Naval Officers ClubNewsletter No 74 1 September 2008 ISSN 1445-6206 derlies, dental mechanics, company. There were 146 fe- cooks, sick-berth attendants, male officers in the total female stewards, and press relations of- component of 1085 in 1985.Ten ficers. They served as harbour years later,this had grown to 507 messengers, supply assistants, officers of a total 2116. and shore-based watch-keep- ers. WRANS also worked as Command translators in an Allied Transla- CMDR Liz Cole (ex- tion Section of the US Army, RANNS) became the first fe- while others worked on the male commanding officer of a degaussing range and in ord- naval shore establishment in nance artificer workshops. 1988. By 1990, female sailors were permitted to train forCMDR Michelle Miller RAN, CO HMAS Perth. Hard work, long hours combat-related jobs, with Aus- Many WRANS worked long tralia leading the world by post- The Women’s Royal Austral- hours under exacting condi- ing 12 women to the extended tions on technical duties of a deployment submarines HMASThe ian Naval Service (WRANS) secret nature. Third Officer Collins and Farncomb in 1999. is said to have started in April Ruby (Olive) Boye,for instance, 1941 when 14 young women was given an honorary CMDR Jennifer Daetz became WRANS commission as some the first female sailor to com-W joined the naval wireless teleg- protection in the event of cap- mand a seagoing ship, the sur- raphy (W/T) station near ture as a coast-watcher in vey vessel HMAS Shepparton. Canberra. These volunteers Vanikoro, in the Santa Cruz Is- CMDR Michelle Miller, after were officially sworn in as lands. She was awarded the experience that included com- OBE in July 1944. mand of the patrol boat HMASR WRANS nearly 18 months Dubbo, was appointed the first later, on 1 October 1942, by Postwar rationalisation saw the female commanding officer of which time the RAN’s female demise of the WRANS in a major RAN war vessel, the force component had ex- 1948, but they were reconsti- Anzac class frigate HMAS tuted in 1951. However, their Perth, in June 2007. panded rapidly to a total of pay scales remained at roughly two thirds of the male equiva- It might be claimed that theA 580 in uniform. lent rate, they were not permit- WRANS set a standard that 2500 in uniform ted to marry or go to sea and with few exceptions was wel- they were restricted to “non- comed by the RAN. Now Four months later,this number combat” jobs. fully integrated within the RAN, women serve in virtu-N had increased to 1000. By the 1985-95 ally all of the RAN branches end of WW II, comprising Following the passing of the and are eligible for promotion about ten per cent of the Sexual Discrimination Act in to all ranks. RAN’s strength, about 2500 1984, the WRANS, along with the RAN Nursing Service References:S of the 3122 enlisted WRANS (RANNS), moved rapidly to- Argirides,A.Women in the RAN: were still serving in a large wards full integration with the number of non-seagoing and RAN. By 1985, when women The road to command. Austral- non-overseas jobs. comprised about five per cent of ian maritime issues: SPC-A An- the Permanent Naval Forces, nual. Sea Power Centre: Their duties included telegra- they were advised that at last they Canberra, 2007, pp. 213-217. phists, coders, writers, trans- were eligible to go to sea as ships Fenton-Huie, S. Ships Belles:The port and car drivers, office or- story of the Women’s Royal Aus- 1 tralian Naval Service in war and peace 1941-1985. Watermark Press: Sydney, 2000.
Naval Officers Club and Other Functions Naval Officers Club Newsletter New South Wales (Fred Lane 02 9328 6509) ISSN 1445-6206 4 September 0830-1645 ANI Seminar ($25) and Reception 1700- 1900 HMAS Watson (Both $50). Pay at door, book seat with Hon Sec. Number 74, 1 September 2008 28 September 1200 for 1230 BBQ HMAS Watson $40. 17 October 1830 for 1915,Trafalgar Dinner, RACA, $85.Editor: Fred Lane 30/14 Fullerton St 18 December 1200 for 1230, Luncheon, Parliament House, $70.WOOLLAHRA, NSW 2025.Mail: PO Box 207 ROSE BAY NSW 2025 Victoria (John Redman 0413333455)Telephone: 9328 6509 Monday 1 September, Lunch, Naval & Military.Fax: 9327 4889 Tuesday 21 October,Trafalgar Dinner, Naval & Military.Email: [email protected] Naval Officers Club Friday 5 December, Xmas Luncheon, Naval & Military. PO Box 207 Rose Bay, NSW 2029 ACT (Mike Taylor 02 6288 3393) www.navalofficer.com.au 1 September 1200-1430, Battle Honours, MV Southern Cross. 3 November 1200 Lunch, Melbourne Cup Sweep, SXYCPresident: RADM David Holthouse 3 December 1800-2000, Cocktails, Royal Canberra Golf Club.Vice President: CDRE John Da Costa Queensland (Lucas Skoufa 0400 369 896)Committee members: Saturday 18 October,Trafalgar Night, United Service Club.John Ellis (Hon. Treasurer)Fred Lane (Hon. Secretary) HMAS Albatross 60th Reunion (Jim Hill 02 4424 1826)Ralph Derbidge 23-26 October FAA reunion, HMAS Albatross.Reinier Jessurun (Hon. Asst. Treas.) 25, 26 October, International Air Show, HMAS Albatross.Paul MartinRon Robb Promotions and decorationsJohn Smith The Naval Officers Club congratulates the following RAN officersRegional chairmen: on their promotion and decorations.Lucas Skoufa (QLD) RADM S.R. GILMORE AM CSC RAN. (Also upgrading the rank of theJohn Redman (VIC) Commander Australian Navy Systems.)Mike Taylor (ACT) Queens Birthday Honours, 2008: AM: CDRE B.J. KAFER CSC RAN,Bob Trotter (WA) CDRE C.W.THOMAS CSC RAN, CAPT J.C. HATCHER RAN. OAM: LEUT S.L. FEENAN RAN, LEUT G.L. HOCTOR RAN. CSC:Hon. Auditor: David Blazey CDRE S.T. CULLEN RAN, LCDR M.A. CARMOCK RAN, LEUT R.D. ELSOM RAN. CSM: CAPT N.J.YOUSEMAN RAN, CMDR A.G.Membership:Total 637 MORTHORPE RAN, LCDR G.A. FALLS RAN.NSW: 293,VIC: 164,ACT: 88, QLD:55, SA:12, WA: 8 TAS: 4, UK: 5, USA:3, Canada: full refund for cancellations up inevitable and welcome, but far too2, New Zealand: 1, France 1, Italy 1. to seven days before the event. many dear friends and shipmates are shuffling off the mortal coil. Please New Watson Functions stay healthy. There is an ANI seminar and re- ception afterwards in HMAS Victoria BarracksEditor-Secretary notes Watson, an all day affair, Thursday 4 Contrary to trends elsewhere, the 10A number of members have asked to September. Names to the Hon. Sec. July luncheon at Victoria Barracksreserve places well in advance of func- pronto, please.There is also a BBQ in was noted for its excellent food at ations, but without covering cheques. Watson, 1200 Sunday 28 September moderate price in elegant surround-While this reflects positively on the (See functions above and page 32.) ings.A total of 35 members enjoyedpopularity of our efforts, for which their three-course meal with coffeewe humbly thank you, we just do not Mental health problems afterwards,all for $45. The next lunchhave the machinery to guarantee any The Department of Veterans Affairs there may be even cheaper.seat until the booking is accompa- has announced new mental healthnied by money.We track bookings on initiatives for veterans and families. Hon. Secretary absenta simple computer program adapted See: www.at-ease.dva.gov.au. Your Hon. Sec. will be away fromfrom Microsoft Access and, like all Australia 1 September to 1 Novem-good bookkeepers, it only recognises Yearbook data ber 2008.money amounts when asked to gen- As may be seen from page 3 oppo-erate attendance lists.To be sure of a site, there has been a marked surge Reinier Jessurun (02 9389 6657,seat,please forward cheques with your in Yearbook data changes this quarter. ([email protected]) hasbooking requests.You will receive a Email changes and new members are kindly volunteered to hold the fort.Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 2
New Members: CMDR P.J. COOKE-RUSSELL RAN ret, 4 McEachern Cr, MELBA,ACT 2615.LCDR S.B. COURTIER RAN ret, 61/15 John Cleland Cr, FLOREY,ACT 2615.CAPT D.L. GARNOCK CSC RAN ret, 117 Bellbird Rd, MOUNT ELIZA,VIC 3930.LCDR M.J. GRANGER-HOLCOMBE RN, 32 Belvedere St, KIAMA, NSW 2533.LCDR R.D. GRIFFITHS RAN ret, 33 Majura Av, DICKSON,ACT 2602.CMDR R.G. HEFFERAN RAN ret, 51 Karilla Av, LANE COVE, NSW 2066.LEUT R.D. SPRATT RAN ret, 11 Pomona Rd, EMPIRE BAY, NSW 2257.LCDR L.R.WALKER RANR, MTO (OPS DIV) FHQ Lvl 1, HMAS Kuttabul,Wylde St, POTTS POINT, NSW 2011.LEUT R.H.WAITES RAN ret, 7 Randall Dr, SALAMANDER BAY, NSW 2317.MRS E.WEIL, 30 Steinwedel St, FARRER ACT 2607.New Life Members: DR P. BELL OAM, 30 Plunkett Rd, MOSMAN, NSW 2088.LCDR M.O. BRADLEY RAN, C/- School of Air Warfare, RAAF Base EAST SALE,VIC 3852.CMDR R.T. EVERETT RAN ret, 38 Abigail St, HUNTERS HILL, NSW 2110.LEUT R.J. MUFFET RAN ret, 3/1 East Crescent St, McMAHONS POINT, NSW 2060.MRS J. NICHOLAS, 23 Finlay St,ALBERT PARK,VIC 3206.VADM R.E. SHALDERS AO CSC RAN, 4 Lamington St, DEAKIN,ACT 2600.Changes of Address: LEUT G.A. BOYD RAN ret, 34A Boolarong Rd, PYMBLE, NSW 2073.LEUT(SpBr) M.J. O’CONNOR AM RANVR ret, 32 Sunnypark Cl, GISBORNE, VIC 3437.LEUT R.O. ENOS RN, PO Box 445, KILLARA, NSW 2071.CMDR D.K. GALE RAN ret, 11A Athol Ct, BLACKBURN, VIC 3130.LCDR P.L. GREENAWAY RAN ret, 2/4 Malvern Rd, TOORAK, VIC 3142.SURG CMDR W.A. KEMP RFD RANR,The Menzies, Apt407, 1286 High St, MALVERN,VIC 3144.LEUT J.H. LEWIS-HUGHES OBE RANR ret,The Grange, 150/2 McAuley Pl,WAITARA, NSW 2077.LEUT D.J. McFALL RNR, PO Box 692, MONAVALE, NSW 1660.MISS C.T. SCARFE, 12 Clota Av, BOX HILL, VIC 3128.Email changes: CMDR S.L.ALLEN RFD*** RANR: [email protected] M.O. BRADLEY RAN: [email protected] P.J. COOKE-RUSSELL RAN ret: [email protected] S.B. COURTIER RAN ret: [email protected] J.S DICKSON AM MBE RAN ret: [email protected] R.O. ENOS RN: [email protected] D.L. GARNOCK RAN ret: [email protected] M.J. GRANGER-HOLCOMBE RN: [email protected] R.D. GRIFFITHS RAN ret: [email protected] J.H. HAZELL RANR: [email protected] R.G. HEFFERAN RAN ret: [email protected] H.E.H. HOWELL RNR: [email protected] J.C. HORNSBY RAN ret: [email protected] H.A. JOSEPHS AM RAN ret: [email protected] M.J. KILLINGSWORTH RAN ret: [email protected] G.B. LITCHFIELD RAN ret: [email protected] R.D. LONGSTAFF RANR ret: [email protected] J. LYALL MBE RN: [email protected] M. MITCHELL: [email protected](SpBr) M.J. O’CONNOR AM RANVR ret: [email protected] D.N. PHIPPS RAN ret: [email protected] R.G. RAY MBE RAN ret: [email protected] M.B. RAYMENT AM RAN ret: [email protected] R.E. SHALDERS AO CSC RAN: [email protected] R.H.WAITES RAN ret: [email protected] L.R.WALKER RANR: [email protected] J.M.WILKINS RFD* RANR ret: [email protected] E.J.WHITEHEAD RANR ret: [email protected] Returned to Sender: LCDR J. LONG RD RANR, 401/88 Beach St, PORT MELBOURNE,VIC 3207.LEUT L.D. MONEY RANR ret, Strathalen, Erskine Rd, MACLEOD,VIC 3085.CAPT A.A.TOWNSEND RAN ret, 36 Argyle Sq,REID,ACT 2612.Obituaries: LEUT H.F. BELL AO OBE RANVR ret, MOSMAN, NSW 2088. 14 June 2008.CMDR A.G. DALGLEISH BEM RAN ret, BRIGHTON,VIC 3186. 18 November 2007.SURG CAPT A.S. FERGUSON AM RFD VRD* RANR ret, CANTERBURY,VIC 3126. 29 May 2008.CMDR W.T. FOX RAN ret, CAPE SCHANCK, VIC 3939. 21 July 2008.*CMDR H.G. JULIAN DSC RAN ret, CHIFLEY, ACT, 2606. 13 June 2008.CAPT J.M. KELLY DSC RAN ret GARRAN ACT 2605. 18 July 2008.MRS E.M. MOORE BEM, MERIMBULA, NSW 2548. 3 July 2008.LEUT (E) J.R.W. RICHMOND RN, BOWRAL NSW, 2576. 14 June 2008.LCDR C.E.TAYLER RANVR ret, ALBERT PARK VIC 3206. 1 November 2007.* Not a member of the Naval Officers Club 3
Flinders year 1947 Book review by Kevin Rickard Evans,A.E. et al (Eds), FlindersYear 1947. Naval were also of paramount impor- obedience to the postings ofHistorical Society: Garden Island, 2007. 272 pages, $50. tance to this country. the RAN.There are many ex- amples of rapid upheaval of Flinders Year 1947 presents the As judged by their stories, the home, family and children at autobiographical and bio- majority of the year appeared to often no more than a few graphical stories of 24 young enjoy their time at the college hours’or a few days’notice.Ac- men who joined the Royal and the educational opportuni- cordingly, the nation owes a Australian Navy at age 13 by ties it offered. Many mentioned debt of gratitude not only to entering the Naval College at how fit they were at the college these men but also to their Flinders Naval Depot, HMAS because of the sporting and wives and loved ones who sup- Cerberus,Victoria, in 1947. training activities, not to men- ported them and managed the tion the requirement to “dou- home environment during By any standards the Flinders ble” everywhere while on col- these upheavals. year of ’47 had a remarkable lege grounds.A number of men “batting average”.Three of the also mentioned the unfortunate Major war vessels graduates became admirals, practice of “bastardisation” that Another positive contribution three became commodores and took place at the college. of the Flinders year ’47 was their several became senior officers. part in the introduction to the Exciting lives Navy of a number of major war Important jobs The lives of the 20 young men vessels and weapons systems, Among the group was a future who graduated were certainly electronic and hydrographic Chief of Navy, a future Vice exciting. There was first class programs, as well as sailor and Chief of Defence Force,as well sea travel to the UK to train as officer training in the RAN.The as a future Governor of NSW midshipmen in major British stories told suggest answers to and a future Administrator of Fleet units, while sailing to the the long and detailed process the Northern Territory. The West Indies, Scandinavia or in that led to the evolution of sen- service and retirement activi- home waters. Some actually ior naval officers. It is intrigu- ties of many of the other men helped to put down an insur- ing to realise that university de- rection in the West Indies, but grees were not in evidence atNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 there were also great opportu- that time. Several attained sen- nities to explore Britain and ior ranks and six of their number Europe while on leave.There- achieved flag rank,holding their after it was back to the RAN own in the tough commercial for further Fleet training, then and business environment of often back to the UK for train- senior Defence Force positions. ing as Sub Lieutenants. Mike Hudson Often there was yet another re- It is pertinent to mention some turn to the UK for specialist of the Flinders year ’47. Mike training as junior officers. Dur- Hudson,AC, went from King’s ing this time some were involved Medallist to Chief of Naval in the Korean War while many Staff and on retirement was were involved later in the war promoted Admiral. He was in Vietnam. While following Captain of HMAS Vendetta, their chosen specialities, their Brisbane and Melbourne and as careers followed an amazing va- Chief of Navy was deeply in- riety of stimulating and challeng- volved in the introduction of ing postings and opportunities. the Collins Class submarines and the Anzac ships. In all of this, an aspect that does emerge is the demand made on Ian Knox,AC, becameVice Ad- family life by loyal and prompt miral andVice Chief of Defence 4
