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Och
aye: Tartan Terror returns
Ghost
ship and Relex mark deployment
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LSCSO
John Alderton is welcomed by three-year-old son Cooper and
wife Louise upon HMAS Stuart’s return to Fleet Base
East.
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CO
of HMAS Stuart, CMDR David Greaves described the four-month
deployment as “successful”.
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LSET
Chris DeJosselin with daughter Abbie, four months, in his
lap, with wife Kelly and four-year-old daughter Aimee, all
taking time out to sit down and talk. Photos by ABPH Cristine
Mercer.
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HMAS
Stuart (CMDR David Greaves) was met by a small but very enthusiastic
crowd when she returned to Fleet Base East after a four-month deployment
earlier this month.
First part of the deployment saw the 3,600-tonne Anzac Class warship,
also known as the ‘Tartan Terror’, do her operational
readiness evaluation.
Then it was on to do patrols as part of Op Relex 2, Australia’s
operation aimed at stopping people smugglers reaching Australian
territory.
During one patrol CMDR Greaves and his people came across a large
Taiwanese-owned trawler drifting and empty 150 nautical miles from
Broome.
Earlier a Coastwatch plane had seen the trawler motoring, but with
apparently no one on board. The “ghost” ship was towed
to Broome.
Its discovery has led to extensive checks by Australian authorities
as to the whereabouts of the crew, thought to include a Taiwanese
master and engineer and eight to ten Indonesian fishermen (full
story published Navy News, Feb 13, P10).
CMDR Greaves told Navy News he had heard nothing further of the
mystery.
He also described the deployment as successful.
With the RAN/Sydney Band playing tunes with a Scottish flavour,
the warship returned to FBE, her home port, on Friday, February
7.
Three-year-old Cooper Alderton from Peakhurst had painted a special
flag to welcome his dad, LSCSO John Alderton home.
John’s mother Mrs Christine Sucic had come from Tasmania for
the occasion and held her grandson high to get a better look at
the arriving warship.
PO Nigel Jeffers of Holsworthy received a big kiss from four-year-old
daughter Aimee and wife Nicole when he came ashore.
LSET Chris DeJosselin of Birchgrove sat on the wharf with four-month-old
daughter Abbie in his lap, while older daughter Aimee and wife Kelly
sat nearby.
LS Andrew Hamilton received hugs and kisses from wife Christie and
daughter Kate, 17 months.
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