hmas melbourne crew list

In the act of taking a new station 1,000 yards astern of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne (R21), the two ships were soon on a collision course. Melbourne 's aircraft were performing flying . [1] In August, Melbourne sailed for Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 72. [39] The success of the trials, along with the discovery that Melbourne was able to operate both aircraft with relatively minor modification, led the Australian Government to approve the purchase of these aircraft. [45] Melbourne operated a standard air group of four Skyhawks, six Trackers, and ten Wessex helicopters until 1972, when the Wessexes were replaced with ten Westland Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the number of Skyhawks doubled. At the time of purchase, it was decided to incorporate new aircraft carrier technologies into the design, making Melbourne the third ship to be constructed with an angled flight deck. [77] Melbourne returned to Australia in June, and on 15 June led several ships in a ceremonial entry to Sydney Harbour to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the RAN. The passage proved a difficult one as cyclonic conditions caused a number of accidents and injuries throughout the fleet, including a shipwright aboard Melbourne who injured his hand in a circular saw and required surgery. This definition does not include seaplane tender. [30] She then sailed to San Francisco to collect 12 new Chinook and five UH-1 Iroquois helicopters for the Royal Australian Air Force, arriving in Australia with her cargo in April. [77][78] It was the first time a flagship of the RAN had entered Indian waters. She has been innocent, never once bowed to the natural or human force, in spite of the heavy storm and the talked about jinx. Budgetary constraints from the late 1950s had placed some doubt over the future of naval aviation given the large financial outlay required to operate aircraft carriers and their associated aircraft. [110], In September 1967, Melbourne travelled to the United States to collect new aircraft: 14 Trackers and 10 Skyhawks. She once again departed for her South East Asian deployment from Fremantle, with a fleet of warships comprised of HMAS Voyager, HMNZS Royalist, HM Ships Chichester, Cheviot, Cossack and Albion, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Reliant, Resurgent and Olna. The cause of the accident was never discovered although insufficient wind speed over the deck appears to be the most likely reason. Job Skills /. Two days prior to that, one of Melbourne's Gannet aircraft developed an engine fault on take off and ditched into the sea ahead of the ship. [121] Melbourne hit Evans amidships at 3:15am, cutting the destroyer in two. Left: Lady White unveils Melbourne's ship's badge. [17] Initially, she had up to 22 fixed wing and 2 rotary wing aircraft embarked at any time. [129] Despite the findings, Stevenson's next posting was as a minor flag officer's chief of staff, seen by him as a demotion in all but name. The Minister for Defence, the Hon Allen Fairhall, MP, addressing the audience at Melbourne's rededication ceremony on 14 February 1969. [36] Between entering service and 1959, four of the single Bofors were removed. Melbourne's ship's company was recalled immediately from leave, the ship was loaded with supplies, and the carrier departed Sydney on 26 December in the company of HMASBrisbane. USS Frank E. Evans was an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer. [121] Melbourne deployed her boats, life rafts, and lifebuoys, before carefully manoeuvring alongside the stern section of Evans, where both ships' crews used mooring lines to lash the ships together. Following temporary repairs at Singapore, Melbourne returned to sea on 27 June bound for Australia. The fleet made its way northwards to the Philippines over the course of the exercise which concluded with a fly-over of aircraft over Manila. The Douglas and McDonnell aircraft companies merged in 1967 so that the Skyhawk was known as the McDonnell-Douglas Skyhawk by the time it entered RAN service. [92], Melbourne arrived in Sydney with the survivors on 14 February, and after spending time alongside at Garden Island, was moved to Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 25 March, where repairs were undertaken; the damaged section of the bow was cut away and repairs to the ship's internal structure were undertaken in drydock, while a 40-ton prefabricated bow was constructed. [70] In November, the carrier took part in disaster relief exercises. Blue exterior, Brown interior. The helicopters aircrew was recovered uninjured by HMAS Derwent. [93] Several of the Southeast Asian deployments were related to the IndonesiaMalaysia confrontation, and involved participation in show of force exercises off the coast of Malaysia. [16] Melbourne's two propellers were driven by two Parsons single-reduction geared turbine sets providing 40,000shp, which were powered by four Admiralty 3-drum boilers. She joined Sydneys escort group for the final time early in June, and visited Malaysia later in the month before returning home. The missing vessel was located on the morning of 6 July some 60kms offshore, and the three occupants, suffering from exposure but otherwise in good health, were embarked in Melbourne by the carriers rubber Gemini dinghy. [125] The stern did not sink, and was later recovered, stripped of parts, and sunk for target practice. I am proud of them. Back row, left to right: LEUTs Peter Wyatt and David Hilliard, LCDRs Peter Seed and George Jude, LEUTs Barry Thompson, Alan Cordell, Edward Wilson and Geoffrey Gratwick. In 1922 the Melbourne was involved in a dramatic rescue of the crew of an American schooner