Modern School, Leach entered the Royal Australian Naval College in January 1942 aged thirteen.

Naval career

Leach commanded the guided missile destroyers HMAS Vendetta and HMAS Perth during the Vietnam War for which he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1969. In 1970 he managed naval liaison for the Royal Visit to Australia for which he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order.

He was appointed Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet in 1979 and Chief of the Naval Staff in 1982. He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1984, and retired in 1985.

After retiring from the Navy, Leach joined the Council of the Australian War Memorial and became a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. He was also elected as an alderman in the Municipality of Woollahra, and served as mayor during 1995. Leach died in Sydney on 19 January 2020.

References

1. ^ "Vice Admiral David Willoughby Leach". Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
2. "Leach, John Digby" (PDF). First World War Nominal Roll. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
3. "Leach, John Digby appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
4. "Leach, David Willoughby". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
5. ^ Hobart Association
6. It's an honour – The Order of the British Empire – Commander (Military)
7. It's an honour – The Royal Victorian Order – Lieutenant
8. It's an honour – Companion of the Order of Australia
9. ^ "Vice Admiral David Willoughby Leach". Our people. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
10. "Chairmen and Mayors of Woollahra". Woollahra Municipal Council. Retrieved 31 January 2020.

v t e Chiefs of the Royal Australian Navy
Director, Commonwealth Naval Forces	Sir William Rooke Creswell
First Naval Members, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board	Sir William Rooke Creswell Sir Percy Grant Sir Allan Everett Percival Hall-Thompson William Napier Sir William Munro Kerr Sir George Hyde Sir Ragnar Colvin Sir Guy Royle Sir Louis Keppel Hamilton Sir John Augustine Collins Sir Roy Dowling Sir Henry Burrell Sir Hastings Harrington Sir Alan McNicoll Sir Victor Smith Sir Richard Peek Sir David Stevenson
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Sir Anthony Synnot Sir James Willis David Leach Michael Hudson Ian MacDougall Rodney Taylor
Chiefs of Navy	Rodney Taylor Donald Chalmers David Shackleton Chris Ritchie Russ Shalders Russell Crane Raymond Griggs Timothy Barrett Michael Noonan Mark Hammond

v t e Fleet Commanders of the Royal Australian Navy
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet	Sir George Patey Sir William Pakenham Arthur Leveson Sir Lionel Halsey John Dumaresq Albert Addison Thomas Wardle
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron	George Hyde Edward Evans Leonard Holbrook Robin Dalglish Wilbraham Ford Richard Lane-Poole Wilfred Custance Wilfrid Patterson John Crace Victor Crutchley John Collins Charles Nichols Harold Farncomb John Collins Harold Farncomb
Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet	John Eccles John Eaton Roy Dowling Henry Burrell David Harries Henry Burrell Galfry Gatacre Hastings Harrington Alan McNicoll Otto Becher Thomas Morrison Victor Smith Richard Peek Gordon Crabb David Stevenson William Dovers David Stevenson William Dovers Anthony Synnot David Wells Geoffrey Gladstone Neil McDonald James Willis David Leach Peter Doyle John Stevens Michael Hudson Geoffrey Woolrych Ian Knox Peter Sinclair
Maritime Commander Australia	Peter Sinclair Ian MacDougall Ken Doolan Robert Walls Donald Chalmers Chris Oxenbould Chris Ritchie John Lord Geoffrey Smith Raydon Gates Rowan Moffitt Davyd Thomas
Commander Australian Fleet	Davyd Thomas Nigel Coates Steve Gilmore Tim Barrett Stuart Mayer Jonathan Mead Mark Hammond Jonathan Earley

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• Australian military personnel of the Vietnam War
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• People educated at Perth Modern School
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• Royal Australian Navy admirals
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