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Number 109, 18 July 2017 Naval Officers Club NEWSLETTER ISSN 1445-6206 Battle of the Coral Sea75th Anniversary Commemoration2017 marks the 75th anniversary of the darkest year Indian and Australian troops, including Australia’s 8thin Australia’s modern history - 1942. November and Division.December of 1941 were disastrous months for Austral-ia. HMAS Sydney was lost to the German raider Darwin was bombed on 19 February and 235Kormoran and all 645 of Sydney’s crew were lost with Australian men and women, service and civilian, weretheir ship. A week later HMAS Parramatta was sunk off killed on Australian soil. The USN lost USS Peary andTobruk with 138 of her crew. 88 of her crew in Darwin Harbour in that attack. This year we will rightly honour the outnumbered Aus- On 7th December, the battleships of the USN tralian troops who in August 1942 were making theirPacific Fleet were attacked and sunk at Pearl Harbor heroic stand at Isurava and on all the battlefields of theand the United States had lost 2400 sailors. Kokoda Track. This resolute fighting defence was oneWithin days, off Malaya, the British capital ships HMS of Australia’s finest actions in World War II, but wePrince of Wales and Repulse were sunk. Prince of should understand that the New Guinea campaign was aWales lost 327 and Repulse 513. The British colony of maritime campaign which began with the Battle of theHong Kong fell to Japanese troops on Christmas day. Coral Sea fought in early May.Malaya was invaded and despite a fighting withdrawalSingapore surrendered on the 15th of February. This The Japanese aim in this battle was to seize Portresulted in the deaths of unknown thousands of Chinese Moresby, with a convoy of troops and escorting carriers-Singaporeans and the imprisonment of 100,000 British, Continued Page 6

Naval Officers Club Newsletter Naval Officers Club Newsletter is published by ISSN 1445-6206 The Naval Officers Club Number 109, 18 July 2017 of Australia IncorporatedEditor: Richard Francis State and Territory Divisional contacts on this page. Details of forthcoming social eventsMail: 62 Annam Rd around the country will be found on the Page 5 Bayview NSW 2104 Notice Board in this issue.Telephone: (02) 9997 3893Email: [email protected] Naval Officers Club Contents PO Box 648 75TH Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea 1 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Www.navalofficer.com.au Members’ page 3 Email: [email protected] Notice Board 5Electronic Funds Transfer:Westpac Battle of the Coral Sea cont 6Naval Officers Club account17-4666, BSB 032-087 US Perspective at Sydney Commemoration 8Patron:Vice Admiral T Barrett AO CSC RAN Japanese Perspective at Sydney Commemoration 9President:Captain Rick Bayley RAN ret Coral Sea 75th Anniversary – Sydney ceremony [email protected] President: Coral Sea 75th Anniversary – New York Commemoration 11RADM Simon Cullen AM CSC RAN retCommittee members: Sea mines and impact on far north Queensland 12David Blazey (Membership Sec.)[email protected] The Australian Squadron 1906 – HMS Drake 15Geoff Cole (Webmaster)[email protected] NOC President’s Report of Proceedings at AGM 16John Ellis (Hon. Treasurer)[email protected] Ex-HMAS Sydney breaking-up: shipbuilder’s memento 19Richard Francis (NOCN Editor)[email protected] Did you know? : Gibraltar 19Kingsley Perry (Hon Secretary)[email protected] Social Events around the Nation 20Jim Warren (Social functions)John Hazell (Social functions) Reindeer from Russia by submarine – WW2 21John HodgesDivisional Chairmen: HMAS Gladstone – Museum ship 2017 22Andy Craig (QLD)Stephen Jeisman (SA) Paddle steamer Nirimba 1895 23Bob Mummery (WA)Warwick Gately (VIC) World naval developments 24Mike Taylor (ACT)Chairman…*@navalofficer.com.au First RAN Sea Venom aircraft Ejection 1960 26* Insert state/territory abbreviationHon. Auditor: Obituaries 30Nick Norspool Book Review – Blitzed 34Membership: Total: 608NSW: 251, VIC: 109, ACT: 111, Membership Form 35QLD: 61, SA: 24, WA: 35, TAS: 6NT: 2, UK: 2, USA: 2, France: 1 Social Events – Booking forms 36Canada: 1, New Zealand: 2, Malaysia: 1Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 2

NEW MEMBERSCMDR J. CONNOR RAN ret In order to protect privacy ad-RADM S.R. GILMORE AM CSC RAN ret dress and email information areCAPT B.K. GORRINGE AM RAN ret not available in this Public ver-CMDR G.W. HALE RANR sion of Newsletter .SURG LCDR B.J. HOCKLEY RANCMDR K. LIDDIARD RFD RD RANR retLEUT M.S. LIVINGSTONCDRE R. MORRISON CSCLEUT D. RATTRAY RANR retCMDR J.A. SIEBERT RAN retLCDR J.R. SMAIL RANLCDR G.G.S. THURSTANS OAM RAN retCAPT S.R. WOOLRYCH RAN retCMDR R. WONG RFD RANR retCMDR J. WORSTENCROFT AM RAN ret LAST POSTS CLIFTON HILL, VIC HUNTERS HILL, NSWLEUT K. F. CRIEGHTON RANRLCDR H.G. GETHIN-JONES OAM RN CLAREVILLE, NSWLEUT (P) J. GUNN RAN ret TURRAMURRA, NSWSURG LEUT. H. IVENS RAN ret MOFFAT BEACH, QLDCAPT. E.T. KEANE OAM RAN retCDRE D.D. MILLER RAN ret CREMORNE, NSWLEUT M. MACKAY-SIM RANVR ret KILLARA, NSWLEUT (A) G.P.MOON RANVR retCMDR VRD* RFD T.R. VASEY RANR ret LINDFIELD, NSWLCDR M.W. VARLEY RAN ret TURRAMURRA, NSWLEUT (E) H.B.M. VOSE CBE RANR ret CAMPBELL, ACT*CDRE D ORR RAN ret TOORAK, VIC*CAPT R.J. TULIP RANEM ret*CDRE M.S. UNWIN AM RAN ret CLAREMONT, WA*LCDR P.J. WHITTAKER AM RAN ret CANBERRA, ACT SUNSHINE COAST, QLD CAIRNS, QLDADDRESS CHANGESEMAIL CHANGESPROMOTIONS AND AWARDSCDRE B. M. DOWSING RANR PROMOTION and SOWALEUT S.P. BRIGGS RANR to CHAPLAIN S.P. BRIGGS RANRCMDR R.R. FAYLE OAM RAN retCDRE P.M.J. SCOTT CSC RANR AWARD OAMCMDR R.F. TIGHE RFD RD RANR ret PROMOTION AWARD OAM 3

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Notice boardThis page carries club announcements, details of forthcoming social events, and other information.Division Social Functions NSW WESTERN AUSTRALIA Contacts details at end of each notice: Bob Mummery, O8 9528 2779 John Hazell 0410 447 189 (JH) Bi monthly Luncheon Fremantle Sailing Club, [email protected] (JH); Kingsley Perry 0422 169 860 (KP); 151 Marine Terrace, FREMANTLE. [email protected] General Meeting & Bistro Style Dinner Jim Warren 0409 227 869 (JW) [email protected] Fremantle Sailing Club, 151 Marine Terrace, FREMANTLE. Mid-Winter Lunch for Members and Guests Naval Officers Association Trafalgar Day Luncheon Mosman Club, Military Road, Mosman, Sunday 30th July, 12:00 for 12:30 (JH) Date & Venue to be advised Dress – smart casual. Cost $85. QUEENSLAND Payment to Hon. Treasurer by cheque or EFT. Members’ Lunch Lord Nelson Brewery Pub, Naval Luncheon The Rocks, Thursday 21st September. 12:00 (KP) Tuesday 24 October Dress – smart casual. Cost $45 cash on the day.Places limited, so please contact Kingsley Perry to con- Speaker VADM David Johnston AM RAN firm your attendance. Trafalgar Night Dinner for Members and Guests Chief, Joint Operations. RACA Macquarie Street, Sydney, VICTORIA Friday 20th October 18:30 for 19:15 (JW) Last Wednesday of Month at 1700 Dress – black tie or lounge suit. Casual Catch-up: The Cricketers’ Bar, Hotel Windsor Cost $120. Payment to Hon. Treasurer by cheque or Saturday 21 October 2017 EFT. See Flyer this issue. Trafalgar Night Dinner, Melbourne ClubIMPORTANT NOTICE – NEW BANK ACCOUNT Dress black tie FOR SYDNEY FUNCTIONS ACT EFT for NSW Functions to be sent to a new Bank Account “NOC Sydney Functions” Lunch - Orion Room, Southern Cross Club 2017 Monday, Aug 7th - 1200 (Short Title for transfers “NOCSydFns”); 2017 Monday, Sep 4th - 1200 BSB 032-087; Account No. 37-8079 2017 Monday, Nov 6th- 1200 (Melb Cup) SOUTH AUSTRALIA Saturday Brunch. Commonwealth Club Saturday, Dec 9th - 0900 - 1130 Stephen Jeisman 0408787384 Quarterly Luncheon Lunch - Orion Room, Southern Cross Club 2018 Monday, Feb 5th - 1200 Pepper’s Hotel Restaurant, Waymouth St, Adelaide 2018 Monday, Mar 5th - 1200 Friday 1 September, 12.00 for 12.30 2018 Monday, Apr 2nd – 1130 (AGM& Friday 1 December, 12.00 for 12.30 Lunch)Notices for all Club membersChanges of contact details: Please tell the Hon club by either cheque or EFT. Make the chequeSec in writing or email the moment you change out to “Naval Officers Club” and accompany ityour address, phone number, email address etc. with written advice of both the sender and what the funds are for. If using EFT, the account details arePayment of Club dues: Members whoa re not Life on page 2; also advise the Hon Treasurer by emailMembers and pay their dues annually are reminded ([email protected]) the same day.that dues are payable on or before 1 March eachyear. Prompt payment supports your Club. .Remittance of funds to the Club: Money fordues, functions or merchandise can be sent to the 5

Battle of Coral Sea any Japanese forces intending to pass through the Jomard Passage into the Coral Sea. 75th Anniversary This was an extremely risky decision and perhaps (Continued from Front Page) one of the most important in the battle. Not only had Fletcher weakened his own air defences, but he had alsosent to transform it into a major military and air base exposed Crace’s cruisers to the possibility of air attackfrom which Japanese ships and aircraft could command without hope of friendly fighter protection from US car-Australia’s northern waters and skies. riers. The cruisers were on their own and they knew it. Crace proceeded at high speed, to the Jomard Passage To prevent it Admiral Chester Nimitz, Command- arriving at about 1400 on 7 May, and ordered his shipser-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, ordered his two to take up an anti-aircraft formation.available aircraftcarrier groups, Task Japanese reconnaissance aircraft soon sighted theForce 17 command- three cruisers withed by Rear Admiral their destroyer es-Frank Fletcher, cort and just afterUSN, built around 1500 a dozen Japa-USS Yorktown and nese land-basedTask Force 11 Rear torpedo bombersAdmiral Aubrey began their attack.Fitch, USN, centred Some casualties inon USS Lexington the Allied shipsinto the Coral Sea. were caused by strafing, but due to Sailing from excellent ship han-Sydney to join the dling no torpedoescarriers was Task struck home. TheForce 44 under the Japanese lost atcommand of Rear least five aircraft.Admiral Jack Crace, Immediately fol-Royal Navy. Crace was an Australian born near present lowing this firstday Canberra, and at the time the RAN’s Fleet Com-mander. Crace’s force was comprised of the heavy cruis- wave another 19 Japanese aircraft subjected Australia toers HMAS Australia and USS Chicago, the light cruiser an accurate low level-bombing attack which was onlyHMAS Hobart and destroyer USS Perkins. avoided by more skilful ship handling. On 6 May the entire Allied force was amalgamat- On their return to Rabaul, the Japanese airmened as Task Force 17. Fletcher, the overall commander reported that they had sunk an Allied battleship, andthen headed for the Louisiade Archipelago where he ex- damaged both a second battleship and a cruiser. As apected to catch the main Japanese invasion force as it result the Japanese High Command launched no furtherpassed through en-route to Port Moresby. The Japanese strikes against Crace. Of more significance, however,had their own thoughts, however, and their Carrier Strik- Admiral Inoue ordered the Port Moresby invasion forceing Force moved down the eastern flank of the Solo- to reverse course while the situation with regard to the ‘battleship’ sightings were clarified. mons covering what Ad- miral Tagaki anticipated Meanwhile, both the Japanese and US carrier forc- to be the US carriers’ line of retreat. Having rounded HMAS Australia the southern Solomons, the Japanese carriers en- tered the Coral Sea behind Task Force 17. Having skirmished through the 6th, on the morning of 7 May Fletch- er turned Task Force 17 to the north, and detached Crace’s Support Group to RADM Jack Crace, RN the north-west to blockNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 6

