Navy League of Australia Vic-Tas Division February 2018 NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 Navy League of Australia Vic-Tas Division February 2018 NEWSLETTER Keeping Watch over the Maritime Wellbeing of Australia Contents Creswell Oration Luncheon... 2 Profile: Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead... 3 Governor of Victoria Community Christmas Tree Launch... 4 Latest Defence News... 5 New Senior Naval Officer for Victoria... 6 FOUND - Australian Navy Submarine HMAS AE1 located after 103 years... 7 Offshore Patrol Vessels... 8 Navy s south coast jewel celebrates a special day... 8 Australia Day Honours... 9 Lonsdale Cup Yacht Race Mission to Seafarers Shrine Report

2 Creswell Oration Luncheon You are warmly invited to the main social event of the Navy League Vic-Tas Division. An elegant luncheon served with wine will be held at the William Angliss Institute Restaurant in the city. The guest speaker, Rear Admiral Jonathan D. Mead RAN, Commander of the Australian Fleet, will present the Creswell Oration. His subject is the STATE of the FLEET. It is a great way to catch up with friends in a lovely city location, close to public transport. Details are as follows. VENUE: William Angliss Institute Restaurant Tel: Little Lonsdale Street, between King & Spencer Streets. COST: $50 two course gourmet meal, wine, tea and coffee supplied DATE: THURSDAY 22 nd March PLEASE NOTE - THE DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM 2 MARCH. TIME: 1200 for 1230 DRESS: Uniform S7, Lounge suit / Day dress Decorations & Medals optional. TRANSPORT: Trams - Latrobe & Spencer streets. Buses - via Lonsdale St., to King St. Rail - Southern Cross Station - two city blocks from venue. FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Navy League of Australia Vic-Tas: Ray Tel: raydotgill@optusnet.com.au John Tel: jmwilkins34@netspace.net.au Naval Association of Australia -Vic: Tel: kimbla@bigpond.com.au Naval Officers Club in Victoria: Tel: Warwick.Gately@vec.vic.gov.au Naval Historical Society, Victoria Chapter:Tel: rex.f.williams@gmail.com 2

3 Profile: Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead In a heartfelt ceremony aboard flagship HMAS Canberra, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer has handed over the reins as Commander Australian Fleet to his successor Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead on 19 January Rear Admiral Mayer presided over the longest tenure as Commander Australian Fleet in the history of the RAN and guided the fleet through a time of unprecedented growth and change. He transformed the Australian Fleet from one focused on deploying individual ships around the region, to a Fleet that generates and deploys maritime task groups; that is self-sustaining and capable of fighting and winning across the full spectrum of conflict. Jonathan Dallas Mead joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1984 and graduated in 1986 with a Diploma of Applied Science. He specialised in Mine Clearance Diving and Explosive Ordnance Disposal and after serving as Executive Officer of Clearance Diving Team One he undertook Principal Warfare Officer (ASW) training. A succession of warfare postings then followed, including: Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer in HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Arunta, Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer and Executive Officer of HMAS Arunta. In 2005, Commander Mead took command of HMAS Parramatta and saw active service in the North Arabian Gulf as part of Operation CATALYST in ; for this his ship was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation and he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). He undertook studies at the Indian National Defence College in 2007 after which Captain Mead was appointed as Australia's Defence Adviser to India. Promoted to Commodore, in July 2011, he deployed to the Middle East where he commanded Combined Task Force 150, responsible for maritime counter terrorism, during October 2011-April 2012 and he was consequently awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service, in 2013, for his service in the Middle East region. Upon his return to Fleet Headquarters in 2012, he served as Commander Surface Force. In January 2015, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and assumed the position as Head Navy Capability. Rear Admiral Mead holds a Masters Degree in International Relations, a Masters Degree in Management and a PhD in International Relations. He is the author of Indian National Security: Misguided Men and Guided Missiles published in NLA Vic-Tas Division wished him well. ; ; 3

