Lieutenant Commander James Thompson

Lieutenant Commander James Thompson joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2019 after having served 19 years in the Royal Navy.

Initially joining Britannia Royal Naval College in early 2000; early training was conducted in HM Ships Cumberland, Shetland, Argyll and Somerset, before joining HMS Edinburgh in late 2002 - immediately prior to her deployment to the Middle East for Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was awarded the Operation Telic Medal with Rosette. 

Further OOW time was conducted in HM Ship’s Manchester and Liverpool, where he saw service in the North Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean, West Africa and South Atlantic. Further qualifying as a Fleet Navigating Officer in 2008, he served as Navigating Officer 2 in the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious for her deployment to the Indian Ocean.

Selected for service within the organisation of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), he served as Staff Officer Navigation 2 to FOST Mine-Warfare and Patrol Vessels (MPV) before achieving his Command Qualification in 2010. He was subsequently appointed to the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tyne for his first Sea Command.

Graduating Principal Warfare Officer in November 2014, he was selected for the RAN PWO exchange, and served as Operations Officer in HMA Ships Darwin, Stuart and Parramatta before returning to the UK in 2018, and serving as a Joint Operations Planner at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, London. 

Initial appointments on transferring to the RAN full-time, included Force Warfare Officer within AUSMARTG and Staff Officer Patrol Forces within Navy Capability Division.

Lieutenant Commander Thompson was born in Coventry in 1981 and was educated there until joining the Navy aged 19. He also holds an MSc in Technology (Maritime Operations) from Kingston University in London.

Lieutenant Commander Thompson assumed command of ADV Cape Otway in 2022.