es had launched searches at dawn on 7 May. At 0815 outer rings with fighter aircraft patrolling above. TheyAmerican scouts sighted and reported two carriers and faced 69 Japanese aircraft, many of which flew so lowfour cruisers 225 miles to the north-west. At 0926 Lex- that they had to rise to pass over the defensive rings ofington launched her first strike, followed 20 minutes destroyers to press home their attacks.later by one from Yorktown. Ninety USN aircraft were Yorktown successfully avoided all the torpedoesnow in the air. The small carrier Shoho stood no aimed at her, and though a single bomb hit killed 37chance. Hit by at least 20 bombs and torpedoes she sank men and started fires, these were soon brought underat 1135 with the loss of 638 of her crew. control.By 1335 the Americans had recovered their air- Lexington, however, was hit twice by torpedoescraft, but rather than launching another strike against on the port side. The Japanese dive bombers consolidat-Shoho’s remaining escorts Fletcher elected to await ed, scoring at least two more hits and several near miss-more precise news of the other enemy carriers which es. The attack had taken less than 20 minutes, and alt-were his primary targets. hough the damage at first appeared under control, Lex-Farther to the east the searches launched by the ington’s aviation gasoline tanks were leaking. Just overJapanese Carrier Striking Force were successful in an hour later a spark from a motor generator ignitedsighting the Neosho and Sims at about 0830. They were built up fumes. The resulting series of violent internalmistakenly reported as a carrier and light cruiser and explosions forced the carrier to be abandoned shortlyTakagi launched his own 78 plane strike. The two after 1700, after which she was torpedoed and sunk byAmerican ships were the destroyer USSattacked by dive bomb- Phelps. Lexington losters at noon with Sims 216 of her crew. Japa-sunk and Neosho heav- nese losses amounted toily damaged. 30 aircraft in combatThat night the and another 13 to othertwo carrier forces drew causes.away from each other. Both carrier forc-Both commanders con- es were now too bat-templated sending their tered to continue thesurface ships out to fight. The Zuikaku lowattack the opposing on fuel and with only 40carrier force, but both aircraft remaining, es-rejected the idea be- USS Lexington crew abandoning ship corted the damagedcause they expected Shokaku back to Japan.attacks the next morning and needed the ships to pro- Left without carrier aircraft to cover the Port Moresbyvide additional anti-aircraft firepower. With the odds invasion Admiral Inoue had no choice but to cancel it.almost even the Battle of the Coral Sea was about to Admiral Fletcher likewise had cause to husband hisreach its zenith. forces and withdraw. The damaged Yorktown recoveredAt 0600 on 8 May the Japanese, launched air pa- Lexington’s remaining aircraft and then the Task Forcetrols to cover a 200 mile arc from south west to south turned towards Pearl Harbor to receive urgent repairseast. At 0625 the US carriers launched their own search. and fight again at Midway.Some two hours later the two opposing carrier forces Admiral Yamamoto the Commander in Chief far to thewere detected at almost the same time. north in his battleship Yamato read the reports andYorktown’s aircraft made the first attack at 1057; wrote:concentrating on Shokaku because Zuikaku had disap- The dream of a great victory is gone. As Ipeared in a rain squall. Shokaku managed to avoid all feared, it was impossible. The battle belongsthe torpedoes fired at her, but was struck by several to the enemy.bombs which started fires preventing her from launch- One of the USN pilots who died fighting in theing and recovering aircraft. battle was Ensign Leslie B Knox. He was born in 1916Lexington’s strike had difficulties locating the in Brisbane, to Scottish immigrants. Why and when thetargets, scoring only one further hit on Shokaku and family moved to the United States of America is notcausing little additional damage. In all, the Japanese clear, but he gained his US Navy wings on 10 Maycarrier lost 150 men killed and wounded while the 1940 and exactly two years later was at war flying hisAmericans lost 33 aircraft. Wildcat fighter from the Yorktown in the Coral Sea.The Japanese strike group then delivered similar On the night of 7 May 1942, a formation of sixtreatment to Lexington and Yorktown. The two carriers Japanese torpedo bombers emerged from a cloud andwere steaming together in the centre of a circular for- flew beneath the Wildcats, going in the opposite direc-mation with cruisers and destroyers forming inner and tion. Flying at the rear, Knox had the best opportunity 7

to attack, and broke formation to chase the Japanese. was tested in conflict and became stronger throughout aKnox destroyed a bomber with his first machine-gun war fought on our doorstep and through the seven dec-burst and dispersed the formation which was then at- ades of strife that have followed.tacked by the rest of his squadron. But Leslie Knox didnot return to the Yorktown. No trace of his aircraft was However, in addition to the strategic importancefound. of this battle today we remember with gratitude the bravery and sacrifice of all who fought to safeguard Posthumously, the United States Navy promoted Australia’s northern approaches in 1942. We rememberKnox to Lieutenant for his actions on 7 May 1942 and the courage of all who fought in this battle; of the fiveawarded him the Navy Cross, the second-highest gal- hundred and forty three USN sailors and airmen wholantry award for American navy personnel after the were killed and today we also remember the over 900Medal of Honor. The USN named a destroyer for him. Japanese sailors and airmen lost fighting just as coura-Both the Japanese and the Allies claimed the Battle of geously for their own beliefs. We are also grateful thatthe Coral Sea as a victory. Whatever the statistics, it those nations that in 1942 were adversaries now standwas of immeasurable morale-boosting value to the hard together as friends, equally committed to regional secu-pressed Allies. Strategically Coral Sea was seen an Al- rity and the well being and prosperity of the people thatlied victory of enduring significance for three principal call this part of the world home.reasons. Ultimately then our commemoration today is an Firstly, this was the first time that the Japanese expression of gratitude. Gratitude to the sailors and air-were thwarted in their intentions at sea. Had they occu- men of Task Force 17, of the coastwatchers that warnedpied and fortified Port Moresby the war in the Pacific of the approach and of the dedicated AS/US Intelli-would have been much more difficult for the Allies to gence teams that cracked the codes. Gratitude that whenwin and the battle to clear Australia’s northern ap- the situation looked most bleak there were those withproaches would have become a strategic priority. Since the courage to stand tall, to stand together and to turnthey could no longer achieve a seaborne invasion of the tide.Port Moresby, the Japanese were now determined tocapture it by crossing the mountain ranges from the Commemoration ad-northern coast of New Guinea. For Australians, the dress delivered byresult would be the epic and bitterly fought struggle on Fleet Commander,land which began at Kokoda. Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, AO, CSC & Secondly, Coral Sea broke the long series of Jap- Bar, RAN at Sydneyanese victories since December 1941 and demonstrated Commemoration eventthat their Navy could be defeated. The losses they suf- 6 May 2017.fered in ships and aircrew could never be replaced. Itfatally weakened the strength of the Japanese carriercapability at the critical Battle of Midway where theirdefeat swung the tide of the war against Japan. Thirdly, the Battle of the Coral Sea serves to thisday as a symbol of the enduring Australian-Americanmaritime strategic relationship. We acknowledge that atthe time when the war seemed darkest a friendship thatwould become an alliance emerged, that this friendship_____________________________________________________________________________________ US Perspective at Sydney sacrifice of the nations involved, the courage of those on all sides who fought for their beliefs, the precious Commemoration lives lost, and the incredible value of peace.I would like to thank our hosts the Australian National The Battle of the Coral Sea saw great casualtiesMaritime Museum and the Royal Australian Naval Of- on all sides, but ultimately brought 70 years of peace,ficer’s Club for the invitation. stability and prosperity to the Asia Pacific region. It was a turning point in relations between the United It is my privilege to represent the United States States and Australia, and the birth of a long and endur-government here today and to join you in remembering ing alliance. We fought side by side and found in onethe 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. another a common courage and mateship. Today we remember not only the bonds we Since World War II, our soldiers have continuedforged during a dark time, but we also acknowledge the to fight together on distant battlefields and train togeth- er on the home front. Seventy-five years on, our bondNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 8

has only strengthened. played by those who have gone before us, and by those It is a bond shared throughout the military’s chain who continue still to protect our freedom around the world.of command – from U.S. veterans who fought alongsideDiggers, all the way up to the U.S. Secretary of Defense And to those who gave their lives for this free-Jim Mattis. In his previous role as a Marine General dom, we can pay no higher honour than to nurture andwho commanded forces in Afghanistan, Mattis wrote to advance our goals of friendship and peace.an Australian counterpart: “We Marines would happilystorm hell itself with your troops on our right flank.” We remain committed to our alliance, to our de- fense of freedom, and to our shared future. Seventy- This partnership has stood the test of time – per- five years from today, our world will no doubt be verysisting across the last 75 years and extending far beyond different. But our dedication to each other and to ourour military might. Today our bilateral connections principles will remain everlasting.span all sectors of society – from trade and investmentto education and tourism. We look to the future togeth- Remarks by US Deputyer with optimism and with confidence that our multifac- Consul General Lindaeted, multidimensional relationship will continue to Daetwyler at Sydneydeepen and strengthen. Commemoration event 6 May 2017. So too has our relationship with Japan flourished.In the many years since the Battle of the Coral Sea, wehave made much progress. Foes have become allies.Australia and the United States now stand shoulder toshoulder with Japan in support of the international orderthat has underpinned the stability and prosperity in thisregion for many decades.It is my hope that we will teach our children and grand-children to press forward with the same tenacity dis-______________________________________________________________________________________ Japanese Perspective at cultural society. That is how we sustain peace and har- mony as well as enhance innovation. Sydney Commemoration Last January this year Japan’s Prime MinisterI would like to begin by thanking the Australian Na- Shinzo Abe visited Sydney. The two leaders of Japantional Maritime Museum and Naval Officers Club of and Australia affirmed that “Japan and Australia’s re-Australia for organising today’s commemorative ser- spective security alliances with the United States re-vice. main as relevant and important today as they have been for over six decades”. During that visit, the Acquisition While echoing the commemoration of the 75th and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) was signedanniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, let me offer between Japan and Australia.my sincere condolences to those who lost their lives inthe Battle. Japan stands side by side with the United States and Australia as we strive to realise our common ideals Japan is firmly resolved to never again repeat the and goals. These three countries hold the keystones oftragedy of war, for it emerged after the war as a free, peace and stability of the international community.democratic and peaceful nation, governed by the rule oflaw. In conclusion, I wish to recapture what Prime Minister Abe expressed at Pearl Harbour last Decem- The people of Japan will continue to uphold this ber. Our alliance is “an alliance of hope”.unwavering principle, just as we have consistently fol-lowed the path of a peace-loving nation since the end of Remarks by Japanese ConsulWorld War II, and have been achieving peace and sta- General Keizo Takewaka atbility in the Asia-Pacific region and the international Sydney Commemoration eventcommunity. 6 May 2017. Nowadays we often hear voices that are con-cerned about the “uncertainty” of the world. However,here in Sydney, we have very firm nations and people,namely, Australia, Japan and the United States whoshare the values of democracy and market-economy.We are proud of our diverse, dynamic, and multi- 9

Coral Sea 75th Anniversary - Sydney CommemorationThe anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea has been time Museum, with the former HMAS VAMPIRE as acommemorated by the Sydney Division of the NOC, in fitting backdrop. The ceremonial was supported by theconjunction with the Australian National Maritime Mu- Sydney contingent of the RAN band as well as a cata-seum, since 2010. Our United States of America allies falque party provided by Sydney shore establishments.have typically been represented by their Naval Attache Wreaths were laid on the forecastle guardrails of VAM-as well as senior Consular or Emabassy representatives. PIRE by national representatives. Following the cere-For the 2017 75th Anniversary event participation was monial activities 105 invited guests repaired to the Mu-also taken up by Japanese representatives in the form of seum’s Terrace Room for an excellent luncheon duringtheir Naval Attache and their Consul General. which the Fleet Commander delivered the keynote ad-On Saturday 6 May a full blown commemoration ser- dress, with supporting remarks from US and Japanesevice was held in the harbourside forecourt of the Mari- representatives. Mr Mike Carlton Principal Chaplain Gareth NOC President Rick BayleyMaster of Ceremonies Clayton - Officiating Thanking SpeakersNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 10