Torpedo developmentTorpedoes have steadily devel- pulling on a pair of 18 gauge The RAN-developed Ikara.oped since an Ottoman sub- piano wires attached to drumsmarine first fired a torpedo in inside the torpedo that drove a similar torpedo or even a1886 and Russian torpedo counter-rotating propellers. nuclear depth charge out to aboats sank aTurkish steamer in But perhaps the most success- similar distance, but if the sub-1877.Experimental torpedoes, ful Australian contribution to marine evaded strongly after itand even some designs that torpedo history was the heard ASROC firing, it mighthave been deployed in ships rocket-driven Ikara that deliv- have the time to escape a hom-and submarines, have been ered a Mark 44 or Mark 46 ing torpedo during ASROC’spowered by an odd assortment torpedo homing torpedo out time of flight. Ikara had the bigof compressed air, semi-diesel to 18 km, before dropping itengines, electric motors, steam to home on a target submarine. Contd p 6turbines, steam reciprocatingengines, clockwork motors, Ikaraflywheels and even rockets. The Australian-designed Ikara was, basically, a ship-launchedIn 1879, Australian watch- rocket-propelled winged vehi-maker Louis Brennan designed cle that carried an anti-subma-a steerable torpedo powered by rine torpedo out to abouta shore-mounted steam winch 20,000 yards.ASROC carriedFlinders Year 1947 and in its aftermath. There ics wizard and had much to do were many requests to “keep with the achievements ofForce. He was a clever young the Commodore”. Mulokka sonar.man: obtaining First Classhonours on the“Subs”courses Peter James, AM, served as Curate’s eggand winning the Ogilvy medal ADC to the Governor Gen- Alun Evans who played a roleon the long TAS course. His eral Field Marshall Sir William in the production of this spe-academic feats at RN courses Slim.He was Director of RAN cial book says his career washad not previously been Staff College and as Director much “like a curate’s egg” -achieved by an Australian. He General Service Conditions he good in parts but to be fairbecame Captain of HMAS Tor- supervised the Seaman Cat- sometimes not so good as herens, Hobart and Melbourne. egory restructure. bounced between seaman gen- eral and aviation.David Martin, AC, after retir- 28 years, 12 shipsing as Rear Admiral became a Michael Rayment mentions 28 Readers of this unique bookmuch loved Governor of NSW. years in 12 ships, three as ex- will appreciate the efforts ofHe had been captain of HMAS ecutive officer and five as cap- Alun Evans, Ian Knox andQueenborough, Supply and Mel- tain.While Captain of HMAS John Waller who put it all to-bourne and served as Chief of Torrens and escort to Britannia, gether. They have producedNaval Personnel. his claim to fame was to receive an interesting,educational and a “bollocking” from the sover- fascinating book. It makes a “The Big E” eign for not warning her of sea significant contribution to theEric Johnston,AM,“the Big E,” conditions in Bass Strait. spellbinding history of thewas a larger-than-life person- RAN and its people, as it tellsality. He had a Spanish mother John Waller’s father was cap- the stories and traces the evo-who fed him well.As commo- tain of HMAS Perth at its sink- lution of one group of spe-dore, he became Administra- ing and the submarine HMAS cial young men fromtor of the Northern Territory Waller is named after the cap- “Flinders”. It was a pleasureand a hero of Cyclone Tracy tain. John became an electron- to read this book. 5
A USN anti-submarine ASROC, launches from a coastal defence weapons, but driven torpedo could travelMk41 Vertical Launch System. Modern ASROCs carry many nations were quick to barely 1000 yards at six knots a Mk 46 Mod5A (SW) torpedo modified for shallow mount them on fast “torpedo in 1870. Twenty years later, boats” and other warships. By chiefly through propulsion im- water.The total weapon is five metres long, weighs WW I, the submarine gradu- provements, the Whitehead about a tonne and has a 28 km range.The torpedo ated from virtually toy status was recording speeds in excesselement is about 2.6 metres long, weighs 232 kg and to be an essential part of a very of 30 knots over the same dis- destructive strategic weapons tance. carries a 43 kg HE (optional nuclear) warhead. system.This was almost entirely due to the torpedo. After an 1868 demonstration,Torpedoes advantage of a mid-course the RN purchased Whitehead command guidance system Components manufacturing rights and set that could defeat such at- Vital to the success of any tor- up a production line at tempted evasion. It was devel- pedo are a number of compo- Woolwich. Other factories oped and purchased for use in nents, perhaps the chief of sprang up and by 1880 some the RAN, RN and USN, but which are its depth control, 33 warships had been fitted it has been replaced by azimuth steering, engine and with torpedoes.Within a very ASROC in modern ships. fuse.Warhead composition also short time, separate factories, improved over the ages. Instead buildingWhitehead torpedoes Compared with an equivalent of the guncotton of the origi- and a host of other designs, weight shell from a gun, the nal Whitehead and the TNT were operating in many coun- torpedo’s cost per round was in WW I, Torpex became the tries, including France and much higher but it was attrac- explosive of choice by the end Russia.Around the turn of the tive because it could sink a of WW II. Pound for pound, century, the German firm L. large warship without having Torpex was about 50 per cent Schwartzkopf (later Berliner to build an equally large and more effective than TNT. MaschinenbauA.G.) were pro- costly vessel. Some of the smaller anti-sub- ducing 400 torpedoes a year marine torpedoes have special and exporting many of them warheads with shaped charges. to Spain, Italy, China and even Great Britain. Depth control Depth control in torpedoes was Propulsion a serious problem until Robert Initially,Whitehead employed Whitehead (1823-1905), an a simple container of com- English engineer managing an pressed air to drive a modi- Austrian factory in Fiume (now fied Brotherhood three- or in Croatia), devised a robust four-cylinder radial engine. hydrostatic bellows and pendu- Later on, he introduced a lum arrangement in 1886 that “subhoriz-ontal” twin-cylin- kept his torpedo at a reason- der engine. Over the same pe- ably accurate preset depth. In riod, Whitehead built ever later years tor- Tethered mines pedoes could The first “torpedoes” were home auto- tethered mines, as in RADM matically or David Farragut’s famous ex- be wire- hortation, “Damn the torpe- guided to an- does ... full speed ahead.”The other subma- first free-running torpedoes as rine or surface we have come to know them, target regard- were designed initially as less of its depth.Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 The White- The Whitehead 1872 Mk 1 torpedo. head com- pressed air- 6
1914, all the major navies had torpedoes. German U-boats had a very effective torpedo that travelled at 45 knots with a 181 kg (400 pounds) war- head. World War I saw a number of advances, especially in torpedo reliability,speed and range,as well as many spectacu- lar successes by submarines. First aerial launchThe Whitehead twin-cylinder sub-horizontal engine. The first successful torpedo drop from the air was con-stronger containers as he menting with a number of al- ducted by LEUT A.M.gradually increased the air ternatives, the Americans de- Longmore RN, who launchedpressure from 25 kg/cm2 (355 veloped a small and efficient a Whitehead torpedo weigh-psi) to 200 kg/cm2 (2800 psi). turbine engine that powered ing 367 kg (810 pounds) from many of their torpedoes. a Short Seaplane on 28 July Dry heater 1914.The first success with anIn 1910, an important “dry Meanwhile, back in 1895, aerial torpedo in war was re-heater”modification was intro- Whitehead had purchased rights corded on 12 August 1915 byduced by burning fuel, such as to the Ludwig Obry gyroscope the RN in a Short Seaplanealcohol or kerosene, which steering mechanism and this, Type 184 against a Turkishexpanded the volume of the together with other advances, merchantman in the Darda-compressed air and markedly markedly improved the British nelles campaign.increased its range and speed. torpedo’s overall performance. In a more recent propulsion-When inlet temperatures be- related twist, the Russians de-came too hot, another modifi- John Ericsson veloped the VA-111 Shkval incation, called the “wet heater” Another early pioneer was John the late 1970s. It uses a solidsystem, cooled the temperature Ericsson who invented an elec- fuel rocket engine andof the compressed air and fuel tricity-driven torpedo as early as supercavition to increase thecharge by spraying the com- 1873. It left no telltale bubbles, torpedo’s speed to an astound-bustion chamber with water. but his original version required ing 200 knots. Similar technol-This generated even more a long lead to an external power ogy is reportedly in the handspower yet maintained the source.His final 1889 model hadstructural integrity of the metal a range of over 5.4 km (6000 Contd p. 8components. Most WW I and yards) with aWW II “straight running”tor- 181 kg (400pedoes were “wet heaters”. pounds) war- head. WellOther propulsion systems that ahead of hisrivalledWhitehead in the early time, Ericssondays include those of LCDR also proposed aJohn Howell, USN, who in- short-rangevented a flywheel-driven tor- rocket torpedopedo that left no bubble trail. with a speed ofUnfortunately, they lacked 40 to 60 knotsrange (initially only 365 me- and a range oftres at 30 knots).They were fit- 90-odd metrested to some ships but USN (100 yards).torpedoes generally remainedinferior until the USN ob- By the timetainedWhitehead manufactur- WW I started The Hamilton-Sundstrand closed-cycle engine designed for the touted quiet-ing rights. Then, after experi- in August running and minimal trail RN Spearfish torpedo. 7
high test per- their 730 kg (1610 pounds) torpedoes at night at Taranto oxide - hy- in November 1941 and by day during the English Channel drogen-per- dash of SMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in February 1942. oxide (HTP) The Japanese Type 93 (Long and other Lance) torpedo was also devel- oped in the 1930s.Too big for mono-pro- nearly all submarines, it was carried in most of the WW II pellants. Hy- Japanese destroyers and cruis- ers.This monster, 610 mm (24 drogen am- inch) in diameter and nine metres (29 feet 6 inches) long, monium weighed 2700 kg (5953 pounds) and had a 490 kg perchlorate (1080 pounds) warhead. Its compressed oxygen and kero- (HAP) pow- sene “wet heater” system gen- erated steam to run a two-cyl- ered the inder reciprocating White- head-type engine. One of its HAP-Otto great advantages was its sur- prisingly long range: 20,000 pump-jet that metres (21,800 yards) at 48-50 knots, or 40,000 metres drove the very (43,700 yards) at 38 knots. Its compressed oxygen, unlike useful 80- compressed air, left an almost invisible bubble trail. knot, 23 km- Unpleasant surpriseThe Russian VA 111 Shkval (Squall) 200 knots rocket-driven torpedo, range (25,000 TheType 93 was a most unpleas- with booster (left). yards), British ant surprise to the Allies when they found themselves dodging Spearfish tor- torpedoes even before they closed to best gun range, butTorpedoes contd of Germany, China and Iran. pedo in the late 1980s. sometimes the torpedo could be a little more volatile than desir-With a range of between 7000 able.Initially,its compressed oxy- gen system was blamed for pre-to 13,000 metres (7655 to Draconian national and com- mature explosions when the torpedo was fired, but starting14,200 yards), the Shkval is mercial secrecy, together with the engine with compressed air, then switching to com-launched from a standard width budgetary restraints, hindered pressed oxygen, solved that problem. Even so, it probably533 mm (21 inches) diameter torpedo development and test- contributed to the loss of at least six Japanese cruisers whentube at about 50 knots, typically ing in many countries, espe- fires from relatively minor bat- tle damage reached torpedoalong the acoustic bearing of a cially in the 1920s and 1930s. stowages. The Type 93’s long range could also prove embar-threatening enemy torpedo or Only the Japanese had fully- rassing. In the Battle of thesubmarine.Its rocket then kicks tested torpedoes by 1939.Therein and hopefully destroys the were few major advances else-attacking submarine before any where, but as World War IIincoming weapon can reach the dawned,the Japanese aerial tor-Russian vessel. pedo Mark 91, the Japanese Type 93 (Long Lance) and thePropellants electric homing torpedo at-Torpedo fuel and drive mecha- tracted a flurry of attention.nisms under considerationnowadays include gas turbines, Nakajima B5N (Kate)sulphur hexafluor ide gas The Japanese Mark 91 oxygen-sprayed over a block of lithium, driven torpedo, delivered by Nakajima B5N (Kate) aircraft at Pearl Harbour in December 1941, weighed 835 kg (1840 pounds). It was not remarkable except that it was modified time and again through trial and error so that it could be dropped in shallow water from an aircraft with wide release parameters in speed and height (Prange, 1981 pp. 157-160).WW II-era RN Fairey Swordfish carrying aerial torpedoes. RN Fairey Swordfish, on the other hand, had to fly at a vir-Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 tual suicidal 90 knots to drop 8