4 Governor of Victoria Community Christmas Tree Launch Just before Christmas, President Roger and I were invited to the launch of the Victorian Community Christmas Tree at Government House by the Governor and her husband. The Division had been invited to submit a decoration for inclusion on the tree. This bauble was designed by Lynda Gilbert with the emphasis on our mission to Keep Watch. After a bit of searching we found our decoration which is near President Roger s left hand in the photo. It was a very pleasing event to attend. There is certainly a wide range of groups that enjoy the Governor s patronage. We had interesting chats with representatives from the Australian Institute of International Affairs, another group which I did not get the name of which supports children in difficult situations with their education. That is kids through no fault of their own need support to maintain and continue their education. Also, a group that supports people with chronic fatigue syndrome. One of their main issues was getting the syndrome recognised as a medical condition requiring treatment. Government House looked resplendent on a balmy summer s evening. We are indeed fortunate to have such a magnificent building as part of the Victorian community. Cmdr Graeme Furlonger RANR, Senior Vice President NLA Vic-Tas Div 4

5 Latest Defence News 'Cradle of the Navy' in new hands Commander Andrew Hough has assumed command of the Royal Australian Navy s Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus often dubbed the cradle of the Navy succeeding Commander Luke Ryan. The transfer of command was marked with a small handover ceremony on the parade ground before Commander Ryan was farewelled by the Recruit School s staff. The Commanding Officer of Recruit School oversees the training and education of all sailors joining the Navy for the first time. Commander Hough takes command at a key time as Australia s first Guided Missile Destroyers enter service, new aircraft are procured and Navy maintains an ongoing presence in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific regions. The first intake of more than 140 recruits has already commenced training, with hundreds more expected to pass through Recruit School this year, as Navy s workforce grows. New recruits undertake 11 weeks of basic training at Recruit School where they learn to work as a team, develop self-discipline and make decisions in accordance with Navy s values. Upon completion of their recruit training, sailors progress to their career-specific training and join a ship s company at sea or ashore. 5

6 Australia-New Zealand Indian Ocean operation nets AUD$274 million in heroin HMAS Warramunga s crew has conducted one of the largest drug seizures in Operation MANITOU s history as part of the Australian-led Combined Task Force 150. In a joint counter-narcotics operation, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) seized 915 kilograms of heroin valued in excess of AUD$274 million. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 aircraft detected a suspicious vessel in the Western Indian Ocean on 23 January 2018, which was boarded and investigated by the crew in RAN frigate HMAS Warramunga on 24 January. Over the past two months Warramunga screw has seized and destroyed more than 11.5 tonnes of hashish and over one tonne of heroin, valued in excess of $900 million. Summary of vessels interdicted with drugs by Warramungain the 66th rotation: December 2017: 8 tonnes hashish, 69kg heroin, (three vessels interdicted over this period) 3 January 2018: hashish, 3.5 tonnes 7 January 2018: heroin, 111kg 24 January: heroin, 915kg New Senior Naval Officer for Victoria Our Division welcomes the new Senior Naval Officer for Victoria with the appointment of CDRE Greg York CSC RANR. Welcome CDRE York and congratulations on your posting as SNO Victoria, a return to flag rank, located at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. 6

7 FOUND - Australian Navy Submarine HMAS AE1 located after 103 years Australia s first submarine HMAS AE1 has been found, ending a 103 year maritime mystery. The fate of 800 ton AE1 and her 35 crew members has remained one of the persistent mysteries of Australia s military history. It was the first loss for the Royal Australian Navy and the first Allied submarine loss in World War I; a significant tragedy felt by our nation and our allies. The Royal Australian Navy submarine was lost off Rabaul on 14 September 1914 with all personnel aboard. An expedition to locate the submarine took place in waters off the coast of the Duke of York Island group in Papua New Guinea this week. The search vessel Fugro Equator located an object of interest in over 300 metres of water. Upon further inspection, confirmed the object to be AE1. The first images captured by the expedition show the vessel is remarkably well preserved and apparently in one piece. The Royal Australian Navy teamed up with a range of search groups in this latest expedition, funded by the Commonwealth Government and the Silentworld Foundation, with assistance from the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Fugro Survey and the Papua New Guinea Government. The expedition was embarked on the survey ship Fugro Equator which is equipped with advanced search technology. Following the discovery of the submarine, a small commemorative service was held by those onboard the survey vessel to remember those officers and sailors who lost their lives 103 years ago. Efforts are being made to contact the descendants of the crew. 7