Coral Sea 75th Anniversary - New York Commemoration Report by Rear Admiral Andrew Robertson AO DSC RAN Ret’dThe commemoration of the 75 th anniversary of The took part in a number of actions in the NW Pacific.Battle of the Coral Sea in New York on 4 May 2017 We could not believe our reception in Loswas an historic event of some importance in nationaland international affairs for both the US and Australia. Angeles as our presence was announced over the airport loud speakers, passengers clapped and made way, and The event was organised by the American numbers of people came and thanked the veterans forAustralian Association under the guidance of its their service!President, the recent US Ambassador to Australia, theHon John Berry. Qantas most generously donated Mr Berry welcomed us to New York and took usbusiness class flights to and from New York for to our hotel near the INTREPID Museum. During ourfour RAN survivors of the battle and their carers, (for stay we were given a conducted tour of the city and amost needed wheelchairs.) The Association also asked ferry trip around Manhattan. Again ourme to attend talhough I was not in the actual battle but presence onboard was announced, followed by muchjoined the Task Force Flagship HMAS Australia in the clapping!Coral Sea a little later as the battles for Milne Bay andGuadalcanal raged. The main event took place on 4 May onboard the Intrepid, a preserved aircraft-carrier of great fame for The RAN most thoughtfully provided the Fleet she had been torpedoed in the Pacific and then survivedMedical Officer to accompany us to ensure our healthy 4 hits from Kamikaze attacks. There had beenarrival, and a Commander from the Embassy Staff to considerable advanced publicity. including in newslook after us and three USN survivors from the USS services. The New York Post featured a centre doubleYorktown who joined us in New York. As readers page on the battle, even including photos of the veteranswill know the aircraft –carrier Yorktown was damaged as young men in 1942 and again today (mostin the battle and sunk a month later in the Battle of unrecognisable as the same person!).Midway.The veterans involved were : Much of the area around the Intrepid had been shut off to traffic and a thousand or so protesters were• Mr Gordon Johnson (ACT) HMAS Hobart held back by barriers and a strong police presence. Helicopters hovered overhead and security was very• Mr Derek Holyoake ACT HMAS Hobart tight. We arrived about 90 minutes before the reception, wondering whether the President could attend as his• Mr Bill White (VIC) HMAS Hobart major bill to abolish Obamacare was before Congress and he was still in Washington .• Mr Norm Tame (SA) HMAS Australia Some of us were able to view museum exhibits in• Captain John Hancock USN USS Yorktown the hangar where we met Admiral Harris, the C-in-C Pacific and other high officials including Air Chief• Mr Roger Spooner USS Yorktown Marshal Binskin, our Chief of Defence Force. Later we met the Prime Minister Mr Turnbull and Mrs Turnbull• Mr Wendell E. Thrasher USS Yorktown. for photos on the flight deck. Mr Spooner, a tiger for punishment, havingsurvived the sinking volunteered for Submarines anddid nine patrols off Japan and China when based atFremantle. Captain Hancock became a Hellcat pilot and RADM Robertson (2nd from Right next to Prime Minister Turnbull) 11

Sea Mines and their on 9 June 1941. She carried up to 467 mine units with Impact on 254 on the mining deck and 213 in the forward four holds. Far North Queensland The Great Barrier Reef was the primary area for By Hector Donohue Bungaree’s mining operations. These fields were aimed at preventing enemy surface forces transiting The significant defensive mining campaign in the reef, but also provided protection for ships on thethe Great Barrier Reef during World War II and the main Allied supply line inside the reef fromsubsequent render mine safe (RMS) activities post Townsville (the major US Army base in the Pacific atWW II are areas of RAN history which have received the time) to Cape Granville at the north oflittle coverage. This article aims to outline the HMAS Queensland. She laid 38 minefields spread over 500Bungaree mining in the area and describe the RMS miles. A total of 5,226 mines were laid: 412 in 1941,activities post war. It will also describe the loss of the 2,012 in 1942 and 2,802 in 1943.only RAN minesweeper sunk by a mine. During 1942-43 Bungaree made at least 38 HMAS Bungaree at the Great Barrier Reef passages along the east coast of Australia, where At the outbreak of WWII, the Naval Staff Japanese submarines had attacked 29 ships along this coast during this period. There was 0.05 kiloton ofcommenced implementing the pre-war mining policy TNT in mines on the mine deck, 0.05 kiloton of TNTwhich included the requisition of merchant ship to be in mines in the four forward holds, and an unknown weight of explosive in ammunition in the magazine in HMAS Bungaree the aft hold. The crew were always conscious that they were in a very large ‘powder keg’. The explosive wasconverted to a minelayer. In September 1940 the equivalent to a 0.1 kiloton tactical nuclear weapon.Prime Minister, Robert Menzies announced that a Bungaree was confronted with many unchartedship, subsequently identified as Bungaree, would lay navigational hazards – reefs, shoals and niggerheads.mines at important strategic points along the Lack of prominent shore marks, or even well-definedAustralian coast. It was also announced that moored reef edges, made navigation difficult. The success of amines (UK Mk XIV) were being manufactured by the single screw vessel safely laying over 5,000 mines is aFord Motor Company at Geelong, their explosive testimonial to Bungaree’s commanding officers’charges being made by the Government explosive seamanship and navigational skills.factories and Swan Island (near Geelong) was themine storage site. Sinking of HMAS Warrnambool The minesweeper HMAS Warrnambool was SS Bungaree was requisitioned from her sunk by a Mk XIV moored mine on 13 Septemberowners, Adelaide Steamship Company Ltd on 10 1947 during the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla’sOctober 1940. She had been built in 1937, was 109m sweeping operations near Cockburn Reef at the Greatin length, 2,790 tons displacement, complement of Barrier Reef, some 300 miles north of Cairns.179, coal fired steam engine with single screw and a Commanded by A/Commander Alan Travis,speed of 10.5 knots. Garden Island Dockyard Warrnambool was the second most senior ship in theconverted her to a minelayer and she commissioned Flotilla. Travis was very experienced, having been involved in minesweeping since 1940 and commanded HMAS Warnambool sinking 1947Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 12

three other minesweepers (HMA Ships Swan, Pirie McGuire (Hobart’s engineer), Commander GCand Geraldton). Oldham (CO HMAS Warramunga) and Lieutenant Commander JM Ramsay (Hobart’s navigator). (I At 1556 on 13 September, Swan which was would suggest lack of damage control had little impactleading the sweepers, parted her port sweep. on the ship ultimately sinking.)Warrnambool, which was immediately astern, swungin astern of Swan and into the swept water behind her. The Board said in their findings: ‘This youngAs Swan was hoisting a signal to run starboard inexperienced officer, who had not had the goodsweeps, Warrnambool hit a mine. Swan was very fortune to be brought up in the navy, was faced withlucky that day as reconstruction of the ship’s tracks an extremely complex and unpleasant situation...show she passed over the sinkers of two mines which Lieutenant Jarrett was young and had not received ahad broken adrift before the fatal mine passed very normal naval upbringing, which might have enabledclose down her port side. him to cope more successfully with the unpleasant situation he was faced with.’ The effect of the single mine strike wascatastrophic. Warrnambool’s bow lifted into the air The Commander Australian Squadron, Rearand the ship’s mast collapsed over the side. The Admiral HB Farncombe put the subject in focus whenengine room took the brunt of the explosion, whilst on he noted in his covering letter that: ‘The ultimatethe bridge the Officer of the Watch was blown through responsibility however lies with the XO, Lieutenantthe bridge window and shards of glass struck Travis, HP Jarrett RAN, who under the CO was directlyknocking him unconscious and dislocating his left responsible for the efficiency of the ships company.shoulder. Four sailors died and three officers and 26 He had obviously failed to indoctrinate the shipssailors were injured, including five critically. company in the instinctive action necessary to save theInjured survivors were admitted to Cairns General ship in the event of her being mined. It is also clearHospital on 15 September, and some in a less serious that he had not personally prepared himself for suchcondition were flown to Balmoral Naval Hospital the an emergency as witness his first reports on comingsame day. Others were transferred by RAAF Aerial to. (This is it! clear away boats and raft!) In additionAmbulance to Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital in his actions and his attempts at organisation after theBrisbane the next day. (The ship’s complement was explosion were not impressive. I do not necessarilyaround 80 personnel.) agree however that the fact he was “not brought up in the navy” was the cause of his shortcomings. I had the By 1635 it was obvious that the ship could not opportunity of meeting him and hearing his story andbe saved and Captain Wheatley (Senior Officer 20th although somewhat taken aback by his naiveMinesweeping Flotilla) ordered Warrnambool to admissions, I thought that otherwise he appeared to beabandon ship. At approximately 1745 the stricken a smart and intelligent young officer. I can think ofcorvette rolled over and sank. Swan then proceeded more than one ex-RANC lieutenant who would havewith dispatch to Cairns with the survivors. The injured done no better in the circumstances”.were then transferred to hospitals in Cairns, Brisbaneand Sydney. The second Board comprised Captain HJ Buchanan (CO HMAS Australia) Chairman, This sinking stemmed from the Achilles’ heel of Commander JS Mesley (CO HMAS Rushcutter) andminesweeping operations – navigation. Problems Lieutenant Commander JM Ramsay. The findings ofarising from the lack of conspicuous reference points the Second Board of Inquiry cleared up thewere exacerbated by the movement of danbuoys misunderstanding by the original Board of Inquiry.around a ‘watch circle’ which in choppy seas andstrong winds compounded the navigational issues. Theopening up of a minefield in the absence of reliablenavigation data as to the precise position of the reefsor of the minefield relative to them must be regardedas a hazardous operation. Two Boards of Enquiry were held andinterestingly, the first Board of Enquiry’s membersseemed to know little about minesweeping andfocused on damage control. They also exhibited adeep-seated antipathy towards non-naval collegeofficers when castigating the efforts ofWarrnambool’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant HughJarrett. The Board comprised Captain DH Harries (COHMAS Hobart)(Chairman), Commander (E) N 13

Their findings included: Gunner Herbert Clatworthy, who had joined MoretonThe opening-up of a minefield in the absence of for RMS duties, assumed responsibility for this task.reliable navigational data either as to the precise (Yates subsequently served in GPV 956 from Octoberposition of the reefs or of the minefield relative to 1946 until May 1947.) No doubt local Navy personnelthem and of accurate tidal information must be or Army engineers had also assisted by counterminingregarded as a hazardous operation. some of the mines being washed up, as the Navy prepared to mount the major RMS operation involving A large number of operations under generally the two GPVs.similar conditions had been successful, and the loss ofWarrnambool was due to the inherent difficulties and To allow both GPVs to operate in November,dangers involved rather than want of care or neglect of Lieutenant Jack McMurray, who had been MSF 20reasonable seamanlike precautions. RMS officer, was loaned from Navy Office for one month. It was argued that it would be useful to have In reporting to the Minister for the Navy, the an officer in Navy Office with hands on experience ofChief of Naval Staff advised: ‘The Naval Board is the RMS issues in north Queensland. Both GPVssatisfied that clearance of the field, though not without carried out RMS tasks in far north Queensland watershazard, was a practicable and reasonable operation. as required, each carrying a RMS officer and a sailor,Captain Wheatley took all prudent and reasonable acts with deployments typically lasting three weeks.to ensure the safety of the ships under his command inthis task which, by its very nature and the presence of In December 1946, two RMS qualified officers,navigational dangers as well as the minefield, entailed Lieutenant William Evans and Sub Lieutenantan element of risk which had to be accepted. The loss William Fisher, were posted to Moreton to increaseof HMAS Warrnambool can be attributed to the the RMS support for the GPVs. Fisher departed inhazardous nature of the operation and no blame is July 1947 whilst Evans remained until July 1948.attributed to Captain Wheatley”. Thereafter RMS support was covered by the Gunner posted to Moreton for RMS duties on the Queensland RMS operations in far north Queensland coast. Senior Commissioned Gunner Fred Deahm Of the 5,226 Mk XIV mines laid in the GreatBarrier Reef, some 3,500 parted their moorings and GPV 961 similar to GPVs 956 and 957drifted. The majority remained stuck in the reef ordrifted out to sea but some 20 percent found their way relieved Clatworthy in September 1947 until Januaryto the far north Queensland coast. In response to the 1949 and was followed by Senior Commissionedincreasing numbers of mines reported along the coast, Gunner Hugh Watson who remained until July1950,NOIC Queensland (Captain EP Thomas RN) the last person to fill the role.requested GPV 957 be allocated to RMS tasking. TheGPV was commissioned as a tender to HMAS The GPVs came under the operational control ofMoreton in September 1946 with Lieutenant Leslie NOIC Brisbane, and were tenders to Moreton, withMushins RANVR in command. Mushins transferred to each GPV having a complement of 12. As their areathe PNF in February 1947 and remained in command of operations was the far north Queensland area, theyuntil March 1949. He was relieved by Lieutenant used Cairns as a base, including conducting refits(later Commodore) Ian Burnside who commanded there. Base staff from Moreton would supervise refitsGPV 957 until February 1950. Rear Admiral RG undertaken there by the Cairns Harbour Board. TheyLoosli served in GPV 957 as Executive Officer from also regularly interacted with the Resident NavalOctober 1949 to July 1950. Officer in Townsville (Lieutenant Commander LC As GPV 957 was being prepared for RMS Connolly RANVR - Magnetic had been closedsupport, over 90 mines had been reported and Captain mid1946) and received stores dispatched there fromThomas assessed that the number was increasing at arate beyond the capacity of one GPV. He requestedGPV 956 also be allocated to support GPV 957 in thisrole. This was approved and GPV 956 loaded RMSstores in Brisbane 26 October 1946, arriving Cairns 2November. Lieutenant Robert Gray was in command,having brought the GPV south from Darwin. Whilst the GPV RMS effort was ramping up,some 198 mines had been rendered safe, a largemajority by CPO William Yates, who was RMSqualified and had been serving in HMAS Magnetic(Townsville) since late 1945. From August 1946Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 14

