2 0 0 7 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁rear ▁adm iral ▁and ▁appointed ▁Commander ▁Australian ▁Fle et . ▁He ▁rel in qu ished ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Fle et ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁by ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Steve ▁Gil more . ▁ ▁Personal ▁According ▁to ▁his ▁official ▁bi ography , ▁" Co ates ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁V ick ie ▁enjoy ▁sail ing ▁and ▁have ▁three ▁children ▁who ▁also ▁enjoy ▁sail ing ▁– ▁occasionally ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁while ▁sail ing ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Capital ▁Territ ory , ▁he ▁suffered ▁a ▁tra um atic ▁am putation ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁his ▁ring ▁finger . ▁ ▁Co ates ▁was ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁brain ▁cancer ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁shortly ▁after ▁rel in qu ishing ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Fle et . ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁ 2 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁aged ▁ 5 1 , ▁at ▁the ▁Medical ▁Centre , ▁Royal ▁Military ▁College , ▁D unt ro on , ▁in ▁Can ber ra . ▁The ▁fun eral ▁service ▁with ▁full ▁naval ▁hon ours ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁Naval ▁D ock yard ▁Chap el , ▁Garden ▁Island , ▁on ▁ 9 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Hon ours ▁and ▁awards ▁Queen ' s ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁( D ux ▁of ▁R AN ▁Initial ▁Training ▁course ) ▁J ub ile e ▁S word ▁( D ux ▁of ▁Se amen ▁Offic ers ▁training ▁course