8 Offshore Patrol Vessels Lürssen was named as the prime contractor for the 12 new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) with the Australian PV80 variant. It will be 80 metres in length with a displacement of 1700 tonnes and a draught of 4 metres. The vessels will be fitted with a 40mm gun for self-protection, three 8.4m sea boats, state of the art sensors as well as command and communication systems. This will allow the OPVs to operate alongside Australian Border Force vessels, other Australian Defence Force units and our regional partners. The vessels will accommodate up to 60 personnel, including a crew of around 40 Navy personnel and have the ability to accept modular mission packs such as unmanned aerial systems. The first ship is due to enter service in Navy s south coast jewel celebrates a special day Ship's company of HMAS Creswell has celebrated a significant milestone the 60 year anniversary of the Base s commissioning. Home of the Royal Australian Naval College, Creswell was named in recognition of Vice Admiral Sir William Creswell, KCMG, KBE, RAN, considered father of the RAN. The current ship's company marked the 60th anniversary at an event in front of the iconic Creswell clocktower, which has been a welcoming sight throughout the years for naval personnel in ships at anchor or underway in Jervis Bay. 8

9 Australia Day Honours Twenty serving Navy personnel have been recognised for awards in the Australia Day 2018 Honours List. They are among 895 award recipients approved by The Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd). The Australia Day 2018 Honours List recognises a diverse range of contributions and service across all fields, including professional endeavours, community work, Australia s Defence Force and Emergency Services. The Royal Australian Navy congratulates the 20 Navy recipients listed in the Australia Day 2018 Honours list. They are: OFFICER (AO) IN THE MILITARY DIVISION (OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA) Vice Admiral David Lance JOHNSTON AM RAN, ACT MEMBER (AM) IN THE MILITARY DIVISION (MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA) Commodore Mark David HAMMOND RAN, USA Commodore Michele Halina MILLER RAN, ACT MEDAL (OAM) IN THE MILITARY DIVISION (MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA) Lieutenant Commander Peter Donald ARNOLD RAN, VIC Captain Peter Charles ASHWORTH RAN, ACT Commander Robert Allan CARLYON RAN, NSW Warrant Officer Christopher David COCKER, NSW Commander Robert Thomas STEWARD RANR, NSW CONSPICUOUS SERVICE CROSS (CSC) Commander Sean Patrick BOWERS RAN, NSW Captain Vanessa Louise GANLEY RAN, NSW Lieutenant Commander Barbara Jane WOODRUFF RAN, NSW CONSPICUOUS SERVICE MEDAL (CSM) Petty Officer Paul BERRY, ACT Warrant Officer Cheryl Anne COLLINS, NSW Lieutenant Commander Susan Elizabeth DENGATE RANR, ACT Lieutenant Commander Susan Louise HARRIS RAN, ACT Commander Leigh Andrew JACKSON RANR, NSW Petty Officer Andrea KERR, ACT Lieutenant Commander Sandon Timothy MORRELL RANR, ACT Petty Officer Michael Andrew STEFFENS, VIC Lieutenant Commander Stefan Edward ZOHAR RAN, NSW 9

10 Lonsdale Cup Yacht Race The Lonsdale Cup race commenced in The Lonsdale Cup is a contest of navigational skills over a two-hour period on Port Phillip Bay. The Cup is named after the RAN s Base HMAS LONSDALE at Port Melbourne in honour of the WW2 Volunteer Naval Auxiliary Patrol (NAP), many of whom were from the RVMYC and other Port Phillip Motor Yacht Clubs. The newspaper coverage saw Melbournians crowding the foreshores to witness the events each year up until In 1954 the LSC amalgamated with the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club (RVMYC), and the Lonsdale Cup race was adjourned as support funding lapsed. In 2015 it was suggested to the Navy League that the post war Lonsdale Cup event be resurrected. The League offered to supply a new Lonsdale Cup for the event to honour the formation of the Australian Navy on 1 March 1901 and to remember the service of the WW2 NAP volunteers, many of whom had been past members of the RVMYC. The Navy League acquired a 1910 silver art nouveau cup on the internet from Israel, had it restored, mounted and engraved by a Gold and Silversmith in Carlton, and presented it to the RVMYC as custodians of the Navy League s Lonsdale Cup trophy. This is now the third annual race for the restored Lonsdale Cup. This year s race will be held on 4 th March 2018 at the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club Williamstown from 9.30am to 12.30pm, followed by lunch. Refer the RVMYC website for further details at STOP PRESS: A memorial plaque is being proposed for Point Lonsdale by the residents. Further information will be available in the March newsletter. SPOTTED BY KEN CROOK IN PAIHIA IN NEW ZEALAND Words on plaque mounted inside the phone box in the wharf area: Manufactured by Babcock New Zealand, HMNZ Dockyard, Devonport. 10