Moreton. in command by Lieutenant Ernest Nutt RANR. In addition to responding to mine sightings, the GPV 956 ceased RMS support in May 1948 andGPVs would sail close to the coast where possible to paid off shortly after. GPV 957 continuedsearch for unreported beached mines. Landing the decommissioned in July 1950. The Gunners atRMS teams often proved challenging and was weather Moreton. in addition to deploying in the until Maydependent, but even in reasonable weather the surf 1950, returning to Brisbane on 31 May. She wasoften made landing and leaving difficult. GPV 956 allocated to RANR training and GPVs, also spent timesuccinctly outlined the issue: ‘The RMS party makes searching ashore or, as noted by Ross Blue in his booklong and often dangerous voyages in the totally United and Undaunted : ‘They prowled theinadequate dinghy powered by an unpredictable Queensland coast using great skill, initiative andoutboard motor in order that the job may be considerable patience with those who sought to opinesatisfactorily concluded.’ Ashore, the party often had from afar”.to travel many miles from one mine sighting to thenext, often through rough country. On one occasion Over four years this small group, operating fromthe RMS party used horses from a mission whilst a commercial port 850 nm from their base and withdestroying 13 mines between Cape Direction and minimal base support, completed their mission in aHayes River as the coast was too treacherous, making creditable and professional manner. Working inan approach from seaward not practicable. The difficult conditions both at sea and ashore, theymajority of mines were in remote locations and hence cleared the north Queensland coast of some 666 Mkcould be safely detonated in situ, otherwise they were XIV mines, covering a length of coastline similar torendered safe and generally the charge burnt. the entire East UK coast. This RMS effort, involving disposing of some 166 tons of explosive, was Lieutenant Robert Gray had a career ending undertaken effectively and without any issues, but wasepisode in November 1947 when GPV 956 sank at considered unremarkable within Navy at the time, andKuranda Jetty in Cairns. It seems the GPV’s sheer has never been recognised for the significant operationstrake became caught in the wharf and as the tide rose, it was.the vessel listed to one side, allowing water to pour inthe engine room port holes. The vessel was raised and As neurosurgeon Professor Richard Gyerepaired but Gray was court-martialed with charges of reflecting on his time as a Sub Lieutenant in GPV 956hazarding his ship and neglect of duty. He was noted: ‘In those days we were a somewhat isolatedsubsequently found guilty and was dismissed from and rather forgotten unit based in Cairns. Life wasGPV 956 and severely reprimanded. He was relieved interesting, occasionally exciting but never dull’.______________________________________________________________________________________ The Australia Squadron 1906 Cambrian the last one at the arrival of the battlecruiser HMAS Australia in 1913. – HMS Drake Drake was obsolete by the start of WW1, like allHMS Drake was one of the three last Royal Navy cruis- remaining RN armoured cruisers, but still actively em-ers on the Australia Station from 1906 to 1913. She is ployed around UK and the Mediterranean, sufferingseen in the accompanying postcard photo sent by Ship- collectively a high casualty rate. Three sister ships werewright 4th Class Charles Bax RN, a member of her used to patrol the North Sea along the Broad 14s, andship’s company to his mother in UK. He later trans- referred to as the “Live Bait Squadron”, with three shipsferred to the RAN and served through WW1. sunk one afternoon by a single U-boat. Drake herself was torpedoed by a German U-79 and sunk on 2 Octo- Drake was a first-class armoured cruiser of ber 1917. Her name lives on as RN Barracks at Devon-14,100 tons and 30,000 HP. Her top speed and economi- port, UK.cal cruising were 23.5 knots and 10 knots respectively. (Richard Francis, NSW)Her main armament was two 9.2” guns and a secondarybattery of 6” guns in side-casements. When Vice Admiral Sir Richard Poore KCB CVOwas appointed Flag Officer Commanding Australia Sta-tion at the end of 1907 the Squadron comprised his flag-ship HMS Powerful and HM Ships Drake and Cambrian(light cruiser). He was relieved by Vice Admiral SirGeorge King -Hall KCB CVO in 1910, with each of theremaining ships becoming flagship as the older shipswere progressively withdrawn to UK, leaving HMS 15

PRESIDENT’S REPORT OF ble focus on the ongoing financial viability of the Club, given the considerable provisions required for life members which, if they remain isolated, would PROCEEDINGS potentially place the Club in a deficit position in the current and future years. As a consequence the Committee has determined that the life member pro-Sirs visions at the end of each financial year shall beI have the honour to report the proceedings of the decremented by an amount equal to the operatingNaval Officers Club of Australia for the period 1 costs to support life members for that year and thatMarch 2016 to 28 February 2017. amount shall be available as general operationalFor the Committee, implementation of the Vi- funds.sion 2018 strategies has been a high and time- In addition, the Committee has determinedconsuming priority. The status of key aspects will that it is inappropriate for any profits derived frombe covered in this ROP. In parallel, the month to NSW functions to be considered as general operat-month activities have progressed much as in previ- ing income and will, in future, be accounted for sep-ous years with functions being held and newsletters arately as is the case for other divisions. To pro-published. vide an initial funding base, $1000 will be trans-Membership ferred to the NSW Division from central funds.Thanks to efforts by individual members and This is less than the NSW functions profits for theDivisional Chairmen we have welcomed 22 new last financial year.members to the Club. Allowing for “Last Posts”, Nick Horspool has supported the Club asresignations or membership cancellation due to non- Honorary Auditor throughout the year. The Club ispayment, total member numbers have increased very appreciative of having his expertise and inputsmarginally to 618, of whom 264 are life members. available.Attracting new members in all geographies contin- Vision 2018ues to be the biggest challenge for the Club, due in Good but not excellent progress has beenpart to the proliferation of naval Ex-Service Organi- made in implementing the various strategies de-sations in different jurisdictions. Efforts by the signed to reposition the Club as relevant to a broad-NOC to cross-pollinate, coordinate and harmonise er cross-section of former and serving officers. Sta-have generally been met either with disinterest or tus of three of the key initiatives is:active resistance. Nevertheless, efforts are continu- Newsletter. Thanks to transitioning the edito-ing to attract new generations of members. rial functions to a new, cheaper application the labo-Considerable effort has been expended over rious tasks associated with the newsletter publica-the last twelve months by all Divisions to update the tion can be shared amongst willing volunteers, withmaster and local databases. Each Division has a the March edition having extensive multi-party in-core group of members that keep in regular contact puts. The last two editions have been publishedand attend functions. However there are many mem- using the new application and have been distributedbers who do not regularly contact the club or re- digitally as well as in hard-copy format. The intro-spond to routine emails or, even, correct personal duction of a digital version will allow for increasedinformation errors in the Membership Directory use of colour. The intention is to continue to pub-published in mid-2016. The email listings in par- lish both hard-copy and digital versions while pro-ticular have been under review for some time to pre- gressively encouraging members to take up the digi-pare for some level of communication automation tal option to reduce operating costs. Some financialwhich will become available as our systems are de- incentive to ‘switch to digital’ is being considered.veloped. About 12 percent of members do not have Generally the content and format of the Newsletterrecorded email addresses. Members are encour- is highly regarded by members, however feedbackaged to notify whenever personal details change. and additional contributions are always welcome.Financial Website. After appropriate due diligence aThe financial position of the Club continues to website developer has been appointed to assist inbe unremarkable but healthy, with raw outgoings refreshing the NOC website and to implement aexceeding income by a small margin, in part due to range of functionality changes. These changes willexpenditure on development of our website. The progressively introduce an online member directory,deficit of $1168 was offset by a transfer of funds functions calendar, functions booking facility andfrom the life membership provisions resulting in an membership renewal. It is hoped to launch the newincrease in Members’ Funds for the year of $5221. site in mid-2017. The current website utilisationDuring the financial year there has been considera- measures continue to demonstrate significant levelsNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 16

NOCA Committee at work preparing Newsletter for mailing. L-R Rick Bayley (President), Simon Cul-len (Vice-President), Geoff Cole (Webmaster), David Blazey (Membership Sec), King Perry (Hon Sec),John Hazell (NSW Functions Coord), Richard Francis (Editor), John Ellis (Treasurer), Jim Warren(Functions Coord)of interest from both Australian and international New South Walesbrowsers. The publication of the Newsletter on the The NSW functions sub-committee main-website will continue to stimulate interest. tained a busy schedule for NSW members with 11 Social Networking. A Naval Officers Club functions offered during the year. The informal pubclosed group has been established on LinkedIn as lunch, at the Lord Nelson Brewery pub in Sydney’s Rocks precinct, was held on 3 occasions and con-the preferred social networking medium. This tinues to draw a near capacity crowd of about 30group is available to all members and to any otherformer or serving naval officer with validated cre- members each time. A highlight of the year was a familiarisation visit for a small group of membersdentials. After its initial launch it attracted a good to the new Naval Systems Training Centre at Rand-number of accredited non-members. It is intended wick Barracks where the Navy’s new approach toto use LinkedIn to open up discussions on matters the training of technical sailors was presented andof interest to the Group. We also expect the Group demonstrated.to open up opportunities for officers transitioningout of Navy as well as providing a network which The Fish ‘n Ships tour of the Heritage Fleetcan support former officers through the stages of was a new function initiative at the end of August.their commercial careers and into the retirement Regrettably, it was not well patronised and will notphase. Additional work is required in the current be repeated in the foreseeable future.year to optimise utilisation of this networking tool Both the Club’s commemorative functions,and to extend to other Ex-Service Organisations. the Coral Sea Ceremony and lunch at the Australi-Functions an National Maritime Museum early May and the The functions held in each state or territory Trafalgar Night dinner at the Royal Automobileremain a primary focus for the Club. Each Divi- Club late October, were well attended and appreci-sion manages its own program to satisfy the needs ated. The Christmas lunch at the NSW Parliamentof local constituents. However, it is apparent that, House Strangers Dining Room attracted 160 mem-regardless of geography, there is usually a con- bers and guests. That function will be the last host-sistent hard core of attendees with others attending ed by our very good friend the Hon. Jillian Skinner,on an occasional basis. All members are encour- former Minister for Health, while we welcome ouraged to take advantage of the range of functions new host, the Minister for Planning, The Hon. An-which facilitate the camaraderie of which we are thony Roberts, for this year’s event.justly proud. 17