sound. From 266 attacks,about 37 Japanese and German sub- marines were claimed sunk and another 18 damaged.The brilliant Nakajima B5N (Kate) was clearly the best carrier-borne The American Mark 18 was torpedo bomber of all in early WW II. another successful battery- powered torpedo, based on aSunda Strait, for instance, six maintenance and it was sensi- German G7e captured by theJapanese ships fired about 37 tive to damage by shock. Fur- RN. It carried 261 kg (575Type 93s, five of which hit and thermore, its preset depth lock pounds) of Torpex 3.65 kmsank the USS Houston and should have, but did not guar- (4000 yards) at 20 knots. Join-HMAS Perth. Another five antee the safety of the firing ing the fleet in mid-1943,from HIJMS Mogami missed submarine. At least two U- about 9000 Mark 18s weretheir intended targets but went boats were sunk by their own produced and they accountedon to hit Japanese transports torpedoes.Finally,the relatively for about 30 per cent of all sub-and a minesweeper. cheap and simple towed noise- marine-launched torpedoes in maker Foxer proved a useful 1944 and 70 per cent in 1945. Homing torpedoes countermeasure. T-5s had aAnother important torpedo evo- range of 5,750 metres (6300 RN Mark 24 (Tigerfish)lution was the homing torpedo. yards) and a warhead of 274 kg The post-WW II British MarkBritish acoustics research in the (604 pounds). 24 (Tigerfish) was an entirely1930s was not pursued to a con- different weapon but nowhereclusion in the UK but consider- Mark 24 (Fido) near as successful. It was a fasterable research data were passed on One American program, torpedo, wire-guided from theto the USA. Because passive started in December 1941, firing submarine, but a majoracoustic homing can only work produced the air-launched problem was the persistentwhen a torpedo’s own noise does Mark 24 (FIDO) homing tor- breaking of the guide wire dur-not mask the enemy’s, early pedo that homed onto noise ing the firing process.The USNhoming torpedoes were limited in both the vertical and hori- Mark 18 was superseded by theto slow and relatively quiet elec- zontal planes. Its first success new hydrogen peroxide-pow-trical propulsion, sometimes so was the sinking of a U-boat in ered Mark 16 about 1950.slow that they were only effec- May 1943. Meanwhile, modern electrictive against submerged subma- homing torpedoes might userines or slow ships. The Mark 24 was 2.13 metres silver oxide batteries that re- long by 483 mm in diameter quire little or no maintenance.Germany, based on research (84 by 19 inches) and weigheddating back to 1933, intro- 308 kg (680 pounds). Its 7.5 Operational straight-runningduced a self-contained, subma- horsepower motor drew German and American torpe-rine-fired electric torpedo power from a 48 volt lead acid does, particularly, were foundshortly before WW II.An im- battery, rated to give 110 ampsproved version, the G7es for 15 minutes. The warhead Contd p. 10Zaunkoenig T-5 (Wren, Gnat) contained 41.7 kg (92 pounds)homing torpedo, in action by of Torpex. The Japanese cruiser Takeo with one of her 24-inchmid-1943, homed at a useful Long Lance quad torpedo mounts trained outboard.24 knots on ship propeller After the Mark 24 entered thenoise at a preset depth. How- water it circled at a depth ofever, it too had problems. Its 45 metres (150 feet) until itrechargeable lead-acid battery detected a 24 kHz acoustic sig-demanded intensive routine nal, then it homed in on this 9
A USN Kaman Seaprite launches a Mk 46 torpedo. 1990,ch.7),but their equivalent marine-launched modern anti- USN counterparts seemed to submarine torpedoes are capa-Torpedoes contd to have depth control and mag- escape such retribution. ble of optional command wire- netic pistol problems at the be- guidance,as well as active or pas- ginning of WW II (Newsletter The Royal Navy experienced a sive homing to attack and even 72, March 2008, p11). After similar problem with their mag- re-attack targets. complaints by submarine com- netic pistol,but they quickly dis- manders, American Mark 14 carded their old Duplex Coil The Mark 46 is the current torpedoes were found to run Rod (DCR) pistol and relied on NATO standard, used by 25 maybe 3.05 metres (10 feet) well-proven contact exploders, countries.This 1966-era light- deeper than expected, accord- until the improved Compen- weight torpedo uses a two- ing to tests conducted by op- sated Coil Rod (CCD) version speed external combustion erational submarines, for in- became available. engine, weighs 235 kg (518 stance in Frenchman’s Bay, pounds) and has a range of 7.3 Australia,around 20 June 1942. The Germans produced com- km (8000 yards) at 45 knots. It plex sensitivity adjustment ta- is an active/passive homer and The magnetic fuse also had a bles before they, too, replaced carries a 45 kg (98 pounds) nasty tendency to malfunction their original pistol. However, warhead. It can be launched if the Earth’s magnetic decli- the modifications to the USN from aircraft, helicopters and nation at that latitude was Mark 14 were so successful that surface ships and was fitted to markedly different from that the torpedo remained in serv- the early ASROCs. where the fuse was originally ice until about March 1980. calibrated. Even comparatively Mark 48 simple American contact fuses The short list The Mark 48 (1972) and its might fail if the faster-running The three modern torpedoes ADCAP (Advanced Capabil- Mark 14 torpedo struck the favoured by the USN towards ity) variant is a reliable and target at right angles. the end of the last century were popular torpedo, carried in the Mark 46, Mark 48 and the USN, RN, RAN and many Mark 54.Anti-submarine tor- other submarines.It has a wire- pedoes claimed most research- guided steering capability with ers’ interest in the post-WW II optional active or passive hom- era and although the Mark 14 ing. Weighing 1676 kg (3695 remained in use for many years, pounds), the Mark 48’s engine traditional steam torpedoes is powered by Otto fuel II, giv- gradually gave way to electri- ing it a handy speed of about cal propulsion. 63 knots, a range greater than 50,000 metres (54,000 yards) Then, as Soviet submarines of and an ability to dive to 2500 the Alpha and Akula classes ap- feet. The warhead weighs a peared, even higher torpedo hefty 295 kg (650 pounds). speeds,deeper diving ability and better guidance systems were re- The Mark 54 uses the propul- quired.Many of the ship- or sub- sion of the Mark 46 with the Vehement denial USN Mark 46 (top), Mk 44 and Mk 48 and RN Spearfish torpedoes (to scale). These problems were initially 10 vehemently denied by the tor- pedo designers and manufactur- ers in both Germany and America. Some problems took nearly two years to correct.Four senior German officers were tried by courts martial, found guilty and punished (DöenitzNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008
The old Type 12 frigate, Torrens, at the wrong end of a Mk 48 torpedo actually fired in anger.Will thefired by HMAS Farncomb in June, 1999.There’s no doubt about the emergence of unmanned air-torpedo’s accuracy against the stationary target, but the explosion looked craft and the increasing accu-enormous, suggesting perhaps a little help from a scuttling charge or two? racy of air-launched bombs and rockets also militate against an-homing and warhead sections The guidance is active hom- other torpedo ever being firedof the passed-over Mark 50, ing, with built-in counter- in anger?One final factor to bewhich was a more expensive measure ability and a speed of considered is whether, in the40-knot advanced lightweight 45 knots over 8000 metres light of the evolution of terror-torpedo, specialised to attack (8750 yards). ist warfare and the overwhelm-deep-diving submarines. The ing destructive effect of nuclearMark 54, first produced in Interesting history warfare, we will ever see sub-quantity in 2004, can be fired The history of torpedo devel- marines involved in the likes offrom torpedo tubes, the verti- opment is interesting, in that it a Battle for the Atlantic again.cal launch ASROC system and all started with a relatively sim-from most ASW aircraft. ple six-knotWhitehead torpedo Fire a Shkval? fitted with a contact fuse.Some It might also be a safe wager Spearfish modern torpedoes, like the to bet that the “mother of allThe RN’s Spearfish, similar in rocket-propelled Shkval, now torpedoes”, the rocket-pro-capability to the USN’s Mark travel at speeds up to 200 knots pelled Russian Shkval, will48, was introduced about 1994 and use a proximity fuse to never be fired at an Americanand has an optional command detonate. Others can seek out or British submarine or aircraftwire, as well as active and pas- and kill deep-diving submarines carrier for a very real fear ofsive homing capability. It has a in a more stealthy but no less triggering a mutually destruc-HAP-Otto drive system that lethal manner. Some surface tive nuclear exchange.can deliver a 300 kg warhead ship- and submarine-launchedat 60 knots over 21 km (23,000 torpedoes are wire-guided.Yet References:yards). It is a standard 533 mm others conduct complex search Campbell, N.J.M. Naval weapons(21 inches) in diameter, a little patterns, discriminate real tar-over 6.4 metres (21 feet) long gets from countermeasure de- of World War Two. Naval Insti-and weighs nearly 1814 kg coys and return automatically to tute Press:Annapolis, 1986(4000 pounds). re-attack should the first ap- Döenitz, K. Memoirs:Ten years and proach fail. Torpedoes have twenty days.Annapolis:Naval In- Stingray come a long way in their short stitute Press: Annapolis, 1990.The Stingray is a lightweight 130-year history. Prange, G.W. At dawn we slept.British helicopter and aircraft McGraw Hill: NewYork, 1981.torpedo that entered service in Then again,compared with theabout 1983. It is powered by a frequency of ordnance Then: The USN’s Stiletto fires a Howellmagnesium chloride sea water dropped by aircraft since WW torpedo in 1910 (above). Now: The RN’sbattery, weighs 267 kg (589 II we really have to work hard ASW Stingray launches from a helicopter.pounds) at launch, and has a to recall the last two or three45 kg (99 pounds) warhead. actions when torpedoes were 11
Tokyo Bay:The surrender By Hugh Jarrett surprised that there was an undercurrent of dissatisfaction within the ship. Many felt the war was over and we should be going home. HMAS Hobart was launched as HMS Apollo in 1934. The “Modified Leander” light The one greatest blessing of cruiser was commissioned as Hobart in 1938. Her 171 x 17.3 x 4.8 metres (562.25 x peace felt by the officers was 56.75 x 15 .75 feet) hull displaced 7105 tons and four boilers via steam turbines delivered a that the never-ending task of total of 72,000 hp to four shafts, sufficient for 32.5 knots.With a crew of 570, Hobart also censoring mail ceased and thecarried, initially, eight 6-inch (152 mm) guns, eight 4-inch (102 mm) guns, four three-pounders officers breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief. Gone was the and eight 21 inch (533 mm) in two quad mounts. Her aircraft catapult could launch a nightly chore, after coming off Supermarine Walrus amphibian. watch,of finding a wire waste- basket full of your sailors’ let- When the war ended, RAN seemed to know of the effects ters sitting on your bunk, to be ships were based in Subic Bay of radiation on one’s health. read critically and censored in the Philippines and were before morning, Dozens of preparing for an attack on For- There was no doubt that if a them.They all report the same mosa (now Taiwan). The poll had been taken in our events in much the same style, cruiser HMAS Hobart, in wardroom, and indeed, in all and most of them had which I served, was visiting the RAN ships, an over- “SWALK”(SealedWith a Lov- Manila when we heard that we whelming vote would have fa- ing Kiss) inscribed on the flap. were to go to Tokyo Bay. voured loading medical and This was nonsense because I, other stores and going as for one, sealed them with any- Hiroshima, Nagasaki quickly as possible to succour thing but a loving kiss. We knew about the Japanese POWs and others in such capitulation after super bombs places as Singapore and Hong Wartime pen pal had been dropped on two cit- Kong.They had been languish- It all came too late for me.The ies and this caused great debate ing in unspeakable conditions. girl I wrote to regularly got her- in the wardroom concerning self engaged to an RN officer. after-effects.We felt they were Why Tokyo? (In any case I did much better miraculous, incredible and very Certainly, it never occurred to in the long run.) My mother scary.But on the other hand,we us that we might be sent toTo- worked in the Chief Censor’s were quite grateful because it kyo Bay to represent Australia. office in Brisbane, therefore my meant the probable end of the Also, it was not our operational letters were very restrained and war, and many of us might not theatre.The USThird Fleet and lacking in enthusiasm. have survived had those dread- the British Pacific Fleet oper- ful weapons not been dropped. ated in Japanese waters.In other On the morning of 30 August words, we were not very keen. 1945,many of us were on deck I,for one,did not relish the pros- at first light to see the sights pect of going to Japan, because So we sailed for Tokyo Bay via surrounding us as we rushed nobody in the wardroom Okinawa, and one may not be along at 25 knots.We were in Japanese home waters at longNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 12 last. To starboard was a large Japanese I class submarine be- ing escorted by an American submarine and overhead flew a constant stream of silver B-29 bombers.We entered Sagami Wan, and there to port before us lay the Japanese shore, rocky and picturesque with