11 Mission to Seafarers The Mission to Seafarers centres are known worldwide as Flying Angel Clubs. The original logo of the Mission to Seafarers depicts the angel of the Book of Revelation 14:6-7 bringing the word to humankind. The logo has since been modified to highlight the open-handed caring of the Mission s work to seafarers of all nations. Here in Victoria, staff and volunteers man Flying Angel Clubs in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings/Melways offering a safe and secure place where seafarers can relax away from the busy-ness of their working environment, contact their families by telephone or , and receive counselling and support. Since our work began we have cared for well over 2 million seafarers from around the globe. Annually, over 30,000 seafarers visit Mission to Seafarers centres in Victoria. This involves more than 15,000 hours of volunteer time. They rely on donations and community support. 11

12 Shrine Report February 2018 In the last 3 financial years, there has been over 1 million visitors per year recorded at the Shrine and approximately 30% were estimated to be from overseas. In 2017, there were 65,000 students on site at the Shrine; and 69,000 including the Outreach programs around Victoria. EXHIBITIONS Morning Star Tapestry Morning Star, designed by Lyndell Brown and Charles Green, Image courtesy the artists. The stunning Morning Star tapestry has been created for display in the Sir John Monash Centre, due to open in Villers-Bretonneux, France in April The 2.5 x 5 metre tapestry was commissioned by the Australian Government, designed by prominent Australian artists Lyndell Brown and Charles Green and hand-woven by the world renowned Victorian Tapestry Workshop. From 18 January the Shrine is proudly hosting this work of art, offering visitors a chance to view it before it makes the journey to take up pride of place in the new centre. In Morning Star the artists seek to evoke the experience of departure from their home country to war on foreign shores, in particular for Australians at the Western Front. Launched in the final year of the Centenary of the First World War, the tapestry will provide a lasting legacy, remembering the service of Australians in the First World War and commemorating the 46,000 Australian lives lost on the Western Front. Morning Star was created with the generous support of the ANZAC Centenary Arts and Culture Fund, Tapestry Foundation of Australia, Australian Hotels Association, Marjorie M Kingston Charitable Trust, Janet Calvert Jones AO and John Calvert Jones AM, Anne and Mark Robertson OAM, Baillieu Myer AC and Sarah Myer, Yulgilbar Foundation, Chasam Foundation and the Myer Foundation. PLEASE NOTE THAT ACCESS TO VIEW THE MORNING STAR TAPESTRY WILL BE RESTRICTED DUE TO PRIVATE SERVICES ON SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY BETWEEN 11.30AM AND 3.30PM AND AGAIN ON 23 FEBRUARY BETWEEN 9AM-1PM. 12

13 RECENT CONFLICTS GALLERY Discover the human stories behind the headlines and find out what it was really like to serve in Australia s twenty-first century wars. An Australian sorting through the wreckage of the World Trade Center. A witness to a car bomb attack in Iraq. A young man wounded when his vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device, and the female medic who gave him First Aid. A soldier fighting the Taliban in a remote valley of Afghanistan. Photographs and video footage taken by the servicemen and women themselves show the wars through their eyes: the drama and tragedy, as well as the humour and comradeship. Read further about the story of Corporal Chris May and his dramatic rescue after being wounded in Afghanistan. TALKS & EVENTS Curator's talk: The Light Horse Tuesday 6 February, 1pm Meet in the Education Centre Curator Neil Sharkey unravels the many myths and legends of the Australian Light Horse in the Middle East. This exhibition extends beyond the legendary attack on Beersheba and features paintings by Sidney Nolan, George Lambert and Susan McMinn. No Front Line Wednesday 28 February, 6pm Shrine Auditorium Journalist Chris Masters goes to the heart of some of the fiercest combat in Afghanistan with the Special Forces. Chris gives a voice to Australia s highly trained soldiers and examines what it is like to be a member of this country s elite fighting forces. 13

