HMAS Coonawarra
Commanding Officer
Commander Ainsley Morthorpe, RAN
Commander Morthorpe was born in Bulli, NSW in 1966. He travelled extensively as a child, following his father's career in the RAAF as a pilot and later as an airline pilot. Commander Morthorpe's formative years were spent in Western Samoa. He completed high-school at Newington College in Sydney in 1985.
Commander Morthorpe joined the RAN as a Midshipman Seaman Officer in January 1986 and spent the next three years studying for the award of a Batchelor of Arts, specialised in politics, at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.
Following his initial Seaman Officer training, he became the Navigator of the Landing Craft HMAS BETANO from 1989 to 1990, based out of HMAS WATERHEN in Sydney. In January 1990 he was promoted to Sub Lieutenant, and later that year he married Miss Lee Elphick in Gundagai, NSW. In 1991 they had their first child, Tristan, in Sydney.
In 1991 Sub Lieutenant Morthorpe commenced flying training at RAAF Base Point Cook and Pearce (Melbourne and Perth respectively), being suspended 14 months later in 1992. In January 1992 he was promoted to Lieutenant. Later in 1992 he and Lee had their second child, Alexandra, in Canberra.
Following a short stint at Navy Office in Canberra as Staff Officer Joint Plans, Lieutenant Morthorpe returned to sea as an Officer of the Watch (OOW) in HMA Ships BRISBANE and HOBART (Destroyers) 1993-94, based out of Sydney.
In 1994 he trained as a Mine Warfare Officer, and then served as OPSO (Operations Officer) in HMAS SHOALWATER (Mine Hunter - MHI) and then as Executive Officer (Second in Command) in HMAS RUSHCUTTER (MHI) from 1994-97. Both ships were based in Sydney.
In 1997 to 1998 he served as an OOW in the Frigate HMAS MELBOURNE. In 1998 he undertook the Principal Warfare Officer's (PWO) course, sub-specialising as a Surface Warfare Officer. Following that course he spent a short period as the Tactical Development Officer for Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Force Element Group at HMAS WATERHEN in Sydney until early 1999. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in January 1999.
From 1999 to 2000 Lieutenant Commander Morthorpe conducted an exchange with the Royal New Zealand Navy in the frigate HMNZS CANTERBURY, based in Auckland, as the PWO, and also for a short period in the RNZN Fleet HQ. During that period he served as part of INTERFET in East Timor in late 1999, operating out of Darwin.
In January 2001 he returned to Australia and became the Anti-submarine Warfare Officer and later the Operations Officer, of the Australian frigate HMAS SYDNEY, based out of Sydney, until 2002. During this period he conducted operational service as a part of the Maritime Interception Force during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM/SLIPPER in the Arabian Gulf.
From 2002 to 2003 Lieutenant Commander Morthorpe was the Instructor in Under-water Warfare and Operational Planning at the Australian Defence Force Warfare Centre, based at the RAAF Base Williamtown, Newcastle.
In December 2003 Lieutenant Commander Morthorpe assumed Command of the patrol boat HMAS FREMANTLE, based at HMAS COONAWARRA in Darwin. He remained in Command for two years. During that time he served in Operation HELPEM FREN, part of the Regional Assistance Force in the Solomon Islands in 2004.
From January to July 2006 Lieutenant Commander Morthorpe was the Training Coordinator for the Sea Training Group in Fleet Headquarters in Sydney. In July that year he was promoted to Commander and returned to Darwin to undertake the J3 role (Head of Current Operations) at the Headquarters Northern Command, conducting Operation RESOLUTE.
In Jan 2008 Commander Morthorpe assumed Command of HMAS COONAWARRA.
Commander Morthorpe's interests include photography, painting, and reading, bush walking and enjoying listening to a wide variety of music.
