Chief of Navy (New Zealand)

Chief of Navy (CN) commands the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and is responsible to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) for raising, training and sustaining those forces necessary to meet agreed government outputs. The CN acts as principal advisor to the CDF on Navy matters, and is the most senior appointment in the RNZN. The rank associated with the position is rear admiral, and CNs are generally appointed on a three-year term.^[1]

Chief of Navy
Naval Ensign of New Zealand
Incumbent Garin Golding since 27 August 2024
New Zealand Defence Force
Abbreviation	CN
Member of	Navy Leadership Board
Reports to	Chief of Defence Force
Term length	Three years (renewable)
Formation	1 October 1941
First holder	Commodore Edward Parry
Deputy	Deputy Chief of Navy
Website	Official website

The position was originally created as Chief of Naval Staff and First Naval Member upon the formation of the RNZN on 1 October 1941. A number of the officers who became CNS served as Commodore, Auckland (later named Maritime Component Commander) before taking the helm of the Navy. The title changed to Chief of Naval Staff in 1970, and CN in 2003.^[2] Rear Admiral Garin Golding assumed the post on 27 August 2024.^[3]

Appointees

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Navy or its preceding positions, with rank and honours as at the completion of the individual's term.^[2][4][5]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office
Chief of Naval Staff and First Naval Member
1		Parry, EdwardCommodore Edward Parry CB (1893–1972) RN	1 October 1941	June 1942	8 months
2		Parry, EdwardCommodore Sir Atwell Lake, 9th Baronet CB, OBE (1891–1972) RN	June 1942	12 July 1945	3 years, 1 month
3		Faulkner, GeorgeCommodore George Haines Faulkner DSC (1893–1983) RN	13 July 1945	May 1947	1 year, 9 months
4		Simpson, GeorgeCommodore George Simpson CB, CBE RN	July 1947	June 1950	3 years, 1 month
5		Balance, FCommodore F.A. Balance DSO RN	June 1950	April 1953	2 years, 10 months
6		Madden, CharlesCommodore Sir Charles Madden, 2nd Baronet CB (1906–2001) RN	April 1953	May 1955	2 years, 1 month
7		McBeath, JohnRear Admiral John McBeath CB, DSO, DSC RN	May 1955	February 1958	2 years, 9 months
8		Villiers, MichaelRear Admiral Michael Villiers OBE (1907–1990) RN	February 1958	March 1960	2 years, 1 month
9		Phipps, PeterRear Admiral Peter Phipps KBE, DSC & Bar, VRD (1909–1989) [lower-alpha 1]	April 1960	June 1963	3 years, 3 months
10		Washbourn, RichardRear Admiral Richard Washbourn CB, DSO, OBE RN/RNZN	June 1963	October 1965	2 years, 4 months
11		Ross, JohnRear Admiral John Ross CB, CBE	October 1965	June 1969	3 years, 8 months
12		Carr, LawrenceRear Admiral Lawrence Carr DSC	July 1969	May 1970	10 months
Chief of Naval Staff
1		Carr, LawrenceRear Admiral Lawrence Carr CB, DSC	June 1970	June 1972	2 years, 1 month
2		Thorne, EdwardRear Admiral Edward Thorne CB, CBE (1923–2013)	July 1972	December 1975	3 years, 6 months
3		McKenzie, JohnRear Admiral John McKenzie CB, CBE	December 1975	December 1977	2 years
4		Anderson, NeilRear Admiral Neil Anderson CB, CBE (1927–2010) [lower-alpha 1]	December 1977	April 1980	2 years, 4 months
5		Saull, KeithRear Admiral Keith Saull CB	April 1980	April 1983	3 years
6		Steward, CedricRear Admiral Cedric Steward CB	April 1983	February 1986	2 years, 10 months
7		Tempero, LincolnRear Admiral Lincoln Tempero[7] CB	February 1986	May 1987	1 year, 3 months
8		Domett, DouglasRear Admiral Douglas Domett CB, CBE	May 1987	May 1989	2 years
9		Teagle, SomerfordRear Admiral Somerford Teagle [lower-alpha 1]	May 1989	March 1991	1 year, 10 months
10		Hunter, IanRear Admiral Ian Hunter CB (1939–2022)	March 1991	April 1994	3 years, 1 month
11		Welch, J.Rear Admiral Jack Welch CB	April 1994	7 April 1997	3 years
12		Wilson, FredRear Admiral Fred Wilson CBE, LVO	8 April 1997	April 2000	2 years, 11 months
13		McHaffie, PeterRear Admiral Peter McHaffie OBE	April 2000	April 2003	3 years
Chief of Navy
1		McHaffie, PeterRear Admiral Peter McHaffie CNZM, OBE	April 2003	7 April 2004	1 year
2		Ledson, DavidRear Admiral David Ledson ONZM (born 1951)	8 April 2004	April 2009	4 years, 11 months
3		Parr, TonyRear Admiral Tony Parr ONZM, MVO (born 1955)	April 2009	29 November 2012	3 years, 7 months
4		Steer, JackRear Admiral Jack Steer ONZM	30 November 2012	30 November 2015	3 years
5		Martin, JohnRear Admiral John Martin ONZM	30 November 2015	29 November 2018	2 years, 11 months
6		Proctor, DavidRear Admiral David Proctor	29 November 2018	16 May 2024	5 years, 5 months
7		Golding, GarinRear Admiral Garin Golding	27 August 2024	Present	2 months

Notes

1. was subsequently promoted to vice admiral and appointed Chief of Defence Force.

References

1. "RNZN Key Personnel". About Your Navy. Royal New Zealand Navy. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
2. Wynd, Michael. "Lists of Commanding Officers NZ Division of the RN/RNZN Fleets". The Family History Network. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
3. McCulloch, Craig (28 August 2024). "Army gets first woman chief as new Defence Force leadership announced". RNZ News. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
4. Waters, S.D. (1956). The Royal New Zealand Navy. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch. p. 539.
5. "Chiefs of Navy". Torpedo Bay Navy Museum. National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
6. Tempero was CO HMNZS Santon in Singapore (A Kiwi on Our Funnel, 95); promoted lieutenant-commander in 1966; COMAUCK 11 April 1983 - 29 January 1986 (see Second Air New Zealand Almanac); and CNS 1986-7.
7. Tempero was CO HMNZS Santon in Singapore (A Kiwi on Our Funnel, 95); promoted lieutenant-commander in 1966; COMAUCK 11 April 1983 - 29 January 1986 (see Second Air New Zealand Almanac); and CNS 1986-7.