sorts of mutinous meanings into it, but eventually he adopted the jersey as a home- coming symbol. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the USAF’s premier heavy bomber The day of 2 September 1945towards the end of WW II.Two B-29s, Enola Gay and Bockscar, dropped dawned calm, with a heavy haze obscuring Mount the nuclear weapons that ended the war, on Hiroshima amd Nagasaki, Fujiyama, as General Douglasrespectively. Enola Gay is in the Udvar-Hazy Museum,Virginia, and the MacArthur across in the bat-Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, houses Bockscar.They tleship lines presided over theflew with a crew of 11 and carried up to 9090 kg (20,000 lbs) of bombs. surrender ceremony aboard the great battleship USS Mis-pine-covered slopes where lit- outside, flying off patrols,“just souri. Admirals, generals, airtle villages nestled behind the in case.” marshals and chosen officersbeaches. All the houses attended and our Captain wasseemed to have white sheets Shropshire and Hobart steamed one of the chosen.hanging from the windows,as into their appointed anchor-if in surrender. ages, with hands fallen in for Memorable day entering harbour. Guards pa- The day was quite memorable, Japanese pilots raded on their quarterdecks in that everyone in the ship wasJapanese naval pilots were em- with bands playing, giving and going about with big grins onbarked and we proceeded receiving salutes to and from their faces.Overhead flew a con-through the narrows into To- ships of the great armada. We tinual stream of the big B-29kyo Bay, where the scale of were now part of the famous bombers glinting silver as theydamage from bombing became Third Fleet, but allowed to re- flew high above the Bay.As theapparent.There were smashed tain our Seventh Fleet number, moment of the signing of theships, ranging from battleships Task Group 70.9. instrument of surrender ap-to harbour craft, and quite proached, hordes of Americanclearly the harbour works had The guernsey and British Fleet Air Arm air-suffered enormous damage. A Captain Dowling had a habit, craft made a low-level pass. Itsmall island on the starboard when addressing the ship’s was said there were one thou-hand had a mast flying the company over the ship’s broad- sand fighters in the flight.ThisRN’s white ensign. cast of saying,“We hope to get was a very stirring,if very noisy, a guernsey for the landing at example of naval air power.Before us lay the huge bay, and ...” or “We have a guernsey foron the western shore rose the ...” but on the morning of 31 ADML Sir Bruce Fraser, Com-chimney stacks and buildings August at first light, the Officer mander-in-Chief,British Pacificof theYokosuka Naval Base and of the Watch found a ship’sthe ruined city of Yokohama. football guernsey fastened to Contd p. 14 the guardrail outside the Cap-Spread across the bay anchored tain’s cabin with the words Hugh Jarret, whose Naval Officers Club membershipin orderly lines were the bat- “Sydney or else” painted on it. dates from the formation of the first Victorian Division,tleships, cruisers and destroy- addresses guests during the 8 February Luncheon at theers of the US Third Fleet and Everyone, except the Captain,the British Pacific Fleet. The took it as joke, which probably Naval and Military Club.aircraft carriers and their at- was its intention. He was fartendant destroyers were at sea from amused and imagined all 13
A Japanese Zero kamikaze is about to crash into USS marshals and commanding of- on the after superstructure. Missouri, 11 April 1945, during the invasion of ficers of all ships present to at- Clad in blue uniform with Okinawa. The battleship suffered only superficial tend a “Musical Sunset”aboard white helmet, scarlet sash and his flagship. white gloves, he stood at atten-damage, but the pilot’s body was recovered and given full tion with his rifle at the slope. military honours during his burial at sea. CAPT Dowling attended and Next, he came to the Present on return took a “turn” with Arms, and the band played theSurrender Fleet, was of the opinion that, me as Officer of the Watch orchestrated Sunset bugle call, impressive though it all was, it on the quarterdeck, giving followed by the hymn, The day was a dry way to end a war, me a first-hand account of thou gavest Lord is ended, fol- with “not even a cup of cof- the proceedings. lowed by the national anthems fee.” And so it was that on re- of all the VIPs present, ending turn to his flagship, the battle- Ceremonial sunset with God Save the King. ship HMS Duke of York, he The Duke ofYork’s quarterdeck made a general signal inviting was rigged for drinks with bars And so the war ended all flag officers, generals air and a large Royal Marine band And so the war finally ended, was seated on top of Y turret but General MacArthur and playing appropriate martial his staff were not present. music.At the end of the party, the Officer of the Watch re- Aboard Hobart, and one imag- ported to the Admiral, “One ines aboard other ships, efforts minute to sunset, sir”. (Sunset were being made to revert to was rather late aboard the flag- peacetime ways.Hobart’s Com- ship that night.) mander was busy deciding where to position the ship’s bell Next, “Sunset, sir,” was re- that had been stowed away be- ported to the Admiral, to low for the whole war. He which he replied,“Make it so.” asked everyone’s opinion. He had the electricians rig a gar- The Royal Marine buglers land of lights over the quarter- sounded the Still and the lights deck, but he had trouble with were doused, except for one the watchkeeping lieutenants spotlight that picked out one who invariably switched them Royal Marine Sergeant high off.After years of being in the dark we found it very difficult to adjust. Contact teams Volunteers were called for “contact teams” to go into Ja- pan to look for our prisoners of war and I was chosen. I started kitting myself out and tried to learn a few useful Japa- nese words and phrases, but orders came for Hobart and Warramunga to sail for Sydney, the guernsey the sailors wanted. So we embarked a number of passengers from the other RAN ships in Tokyo Bay (mostly men to be demobilised) and departed from Tokyo Bay.General Douglas MacArthur signs Japan’s instrument of surrender on Missouri’s quarterdeck, 2 I have never ceased to regret that I did not land with the contact September, 1945.Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 14
anything were practically zero, but we did have radar.USS Missouri BB-63, was an Iowa class battleship first commissioned in We called briefly at Manus,1944.The ship displaced 45,000 tons on a 270 x 33 x 8.8 metres (887 and pressed on for Sydney. Byx 108 x 28.9 feet) hull.She carried a crew of 1851 and a main armament this time it had become ap-of nine 16-inch (406 mm) guns supported by 20 five-inch (127 mm), 80 x parent that we might gain40 mm and 49 x 20 mm guns.This photograph was taken after her 1980s some kudos on arriving in Sydney to be hailed as the first modernisation and shows the prominent launch tubes for 32 Tomahawk ship back from the surrender. cruise missiles and 16 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Missouri rests as a So we did not dilly-dally on the way.Then we overtook the museum,“guarding” the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. British Pacific Fleet destroyer HMAS Napier and, after ex- changing greetings, Napier asked if we could spare her 50 tons of fuel.Teams. If I had remained, there the high reputation of British Napier firstis no doubt I would have be- naval architects. Much to everyone’s surprisecome well versed in Japanese our captain declined. To thematters and language. Upper deck off limits junior officers this seemed No one was allowed on the rather churlish,because we hadWe had a very crowded ship, upper deck, and to get to the plenty to spare. So we steamedbut we did not mind that in the bridge to go on watch one on, secure in the knowledgeleast because this brought new journeyed forward through that we would be first back tofaces and new topics of con- the mess-decks and then up Sydney. To our great surpriseversation. It was not unusual in through the bridge superstruc- (and delight) when we arrivedthe night watches for an of- ture.The four hours spent on off Sydney there was Napier,ficer-passenger to come onto watch were spent mainly peer- hove to waiting for us. Ourthe bridge to chat and help ing through the rotating clear- senior officers on the bridgewhile away the hours.The at- vision screens to see nothing were mystified, but we juniormosphere had changed from but streams of white water and officers were delighted.war to peace and everything spray. The chances of seeingand everyone was more relaxed. After all, fair’s fair. Howling typhoon HMS Duke of York, a King George V Class battleship, commissioned in 1941. DisplacingHowever we still had another 42,500 tons, she was driven by eight boilers and four Parsons geared turbines.With agreat trial ahead:four days bat-tened down in a howling ty- complement of 1556, the ship carried ten 14 inch (356 mm) guns, together with 16 x 5.25phoon.We always thought Ho- inch (133 mm) and 96 x 40 mm as secondary and anti-aircraft armament.bart was a lady;now she provedit.We pushed into a monstrous 15storm at a good speed and onlyeased down on the second day.We hammered on into it, tak-ing green seas right over theforecastle. A continual wall ofwater came over the bows,breaking upwards over thebridge and then aft.This wenton continuously as thescreaming wind sliced the topsoff the huge waves. The shipbehaved beautifully, justifying
Sea power and other studies:The commandof the seaBy Cyprian BridgeOriginally published 1898-1910. Downloaded from the Project Gutenberg EBook (EBook #10694 January 12, 2004).Part 5 of a series. RADM Alfred Thayer Mahan USN (1840-1919) and strategic sense, is so firmly south of Morocco, (Hall 1895, was a highly regarded sea power theoretician. fixed in the language that it pp. 48, 49). would be a hopeless task to try This phrase (sea power),a tech- to expel it; and as, no doubt, The claim which has made the nical term of naval warfare, in- writers will continue to use it, greatest noise in the world is dicates a definite strategic con- it must be explained and illus- the one maintained by the dition.The term has been sub- trated. Not only does it differ kings of England to the seas stituted occasionally, but less in meaning from“dominion or surrounding the British Isles. frequently of late years, for the sovereignty of the sea,”it is not Like other institutions, the much older “dominion of the even truly derived therefrom, English sovereignty of the sea sea”or “sovereignty of the sea,” as can be briefly shown.“It has was, and was admitted to be, a legal term expressing a claim, become an uncontested prin- beneficent for a long period. if not a right. It has also been ciple of modern international Then came the time when it sometimes treated as though it law that the sea, as a general ought to have been abandoned were identical with the rhe- rule, cannot be subjected to as obsolete; but it was not, and torical expression “empire of appropriation,” (Hall 1895, p. so it led to war. The general the sea.” Mahan, instead of it, 146). This, however, is quite conviction of the maritime uses the term “control of the modern. nations was that the lord of the sea,”which has the merit of sea would provide for the po- precision, and is not likely to Freedom of the seas lice of the waters over which be misunderstood or mixed up We did not admit the princi- he exercised dominion.In rude with a form of words meaning ple till 1805; the Russians did ages when men, like the an- something different. not admit it till 1824; and the cients, readily “turned them- Americans, and then only tac- selves to piracy,”this was of im- The expression “command of itly, not till 1894. Most Euro- mense importance to trade; the sea,” however, in its proper pean nations at some time or and, far from the right of do- other have claimed and have minion being disputed by for-Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 exercised rights over some part eigners,it was insisted upon by of the sea, though far outside them and declared to carry the now well-recognised with it certain duties. “three-mile limit.” Sovereign lordship Venice claimed the Adriatic, In 1299, not only English mer- and exacted a heavy toll from chants, but also “the maritime vessels navigating its northern people of Genoa, Catalonia, waters. Genoa and France each Spain, Germany, Zealand, claimed portions of the west- Holland, Frisia, Denmark, ern Mediterranean. Denmark Norway, and several other and Sweden claimed to share places of the empire” declared the Baltic between them.Spain that the kings of England had claimed dominion over the from time immemorial been Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, in“peaceable possession of the and Portugal over the Indian sovereign lordship of the sea Ocean and all the Atlantic of England,” and had done 16