in the Tasman Sea, at the height of a hurricane. [143] During this exercise, Melbourne acquired the nickname 'Little M' after working with 'Big E' USSEnterprisethe smallest and largest aircraft carriers (respectively) in operation at the time. [2], Melbourne's initial armament included 25 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns: six twin and thirteen single mountings. The aircrew was rescued and hauled back on board, however, attempts to recover the aircraft were unsuccessful and it was lost over the side. The two other sailors in the car with him suffered only minor injuries. In 1960, the United States Navy offered an Essex-class carrier to the Australian government, in the interest of improving relations between the two nations and their navies. HMAS Melbourne was originally one of six Majestic Class light fleet aircraft carriers ordered for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. Subsequent reports and inquiries noted the exemplary behaviour, absence of panic, and the quiet and calm courage displayed by all involved in the aftermath of the tragedy. A royal guard and band were paraded on the flight deck, and a royal salute of 21 guns was fired by both Melbourne and FNS Commandant Riviere as HMY Britannia entered Port Hobart on 27 February. [23] In May 1967, it was proposed that while Melbourne was out of service, A-4 Skyhawk pilots and maintenance personnel could be attached to a United States Marine Corps Skyhawk squadron in South Vietnam. Search and rescue operations began immediately in the aftermath of the collision. Melbourne never fired a shot in anger during her service career, having only peripheral, non-combat roles in relation to the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War. The Melbourne struck the Evans amidship cutting her in half. See more photos. [150] The only cost to the RAN would have been the modifications required to make the carrier operationally compatible with the RAN's primarily British-designed fleet. Both the carrier and destroyer were 'darkened' with only navigational/operational lighting in use. On 3 June 1947 the Commonwealth Government approved the acquisition of two aircraft carriers for the RAN. ABERNETHY, Roderic Bell. Following her return, the carrier spent six months in Australian waters, before a two-month deployment to Southeast Asia. Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult. Please be advised that HMAS Melbourne arrived at Port Huangpu, intact and safely afloat, proud and majestic. [126] Melbourne departed Singapore on 27 June and arrived in Sydney on 9 July, where the carrier underwent almost identical repairs at Cockatoo Island Dockyard as in 1964 (primarily the installation of a new bow section). [151], The deal was put on hold in April 1982, following the outbreak of the Falklands War. Duties: Hourly Rate: Full Time $16.75/hr-$18.00 based on experience. The text of the telex message has been altered for readability. Melbourne went on to visit ports in Ceylon, India, Singapore, the Philippines where she took part in the years SEATO exercise PONY EXPRESS; Hong Kong where she had to put to sea to avoid Typhoon Alice; and Papua New Guinea before returning home in June. The work was completed on 27 April, with the shipyard receiving a commendation. She then went on to visit Hong Kong before proceeding to Singapore to participate in the SEATO exercise SEA SERPENT, which in 1963 was being conducted congruently in Manila and Singapore. [38] Instead of pursuing either alternative, the Australian government announced in 1959 that Melbourne would be reconfigured during her 1963 refit to operate as a helicopter carrier. [30] This was immediately followed by a visit to the Solomon Islands in early April. Naval units from Australia, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and Canada participated in the exercises which concluded on 18 November. [19] The flight deck, hangar deck and aircraft lifts were strengthened, and reinforced arrestor cables were installed. The first collision occurred on the evening of 10 February 1964, in which Melbourne rammed and sank the RAN destroyer HMASVoyager, when the latter altered course across her bow. She once again escorted Sydney for three days between 14 and 17 September northwards off the Queensland coast towards New Guinea before detaching for Port Moresby and, later, on to Rabaul. [35], During the 19671969 refit, thirteen Bofors were removed, leaving four twin and four single mountings. They contain the following information for each crew member: The ledgers for each ship have been bound as volumes for each quarter, or three-month period, that the ship was on active service. Naval Airman Douglas Wild suffered severe internal injuries when he slipped while trying to unhook an arrestor wire from a Gannet and was partially crushed between the tail of the plane and the ships deck. She returned to sea on 11 October to commence workup exercises and shortly thereafter resumed a regular program of exercises, training and maintenance. The observer, Lieutenant Edward Kennell, RAN, apparently did not eject but was briefly seen in the water next to the wreckage of the Sea Venom before he disappeared. The Sycamores crew and all four passengers were safely retrieved by Hermes. [102], Melbourne spent ten weeks at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, having her new bow fitted. [61] After visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay, where the aircraft were offloaded and sent to Naval Air Station HMASAlbatross, the carrier concluded her maiden voyage in Sydney on 10 May. [49][138] Following participation in RIMPAC 77, Melbourne was sent to San Diego to collect replacement aircraft. [30][31] The refit was lengthened by industrial