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In this article, volunteer researcher Michele Harper canvases Commander Coulson’s impressive 27-year career with the Royal Australian Navy.
On a crest of a wave
In 1973, aged 20, Coulson – then known by her maiden name Heaver – completed an Arts Degree in French and Spanish at Flinders University in South Australia; however, she was uninterested in a career in academia and unimpressed by the limited career options available to women at the time.
Although Coulson had an interest in joining the air force, she was told she was too young. Consequently, she applied for – and was accepted into – the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). At the time, WRANS personnel received lower pay than their male counterparts in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Coulson commenced with the WRANS as an officer cadet in 1974 and undertook basic training before progressing to officer training alongside 6 other women. Of this cohort, only Coulson and one other peer completed the course. Shortly afterwards, she found herself teaching new recruits for WRANS. In more recent years, she has admitted that at times she felt like she was only one page ahead of her students.
The WRANS personnel were eventually integrated into the RAN in 1984 and in March of the following year, Coulson was commissioned as an officer. Being one of the first recruits when the RAN began opening up roles to women, Coulson has stated that she felt like she was 'on a crest of a wave'.
Just get on with the job
In 1988, Coulson was appointed to the position of Executive Officer at HMAS Platypus in North Sydney due to her experience, administrative expertise and reputation. In receiving this promotion, she became the first woman to hold the Executive Officer position with the RAN.
At the time, the Hawke Government took the opportunity to announce Coulson’s appointment in Parliament, noting the positive effect the news would have on women in Defence.
Coulson had mixed feelings about the media attention she received. She wanted to 'just get on with the job' and feared the publicity meant that if she failed in the role, it might affect the chances of other women achieving similar positions. Despite this, Coulson succeeded as an Executive Officer and, after leaving HMAS Platypus, was promoted to the rank of Commander.
'Gender did not come into my appointment as XO, the second in command of the base. The Squadron Commander just wanted someone who could do the job,' she said in a recent interview.
'My training had not prepared me to run a wharf and I had to quickly learn how to do this "on the job". The support of the senior sailors was invaluable. The wharf was my pride and joy.'
During an interview on True Blue Conversations, Coulson recalled gossip surrounding her plans for HMAS Platypus as the Executive Officer, which included a rumour that she would paint everything at pink and to ban drinking coffee. These myths were soon dispelled, and the naval staff quickly came to appreciate Coulson’s leadership, collaborative work style and dedication.
At the time of her appointment to HMAS Platypus, women were barred from serving on submarines. This rule was later changed in June 1998 when the first female submariners started their training in Western Australia. Coulson spent as much time as possible on the submarines – even though she was not allowed to stay overnight – to show an interest in the vessels and to learn as much as she could. Coulson reflected that she commenced her appointment at HMAS Platypus during a difficult time. Morale was low due to the death of two submariners in an accident on a submarine, but as Executive Officer, her role was to offer support where required.
An inspirational officer
In 2000, Coulson was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) in the Australia Day Honours List for exceptional achievement as the Senior Naval Officer at Navy Headquarters South Australia. The award citation states that she is an 'inspirational officer who has provided outstanding support and advocacy to the naval community particularly to submariners based in Adelaide'. Coulson’s efforts in raising the Navy’s profile were also praised and recognised.
Coulson’s last position within the Navy was as South Australia’s first female navy Commanding Officer and senior naval representative. This new position offered her the opportunity to serve in her home state and to be the face of the navy in South Australia.
Since retiring, Coulson has maintained her naval contacts through the Women’s Veterans Network. In Coulson returned to the former site of HMAS Platypus at North Sydney in 2023. By this time, HMAS Platypus had been reimagined by the Harbour Trust as Sub Base Platypus – a community recreation and work hub that honours the site’s former use as a naval base. Coulson attended Sub Base Platypus to deliver a special address at a ceremony to mark the opening of a new area of the destination known as the Torpedo Factory Precinct. This sheltered public space features a vantage point of Neutral Bay and a three-piece mural by Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding as well as a storytelling space featuring historical artefacts, including photos from Coulson’s tenure at HMAS Platypus.
References:
- The Border Watch, 1 November 2019. Coulson in command. Coulson in command - The Border Watch
- The Canberra Times, Saturday 24 September 1994, page 45
- Dunsmore, Lieutenant L. M. RAN, The Seas of Change: Integrating Women aboard Australian Submarines. Naval Historical Review, June 2022. The Seas of Change: Integrating Women aboard Australian Submarines - Naval Historical Society of Australia (navyhistory.au)
- Royal Australian Navy News, Monday 21 February 2000, page 12
- Sydney Federation Harbour Trust, 21 September 2022. New Torpedo Factory Precinct at Sub Base Platypus opens to the public. New Torpedo Factory Precinct at Sub Base Platypus opens to the public | Harbour Trust
- The Times, Wednesday 31 January 1990, page 11
- The Times, Tuesday 19 January 1993, page 7
- True Blue Conversations. Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson, CSM, Rtd. Podcast. Episode 69. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iRF07hb1Jl4
- LinkedIn Profile: Sandy Coulson. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-coulson-csm-aa1336109/
- Border Watch, 14 April 1953. Birth Notice. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/7734837
- True Blue Conversations, 4 May 2023. True Blue Conversations Podcast: True Blue Conversations - Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd Part 2. https://truebluehistory.libsyn.com/true-blue-conversations-royal-australian-navy-commander-sandy-coulson-csm-rtd-part-2
Article was originally published on 7 March 2024.