though the the Dutch in the seventeenth “question of century.At the time of the first the flag” was Dutch war,1652-54,and prob- the occasion, ably of the later wars also, a it was not the great many people, and espe- cause of the cially seamen,believed that the war (Gar- conflict was due to a determi- diner, 1899). nation on our part to retain, There was and on that of the Dutch to put an end to, the English sov- not much, if ereignty or dominion.The ob- stinacy of the Dutch in object- any, piracy in ing to pay the old-established mark of respect to the English the English flag was quite reason enough in the eyes of most Englishmen, Channel and probably of most Dutch- men also, to justify hostilities which the which other reasons may have rendered inevitable. The re- King of Eng- markable thing about the Dutch wars is that in reality land was spe- what we gained was the possi- bility of securing an absolute cially called command of the sea. upon to sup-Attempts to resolve maritime sovereignty, including land press, and ifacquisition, for instance between Spain and Portugal by there hadthe 1493 Papal Bull Inter caetera and the 1494 Treaty been, theof Tordesillas, failed dismally when third parties, such as merchant ves- sels of the age the British and Dutch, entered the equation. were gener-what was “needful for the ally able to defend themselves,maintenance of peace, right, while if they were not, their Dutch war resolutionand equity between people of governments possessed force We came out of the struggle aall sorts, whether subjects of enough to give them the nec- great, and in a fair way of be-another kingdom or not, who essary protection. coming the greatest, navalpass through those seas,” power. It is this which(Laughton,August 1866). Salute claim recinded prompted VADM P. H. We gave up our claim to exact Colomb to hold that there are The salute the salute in 1805. various kinds of command,The English sovereignty wasnot exercised as giving author- The necessity Contd p. 18ity to exact a toll. All that was of the forego-demanded in return for keep- ing short ac-ing the sea safe for peaceful count of thetraffic was a salute, enforced no “sovereigntydoubt as a formal admission of or dominionthe right which permitted the of the seas”(on the whole, at any rate) ef- will be appar-fective policing of the waters ent as soon asto be maintained. we come to the considera-The Dutch in the seventeenth tion of thecentury objected to the de- first struggle,mand for this salute. It was in- or rather se-sisted upon.War ensued; but in ries of strug-the end the Dutch acknowl- gles, for theedged by solemn treaties their command of Dutchman Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) was a pioneering human rightsobligation to render the salute. the sea. Gain- and maritime law theoretician. His 1609 Freedom of the seas tractThe time for exacting it, how- ing this wasever, was really past. S. R. the result of coincided with the beginning of the Dutch East India Company and becameGardiner maintains that our wars with pivotal to the concept of unmolested free trade. His 1625 treatise is acknowledged as the first attempt to codify international law. 17
ADML Earl Richard (Black Dick) Howe (1726-99). sea communications cannot be tilities, by one belligerent of limited to any single line, be- carrying out considerable over-Sea power contd such as “absolute or assured,” cause the inability must be due sea expeditions at will. “temporary, with definite ul- either to incapacity in the direc- terior purpose,” &c.An expla- tion of hostilities or insufficiency In the Russian war just men- nation that would make all of force. If we have not force tioned the allies had such over- these terms intelligible would enough to keep open all the whelmingly superior sea power be voluminous and is unnec- communications of our widely that the Russians abandoned to essary here. It will be enough extended empire, or if—having them without a struggle the to say that the absolute com- force enough—we are too fool- command of the sea; and the mand—of attempts to gain ish to employ it properly, we do more recent landing in South which, as Colomb tells us, the not hold the command of the Africa, more than six thousand Anglo-Dutch wars were the sea, and the empire must fall if miles away, of a large British most complete example—is seriously attacked. army without even a threat of nothing but an attribute of the interruption on the voyage is nation whose power on the sea Strategic command another instance of unchal- is paramount. It exists and may The strategic command of the lenged command. In wars be- be visible in time of peace. sea in a particular war or cam- tween great powers and also paign has equal concern for all between secondary powers, if Communication maritime belligerents. Before nearly equally matched, this imperatives seeing what it is, it will be well absence of challenge is rare. to learn on high authority The command which, as said what it is not. Neutralise the enemy above, expresses a definite stra- The rule is that the command tegic condition is existent only Mahan says that command, or, of the sea has to be won after in time of war. It can easily be to use his own term, “control hostilities begin.To win it the seen that the former is essential of the sea, however real, does enemy’s naval force must be to an empire like the British,the not imply that an enemy’s sin- neutralised. It must be driven parts of which are bound to- gle ships or small squadrons into his ports and there gether by maritime communi- cannot steal out of port, can- blockaded or “masked,” and cations. Inability to keep these not cross more or less fre- thus rendered virtually in- communications open can have quented tracts of ocean, make nocuous; or it must be de- only one result, viz. the loss of harassing descents upon un- feated and destroyed.The lat- the parts with which commu- protected points of a long coast ter is the preferable, because nication cannot be maintained. line,enter blockaded harbours. the more effective, plan. As Experience of war as well as On the contrary, history has was perceptible in the Span- reason will have made it evi- shown that such evasions are ish-American war of 1898, as dent that inability to keep open always possible,to some extent, long as one belligerent’s fleet to the weaker party, however is intact or at large, the otherNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 great the inequality of naval is reluctant to carry out any strength,” (Mahan 1890 p. 4). considerable overseas expedi- tion. In fact, the command of Clear limits the sea has not been secured The Anglo-French command of whilst the enemy continues the sea in 1854-56, complete as to have a “fleet in being,” it was, did not enable the allies (Mahan 1890 p. 50). to intercept the Russian ships in the north-western Pacific, In 1782 a greatly superior nor did that held by the Federals Franco-Spanish fleet was cov- in the American civil war put ering the siege of Gibraltar. an early stop to the cruises of Had this fleet succeeded in pre- the Confederate vessels. venting the revictualling of the fortress the garrison would What the term really does im- have been starved into surren- ply is the power possessed from der.A British fleet under Lord the first, or gained during hos- Howe,though much weaker in 18
disappears. It is in the highest degree improbable that this end can be attained by splitting up our own fleet into fragments so as to have a part of it in nearly every quarter in which the en- emy may try to do us mischief. The most promising plan—as experience has often proved— is to meet the enemy, when he shows himself,with a force suf- ficiently strong to defeat him. The proper station of the Brit- ish fleet in war should, accord- ingly, be the nearest possible point to the enemy’s force.Nelson’s brilliant tactics at the Battle of the Nile. Nelson’s strategy This was the fundamentalnumbers, had not been de- ticular area of water from that principle of Nelson’s strategy,feated and was still at large. of the sea in general. and it is as valid now as ever it was. If we succeed in getting Howe’s tactical skill Local command of the sea may into close proximity to theHowe, in spite of the odds enable a belligerent to make a hostile fleet with an adequateagainst him, managed to get his hasty raid, seize a relatively in- force of our own, our foe can-supply ships in to the anchor- significant port, or cut out a not obtain command of the sea,age and to fight a partial ac- vessel;but it will not ensure his or of any part of it, whethertion, in which he did the allies being able to effect anything that part be the Mediterraneanas much damage as he received. requiring considerable time for or the English Channel, at anyThere has never been a display its execution, or, in other rate until he has defeated us. Ifof higher tactical skill than this words, anything likely to have he is strong enough to defeatoperation of Howe’s, though, an important influence on the our fleet he obtains the com-it may be said,he owes his fame course of the war. mand of the sea in general; andmuch more to his less merito- it is for him to decide whetherrious performance on the first Mediterranean he shall show the effectivenessof June. The revictualling of If Great Britain has not naval of that command in the Medi-Gibraltar surpassed even force enough to retain com- terranean or in the Channel.Suffren’s feat of the capture of mand of the Mediterranean,Trincomalee in the same year. she will certainly not have “Cross-raiding” force enough to retain com- When the main fleet of aIn 1798 the French, assuming mand of the English Channel. country is at a distance—that a temporary superiority in which it ought not to be ex-the Mediterranean had given It can be easily shown why it cept with the object of near-them a free hand on the water, should be so. In war, danger ing the opposing fleet—a smallsent a great expedition to comes less from conditions of hostile expedition may slipEgypt.Though the army which locality than from the enemy’s across, say the Channel, throwwas carried succeeded in land- power to hurt. Taking up a shells into a coast town or burning there,the covering fleet was weak position when confront- a fishing village, and get homedestroyed by Nelson at the Nile, ing an enemy may help him in again unmolested. Its actionand the army itself was even- the exercise of his power, but would have no sort of influ-tually forced to surrender.The it does not constitute it, ence on the course of the cam-French had not perceived that, (Burton, vol i, p.320). paign, and would, therefore,beexcept for a short time and for useless. It would also mostminor operations, you cannot A maritime enemy’s power to likely lead to reprisals;and,if thisseparate the command of the hurt resides in his fleet. If thatMediterranean or of any par- can be neutralised, his power Contd p.20 19
The best laid plans ... King Gustav II Adolph of able a German force to occupy possessing an ample cruiserSweden planned that his new super-warship Vasa would an Aland isle; but unless the force.As long as the conditionrestore his sea power. The expensive ship foundered less temporary could be converted mentioned is satisfied our into permanent command, ocean communications will be than a mile into her 1628 maiden voyage. Germany could make no use kept open, because an inferior of the acquisition, which in the enemy, who cannot obtain theSea power contd process were repeated, the war end would revert as a matter of command required,will be too would probably degenerate into course to its former possessors. much occupied in seeing to his the antiquated system of “cross- The command of the English own safety to be able to inter- raiding,” discarded centuries Channel, which Napoleon fere seriously with that of any ago, not at all for reasons of hu- wished to obtain when matur- part of our empire. manity, but because it became ing his invasion project, was certain that war could be more only temporary. It is possible Indispensable preliminary effectually waged in other ways. that a reminiscence of what had This being so, it is evident that happened in Egypt caused him the greater operation of inva- Temporary command to falter at the last; and that, sion cannot be attempted, The nation in command of the quite independently of the pro- much less carried to a success- sea may resort to raiding to ex- ceedings ofVilleneuve, he hesi- ful termination, by the side pedite the formal submission of tated to risk a second battle of which cannot make headway an already defeated enemy, as the Nile and the loss of a sec- against the opposing fleet. Russia did when at war with ond army. Command of the sea is the in- Sweden in 1719; but in such a dispensable preliminary condi- case the other side cannot re- The big bluff? tion of a successful military ex- taliate.Temporary command of It may have been this which pedition sent across the water. local waters will also permit of justified his later statement that It enables the nation which operations rather more consid- he did not really mean to in- possesses it to attack its foes erable than mere raiding attacks; vade England. In any case, the where it pleases and where but the duration of these op- English practice of fixing the they seem to be most vulner- erations must be adjusted to the station of their fleet wherever able. At the same time it gives time available. If the duration that of the enemy’s was, would to its possessor security against of the temporary command is have seriously shortened the serious counter-attacks,and af- insufficient the operation must duration of his command of the fords to his maritime com- fail. It must fail even if the ear- Channel, even if it had allowed merce the most efficient pro- lier steps have been taken suc- it to be won at all. Moreover, tection that can be devised. It cessfully.Temporary command attempts to carry out a great is, in fact, the main object of of the Baltic in war might en- operation of war against time naval warfare. as well as against the efforts ofNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 the enemy to prevent it are in References: the highest degree perilous. Burton, J.H. The history of Scotland In war, the British Navy has from Agricola’s invasion to the ex- three prominent duties to dis- tinction of the last Jacobite insur- charge. It has to protect our rection.William Blackwood and maritime trade, to keep open Sons: London, 1873. the communications between the different parts of the em- Colomb, Philip H. Essays on naval pire, and to prevent invasion. defence. 3d ed.W. H.Allen: Lon- don, 1899. If we command the sea these duties will be discharged effec- Gardiner, S.R. The first Dutch war. tually.As long as we command Navy Records Society, 1899. the sea the career of hostile cruisers sent to prey on our Hall,W. E. Treatise on international commerce will be precarious, law, 4th ed.Clarendon Press: because command of the sea Oxford, 1895. carries with it the necessity of Laughton, J.K. Sovereignty of the 20 sea. Fortnightly review, August 1866. Mahan,A.T.The influence of sea power upon history 1660-1783. Little Brown and Co.: Boston, 1890.