The mid-winter lunch at the Mosman Club • Visiting Curtin University for a presentationlate July brings together some 60 members and from one of their very advanced imagery groups and having a “walk thru” 3D coloured sectionstheir partners for some hearty comfort food with of HMAS SYDNEY and the KORMORAN;good wine in a pleasant environment. Towards theend of the club’s fiscal year, a Harbour Cruise and • Visiting two of Svitzer’s facilities in Fremantle to look over their oldest tug, 49-year-old STIR-buffet lunch attracted a near capacity attendance of LING SKATE, and their latest acquisition, a yet58 on the upper deck of the well-appointed and to be named very fast all weather pilot boat forstaffed MAGISTIC II, capping off a good year of use in the WA offshore oil rigs. This was fol- lowed by a luncheon at the Fremantle Sailingfunctions for Sydney-based members. Club:ACT • Joining the Naval Military and Air Forces Club Luncheon meetings typically attracting 25-32 of WA for their Annual Dinner: andmembers take place every month except January • Regular interaction with the Royal United Ser-and October at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, vices Institute, the Naval Historical Society; andwith which the ACT division has a Regular Occur- • The Larrikins Group (a misguided bunch of for-ring Function Contract. The major function for mer Naval Officers and one Army Officer thatthe year is a Christmas Brunch in December at the meets infrequently for lunch).Commonwealth Club for members and partners. South AustraliaAdditionally, in July, a Ladies mid-winter Lunch The relatively small group of members in SAwas held at the Royal Canberra Golf Club with thecurrent US Naval Attaché as guest of honour. continues to uphold the traditions of the Club byVictoria holding quarterly lunches in March, June, Septem- ber and December. In addition, two formal dinners Victorian members enjoyed their customary were held at SA Naval & Military Club celebrating Encounter Night & Trafalgar.four lunches at the \"Hero's Club” in Toorak and NOC Organisationone black tie dinner to celebrate Trafalgar. Allwere well supported and enjoyed by participants. The Club is fortunate to have a dedicatedQueensland band of former warriors who work tirelessly for the benefit of all members. The national Committee Due to the geographic challenges of south- has been particularly stretched for the last 12 months addressing a range of initiatives associatedeast Queensland from a functions perspective, there with Vision 2018.are generally three functions each year - Wal Far- At the divisional level there have been severalquhar’s ‘sea day’ (June), Trafalgar and a Christmas changes of note, namely:Lunch which caters for the Sunshine Coast group • Alan Ferris handed over chairmanship of theand some from Brisbane. In lieu of a Trafalgar SA division to Stephen Jeisman in mid-2016Night Dinner, the NOC held a Naval Luncheon in • After more than 17 years of commitment, MikeOctober 2016 in conjunction the United Services Taylor resigned as chair of the ACT division atClub. The Fleet Commander (RADM Stuart May- the AGM in March. A successor is still to beer AO CSC* RAN) was the guest speaker whose identified.address on ‘The Future of the Navy’ was very well • After some 28 years leading the Victorian divi- sion, John Redman resigned as chairman inreceived. This event was open to the wider Naval/ March 2017. A group of Victorian members isDefence community and attracted some 70 at- working on identifying John’s successor.tendees. In addition to the big events, an informal The Club owes these individuals a great deal of gratitude for their perseverance and commitment togroup meets every six months or so for lunch in furthering the ideals of the Club. Without con-Brisbane. sistent attention, clubs such as ours can easily with-Western Australia er and die. WA members continue to enjoy bi-monthly I have the honour to be, Sirs, your obedient servantluncheons and alternate monthly meetings that con- Rick Bayleyclude with a dinner. These functions are now held President.at the Fremantle Sailing Club and, so far, seem tohave encouraged more members to attend due inpart to venue facilities and ease of transport. Otherdiverse functions for the year included:• Visiting O’Connor Wooden Boats to view the final 6m rowing boat under construction for the Naval Cadets followed by a lunch at the Rock- ingham Hotel;• Joining the Naval Officers Association for a Trafalgar Day luncheon:Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 18

Ex-HMAS Sydney Break-up Finds a Shipbuilder’s Goodwill MementoShipbreakers in WA commencing to demolish/scrap the former frigate ex-HMAS Sydney (FFG03) werealerted by a hot tip from a retired worker from TODD Shipyard in Seattle USA, to have a look in the for-ward starboard leg of the mainmast, and there they found this goodwill memento intact.It was truly a well-travelled gift! (see photos below )(Contributed by LCDR Desmond Woods RANR, Seapower Centre, Canberra – 28 Jun 2017) Did You Know?GIBRALTAR – British Crown Colony and HM Naval Base Madrid has demanded Gibraltar as the Of course, Britain could offer Gibraltar sover-price of avoiding their antagonism during current eign statehood within the Commonwealth and theyBREXIT talks with the EU. For the record, Gibraltar could demand of the UN the right of self-was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in 1713, by the determination. That granted and Spain would have toTreaty of Utrecht. This ended the War of the Spanish take on the world. But as usual Madrid only throwsSuccession in which Spain sided with France against the Gibraltar issue at the Spanish people to divertBritain and lost. (They did the same 100 years later their attention from the pending disaster facing theirand took a pasting at Trafalgar). All other parties at economy.Utrecht were amazed that Britain demanded so little, (International Express 12 April 2017)and at the time, that included Spain herself. The ces-sation was in perpetuity. Among the various British officials sent to Gibraltar was Edmund Creswell, the colony's deputy- The British found just 12 Spanish fishing postmaster-general whose son, William Creswell,families on the otherwise uninhabited rock. They was born there and whose middle name Rooke wassoon left of their own accord and Gibraltar was slow- given in memory of Admiral Sir George Rooke (1650ly populated by immigrants from across the Mediter- – 1709) who captured Gibraltar for Britain. Followingranean but not the Spanish. Gibraltarians are ethni- service in the Royal Navy, the young Creswell mi-cally different. “Ah” says Madrid “but we were there grated to Australia where he played a major role inbefore you and want it returned”. Actually, the emergence of the Royal Australian Navy, finish-the Moors were there before that and Spain’s owner- ing his career as a vice admiral and with a knight-ship, in years, is less than the British (304) or the hood.Moores.19

Social Events Around the Nation VICMembers of the Victorian Division came together on Warwick Gately, the incoming Chairman, presentsWednesday 7 June for lunch at the Toorak Services John Redman with a gift from the Division. At left isClub. This quarterly gathering not only provided theopportunity to bring members together but also to John Bird and at right Helen Scholes and Johnrecognise the leadership of John Redman as the Chair Mathew.of the Division over the past 28 years. Around alunch of Roast Beef, Sticky Date pudding and a glassof wine, words of thanks to John were offered byPeter Wickham, Warwick Gately, John Bird and PaulWillee. Other members not present had their bestwishes and thanks relayed. John was also presentedwith a gift on behalf of the membership for hisdedication to the NOC and in his reflection Johnidentified the names and service details of manynotable Naval Officers who were members of theVictorian Division and like all of us, enjoyed theassociations that the NOC offered. Warwick Gatelyhas taken over from John.Rosemary Creswell with Roger Buxton (left) and Dennis John Silver with Terry Makings Gale.Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 Paul Willee with Jim Dixon 20

ACT A group photo prior to 5 June Luncheon Cruise in MV Southern Cross on Lake Burley Griffin. At bottom left is Commodore Hector Donohue AM RAN Retd who gave the Battle Honours presentation about Lieu- tenant H.L. Billman DSC MID RANVR, a MCD and BD specialist during WW11.______________________________________________________________________________________Commemoration Ceremony for 50th Anniversary of Australian White Ensign and 116th Anniversary ofRAN. LH Photo - Deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Mike Noonan AM RAN, addresses the guests..RH Photo - NOC member Peter Cooke Russell with Alex McGown, President of ACT Chapter of Naval Association of Australia. Reindeer from Russia by voyage back to England (and an unexpected six- week spell, spent on war patrol after the submarine Submarine – WW2 had been diverted during the return voyage). The lucky reindeer ended up in Regent’s Park Zoo.During WW2 Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union, (International Express July 2017)one British submarine brought back a reindeer fromRussia. While alongside in the port of Polyarny,near Murmansk, for repairs, the crew of HMS Tri-dent (Commander Geoffrey Sladen RN) werethrown a banquet by their Russian hosts.Cdr Sladen confided to his Soviet counterpart thathis wife struggled to push her pram through thewinter snow in UK. He was given a reindeer tosolve the problem, and rather than offend theirhosts, the submariners took it with them in the boat.Christened Pollyanna, the reindeer survived the 21

HMAS Gladstone she appears to be afloat and secured to her own and very smart wharf. I must say that when I first saw Museum ship 2017 her she looked very smart with Jack and Ensign flying, and with her topsides and hull gleaming. By CMDR Gary Sproule, RAN ret She looked ready for sea.One of the ubiquitous Fremantle Class patrol boats Her new crew consists mainly of retired en-(1980 – 2010) has been preserved as a museum thusiasts, who keep her looking her best and alsoship by the City of Gladstone, Queensland, and is act as tour guides. The new “skipper” Lindsaynow open for inspection. Wassal of the Gladstone Maritime Museum is a tireless worker for the project and would be de- lighted to make contact with any ex-FCPB individ- uals or groups who may wish to visit. Mick Storrs and Gary Sproule at the ‘relaunching’ Memories and Sentiments Having been present at her launching, her Various representatives from the City ofGladstone made submissions to Navy to acquire first commissioning, and now her “re-launch” as athe ship after her decommissioning in 2007 and it museum ship, I was flooded with many memories,was agreed that she be relocated to Gladstone as and I thank the good citizens of Gladstone for theirthe major exhibit of the new Maritime Museum. As support in preserving an important piece of navalthe commissioning Commanding Officer of HMAS heritage and for providing such a pleasant finalGladstone, I was honoured when the Gladstone berth for a special ship.Port Corporation (GPC), Gladstone Maritime Mu- PS. Of interest, I think all the Fremantle class,seum and the Gladstone Council invited me to at- except Gladstone and Townsville (the latter alsotend a plaque unveiling ceremony recently to, in being acquired by her namesake city) went to theessence, “re-launch” the old girl in her new role as breakers yard (in Darwin, I believe).a museum ship. I was accompanied by Mick Storrs(ex-CO HMAS Warnambool, also built at Cairns),who was our consort for work-up and OperationalReadiness Exercises (ORE) back in 1984.Museum Ship Project Chairman of GPC Leo Zussino with Lindsay Was With much enthusiasm, hard work and mon- sell, President of the Gladstone Maritime Museum,ey, the GPC as the major lead authority, along with and Gary Sproulethe other stakeholders provided a location and re-sources in a newly-constructed park on AucklandPoint, at the bottom end of the city’s main street.The ship is supported above the water in what wasonce a small slipway, but from most points of viewNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 22

Paddle Steamer Nirimba asked to perform the pleasing ceremony and a large number of prominent citizens attended. As the ves- 1895 sel stood in the slip, her lines were generally much admired, and on being despatched with the custom-The workhorse of the river in this image is the Pad- ary of a bottle of champagne over the bow, glideddle Steamer Nirimba., towing barges up-river from gracefully into the water amidst cheers…TheFremantle. “A new paddle boat, built on the lines Messrs Lawrence are responsible for the fact thatof those generally adapted to the river harbour the craft is essentially Western Australian. Thetrade, was launched yesterday afternoon by the timber is jarrah and the engines of colonial manu-Swan River Shipping Company. The Daily News, facture. Her lines are superior to any boat built inThe West Australian’s sister paper, reported. The the colony, and strength has been combined with alittle craft was built to the order of this Company smart and trim appearance.by Messrs. W. and S. Lawrence, and her appear-ance, as she stood ready for launching yesterday, An extract from The West Australian newspaper 24was a creditable one. The ceremony of christening December 2016, article “The Way We Were” bypassed off with much eclat. Lady Forrest had been Rod Moran_____________________________________________________________________________________ HMS Queen Elizabeth leaves RosythThe new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth waseased out of her fitting-out basin at Rosyth dock-yard, Scotland, with inches to spare as she emergedfrom the non-tidal basin, in a cold move with manytugs co-ordinating the delicate manoeuvre. Whenjudged ready for her initial sea trials she will bebased at Portsmouth naval dockyard, where a com-pletely new berth has been created for her and hersister ship HMS Prince of Wales, at the formerflagship berth (South Railway Jetty, adjacent to thelandmark old Semaphore Tower).(The Telegraph UK – 29 June 2017) 23

