Image Gallery: May 2007
Navy farewells Fremantle Class Patrol Boats
15 May 2007
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships Townsville and Ipswich were the last of the Fremantle Class Patrol Boats (FCPB) to decommission in their homeport of Cairns after a combined 50 years of service to the Navy.
Both ships' Australian White Ensign were lowered for the last time and handed to the respective Commanding Officers. In attendance was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Mr Peter Lindsay MP, Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Russ Shalders and the Commander Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas.
The FCPB are gradually being replaced by 14 state-of-the-art Armidale Class Patrol Boats being built by Western Australian ship builder Austal. The first ACPB, HMAS Armidale, was commissioned in June 2005 and eight of her sister ships are already operational.
Read media release: Navy farewells Fremantle Class Patrol Boats
More: The RAN's Fremantle and Adelaide Class Patrol Boats
| 20071105ran8099864_043 Guard Commander Lieutenant Richard Raymond escorting HMAS Townsville's guest of honour during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_050 Guard Commander Lieutenant Richard Raymond escorting HMAS Ipswich's Guest of Honour during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_066 Commanding Officer HMAS Ipswich Lieutenant Commander Grogan during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_131 The lowering of the Australian White Ensigns during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (Date taken: 10 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_164 The handing over of the Australian White Ensigns during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf, Cairns. (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_177 Naval Cadets extinguish the lanterns that represent each of the Freemantle Class Patrol Boats that were part of the Royal Australian Fleet during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf Cairns (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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| 20071105ran8099864_186 The final march past of the ships' crews during the decommissioning ceremony of HMA Ships Ipswich and Townsville held at Trinity Wharf Cairns. (Date taken: 11 May 2007) Low Res | High Res |
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