How creative Australian Defence bureaucrats getthe goods on time, every time Downloaded by Ralph DerbidgeAn anonymous public servant ex- nition of “Initial Operational be on time and inside budgetplains to the new minister: Capability” as the benchmark by the “In Service Date”. for the equipment being readyDefence procurement is a for service. Not to be accused Unfortunately we still have somecomplicated multibillion dol- of copying, our bureaucracy folks out there complaining.lar business and, as the sad his- labelled “Initial Operational They are saying naughty thingstory of projects running late Capability” as “In Service like “if the In Service Date doesand over-budget proves, a lot Date” or ISD. This definition not force the contractor to makeof risk is involved. Risk to the says that the equipment has to the equipment work, our serv-taxpayer, but also risk to sen- be capable of performing all of icemen and servicewomenior Defence bureaucrats who the functions it was contracted might get killed in combat, orhave to explain cost overruns to do, before it is considered in accidents.” Even naughtier isand late deliveries,let alone put ready for troops,sailors and air- the claim that “taxpayers willat risk of justifying salaried per- men to operate. have to shell out a fortune in ex-formance bonuses. tra costs to fix things which The new approach introduced should have been made to work Global problem recently by our creative Can- in the first place, since a con-The problems with Defence berra bureaucrats was to devise tract which uses the In Serviceprocurements have been an a new definition for ISD, mak- Date instead of Initial Opera-ongoing saga, globally. The ing it quite different to the tional Capability is not enforce-Yanks use a traditional ap- definition of “Initial Opera- able.” One eminent spoilsportproach to solving these prob- tional Capability”. This new has actually described this crea-lems - hire more engineers and interpretation has “In Service tive problem solving approachhire smarter engineers - until Date” or ISD now meaning: to be a “con”; intended to bam-the project is back on track,and The point in time that sym- boozle parliamentarians, mediahopefully on budget.This lack bolically marks the beginning and public.of creativity on the part of US of the transition of a capabilityDefence procurement officials system, in part or full, from the Missed the point?shows, since a great many of Acquisition Phase to the In- This is nonsense, obviously,their projects are still late and Service Phase.ISD coincides as since they have missed thestill over budget. closely as is practicable with point here. If you look at the Initial Release. problem, it is not that theOur Canberra bureaucrats equipment is over-budget andhave solved this problem, per- ISD milestone can’t do its job properly; it ismanently, and managed to do Gone is the pesky expectation that all of these silly people areso without having to hire ex- for the equipment to actually complaining about it! If youpensive engineering talent - fully meet whatever functional use the new ISD definition,always a pain since they have a and operational specs were put then the REAL problem goesbad habit of talking back, ques- down when it was ordered.Now, away instantly.tioning, and generally arguing a senior bureaucrat can simplythat expedient fixes will come nominate an ISD milestone,and There is still a risk that the newback to bite you. leave the dummies all wonder- government might just toss this ing what that means once the creative innovation out theWhat our bureaucrats did last calendar rolls over to that date. window,not having any appre-year was to change the way in ciation for what REALLYwhich an item of equipment Problem solved, expediently, matters in government con-is judged to be ready for op- quickly and permanently.Now tracting. But if the new De-erational service. Until then, these annoying Defence Min- fence Minister endorses all atwe followed the rest of the isters, Parliamentary Commit- the upcoming MRH-90 heli-OECD defence procurement tees, and media can eat their copter rollout, all will be wellcommunity, and used the defi- hearts out,since all projects will after all. 21
Aircraft carrier evolution:The early attack carriersEighth article in a series by Scot MacDonald. Reprinted with permission: Naval Aviation News, November 1962, pp 44-48.“We have hit the Japanese very hard in the Solomon Islands. We have probably broken the backbone of the power of their Fleet.They have still too many aircraft carriers to suit me, but soon we may well sink some more of them …We are going to press ouradvantages in the Southwest pacific and I am sure that we are destroying far more Japanese airplanes and sinking far more oftheir ships than they can build.”—Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of United States, 1942. USS Langley (CV-1) (above), the pride of the USN ships built under this program cially designed 27,000-ton naval aviation fleet in the 1920s and early 1930s, was were the Intrepid and the new (standard displacement) aircraftconverted to a seaplane tender (Langley AV-3) in 1936. Yorktown. On 19 July, an addi- carrier,considerably larger than tional 200,000 tons for carri- the Enterprise and smaller than At the outbreak ofWorldWar ers was authorised. the Saratoga. These were to be- II, the United States had in come known as the Essex class commission seven aircraft Dollars cannot buy carriers,although this classifica- carriers and one escort car- yesterday tion was dropped in the ’50s. rier. USS Langley,the experi- mental ship officially classed ADML H. R. Stark, then Chief On 9 September 1940, eight as CV-1, had been assigned to of Naval Operations, reported more of these carriers were duty as a seaplane tender 15 to the Secretary of the Navy: ordered and were to become September 1936. the Hornet,Franklin,Ticonderoga, “In June 1940, the Congress Randolph, Lexington, Bunker After the abrogation by Japan granted the Navy an 11 per Hill,Wasp and Hancock, CV-12 from disarmament treaties, the cent increase in combat through -19, respectively. Re- U.S. took a realistic look at its strength and, in July, a fur- use of the Lexington, Wasp and naval strength. By Act of Con- ther increase of approxi- Hornet names was in line with gress on 17 May 1938, an in- mately 70 per cent. When the Navy’s intent to carry on crease of 40,000 tons in aircraft these ships and aircraft are the traditions of the fighting carriers was authorised. This completed, the U.S. Navy in predecessors: Lexington (CV-2) permitted the building of USS under-age and over-age ships was lost in the Battle of the Hornet (CV-8) and USS Essex will include 32 battleships, 18 Coral Sea in May 1942; Wasp (CV-9). On June 14, 1940, aircraft carriers, 91 cruisers, (CV-7) was sunk September another increase in tonnage 325 destroyers, 185 subma- that year in the South Pacific was authorised. Among the rines, and 15,000 airplanes while escorting a troop con- …From 1921 to 1933, the voy to Guadalcanal; HornetNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 United States tried the ex- (CV-8) was lost the following periment of disarmament in month in the Battle of Santa fact and by example.This ex- Cruz Islands. periment failed. It cost us dearly in relative naval The name game strength—but the greatest It is appropriate to comment loss is TIME. Dollars can- here that the ships’ names at not buy yesterday. Our commissioning date did not all present Fleet is strong, but it bear the same name at the date is not strong enough.” of their programming. Names were changed during construc- Additional tonnage was au- tion.Hornet (CV-12) was origi- thorised 23 December 1941 nally Kearsarge,Ticonderoga (CV- and 9 July 1942. 14) was the Hancock, Lexington (CV-16) was Cabot, Wasp (CV- Essex class 18) was Oriskany, and Hancock USS Essex (CV-9) was first of a (CV-19) was or ig inally series of early attack aircraft car- Ticonderoga.The last two of the riers ofWorldWar II. CV-9 was 13 originally programmed to be the prototype of an espe- 22
Bureaus and of Engineering to become the Bu- reau of Ships (BuShips). much more CAPT Marc A. Mitscher, then official corre- Assistant Chief, BuAer, an- swered:“The question of spare spondence. airplanes is now under recon- sideration in correspondence Not only with the Fleet and the results decided upon will have a bear- were the sup- ing in the case of CV-9.” porting struc- Deck-edge lift A startling innovation in CV- tures to the 9 was a port side deck-edge elevator in addition to two in- flight deck to board elevators. Earlier,BuAer experimented with a ramp ar- A Grumman TBM Avenger bravely launches from the carry the in- rangement between the athwartships hangar catapult fitted to the Essex class creased hangar and flight decks, up USS Yorktown (CV-10) in May 1943.The catapult weight of the which aircraft were hauled bywas later removed from all six ships that had this feature. landing and crane. This proved too slow. Bureau of Ships (BuShips) and parked aircraft, the Chief Engineer of A.B.C. Elevator Co. designed the en-CV-9 class aircraft carriers, but they were to have sufficient gine for the side elevator. Es- sentially, it was a standard el-Bennington (CV-20) and Boxer strength to support the tricing evator, 60 by 34 feet (18.3 x 10.4 metres) in platform sur-(CV-21), were ordered on 15 up of spare fuselages and parts face, which travelled vertically on the port side of the ship.December 1941. (50 per cent of each plane type CAPT Donald B. Duncan,Es- sex’s first commanding officer aboard) under the flight deck was enthusiastic. After the first four months of operation af-Heavier aircraft and still provide adequate work- ter commissioning, he wrote to BuAer:In drawing up the preliminary ing space for the men using the “The elevator has func-design for USS Essex, particu- area below. tioned most satisfactorily inlar attention was directed at thesize of both her flight and Deckhead spares stowagehangar decks. Aircraft design “At present,” noted the Bureauhad come a long way from the of Construction and Repair incomparatively light planes used April 1940,“it appears that a fewin carriers during the thirties. of the smaller fuselages can beFlight decks now required triced up overhead in locationsmore takeoff space for the where encroachment on head-heavier fighters and bombers room is acceptable, and that thebeing developed. Most of the larger fuselages will have to befirst-line carriers of the pre-war stowed on deck in the after endyears were equipped with flush of the hangar. The number todeck catapults,but owing to the be stowed will depend upon thespeed and size of these ships amount of reduction in operat-very little catapulting was ing space in the hangar whichdone—except for experimen- can be accepted.”tal purposes. With the adventof war, airplane weights began Ed. note. On 20 June 1940, theto go up as armour and arma- Bureau of Construction and Re- Contd p.24ment got heavier; crew size pair consolidated with the Bureauaboard the planes also increased.It was inevitable, noted theBureau of Aeronautics (BuAer)toward the war’s end in 1945,that catapult launchings wouldbecome more common underthese circumstances. Some car-rier commanding officers re-ported that as much as 40 percent of launchings were ef-fected by the ships’ catapults.The hangar area design came in Another redundant feature of some early Essex class ships was the bow arrester gear. Here, USSfor many conferences between Yorktown (CV-10), making 20 knots astern, recovers an aircraft across her bows. 23
class carrier, but will not be accomplished on this vessel prior to delivery.” Late authorisation RADM Walter S. Anderson, president of the dock trials and inspection team of CV-9 on 23 December 1942,noted a few of these discrepancies in his report:USS Essex (CV-9) introduced a brilliant innovation, the deck-edge elevator, seen here in the “Due to late authorisation of upright stowed position (midships abreast the island). a number of changes arising out of recent war experi-Carriers contd. all respects and it is desired edge type would cause only ences,the volume of uncom- to point out some of the op- minor and non-critical loss of pleted hull work was greater erational advantages realised flight deck area.” than normal … The Board with this type of elevator. regrets that the catapults for BuShips, obviously pleased this vessel were not delivered “Since there is no large hole with the operational perform- in time for installation, as in the flight deck when the ance of the new elevator—the military value of the vessel elevator is in the ‘down’ po- first of its kind—reluctantly would be much improved sition, it is easier to continue turned down the recommen- thereby … Only the star- normal operations on deck, dation, however. The Bureau board flight deck track was irrespective of the position of noted that the addition of a installed … This class of car- the elevator.The elevator in- starboard deck-edge elevator riers is designed to include creases the effective deck would not permit an Essex cruising turbines as part of space when it is in the ‘up’ class aircraft carrier to transit the main drive turbine instal- position by providing addi- the Panama Canal. Any other lation. However, due to pro- tional parking room outside location for a second such el- duction difficulties and as a the normal contours of the evator would involve structural result of efforts to expedite flight deck, and increases the and arrangement changes too delivery, cruising turbines effective area on the hangar extensive to be considered. were omitted. Space and deck by the absence of el- connections for their future evator pits.” Keel laid 28 April 1941 installation are provided and On 28 April 1941, keel for the this can be accomplished Deck-edge elevator USS Essex was laid at New- with very little alteration …” The elevator performed well, port News Shipbuilding and its machinery less complex Dry Dock Co. On 2 October, Commissioned than the two inboard elevators the following year, her pro- 31 December 1942 and required about 20 per cent spective commanding officer Nevertheless, the Board was fewer man-hours of mainte- filed his first weekly progress- pleased and impressed with nance. CAPT Duncan recom- and-readiness report to the progress on construction of the mended that consideration be Chief of Naval Operations Essex. RADMAnderson recom- given using two deck-edge el- (CNO). He noted that there mended acceptance of the ship: evators, one on each side. was marked speed-up of work BuAer, in forwarding the rec- on the ship during the preced- “On 31 December 1942, ommendation to BuShips, of- ing month and estimated that only slightly over 20 months fered another advantage for the ship would probably be de- will have elapsed since keel- consideration: a conventional livered on 1 February 1942: laying, which is, in the opin- elevator suffering a casualty ion of the Board, a record while in the “down” position “There are certain items that worthy of commendation. “would leave a large hole in the have been authorised for in- flight deck while the deck- stallation on the CV-9-19 This indicates a high degree of cooperation between theNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 24 Supervisor of Shipbuilding,