World Naval DevelopmentsBy Norman Friedman, Author, The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems (Courtesy of Desmond Woods, ANI Canberra)The new British carrier Queen Elizabeth, the first force, and it had many nearby bases in Italy. Itof two, began sea trials in May. She represents the must have been a great surprise that the smallrevival of British fixed-wing naval aviation. The British carrier Ark Royal regularly generated morelast earlier British fixed-wing carrier airplane, the sorties – had more impact – than all of those bases.Sea Harrier fighter, was retired in 2006, and the The reason was weather. It regularly closed thethree light carriers have been discarded. Queen land bases, but the carrier could maneuver intoElizabeth is also by far the largest warship ever patches of clear weather from which her aircraftbuilt for the Royal Navy, although she is dwarfed could fly.by current U.S. carriers. The no-fly operation against Iraq proved an- The new carrier is already controversial. other point. Many governments around Iraq foundThe British press has reported that the other British it uncomfortable to accommodate aircraft support-services regard the carrier program as a parochial ing it. Carriers were not subject to any such re-naval triumph at their expense. Successive British strictions. The U.S. government, and probably alsoGovernments certainly have not seen it that way, the British, found that its ability to operate whetherand it seems unfortunate that the British services or not local governments gave permission actuallydo not understand that a carrier – a mobile national encouraged those governments to provide baseair base -- may be key to their own future. The rights. The reason was subtle. The Iraqis oftenquestion for all of the British services would seem threatened that any government cooperating withto be their future role. It is most likely to support the Western powers could be portrayed as theirnational interests far from home. At one time it tool, and it might therefore be legitimately over-could be argued that with possessions throughout thrown. Local governments might well be loath tomuch of the world, British forces could generally spend their political capital to undertake coopera-be assured of a base near where they had to fight. tion under those circumstances. However, opposingThat has not been true for many decades. Bases them also cost political capital. It was worth thenow usually have to be paid with, often in commit- Iraqis’ while to do so only if they could keep thements as well as cash. That has certainly been U.S. West out altogether. The carriers could, however,experience. operate whatever the Iraqis said or did. For the British Governments which decided For the United States, this issue had alreadyto build the carrier, the first straw in the wind was been evident during the 1990-91 buildup againstprobably the NATO operation against Serbia in the Iraq. The Saudi government found itself under in-late 1990s. NATO had a massive land-based air tense pressure to deny base rights, even though theNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 24

bases were to be used by U.S. aircraft defending it. be done. Even so, there are costs associated withCarriers solved its problem: Saudi Arabia could lengthy flights. For example, the FB-111s seem toand would be defended whether or not it welcomed have suffered some electrical failures and otherU.S. aircraft to help. Now it was not worth the Ira- problems due to pilot fatigue because they had toqis’ while to keep pressing the Saudis, and the air- fly a very long route to avoid countries which de-craft duly arrived. As it turned out, the land-based nied overflight rights.aircraft needed considerable spares and infrastruc- Libya was a very different situation. Air at-ture. For several months in 1990, as that was built tack was wanted to support the rebels tactically. Inup, carrier aircraft were still the main air defense such situations, targets suddenly matter because ofof the kingdom. the unpredictable way a tactical situation develops.British carrier operations in support of the Unless the airplane is already very close by, it can-2003 attack against Iraq seem to have been a partic- not possibly hit a target in time to make a differ-ularly vivid demonstration of this phenomenon for ence. The closer the air base, the easier it is tothe British Government of the day. The carrier pro- maintain aircraft continuously in position to sup-gram had been approved in principle as part of the port troops on the ground. In this case the British1997 British Strategic Defense Review, but little air base was far away, at home; airplanes could nothad been done to implement that decision. Among possibly arrive in time. The only nearby British air-other things, the scenarios in the 1997 review had craft were attack helicopters on board their surviv-not been altogether convincing when it came to ing carriers. As the crisis wore on, the British werebuying very expensive ships. allowed to use Italian bases much closer to Libya.The civil war The lesson wasin Libya, in which that without athe British support- mobile air baseed the rebels, was no British Gov-another vivid ernment coulddemonstration of independentlywhat carriers can decide whether ordo. In this case, the not to fight as itBritish were with- wished to. Carri-out them, having ers represent na-recently retired tional sovereign-their carrier-based ty; depending onfighters. On paper, someone else’sLibya was within land bases doesstriking range of not.Tornado bombers The Queen Elizabeth joined by two Dukes; HMS Sutherland and The Libyanbased in the United experience seemsKingdom. Proba- HMS Iron Duke arrived to escort her for a couple of days. to have tipped thebly many in the balance towardsBritish defense establishment associated the reach ordering the two carriers. When they were first dis-of carrier aircraft with much more distant places, cussed, it must have seemed that the need to projectlike Iraq. British power far from home was more theoreticalThey learned that aircraft range is only part than real. The impact of terrorist attacks in theof the story of successfully applying air power. It is West, which represent or are actually ordered byone thing to assign aircraft to strike very distant groups in the Middle East, seems to show the oppo-fixed targets, which can be chosen in advance. That site. Quite aside from a need to suppress terroristis what happened, for example, when the United organizations such as ISIS, the West has major in-States used British-based FB-111 bombers (plus terests in the Middle East. We badly need the abil-carrier aircraft) to strike Libya in 1986. Much the ity to protect them, whether or not local govern-same might be said of the spectacular (albeit with ments welcome us.only very limited results) Vulcan bomber attack on The two new British carriers were conceiveda runway in the Falklands, mounted from about as the centerpieces of a fleet designed to project8000 miles away. One might argue about wheth- British national power. In the past, the Royal Navyer such long-range operations are worth what they emphasized the NATO missions of anti-submarinecost in terms of what they achieve, but the time warfare and mine countermeasures. For example,elapsed between launching the aircraft and arriving its three small STOVL carriers were conceived asat the target was not a crucial factor: no one was anti-submarine flagships armed mainly with largemoving the target. The nominal ability to fly a anti-submarine helicopters. In the 1990s the Royalvery long way was a good measure of what could Navy began to reorient towards a future mission of 25

projecting power as needed to the future of all the British services.into distant places like the What the carriers and the amphibious shipsMiddle East. That had twoaspects. One was the carrier mean for the United Kingdom is that in many situa-force as a means of striking tions it can, if it has to, operate independently. Brit-as needed. To be viable the ish national interest may well demand that inde-carriers needed escorts which pendence. The British view of what matters abroadcould, among other things, will sometimes, perhaps often, differ from that ofbeat off the sort of missile allied countries. A British ability to operate inde-attacks which can now be pendently may generate desired support from othermounted from an enemy countries, including the United States. Without thatshore. The carriers would ability, British ability to pursue any national inter-have limited numbers of air- ests overseas by military means is severely limited,craft on board. They could and must always depend on the permission and as-not, for example, both sup- sistance of others.press enemy air defenses andattack other targets ashore. The independence offered by sea power isThat made it essential that obviously somewhat limited; some places are so farother elements of the fleet from the sea that they are out of reach. Surprisinglybe able to damage enemy air little of the world fits into that category, largely be-defenses, to magnify the impact of the limited cause most of the world’s population lives andnumber of carrier-based strike aircraft. The other works not far from the sea. The sea, after all, stillaspect of power projection was landing troops. provides the cheapest and best form of transporta- tion for goods. That was the basis of the U.S. Na- The current Royal Navy reflects these re- vy’s post Cold War littoral strategy, and it is stillquirements. The Type 45 destroyer provides valid – and it underlies the British national invest-quick-reaction anti-missile defense, but it has lim- ment in a fleet designed to project British nationalited anti-submarine capability. In recent years power inland as needed. Skeptics may want to re-many countries, some of them potentially hostile, member that even in land-locked Afghanistan thehave invested in diesel submarines. To deal with United States was initially able to operate freelythem the Royal Navy has retained some of its Type largely because carrier-based aircraft provided on-23 Cold War frigates, and has added with towed time air support.active low-frequency elements which are likely tobe effective against diesel-electric submarines.British nuclear submarines are armed with the U.S.-supplied Tomahawk land-attack missile. A submarine’s stealth makes it an ideal plat-form to attack enemy air defenses from unexpecteddirections. A few Tomahawks offer only limitedcapacity to destroy targets ashore, but they canopen the way for air attacks from the carrier. In asustained campaign, of course, the ideal situationwould be for troops supported by the carrier toseize a land base, to which land-based aircraftcould be ferried. As for the troops, the Royal Navy investedheavily in amphibious ships after the end of theCold War. This is very much a joint investment.Without the amphibious ships and the carrier battlegroup, it would be impossible for the British armyto operate autonomously anywhere far from home.The carriers and the other ships really are relevant_____________________________________________________________________________________Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 26

The First RAN Sea Venom The air intercept exercises consisted of a Sea Venom “target”, simulating a Bomber type of aircraft Aircraft Ejection by limiting its speed and turn rates to those of a bomber aircraft. They would also turn off their CMDR Brian Dutch RAN ret navigation lights once radar contact was established in night sorties. In June 2017 it will be 57 years since anaircraft accident in1960, when SBLT B.A Dutch and The Observer was responsible for theLEUT E.D. (Sandy) Sandberg successfully ejected at Navigation and Radar control. He could detect thenight from a Sea Venom FAW 53 jet aircraft at target on radar and by a variety of orders position theHMAS ALBTROSS. I was told that this was the first Pilot into a gun firing position at about 200ft belowejection in the RAN and the first night ejection from the target and 200 Yards astern. The Pilot then had toa Sea Venom in the “world” (the RN and RAN?). pull up and fire the 20mm cannons. This could be done in all weathers and at night! I often wondered I am sure that I am not the first one to have just what would happen in a real attack should oneissues with the investigation of an accident by a manage to hit the target. It would be challenging toBoard of Inquiry. The questions of the Board seemed avoid the debris!to concentrate on my reading of the instruments for anormal night conditions and in a normal turn. This During the night exercises I had had problemsseemed to lead them to the conclusion that I had in trusting the radar system and the Observer in themisread the instruments and flew into the ground. It final stages of an intercept at night when I could notalso could have led to their conclusion that I showed; see the target and felt that the closing speed was too“Poor airmanship and fast or there was insufficient height separation. In theability.” I never correct firing position the Pilot could look up and seereceived any feedbackon their reasoning. the jet pipe of the target. On my final For my part, night exercisecertainly I was using I failed to sight a “jetthe instruments but pipe” and it wasthe night was dark, necessary to repeat thethe wind was exercise by flyingturbulent and the another sortie.sequence was: “turn, undercarriage While I do notdown, uncontrolled think that fatigue wasroll to port, full right a factor in theaileron, full right accident, I had alreadyrudder, impact, full power, EJECT!”… and all in flown two day sortiesa matter of a few seconds”. I felt that there had to and due to the failedbe some contributing factors, at least, due to the night exercise, mystrong wind conditions so I took my frustration to Observer for the trip, Lieutenant E.D (Sandy)Captain T.K. Morrison, then Captain of the Air Sandberg and I manned aircraft for a second nightStation. He convinced me that it was important for sortie. As we settled into the climb for the exerciseme to continue flying. Sandy found that the radar was not working correctly so we had to land again and find a serviceable aircraft I relived the accident many times immediately for the fifth sortie of the day.after it occurred and for many years on.. I spent An important point at this stage was thatmany hours trying to find answers as to the cause. during the evening the wind strength had beenMost of the actions of that night are still vividly strongly increasing from the north west.imprinted on my mind. I put all my effort into passing the final test and was rewarded by spotting a glowing jet pipe - which 724 Training Squadron at RANAS Nowra I must say looked dangerously close but worth theNSW was under considerable pressure to complete an effort. I then descended for a landing.All-Weather Fighter Course on the Sea Venom In 1960 the tactical thinking was that, to avoid(FAW 53) aircraft to provide replacement pilots for giving away the position of the aircraft carrier to805 Squadron, which was the Front Line Squadron. enemy radar, we flew the day circuit for landing at805 Squadron was due to commence a work up for 200 feet above sea level. At night the circuit wasembarkation in HMAS Melbourne for the Short flown at 400 feet. It was also normal practice at theCruise of 1960. airfield to fly the circuits at similar heights above the airfield datum height.27

