Robert Walls

Vice Admiral Robert Andrew Kevin Walls, (15 March 1941 – 28 August 2023) was a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In 42 years of service, Walls commanded HMA Ships Tobruk, Moreton and Brisbane, and served as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Maritime Commander Australia, before his career culminated in his appointment as Vice Chief of the Defence Force from April 1995 until his retirement in March 1997.

Early life Walls was born in Colac, Victoria, on 15 March 1941, the eldest of four sons to Andrew Nowell Walls, a local government official who served as a cypher officer in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War, and Hilda Margaret (née Thompson). Initially educated at Colac High School, Walls joined the Royal Australian Naval College at as a cadet midshipman in January 1955; his class was the last intake of 13-year-olds to be accepted by the college. Hobart operated in gunfire support duties as part of the United States Seventh Fleet during this time, with Walls serving as an Air Intercept Controller; this included brief secondments to and . The six month tour saw Hobart fire over 10,000 rounds at 1,050 targets, with the ship itself being fired upon ten times but suffering no casualties. In recognition of this, Hobart'''s crew was recognised with the award of a United States Navy Unit Commendation.

Walls returned to the United Kingdom from March 1968 for a three-year exchange with the Royal Navy. The posting occasioned service aboard the aircraft carrier and as a training officer at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in February 1971 and, returning to Australian soon thereafter, was made direction officer on . This was followed by a period as a training officer at , before Walls was posted to the staff of the Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet in 1975. Made executive officer of the Perth'' in January 1977, he was promoted to commander in June that year. In June the following year, Walls was made Commander Australian Amphibious Squadron and commanding officer of the naval base . That same month, he was appointed to command the guided missile destroyer . Promoted to commodore in June 1988, Walls attended the National Defence College in New Delhi, India the following year, graduating with a Master of Defence Studies. Returning to Australia in 1990, he was appointed Director-General Naval Policy and Maritime Doctrine. He was promoted to rear admiral that June. While Maritime Commander, Walls also served on the board of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme. he was made Assistant Chief of Defence Force (Development) in 1994. Walls served in this role for a year, before he was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) on 20 April 1995 in succession to Lieutenant General John Baker, who had been appointed Chief of the Defence Force. Walls retired from the RAN in March 1997 after 42 years of service, and was succeeded as VCDF by Vice Admiral Chris Barrie.