the Newport News Ship- make the surrounding spaces many passageways and com- building and Dry Dock almost untenable. partments, in addition to the Co., and representatives of running, signal, and anchor the officers and men of the “The design of the trash lights. A survey of the system ship’s company.” burner is poor. Its construc- produced the following action tion is worse. The ship had on the outside lights: the aheadOn the last day of 1942, USS not been in commission a masthead light was relocated toEssex was commissioned. month before it practically fell the forward edge of the apart. The brick work fell foretruck (frame 92),the ahead Sea trials down, the door fell off and it range light was moved forwardCAPT Duncan was proud of suffered other casualties too and shielded from illuminatinghis new command, but not so numerous to mention. It has the deck below, the asternimpressed as to ignore certain taken constant attention from masthead light was moveddiscrepancies that still existed. the Engineer’s force to keep higher, so as not to interfereThe ventilation system, for in- it operating at all and the heat with gunnery, and the asternstance,was less than satisfactory. generated in the compart- range light was removed.BuShips sent representatives to ment in which it is located isthe ship to assist in correcting such that it is physically im- Nineteen morediscrepancies, during sea trials possible for men to stay in it Nineteen more Essex classMarch 1 in the North Atlantic for continuous operation.” ships were ordered or sched-and, a month and a half later, uled, starting with ten of themwhen the ship was again at Nor- The trash burner problem was on 7 August 1942.They werefolk and still had complaints. taken in hand and redesigned. Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) Kearsarge (CV-33), OriskanyAs other CV-9 carriers were Production line (CV-34), Reprisal (CV-35),launched, the complaints con- Lexington was commissioned Antietam (CV-36), Princetontinued to be registered. on 17 February 1943,followed (CV-37), Shangri La (CV-38),BuShips investigated the ven- by Yorktown on 15 April, Bun- Lake Champlain (CV-39),tilation system as installed in ker Hill on 25 May, Intrepid on Tarawa (CV-40), and CrownUSS Intrepid (CV-11) and out- 16August,Wasp on 24 Novem- Point (CV-32)—later renamedlined corrective measures in ber, and Hornet on 29 Novem- Leyte. The last three orderedfuture carriers of the class. ber that year. In 1944, Franklin were Valley Forge (CV-45), Iwo was commissioned on 31 Janu- Jima (CV-46), and Philippine Trash furnace ary, Hancock on 15 Apr il, Sea (CV-47). The keels wereRequested to comment on the Ticonderoga on 8 May, laid for Reprisal and Iwo Jimaadequacy and operation of the Bennington on 6 August, and on 1 July 1944 and 29 Januarytrash burner installed in the Randolph on 9 October. TheEssex, CAPT Duncan started last of the programmed 13 CV- Contd p. 26off quietly enough. “It is most 9s, Boxer, wasunsatisfactory,” he said. Then commis-he warmed to his subject: sioned on 16 April 1945. “It is doubtful if it could be worse. It is in the very cen- The lighting In their original layout, Essex class ships had four twin five-inch (127 mm) tre of the office spaces. system in- turrets grouped fore and aft of the island and an open bow which housed There is no satisfactory place stalled in the additional guns, such as some of the four single five inch or eight 40 mm for collection of trash wait- Lexington guns fitted to the early ships.They displaced 36,380 tons (34,818 tonnes) ing its turn to be burned.All came under fully laden, on an 862 x 108 x 34 feet (263 x 33 x 10.4 metres) hull. of it has to be carried the scrutiny through the passageways in of BuShips. They had eight boilers, four steam turbines and four shafts, developing a total the vicinity of the depart- Generally, it of 150,000 shp, which drove the ship at 33 knots.The first Essex had mental offices. The heat was consid- 2600 crew and 90-100 operational aircraft. from the trash burner when ered inad- it is operating (which is not equate “in in- 25 often because it is usually tensity and broken down) is such as to quality” in
deck. Overall and more effective damage control equipment. lengths varied The tactical employment of within this U.S. carriers changed as the war progressed. In early opera- class; they tions, through 1942, the doc- trine was to operate singly or were either in pairs, joining together for the offence and separating 872 or 888 when on the defence—the theory being that a separation feet long (266 of carriers under attack not only provided a protective or 271 me- screen for each, but also dis- persed the targets and divided tres). It is in- the enemy’s attack. Combat experience in those early op- teresting to erations did not bear out the theory and new proposals for note that they tactical deployment were the subject of much discussion.As had a uniform the new Essex and Independ- ence class carriers became water line available, these new ideas were put to the test. length of 820 Independence class feet (250 me- The Independence class car- riers—light carriers, desig- tres). All were nated CVLs— were products of an effort to increase thisEssex class ships were tough.A heavily-laden kamikaze strikes USS Essex armed with country’s seagoing air strength on 25 November 1944.The ship resumed restricted flight operations 30 12 five-inch in the early days of the war. minutes later and repairs were completed in time for the carrier to resume .38 calibre Nine keels to light cruisers of the Cleveland class were laidunrestricted operations three weeks later. (127 mm) down at the New York Ship- building Corp. yard at dual purpose Camden, N.J., three of them before the war started. TheyCarriers contd. 1945, but both were cancelled guns, but some had 17 quad- were to have been the Amster- dam (CL-59), Tallahasee (CL-on 11 August 1945. Six addi- ruple 40 mm anti-aircraft 61), New Haven (CL-76), Huntington (CL-77), Daytontional 27,000-tonners, CVs 50 mounts while others had 18. (CL-78), Fargo (CL-85), Wilmington (CL-79), Buffalothrough 55, were cancelled on A few also had 20 mm AA ar- (CL-99),and the Newark (CL- 100). They eventually became27 March 1945. mament. Generally,there were the Independence, Princeton, Belleau Wood, Cowpens, accommodations aboard each Monterey, Langley,Cabot,Bataan, and the San Jacinto, CVLs 22In recap, after WW II erupted for 360 officers and 3088 en- through 30, respectively.and until its successful conclu- listed men. Naming and designating these last four sometimes wentsion by Allied forces, the U.S.Navy ordered 32 aircraft car- More SHPriers of the CV-9 class, of Except for CV-2 and CV-3,which the keels of 25 were laid Lexington and Saratoga, thedown. A total of 17 were ac- power plants were increasedtually commissioned during over other aircraft carriers inthe war years.The total number the Fleet. The machinery wasof CV-9s commissioned—in- “entirely modern in design andcluding those commissioned arranged so as to gain theafter the war—was 24. maximum resistance to de- rangement and battle damage.Class characteristics There are eight control super-Several characteristics marked heat boilers arranged in fourthe Essex class carriers upon fire rooms. Steam lines aretheir introduction to the Fleet. such that the boilers in eachThe pyramidal island structure, fire room can be connected tofor instance, rose cleanly from one main machinery unit sothe starboard side, topped by a that the plant can be operatedshort stack and a light tripod as four separate units.” Theymast. The port elevator was had four screws.also a distinguishing feature,along with the two inboard el- These carriers had better pro-evators. Ticonderoga, Randolph, tecting ar mour than theirHancock, Bennington and Boxer, predecessors (again exceptingas well as hull numbers from Lex and Sara), better facilitiesCV-31 on, had rounded bows for handling ammunition,saferextending beyond the flight and greater fuelling capacity,Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 26
through a rigorous and con- more effectivefusing metamorphosis. Nei-ther Cabot nor Bataan en- umbrella ofcountered any difficulty. Thenames and designations were protectionreached in June and July 1943without attending problems, against ma-but Fargo was named CrownPoint (CV-27) when the de- rauding en-cision was reached to converther to an aircraft carrier. emy aircraftThen, on July 15, 1943, hername was changed to USS than was pos-Langley and she was given thedesignation CVL. (Actually, sible when theall these cruiser-to-carrierconversions were originally carriers sepa-designated CVs when thedecision to convert was made; rated. Whenall were redesignated CVLson the same day.) two or moreThe Newark (CL-100) had a of these taskrougher time of it. On 2 June1942, she was changed to CV- groups sup-30; on 23 June, her name waschanged to Reprisal, which she ported each Essex class ships were versatile. USS Essex was the first carrier in the worldkept for a little over six other, they to operate jets in combat. Shorn of her five-inch turrets, the straight-deckmonths. On 6 January 1943,her name was again changed, constituted a Essex recovers McDonnell F2H Banshees off Korea in 1951.to San Jacinto. fast carrier Light carrier designThe light carriers displaced task force.11,000 tons standard. In design,the bridge was box-like in ap- Pacific Fleet, dispatched hispearance,with a small crane for-ward. They had four stacks, Multi-carrier group congratulations to the taskpaired off in twos, on the star-board side, aft of the island. The first attempt to operate a force. His words were pro-These stacks angled out fromthe hangar deck and rose verti- multi-carrier group occurred phetic. Lessons learned fromcally above the flight deck level. on 31 August 1943, during a operating the carriers as a sin-As the Essex and Independ-ence class carriers joined the raid on the Japanese-held island gle group of six, as two groupsFleet in increasing numbers, itwas possible to operate several of Marcus. Task Force 15, of three, and three groups ofcarriers together,on a continu-ing basis, forming a carrier task which conducted the raid, con- two provided the basis forgroup. Tactics changed. Expe-rience taught the wisdom of sisted of Yorktown (CV-10), Es- many tactics that later charac-combined strength. Under at-tack,the combined anti-aircraft sex (CV-9) and Independence terised carrier task force op-fire of the task group carriersand their screen provided a (CVL-22),the cruisers Nashville erations. With the evolution and Mobile, the battleship Indi- of the fast carrier task force and ana,and ten destroyers. Aircraft its successful employment in were launched from the carri- future operations, the rising ers at a point approximately 130 sun of the east began slowly to miles north of the island. sink in the west. On 5-6 October 1943, RADM Alfred E.Montgomery ledTask Force 14 on a second raid on Wake Island. The task force comprised two task groups,op- erating a total of six aircraft carriers—Essex,Yorktown (CV- 10), Lexington (CV-16), Inde- pendence, Belleau Wood, and Cowpens—seven cruisers and 24 DDs, the largest carrier task force yet assembled. In the course of the two-day Essex class ships were durable. By 1967 USS Essex had strikes, ship handling tech- an angled deck, mirror, twin catapults and enclosed bow. niques for a multi-carrier force, devised by RADM Frederick C. Sherman’s staff, were tested under combat conditions. ADML Chester W. Nimitz, then Commander in Chief, 27
Spheres and circles, great and small: A theoryby Derek WhiteIn ships of the sixteenth cen- St.Hilaire circa 1875, refined Passage. Operating in that parttury,a feature depicted by many their use to a more workable, of the world where, as he de-artists in “Ye Greatt Cabyne” accurate method for “sights”, lightfully put it, “The merid-was a pair of large globes, one using a dead reckoning (DR) ians doe so spedily gatherterrestrial and one celestial. position and a large scale plot themselves together,”he appre-Three centuries later, in 1837, of small arcs of the circles, at ciated the book Tractatus denautical history tells us that an right angles to the azimuths of Globis published in 1592 by the celestial bodies. Robert Hues. A 1920s-era star globe. Position lines The globe used by Davis was a American mariner,CAPTT.H. These arcs were rendered as very refined instrument and so Sumner, by the practical expe- straight lines, termed position superior to the contemporary rience of a series of sun obser- lines,and were drawn at the end plane chart in higher latitudes vations in the western ap- of “intercepts”. The lengths that its use was essential. In his proaches of the Atlantic Ocean, along the azimuths represented Seaman’s Secrets Davis explained stumbled upon the principle of the differences between the how to use a terrestrial globe Position Circles. true zenith distances and the for graphical solution of paral- Plotting methods evolved by calculated zenith distances lel sailing, horizontal paradox the French naval officer Marcq based on the DR position. To sailing (Mercator sailing), great be practical, this “Intercept circle sailing, and amplitudes Celestial navigation in a nutshell: H-H rational Method” required reasonably and azimuths for variation ofhorizon; E-Q equator; P (N) pole; Z zenith; X1, X2, accurate DR to give an accu- the compass,as well as a method rate plot at the first attempt. for latitude by two sun obser- X3 stars; F position triangle. vations “out of the meridian”. “God bless GPS,” some might say. These two events, three hun- dred years apart, suggested to Additional secretNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 me a possible connection and It would seem very possible a resulting theory. By the late that Davis or one of his peers 1500s data for the sun, planets uncovered the additional “se- and principal stars existed, al- cret” that any observer of a ce- though the first Nautical Alma- lestial body must lie on the cir- nac was still 200 years away. cumference of a circle of equal Mathematical tables also be- altitude and hence zenith dis- came available but, according tance of that body. This is ex- to historians, the average ship- actly what Sumner realised.The master was not educated to the only reason I can offer for how level at which he could use Davis would have failed to no- them. But did globes help to tice this fact was that he used overcome this problem? written astronomical data and a terrestrial globe. Had he car- John Davis ried a celestial globe, it might Globes had been used for in- have been more apparent. structional purposes,being the However, did he or some other only way to represent the earth navigator go that one step far- without distortion. The Eng- ther and proceed as follows? lish navigator John Davis, who had a superior education, Say our anonymous navigator thought highly of globes and observed the altitudes of three had a vested interest in them stars using his cross staff, sea- due to his activity in high lati- man’s quadrant or astrolabe; tudes, seeking the North-west then subtracted from 90 degrees 28