action at the dockyard. [136] The remainder of the year involved participation in three exercises, Tasmanex off Wellington, New Zealand, Sea Eagle I in the Tasman Sea, and Kangaroo III in the Coral Sea. Upon the conclusion of SEADOG, the carrier returned to Australia and arrived at Fremantle, via Singapore, on 8 August. [25], The next major refit was required in 1971 for the scheduled rebuilding of the catapult, which was only possible after components were sourced from HMCSBonaventure and USSCoral Sea. [38] Both options were turned down, and it was instead proposed to operate Melbourne as a helicopter carrier. [82] The Daring-class destroyer HMASVoyager was also present, undergoing her own trials following refit, under the command of Captain Duncan Stevens. [159] A Sydney-based group proposed in 1984 to purchase Melbourne and operate her as a floating casino moored in international waters off Eden, New South Wales, but nothing came of this. As the ship was never directly involved in a conflict, her weapons and embarked aircraft did not fire a shot in anger. [14] These carriers were intended as "disposable warships": to be disposed of at the end of World War II or within three years of entering service. 1959 began positively for Melbourne, with the news that she had been awarded the Duke of Gloucesters Cup for 1958 as the RAN unit displaying the highest level of overall proficiency for the year. SEALION concluded on 13 May at Singapore. [17][71] On return to Sydney, Melbourne entered a short refit, which concluded on 13 October and was immediately followed by a visit to Port Phillip, where the carrier was displayed to Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force officer cadets before the carrier returned to Sydney. The Flagship band was part of the RAN massed bands that gave an extremely polished display in the main stadium as a prelude to the official opening ceremony. Melbournes journey back to Sydney was notable for the Melbourne-Sydney Marathon. [7], The Majestic experienced delays in its construction due to labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations and the prioritisation of the construction of merchant ships. In her captain's first television and press interviews much was made of the revelation that Melbourne possessed the ability to operate her jet aircraft by night as well as by day. [164] The carrier was not dismantled for many years; according to some rumours she was not completely broken up until 2002. [15], Melbourne had a standard displacement of 15,740 long tons (17,630 short tons), which increased to 20,000 long tons (22,000 short tons) at full load. [10] As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom. Post-war technological developments saw a rapid evolution in naval aviation driven primarily by the advent of jet propulsion. The need to secure a replacement for Melbourne grew as the carrier's age caused the operating costs to increase to over A$25million per year. Video footage of HMAS Melbourne (II) arriving in Singapore after her collision with USS Frank E Evans in 1969. On 3 June 1969, the two ships were participating in SEATO exercise Sea Spirit in the South China Sea.Around 3:00 am, when ordered to a new escort station, Evans sailed under Melbourne ' s bow . [4] Following the end of World War II, the Admiralty ordered the suspension of many British shipbuilding projects, including the fitting out of Majestic and her five sister ships. They covered around 555 miles (893km) in a little more than two and a half days, and at the end of the month had raised over $6000 with donations still coming in. The impact pushed Voyager through the water laterally for a few seconds, and then she broke in two. Larson made an incorrect turn and was, at one stage, on a collision course with Melbourne. However, a subsequent RAN court martial cleared him of any responsibility. That evening Voyager closed Melbourne for the first time that day for transfer of mail by heaving line. HMAS Melbourne undergoing temporary repairs in Singapore. Morris was an Australian record holder in the hammer throw, and had represented Australia at the 1956 Olympic Games and the 1958 Commonwealth Games. [12][61] Aboard were the 64 aircraft of RAN squadrons 808, 816, and 817, as well as the racing yacht Samuel Pepys (named after the English naval administrator and diarist), which was a gift to the RAN Sailing Association from the Royal Navy. [111] Australian aircraft were not to be provided, as the A-4G Skyhawks used by the RAN were optimised for air defence, not the fighter-bomber role performed by the Marines, and would have suffered heavy losses from North Vietnam's heavy anti-aircraft defences. The remainder of 1976 and early 1977 were occupied with maintenance, leave periods and local exercises. The forward section of Evans sank quickly while her stern section was secured to Melbournes starboard side enabling that part of the ship to be searched for survivors. In 1970, Melbourne participated in three major inter-navy exercises: Sea Rover with SEATO forces in the South China Sea, Bersatu Padu with British Commonwealth forces off Malaysia, and Swan Lake with the Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy off Western Australia. This cine film has been placed online as part of the Sea Power Centre - Australias ongoing archival digitisation program. [44] Two Bofors naval guns were deposited by Melbourne at Souda Bay, Crete on 2 June, marking the first visit of an Australian warship to Crete since June 1941. [4] The ship was laid down as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943, and was launched on 28 February 1945 by Lady Anderson, the wife of Sir John Anderson, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. [79] At the beginning of 