The 26/08 runway dipped slightly lower in the possible to fly or land the aircraft safely.centre than the thresholds of the runway. The 26 Photographs later showed that the aircraft had mowedrunway threshold was on the edge of a gully which in the top off a tree! I am reminded of that aviatorsome wind condition could cause a dangerous down saying that; “Fuel Burned, Runway behind you anddraft of the air mass, causing aircraft to undershoot height above you, are all useless.”the runway with some fatalities. I also found that atthe approximate position where aircraft would turn Our only option was to eject! I knew that Ifor the downwind leg of the landing circuit and the had to gain as much height as possible and appliedpilot lowered the undercarriage that the ground was full power in a steep climb as the Martin Baker Markslightly higher than the runway datum with trees 4B ejection seat required 200 knots of forward speedadding to the height. This therefore reduced the and 200 feet of height above ground level to ensureheight available for the low circuit. the safe operation of the seat. I joined the upwind leg at 400 feet above the The canopy of the aircraft had a solid beamrunway datum and was advised by the Control Tower down its centre axis for strength so it was notthat the wind had now strengthened and was 22 knots possible to eject through it. As the ejection seatsgusting to 58 knots and varying from 280 degrees were sloped slightly towards one another it wasto 320 degrees in the gusts. This meant that during a necessary for the Observer to eject first. Thegust the wind could exceed the cross wind limits of procedure for ejection was that the Pilot gave thethe aircraft undercarriage for landing. The Tower order “Eject, eject” and the Observer had to pull theadvised that they would report the wind conditions on canopy ejection handle to blast off the canopy.my final approach. I called, “Eject, Eject!” but there was no re- I was at 240 knots action from Sandy! It was obvious that we had alsoto join the landing circuitand commenced the turn lost our interfor the downwind leg in a communications system sotightly banked turn, to I had to change hands onwash off speed before I the controls so that I couldcould lower the eject the canopy with myundercarriage at 220 right hand. This madeknots. This was the Sandy realise that he wouldlimiting speed for having have to eject.the undercarriage down. I recall the widening ofI saw that my Observer, Sandy’s eyes as he realisedSandy was stowing his he had to go and heNavigation gear and I was immediately ejected. Thesatisfied that I was airspeed was slowingestablished in a level rapidly in the climb. Iturn. stayed with the aircraft to just under 120knots and When I selected the before the stalling speed, Iundercarriage down at 220 knots the aircraft rolled ejected.rapidly to port and slightly over the vertical so I had During my parachute descent I had heardto apply full aileron to the right and then full right Sandy shouting and felt that he might be injured.rudder to try to arrest the roll. The Sea Venom with When I got to him he was trying to light a cigaretteits high twin tail boom and tail plane design did not due to the wind and his reaction to the accident. Heroll directly around the longitudinal axis of the had seen my parachute drift and was shouting to warnaircraft and it tended to “dish” or “barrel” in the me of the danger of the fire. We sat in the darknessrolling plane. By the time the aircraft was responding and waited while a rescue helicopter approached. Itto my control movements and just as I had got it back was a notable flight by the Sycamore helicopter pilot,to about 10 to 15 degrees of bank there was a violent as the Sycamore did not have the instrumentation forcrashing. night hovering but the pilot managed to safely winch down Dr Tommy Thompson, an aviation specialist to The windscreen went opaque and the aircraft check us out.was yawing violently so I applied full power to gain After a night in the Sick Bay for observation byheight. Realising that the radar dome was probably the doctors, Sandy and I were granted a week ofdamaged and as the undercarriage lights were not survivors’ leave. At the end of the week I re-joinedshowing locked, there was more than likely damage the squadron to continue the workup and joined 805to the wheel system. The aircraft was juddering Squadron for the embarkation in HMAS Melbourne.violently so I decided that it was therefore not I consider that from my subsequent aviationNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 28

experience I have a reasonable knowledge of many • the raised ground and trees at the downwindaspects of aviation, having flown piston aircraft, jet position,aircraft and helicopters. I completed deck landings inASW helicopters as well as some 508 successful • the roll effect of the Sea Venom,arrested landings in jet aircraft on Melbourne. I flew • the possibility that the aircraft could have beenin aerobatics teams and I also completed an advancedflying course, qualifying as an Air Warfare Instructor dropping in the downward movement of awith the Royal Navy at RNAS Lossiemouth in the standing wave air mass as I lowered theUK. undercarriage, So I now present the questions which had It is of particular note that by the time I gottroubled me for some years; back from my Survivors Leave the circuit height had been raised to 1000 feet above ground level and trees Why did the aircraft start to roll rapidly over were being cleared around the airfield!!the vertical when I lowered the undercarriage? Some years ago, Sandy contributed an article Were there any other factors which could have to the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australiacontributed to the accident? magazine, “Slipstream”, which reflected his consideration of the accident. It included much of the Had I really shown “poor airmanship and Board of Inquiry text. As it was the first time I hadability? When I discussed the wind conditions seen the Board Report I was satisfied with mywith the senior naval meteorological officer soon interpretation of the accident and I did not feel that itafter the accident, he advised that when the accident was appropriate for me to respond.occurred there were extremely gusty and strongwinds over the mountains of the Dividing Range on I am simply grateful that I was able to enjoy athe western side of the airfield. The wind had wonderful career in the RAN as an aviator in thestabilised in to “Standing Waves”. This means that Fleet Air Arm and as a Seaman Officer in ships.the whole air mass followed up and down over the always remained confident in the knowledge that in amountainous terrain. This was a similar condition to “life and death” situation, I would not “freeze” andthe downdraft of the air mas on the threshold of 26 die, but that I would take action to save my life.landing area. The bottom line is that Sandy and I Many years later I discussed the accident in survived, thanks to the successful operation of thedetail with an RAAF accident investigation officer Martin Baker Mark 4B ejection seat, even well belowfrom their specialist unit at the RAAF Base at the safe limits for operation of the seat.Williamtown. I recently presented some small items of After the RAAF officer heard my story he memorabilia of the accident to the Fleet Air Armsuggested that the wind conditions could contribute Museum at HMAS ABATROSS, Nowra.as follows: As the RAN no longer has the capability for 1.The aircraft when turning downwind would fixed-wing carrier operations (at the moment??), myhave the underside of the fuselage facing the gusts story is of interest only. However, it might give risewhich could have varied the relative air speed over to serious consideration of the importance of expertthe wings during the strong gusts of changing wind accident investigations.speed and direction. My story does tell of survival on a dark, 2. When lowering the undercarriage the turbulent and very exciting night!main wheels would have momentarily blanketed thelower wing to some degree. This could cause areduction of lift on the port wing as the wheel wentdown. The normal main wheel sequence whenlowering the undercarriage was for one wheel tolower ahead of the other wheel. This usually causedthe need for minor control adjustments. Any downward movement of the air massaround the aircraft during the turn downwind wouldhave some effect on its flight path. Over the few seconds, time and height werenot available to me. Factors that could all be relevantto the accident were:• the circuit height, 29

Obituaries Ordinary Seaman Second Class (S.6210) and being promoted promptly Ordinary Seaman on his 18thCommodore David James Orr RAN birthday in June 1942. At HMAS MAITLAND he was employed as a Coder in the Customs Houseret. (1931 - 2017) building, largely concerned with the organisation and operation of coastal convoys. Although he lived atBorn in Perth WA in 1931, David Orr joined the home with his parents while stationed at Newcastle,RAN in May 1952 at HMAS CERBERUS. After ini- he was required on board the establishment depot fortial training he undertook pilot training with the duty, and was thus in camp on the night thatRAAF at Archerfield, QLD, Uraquinty NSW and Newcastle was shelled by a Japanese submarine. HePoint Cook Vic. He proceeded to UK in October remembered the daily routine of delivering the daily1953 for further flying training with the Royal Navy. signal logs to the CO, Commander Rowlands,On return to Australia he joined 817 Squadron flying precisely at 0800, alerted by the Customs House clockFairey Fireflies at HMAS ALBATROSS, and from chimes before entering.the carrier HMAS Sydney during 1954-55. Later in 1942 he was drafted to CERBERUS as After service with 723 and 726 SQNs at a rating officer-candidate for officer training, and pro-ALBATROSS, he completed Fairey Gannet conver- moted Midshipman in November 1942. He wassion in 1957 and then completed helicopter conver- initially appointed to the Fairmile ML 819, serving assion in 723 SQN during 1958.He returned to UK navigator until March 1944. He was promoted Actingagain in 1958 for the RAF Helicopter Instructor’s Sub- Lieutenant in June 1944 while serving in MLCourse and was appointed to 723 SQN as Senior 822, also as navigator. In 1945 he was appointed toPilot in January 1960. ML 1339 as First Lieutenant and subsequently as Commanding Officer until May 1945. During 1961-62 he served in HMA ShipsQueenborough and Vampire for OOW training and Other wartime appointments included CO ofreturned to flying Westland Wessex helicopters with HMAS Dinsdale, navigating officer of HMAS Koala817 SQN until July 19641964-65 he commanded 723 (BDV), CO of HMAS Wybia (Tug), and finally XOSQN, then 817 SQN 1965—66. Subsequently he was of ML 810, being demobilised in June 1946, but con-appointed Senior Officer Minesweeping Squadron 16 tinued his naval career as a reservist. He was promot-in HMAS Snipe in August 1966. Postings in adminis- ed Lieutenant RANVR in 1947, Lieutenant Com-trative and training positions followed in 1967 -1970 mander RANR in 1955, and Commander RANR inwhen Commander Orr was appointed Commander 1970, retiring from the RANR in 1984.(Air) at HMAS ALBATROSS, NAS Nowra. (Commander Vasey died at Turramurra NSW in May 2017. Contributed by David Blazey NSW) Senior appointments included command ofHMAS WATERHEN and as Commander Australian Lieutenant Commander MichaelMine Warfare and Patrol Forces in 1972, Sea KingHelicopter Project Director 1972-76, Commanding Varley RAN ret. (1933 - 2017)Officer of HMAS Stalwart 1977-78 and Command-ing Officer HMAS STIRLING and NOC Western Born 1933 and entered RAN College in 1947. HeAustralia 1982-85. CDRE Orr ceased full-time ser- joined the surveying service as a Lieutenant in HMASvice in July 1985, after a distinguished naval career Warrego in 1960. From there he went to HMAScovering 33 years. He was later appointed as Execu- Paluma for 3 years, followed by HMAS Moresby intive Officer of the Official Corruption Commission in 1964, joining as lieutenant commander. Later postingsWestern Australia and subsequently appointed as a to HMAS Diamantina, the RAN Hydrographicmember of the WA Official Corruption Commission Office, then HMA Ships Tallarook and Moresby be-in 1996. He was honoured with a Service funeral at fore he assumed command of Paluma in 1969. After aFremantle WA. further stint at Hydrographic Office he then commanded Diamantina in 1970.Commander Thomas Russell Vasey Varley was posted in command of Moresby asVRD RFD RANR ret. (1924 - 2017) an Acting Commander in July 1972, conducting sur- veys off Western Australia, South Australia and Tas-Born in 1924 Thomas Vasey joined the RAN in Janu- mania, then posted to Navy Office. In 1982 he joinedary 1942 at HMAS CERBERUS. After initial training MV Cape Pillar as OIC Detached Survey Party (thehe was posted to HMAS MAITLAND mid-year as an forerunner of HODSU and DGST) for surveys in the Solomon Islands. He retired in 1987 from Navy Office, Canberra.Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 30

Obituaries (continued) Lieutenant Commander H A L Hall Lieutenant Commander S A NOAKES MBE OAM RAN ret RAN - Commanding OfficerHenry Hall was a WW2 veteran who was onboard the ADV Cape Inscriptionheavy cruiser HMAS Canberra (Captain GettingRAN) at the Battle of Savo Sound in 1942. As an On 26 June 2017 the CO of Australian DefenceOrdinary Seaman he was stationed as a lookout on Vessel Cape Inscription, Lieutenant Commanderthe Fore Control Position (above the bridge) when the “Alfie” Noakes died at sea from natural causes, whileship was attacked by Japanese cruiser forces during deployed on Operation Resolute. He first joined thethe night. He was Mentioned in Despatches (MID) RAN in April 1981 as a Junior Recruit. He qualifiedfor his part in assisting the ship’s medical teams, as a CSO (MV), being promoted through the ranks tohelping remove wounded personnel from the bridge CPO CSM(MV), prior to being commissioned.area, after the ship was severely hit by heavy gunfire. He had several commands, including HMA Despite only having basic first-aid training Ships Labuan, Attack Four, ADV Cape ByronHenry became an important member of the medical (Starboard Crew) and ADV Cape Inscriptionteam and actually assisted Surgeon Commander (Starboard Crew). “Alfie” Noakes was an experi-(PMO) Downward in an emergency operation on enced patrol boat CO and was highly regarded by hisCaptain Getting (who later died of his wounds). The superiors for his leadership, experience, reliability,need for medical work was so heavy that Henry him- professionalism and seafaring knowledge.self worked non-stop for four days, in three ships (Chief of Navy VADM T Barrett AO CSC RAN haswith various medical teams, until he finally collapsed signalled that each Command throughout Navyfrom exhaustion. He was the only AB in the battle to should take the time to reflect on the contributionbe awarded a MID. Lieutenant Commander Noakes has made to the Navy and its members.) Later his naval career spanned WW2 and be-yond, and he became a Fleet Air Arm communityidentity. In retirement, he was involved in many com-munity aspects in the Shoalhaven region for which hewas awarded the OAM.(Contributed by Ron Robb, NSW)______________________________________________________________________________________ 31