Chronic pain (contd) by Fred Lane PhDMedical practitioners, gener- ing massive doses of analgesics, drug dealers could feel as muchally, are poorly trained in the including opiate-based analge- chronic pain as non-dealers.management of chronic pain. sics, for long periods. Therefore he felt he was some-The USA has many physicians times obliged to prescribe largewho do not keep up with the Drug Enforcement doses of strong analgesics likecomplex and frequently frus- Administration acetaminophen hydrocodonetrating task of pain manage- (Vicodin) and oxycodonement. It also has a very few This brought him into conflict (OxyContin), even to provenothers who stand out as world with the American Drug En- drug dealers, if he perceivedleaders in pain research and forcement Administration them to be in genuine pain.treatment. Unfortunately, the (DEA) who initially workedfield has many grey areas and with Hurwitz, in that he Detecting duplicitytraps, even for the experts. opened his patient records to He admitted that he might not their inspectors. He received be able to detect a patient World leader feedback that a small propor- skilled in duplicity any betterOne of those in the forefront tion of his patients might not than any other physician. Heof chronic pain interventions, be true pain sufferers but drug was not alone.A recent CornellWilliam Eliot Hurwitz MD, dealers who might be convert- University study found thatwas a highly respected 58-years ing his prescriptions into drugs representative samples of policeold researcher and practitioner. for sale to others and making officers and judges,who shouldIn 2002 he had a surgery in vast profits. be experts in the field, couldthe very fashionable Washing- detect lying at no better thanton suburb of McLean, Vir- Hurwitz dismissed 17 of these chance rates (Jung andginia. He charged assessment patients and reduced the Reidenberg, 2007). Hurwitzfees of US$1000 and mainte- amount of medication in oth- said he was not a policeman,nance fees of US$250 a month, ers, but found that his surgery but a physician bound by verycash in advance. His work had consultations failed to confirm clear medical ethics. Hurwitzbeen profiled on the TV pro- many of these accusations. If also pointed out, correctly,thatgram 60 Minutes. He says that the police wanted to arrest his there was no objective test inpain must be treated aggres- patients,that was their preroga-sively, sometimes by prescrib- tive; he would not stand in Contd p.30 their way. On the other hand,Celestial nav contd to errors in observation, but applied the same secrecy to above all, in setting the hori- navigation methods.to give zenith distances. Using zon. It is, however, a thoughtvisible stars near the zenith and that to the sixteenth century The mathematical solutions ofthe horizon, he then set his ce- mariner it would have been problems in. navigation even-lestial globe to correspond with attractive to use a method of tually achieved such promi-the twilight sky as seen and us- position finding which in- nence that it was often forgot-ing a common horizon, trans- volved only three subtraction ten that every one of themferred this setting to his terres- sums.Could it have been tried, could be carried out graphi-trial globe. The geographical but rejected, due to the terres- cally, admittedly with greatpositions of the three observed trial globes of the day being variations in accuracy. Now it’sstars could then be plotted,and grossly inaccurate? all history—until the SatNavwith dividers set to the zenith stops working.distances, arcs described to give Sea monstersa triangle of position. Seafarers of earlier times were References: notorious for using stories ofSuch a triangle might well be sea monsters, maelstroms and Admiralty manual of navigation Vollarge,even on a large globe,due other horrors to protect their ii. HMSO 1960. discoveries of favourable trad- ing venues and may well have Hewson, J.B. A history of the prac- tice of navigation.Brown,Son and 29 Ferguson: Glasgow. 1951.
Pain contd the world that could determine because they could not get ad- cember 2004). New DEA the amount of pain felt by any equate pain relief elsewhere. guidelines suggest that doctors individual. Additionally, after who prescribe high doses of years of discussion, there was In Australia, in 1999-2000, opioids for long periods are no accepted guideline that said there were about 8750“known subject to investigation. Unfor- how much was too much abusers” obtaining more than tunately, they do not specify when it came to long-term a quarter of a million codeine how much is “too much” nor treatment with opiates. If in compound prescriptions, how long is “too long”. doubt, he was obliged to treat sometimes from 15 different the patient (vide amicus curiae doctors. In America, there are All this raises the question as to brief, 6 September 2005.) about 50 million with chronic who sets the bar for the “too pain, many of whom would much, too long” objective Who decides “Too much?” qualify as “known abusers”un- standard. The medical profes- This brought him into conflict der DEA policy. sion strongly asserts that it is not once more with the DEA who the province of the DEA or any DEA Guidelines other government organ, but were instru- withdrawn in 2002 the medical profession itself.For mental in Unfortunately, there is no ob- the time being, there is no con- shutting down jective guideline on exactly how vincing data that will resolve the his practice in much is too much when it question. Perhaps Hurwitz 2002 and comes to prescription pain could have been a little more prosecuting medication. The DEA worked conservative in prescribing pills, Hurwitz in with researchers over many but should that not result in the 2004. After a years to publish guidelines loss of his licence to practice, 44-day trial around 2002,but abruptly with- not prison as a drug trafficker? with 76 wit- drew them just before the first nesses, he was Hurwitz trial.Perhaps the with- Bottom line found guilty drawal was sparked by the no- Modern research suggests the on 50 counts tice that the defence intended bottom line for pain patients and received to quote from those guidelines remains unchanged. Don’t put four sentences that the amount or duration of up with pain.Ask, nay demand, of 25 years pain medication prescribed was more and more intervention and 46 of 15 a “physician’s decision” and of until the pain is reliably con- years, concur- itself “should not spark a crimi- trolled, even for brief periods, rent,in prison. nal investigation.” then gradually extend the time He appealed of these pain-free periods, this sentence The prosecution, instead, ar- through distraction,exercise,self and was gued in his first trial that a hypnosis, acupuncture etc., granted a retrial in 2007. That Hurwitz prescription of 195 whatever works, as the medi- retrial found him not guilty of mg of morphine a day was“be- cation is gradually reduced.Too the major charges related to yond the bounds of medicine.” little medication certainly risks narcotics trafficking but guilty On the other hand, a dosage more severe and more lasting of 16 others and reduced his of more than 60 times that level chronic pain. sentence to 57 months, less the is considered acceptable in at 2½ years he had served in least one medical textbook. References: prison. The judge at this trial Furthermore, the president, Dr said that although she thought R.K. Portenoy and seven past Amicus curiae brief:Docket 05-4474 initially that the Hurwitz medi- presidents of the highly re- US Court of Appeals, Fourth cation regimes were “crazy”, garded American Pain Society Circuit, The Association of defence witnesses persuaded criticised the prosecution’s American Physicians and Sur- her that there was “an increas- chief “medical expert” witness geons in support ofWilliam Eliot ing body of respectable medi- for being“factually wrong”and Hurwitz, 6 September 2005. cal literature and expertise”that aspects of his evidence “with- supported Hurwitz. out foundation in the medical Jung, B. and M.M. Reidenberg, literature … in fact absurd,” Physicians being deceived:Whose Two of his patients subse- (Portenoy et al letter 10 De- responsibility? Pain Medicine,Vol quently committed suicide 8/5, pp. 433-437, July 2007. 30Naval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 Portenoy R.K. et al, letter to Marvin D. Miller, 10 Decem- ber 2004.
Airline Announcements Downloaded by Ralph DerbidgeOn a Southwest flight, (SW has no assigned seating so you just sit where you want) passengers were apparentlyhaving a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, \"People, people, we're not picking out furniturehere, just find a seat and get in it!\"On a Continental Flight with a very senior flight attendant crew, the pilot said, \"Ladies and gentlemen, we'vereached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance theappearance of your flight attendants.\"On landing, the flight attendant said, \"Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leaveanything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.\"This was announced by a new Delta flight attendant: \"Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope youenjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.\"After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flightannounced, \"Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure ashell everything has shifted.\"From a Southwest Airlines employee: \"Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seatbelt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt, and, if you don'tknow how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised.\"\"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure,\" proclaimed an American Airlines flight attendant, \"masks willdescend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small childtravelling with you, secure your own mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than onesmall child, pick your favorite.\"Just before take-off, a flight attendant stated to the passengers, \"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and,in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle them to shore and take them with our compliments.\"\"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings,\" it was announced. \"Anything left behind willbe distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.\"And from the pilot during his welcome message: \"Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flightattendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight.\"Heard on the intercom on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City: \"That was quite abump, and I knowwhat y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault,and it wasn't the flight attendant's fault. It was the asphalt.\"On an American Airlines flight into Amarillo,Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day, the captain was reallyhaving to fight it during the final approach. After an extremely hard landing, the flight attendant proclaimed,\"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while theCaptain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!\"Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing was: \"We ask you to please remain seated asCaptain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.\"Heard from an attendant on a Southwest Airline flight: \"Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smokingsection on this airplane is out on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em.\"Hope this gave you a smile. Have a nice day and enjoy your next flight, whenever it may be. 31
2008-2009 dues pleaseDUES FOR 2008-2009 (Rule 5a says all dues are payable 1 March each year.) Annual dues $20, Life Membership $200,Options: Club Tie $35 (silk), Name Tally $14,Newsletter CD $10, RAN Badge $5, Xmas cards $12 for 20.If you are one year adrift, one red spot here will indicate $40 is required to maintain membership.I enclose my cheque for $ .................... Name (Print) ................................ Phone ................................E-mail ................................... Address (if changed) ....................................................................................Send to The Hon. Secretary, Naval Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose Bay, NSW 2029. (Please ignore this routine notice if you have paid your 2008-09 dues.)ANI Seminar, HMAS Watson, Thursday 4 September 0830 to 1645 ($25) plus ANI Reception in thewardroom 1700 to 1900 ($50 for both). Pay at the door, but please book seat with Hon. Secretary.R I will attend seminar only. R I will attend both. Name ....................................................Send to The Hon. Secretary, Naval Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose Bay, NSW 2029, by return mail, please.BBQ Wardroom, HMAS Watson, Sunday 28 September 1200 for 1230 until 1430, $40R I will attend. I enclose my cheque for $ ..........Name ........................... Guest names .......................................................Send to The Hon. Secretary, Naval Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose Bay, NSW 2029, by 21 September.Trafalgar Dinner, Friday 17 October, 1830 for 1915, RACA 89 Macquarie St Sydney, $85.R I will attend. I enclose my cheque for $ ..........Name ........................... Guest names .......................................................Send to The Hon. Secretary, Naval Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose Bay, NSW 2029, by 10 October.Parliament House Luncheon, Thursday 18 December, 1200 for 1230 Macquarie St Sydney, $70.R I will attend. I enclose my cheque for $ ...........Name ........................... Guest Names .................................................................Send to The Hon. Secretary, Naval Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose Bay, NSW 2029, by 11 December.Lapel Badges? Ties? CDs? Xmas Cards? One size fits all sue, on the one CD in .pdf (Acrobat the order, to the usual address: NavalName tally, $14. Call Mike Taylor Reader) format, together with an Officers Club, PO Box 207, Rose(02) 6288 3398. index that is updated yearly. Bay, NSW 2029.RAN Lapel Badges, pewter-col- Finally, there is our Xmas Expect delivery of all merchandise oured $5. cards offer.The cards are 105 x 147 mm, full col- within a few days. Q Silk Club Tie $35. our on semi gloss white They have a navy stiff (240gsm) paper.They blue back- ground, grey are supplied with white crowns and envelopes. $12 for batches red and of 20. white stripes. Payment MakeWardroom songs CD (X- chequesrated) $10 in .doc format pay-(words only). able to “Naval Of-Newsletters CD $10.All the news- ficers Club”letters since 1981, updated each is- and send the cheque, withNaval Officers Club Newsletter No 74 1 September 2008 32
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