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Toowoomba home
By Rachel Irving
Volume 50, No. 12, July 12, 2007 |
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| NEW DAD: LSET Wright holds his son Thomas for the first time. Photo: ABPH Nadia Monteith |
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GREAT DAY: Toowoomba returns from the Persian Gulf to her home port at FBW.
Photo: ABPH Nadia Monteith |
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“Fearless to the end”, was how HMAS Toowoomba was described at her homecoming on July 2, after a six-month rotation in the Northern Arabian Gulf.
Commander Australian Fleet RADM Davyd Thomas made the comment to Toowoomba’s Commanding Officer, CMDR Jaimie Hatcher, the ship’s company and family and friends waiting on the wharf at Fleet Base West.
“I was here about a month ago when we farewelled HMAS Anzac to relieve you in The Gulf. That was a very sad day for the families and friends,” RADM Thomas said.
But today is the opposite. It’s a great day to have everybody back home safely and it’s a day of thanksgiving.”
RADM Thomas admitted that since Toowoomba’s commissioning on October 8, 2005, the frigate had been extremely busy.
“She’s had a big life in a short time, and has now successfully completed her first operational deployment. Toowoomba has been fearless to the end.”
CMDR Hatcher said the ship’s company had faced significant challenges in The Gulf, but they never let him down.
“I am a grateful captain of a magnificent crew, never on any occasion did they let me down,” CMDR Hatcher said.
We met some interesting challenges in the Northern Arabian Gulf but the crew, always delivered when required, and I can’t thank them enough.”
CMDR Hatcher said that his confidence in the RAN’s procedures and processes had never wavered.
“We were put to the test and everybody performed just as they need to. I was never in any doubt.”
Toowoomba will stay in an availability period until the end of the year, giving the ship’s company some well-deserved time with families and friends.
| Statistics HMAS Toowoomba, Op Catalyst, Jan – Jun 07 |
| Event |
Number |
Days away from home port
Days on station in Persian Gulf
Nautical miles steamed
Fuel burnt
Water Produced (via reverse osmosis)
Meals consumed
Services of devine worship (including coalition units)
Medical assistance outside ship
Merchant vessel queries conducted
Boardings conducted
Security sweeps
Interaction patrols among local fishing dhows
Oil pumped through Oil Terminals while on station
Hours flown by aircraft |
-179
-102
-21,862
-2000t / $2,606,000
-8.5 million litres
-8085
-46
-2
-510
-10
-62
-8
-US$7billion
-240 |
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