BLITZEDNorman OhlerBook Review by Kevin Rickard \"We do not have to visit a madhouse to find and Noradrenaline, pour from the nerve cells into thedisordered minds, our planet is the mental institu- synaptic gaps of the brain. A neuronal fireworks ex-tion of the universe\". Johann Wolfgang von Goe- plodes and a biochemical machine gun starts firing anthe, 1812. unexpected sequence of thoughts. Accordingly, the consumer feels wide awake, experiences an increase On December 10, 1944 Hitler was planning his in energy and his senses are intensified to the ex-second Ardennes offensive. Gen. von Manteuffel, the treme. Self confidence rises and there is a sense ofCommander of the Fifth Panzer Army on the Western euphoria, one is energized with a feeling of lightnessFront, was summoned to Hitler's Frankfurt headquar- and freshness.ters. Earlier that morning Hitler's personal physician,Dr. Theodor Morell, had injected the Fuhrer with in- Pervitin was marketed to the populace as antravenous Eukodal who's active ingredient is an opi- innocent stimulus for the psyche and the circulation.oid called Oxycodon, synthesized from the raw mate- The Temmler factory in suburban Berlin went on torial of opium. Hasso von Manteuffel, Knights Cross produce 750 million doses of Pervitin. The Jewish coof the Iron Cross, with Oak leaves, Swords and Dia- -owner, Albert Mendel, was expropriated by the racistmonds, described the Fuhrer - 'he was a bent figure laws of the Nazi regimen. Temmler took over Men-with a pale sunken face, collapsed in his chair with a del's share and then quickly expanded the businessviolently twitching left arm. He was a frightening DRUGS AND MILITARY STRATEGIES AREdevolving wreck.' INCOMPATIBLE As von Goethe would have put it, Hitler had Early in WW11 the role of drugs in Germanymade a Faustian deal with Mephistopheles, or the was significant in two major events. The first event,devil when he voluntarily commenced intravenous soon after the plunder of Poland, was the major Ger-stimulant medications in 1941. Indeed, between that man attack through the Belgian Ardennes and thefateful Autumn of 1941 and the second half of 1944 Wehrmacht's race through France. The second waswhen cocaine and Eukodal kicked in, Hitler hardly 'the Dunkirk miracle'. Here 340,000 Allied troopsenjoyed a sober day. This is the claim by Norman escaped from France via the only open French port onOhler in his new book \"BLITZED\".PERVITIN, THE PANACEA Rational decision making in Hitler's madhouseheadquarters became impossible because of his mostabhorrent thought processes due to the influence ofdrugs. It was not only in Hitler's headquarters thatactions became bizarre. It was happening throughoutGermany because of the pervasive effect of drugsboth in the military and public sector. The drug Per-vitin was developed in Germany in 1937, soon afterthe stimulant effects of USA derived Benzedrine wasnoted at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Dr. Fritz Hauschild at the Temmler factory hadfound a new method for synthesizing methampheta-mine (Pervitin). Because of its subsequent wide-spread use through the Third Reich, it became knownas the \"Volksdrogen\".NEURONAL FIREWORKS Methamphetamine, after ingestion, trickles intothe circulation, the messenger substances, DopamineNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 32

the Atlantic at Dunkirk. Westphalia. It was a kind of Mephistopheles making In the first situation Hitler made the decision to pain go away. In 1827 morphine was big business for Emmanuel Merck. In 1897 Felix Hoffman, workinginvade Belgium and France while under the influence for the Bayer company, synthesized acetyl salicylicof a cocktail of drugs administered to him by Dr. acid (Aspirin) from willow bark. Eleven days laterMorrell. On a larger scale, the Volksdrogen Pervitin the same man synthesized another substance, the firstwas available to the German troops in their lightning designer drug, heroin. Bayer's directors in the Rhineattack, led by Gen. Guderian as they stormed through Valley declared it was big business. Opiates were aBelgium and France, virtually reaching the French German specialty - between 1925 and 1930, 91 tonnesAtlantic coast within a few days. In less than 100 of morphine were produced. Merck, I G Farber,hours the Germans gained more territory in France Boehringer & Knoll controlled 80% of the global co-than they had in over four years in WW1. The French caine market. Berlin became a cheap and excitingsaid the Germans were everywhere 'tres, tres vite'. city whirling about in a toxicological frenzy. PostersThis was Blitzkrieg based on mephetamine in the on walls said \"Berlin take a deep breath, bearing inshape of Pervitin tablets. The 'crystal fox', Rommel, mind your dance partner is death\". Now in the earlywas the greatest daredevil, always in the first contact part of the 21st Century it is pertinent to note thatvehicle of his division with no apparent sense of dan- some of the biggest names in pharmaceuticals are stillger - typical symptoms of mephetamine ingestion. Merck Sharp & Dome, I G Farber and Boehringer In- gleheim. In regard to the Dunkirk miracle, when the Al- OHLER'S WORK. FACT OR FICTIONlies were trapped with only one escape route, the mor-phine addict Goering suggested to a drug controlled Ohler's previous publications have been novels.Hitler that the Luftwaffe be allowed to 'finish off' the This book is his first non-fiction contribution. In theAllies isolated at Dunkirk. For Hitler, the national German edition of the book Ohler mentions that writ-socialist Luftwaffe was superior to the Prussian army. ing history is never just science, it is also part fiction.Hitler issued his 'Halt! Order' to the Wehrmacht. The Der Spiegel and others suggest that he displays atanks were stopped. In retrospect, this order cannot skewed perspective of the facts. Some doubt his fig-be explained rationally. This was the Fuhrer princi- ures on the use of Pervitin by German troops whilstple. The drug crazed Hitler and Goering sensed the others doubt his sweeping generalisations about a na-opportunity to control the Prussian generals. The tion of 70 million people. Writers such as Sir AntonyLuftwaffe failed in its assigned task to annihilate the Beevor attest to Ohler's research in the preparation oftrapped British. Goering had forgotten that Dunkirk the book. Some substance to Ohler's claims are inwas close to RAF Fighter bases in England. RAF Beevor's comment that 'the British no longer wishedSpitfires controlled the Luftwaffe over Dunkirk al- to assassinate Hitler in 1944'. They would win the warlowing the mass evacuation by small vessels, of the more rapidly with Hitler still in nominal command.British expeditionary force.PRIORITIES IN THE LUFTWAFFE AND Hard evidence for the use of Pervitin by Ger-KRIEGSMARINE man troops in Poland in 1940 is provided by Heinrich Vohl, a subsequent German Nobel Laureate in Litera- Pervitin, known as Goering pills, were used by ture. When writing to his parents in Germany, heLuftwaffe pilots during their campaigns over England pleaded for them to send him more Pervitin whilst heand in the Mediterranean. At the Berlin Aviation was serving in Poland.Ministry Pervitin affected Gen. Luftzeugmeister,Ernest Udet, a successful fighter pilot, with Goering's Ohler's 'BLITZED' is a compelling account ofsupport was in charge of 24 different departments. the role of drug taking in the Third Reich. The bookThese were soon in a state of indescribable chaos. In makes fascinating reading. It reveals many hard factsthe German Navy, Adm. Hellmuth Heye was Com- about Nazi Germany by it's demonstration of anmanding Admiral of the small battle units K- astonishing and hitherto untold story of the ThirdVerbande. Heye swore by 'D IX', a combination of Reich's relationship with drugs. It was a best seller incocaine, Pervitin and Eukodal. Under Heye's com- Germany and has been translated into 18 languages.mand, kamikaze sailors were brain washed to ride two It is a must read.man U boats, midget submarines and one man torpe-does. ********PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES IN RETRO-SPECT Morphine, the crucial alkaloid derived fromopium poppies was isolated by Frederich Serturner in 33

Last Remaining Sea Vixen Crash witnesses heard radio communications between the control tower and the pilot, who had requested Lands Successfully (visual) confirmation that his wheels were down. After the tower replied that the wheels were still upA pilot had a lucky escape after the last remaining – and after several passes of the runway – it wasSea Vixen jet fighter crash landed as it flew back to announced that the pilot would attempt a gear-upbase from an air display in UK. The aircraft was landing. As soon as the aircraft touched the runwayforced into an emergency landing when its wheels the canopy was released and the engines were shutfailed to lower as it prepared to touch down at down, as the plane slid up the runway very smooth-RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, UK. ly under control. It was reported as much quieterThe pilot walked away uninjured after the belly- than expected and relief was evident as the pilotlanding, which came as the jet returned from an air was seen to be OK.show in Duxford, Cambridgeshire recently. Eye- This particular Sea Vixen FAA jet fighter – named “Foxy Lady” – first flew in 1963 and was retired from RN service in 1971. The Sea Vixen’s final role was as seaborne nuclear weapon strike employing toss-bombing technique from the remaining strike carriers. RNAS Yeovilton is the home of the Fleet Air Arm Museum where a number of historic aircraft re- main in flying condition for show appearence- ounUK. This year, the programmed air show at RNAS Culdrose was cancelled owing to a lack of RN resources._____________________________________________________________________________________ Tack-tack-tack-Drax 1936. Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, 1939-41. Commodore of Ocean Convoys,Before WW2 broke out, Hitler and Stalin signed a non 1943-5.-aggression pact. Stalin could have sided with the Al- (The Churchill War Papers at the Admiralty bylies then, rather than much later, if only UK Prime Martin Gilbert (Vol 1)Minister Neville Chamberlain had not been so suspi-cious of communism. As part of the Anglo-French • I served for a short period with the Admiral’snegotiating team, instead of a seasoned diplomat, son, Lieutenant Commander Plunkett- Ernle-Chamberlain sent Admiral Sir Reginald Aylmer Ran- Erle-Drax RN, who was First Lieutenant infurly Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax,* whose main claim to the amphibious carrier HMS Bulwark in thefame was a handbook on solar heating. Hitler mean- Far East Fleet 1964. He was popularly knownwhile sent his Foreign Minister and Stalin duly signed by his signalese nickname “Tack-tack-tack-the Nazi-Soviet pact ( and divided up Poland between Drax”. At the “Feast of the Passover” in thethem in the opening offensives of the War). wardroom he was heard to say that he could now give up his naval career and look after (International Express – July 2017) the family estate. Reginald Aylmer Plunkett-Ernle • I later discovered that they owned half of -Erle-Drax, 1880-1967. Entered Somerset! (Ed) the Royal Navy, 1896. Present at WW1 Battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland, 1914-16 (despatches). DSO. 1918. Com- mander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station, 1932-4. Knighted, 1934. Commander-in- Chief, Plymouth, 1935-8. Admiral,Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 34

Application for Membership of the Naval Officers’ ClubTo: Membership Secretary, Naval Officers’ Club PO Box 648, Pennant Hills, NSW 1715I forward this application for membership of the Naval Officers’ Club of Australia. In the event of my be-ing accepted, I hereby undertake to conform to the Constitution of the Club (see NOC website). My navalassociation is:……………………………………………..………………in the ……………………………………NavyPersonal DetailsLast name ………………………..………….. First name(s)……………………..…………………………..Orders/decorations …………………………... Rank ...………………………………………………………Naval Service. Year joined ………………….Year left ……………………………………………………..Postal address ………………………………………………………………………………………................……………………………………………………………………………..Postcode…………………………Email …………………………………………………………… Telephone ………………………………Occupation ……………………………………………….Partner’s name ………………………………….MembershipAnnual Subscription $30 – expires end February each yearMerchandiseSilk Club Tie $45 – Yes/NoOther merchandise as advertised in quarterly Newsletter and on NOC websitePaymentAmount = $........... Scan form and email to Hon Treasurer OR post.EFT. BSB 032-087, Account 174666, Naval Officers’ Club.Email Hon Treasurer at [email protected] ORCheque. To Hon Treasurer at PO Box 648, Pennant Hills, NSW 1715Signature ………………………………………………………… Date …...……………………………….. 35

Trafalgar Night Dinner for Members and Guests RACA Macquarie Street, Sydney, Friday 20 October 18:30 for 19:15 Dress – black tie or lounge suit. Cost $120. Payment to Hon. Treasurer by cheque or EFT. See Flyer this issue. Organiser - Jim Warren 0409 227 869 IMPORTANT NOTICE – NEW BANK ACCOUNT FOR SYDNEY FUNCTIONSEFT for NSW Functions to be sent to a new Bank Account “NOC Sydney Functions” (Short Title for transfers “NOCSydFns”); BSB 032-087; Account No. 37-8079Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 109, 18 July 2017 36