14 ANZAC Nurse at Villers-Bretonneux Thursday 8 March, 12pm Shrine Auditorium Sister Florence James-Wallace was stationed at Villers-Bretonneux during the early stages of the 1918 German offensive. She described it as resembling Dante's Inferno. The hospital overflowed with badly wounded men and hundreds more lay in the streets on stretchers needing her nursing skills. This is her story. SERVICES RAN Recruits February 2018 Sunday 4 February 2018, 10:00am Wreath Laying in the Sanctuary Shrine Representatives: Shrine Governor Commander Terry Makings AM Shrine Governor Lieutenant Commander Chris Le Marshall 2/21 Battalion Gull Force Sunday 4 February, 12pm Wreath laying in the Sanctuary This service commemorates the Battle of Britain and the Commonwealth contribution to an Allied victory. Between July and October 1940 as a prelude to a German seaborne invasion of Britain, the German air force mounted daily attacks on British airfields, radar stations and cities; competing for air superiority and mass civilian damage (The Blitz). National Servicemen's Association February 2018, 12:00pm Wreath Laying in the Western Gallery Shrine Representative: Shrine Life Governor Colonel George Mackenzie OBE RFD Compulsory military training for the nation's young men was reintroduced in 1951 by the Liberal Government. It was the third such scheme to have existed in Australia since Federation. Eighteenyear-old men were required to partake in the National Service scheme, which meant that they had to undertake 176 days of military training. Those who elected to undertake their training in the army could break up their training requirements into two periods, 98 days in the regular army and 78 days in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). Those who elected to undertake their training with the RAN or the RAAF had to complete their 176 days in one stretch. The scheme was criticised as being irrelevant to modern defence needs, where skill was becoming more important than numbers, and for being a drain on the regular army's finances and manpower. In 1959 the scheme was abolished. 14

15 HMAS Voyager Association February 2018, 10:30am Wreath Laying in the Sanctuary Shrine Representatives: Shrine Governor Commander Terry Makings AM Shrine Governor Lieutenant Commander Chris Le Marshall Ex-Prisoners of War & Relatives Association February 2018, 10:00am Wreath Laying in the Sanctuary Shrine Representatives: Shrine Life Governor Colonel George Mackenzie OBE RFD Shrine Governor Commander Terry Makings AM Membership of the Association is available to former prisoners of war and their relatives. Membership details can be obtained through the Association Secretary: Tel: (03) Mail: PO Box 2 Flinders Lane PO, Melbourne, VIC 8009 HMAS Perth - Battle of Sunda Strait, HMAS Perth / USS Houston 1 March 2018, 12:00pm Wreath Laying in the Sanctuary Shrine Representatives: Shrine Governor Commander Terry Makings AM Shrine Governor Lieutenant Commander Chris Le Marshall 15

16 Discovering the Shrine Macpherson Robertson Fountain Designer Philip Hudson; sculptor Paul Montford. Granite, bronze and concrete fountain. Dedicated in Located in the Shrine Gardens, corner of Domain and St Kilda Roads. Architect Philip Hudson moved from New Zealand to Melbourne in He designed several grammar schools, as well as the Shrine of Remembrance, near which this fountain is sited. On this work he collaborated with celebrated sculptor Paul Montford, who migrated to Australia from England in The fountain consists of one pool within another, and a central column upon which sits a bronze figure of a boy catching a dolphin. Water sprays into the pools from bronze animals. The fountain was a gift from Sir Macpherson Robertson to celebrate Victoria's centenary. Robertson was a successful businessman and a philanthropist, making his money and name in confectionery; he was responsible for introducing chewing gum and fairy floss into Australia. Robertson gave to many causes and expeditions, Sir Douglas Mawson even naming Mac Robertson Land in Antarctica in his honour. In celebration of Victoria's centenary, Robertson donated as first prize in the Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne and for works to be undertaken around the city. The fountain is one result of this donation. 16

17 AE2 Gallipoli Holly Oak This plaque is situated in the Naval Section in the south eastern section of the Reserve. PODCASTS Podcasts are available at Ken Crook 3 February 2018 Website: Telephone Note: there is now a $5 charge for all public programs and bookings are recommended. 17