1963, Melbourne again visited to the Royal Hobart Regatta, which was immediately followed by a deployment to the Strategic Reserve, including involvement in SEATO Exercise Sea Serpent. [117] The escorts were again warned about the dangers of operating near the carrier and informed of Stevenson's expectations, while the minimum distance between carrier and escorts was increased from 2,000 to 3,000 yards (1,800 to 2,700m). The first aircraft to touch down on Melbourne's flight deck was a Westland Whirlwind helicopter of the Royal Navy on 6 December 1955. Her voyage to Australia was by way of the Mediterranean Sea and included visits to Gibraltar, Naples and Malta before transiting through the Suez Canal. Work progressed slowly thereafter and many lessons learnt during the war regarding carrier design and operations were incorporated into the ship's modernisation programme. The Australian War Memorial also holds relevant information. Photo courtesy Lieutenant Commander J Brown. [1][23] The carrier spent May performing exercises off the New South Wales coast, during which she was called on to rescue three fisherman who had been stranded at sea for the previous two days. Some groups of vessels, referred to as tenders, have been recorded together as one ledger. [114] Evans was positioned on Melbourne's port bow, but began the manoeuvre by turning starboard, towards the carrier. At the end of the Second World War, work on the ship was suspended until she was purchased by the RAN in 1947. [23], At the end of March 1978, Melbourne left Sydney for RIMPAC 78. On 26 November 1959, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. She entered refit in November in preparation for embarking the RANs new Skyhawk and Tracker aircraft in 1967, though a longer and more extensive modernisation would be required to make her fully operational with her new aircraft. [158], Following the decision to replace Melbourne with HMS Invincible, the postponed refit was cancelled outright. [5] Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU2.75million,[note 2] plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. She arrived in Sydney on 9 July. [79] In September, Melbourne reprised her role as the leader of Exercise Tuckerbox II. [38] Under consideration were British carrier HMSAlbion and a ship of the United States' Essex class. [75] The year began with exercises en route to Adelaide, followed by a visit to the Royal Hobart Regatta. He was 31 years of age. Not long afterwards the first fixed wing aircraft, a Hawker De Havilland Sea Venom and a Fairey Gannet, arrived during trials in the English Channel. HMA Ship List 1911-1939. Her steam catapult, arresting equipment and mirror landing system were not removed. Melbourne was the only Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions. The PLAN subsequently arranged for the ship's flight deck and all the equipment associated with flying operations to be removed so that they could be studied in depth. On 8 August tragedy struck Melbourne when Lieutenants Barry Thompson and Keith Potts of 808 Squadron were both killed when their Sea Venom crashed into the sea off Hervey Bay shortly after take off. [44] These weapons were donated to the Australian War Memorial at Stavromenos, in Crete's Rethymno regional unit. The forward section sank soon afterwards and the after section about three hours later. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy . Ralston, M. G. Watson, D. T. The following is a list of Officers and Ratings serving in Lt. Smith, W. N. Ian Critchley LM (E) Served from 1956 - 1969 Served in HMAS Vampire. [161][162], The carrier was initially sold for breaking up as scrap metal for A$1.7million, although the sale fell through in June 1984. [121] The board found Evans partially at fault for the collision, but also faulted Melbourne for not taking evasive action sooner, even though international sea regulations dictated that in the lead-up to a collision, the larger ship was required to maintain course and speed. In June 1981, crew on the Australian Navy's HMAS Melbourne were flying in an anti-submarine patrol plane, a Grumman S-2G Tracker 851, when they helped rescue 99 refugees from their broken-down vessel in the South China Sea, 250 nautical miles east of Vietnam. Seventy four of Evans crew lost their lives, and Melbourne sustained extensive damage to her bow section. The integrity of the initial Board of Inquiry has since been questioned, particularly as it was presided over by Rear Admiral Jerome H King, USN, the officer in overall tactical command of Evans at the time of the collision. [87] Voyager's forward boiler exploded, briefly setting fire to the bow of the carrier before it was extinguished by seawater. [151] A 2012 article in Jane's Navy International stated that the large quantity of equipment recovered from Melbourne "undoubtedly helped" Admiral Liu Huaqing secure the Chinese government's support for his proposal to initiate an aircraft carrier development programme.[164]. Extinguished by seawater in 1947 weapons were donated to the Royal Hobart.... [ 114 ] Evans was an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer broken up until 2002 Huangpu, and..., training and maintenance years ; according to some rumours she was purchased the! Likely reason, training and maintenance the text of the single Bofors were removed leaving. Only navigational/operational lighting in use she returned to sea on 11 October to commence workup exercises and shortly thereafter a... Although insufficient wind speed over the deck appears to be the most likely reason regular program of exercises training! Began the manoeuvre by turning starboard, towards the carrier took part in relief! 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