Sydney away
I wish you luck and look forward to your safe and early return...PM John Howard

Prime Minister John Howard, CDF General Peter Cosgrove, The Governor General Dr Peter Hollingworth and MCAUST RADM Raydon Gates

PO Glenn Goodwin hugs his son farewell.

Tender scenes of farewell on the wharf.

Tender scenes of farewell on the wharf.

She slips gracefully away. HMAS Sydney departs for duty in the Gulf.

Let go fo’rrard the farewells over.

XO, CMDR Charles McHardy farewells his wife.

He has to be back by September he’s getting married. LS Jarrod Leslie with Nicki and baby Zakk.

Command Warrant Officer David Baker with Governor General Dr Peter Holling worth.

Only three weeks old a son farewells his dad.

By Graham Davis

A peaceful but tearful wharfside farewell for Gulf-bound HMAS Sydney (CMDR Mike Van Balen) was marred when the warship was surrounded by “no war” protestors and a rope bearing buoys and divers strung across her path.

More than 450 family members and friends gathered on the West Wall of Fleet Base East from an early hour on April 8 to farewell CMDR Van Balen and his ship’s company of 230 including 33 women.

Some of the visitors had flown from interstate to be present others had driven much of the night.

With the RAN Band/Sydney playing the family members mingled on the wharf and on the flight deck with those heading for The Gulf and their part in Operation Falconer.

As the crowd was later told the 20 year-old warship had been to the Gulf so often (her fifth trip) she could probably find her own way there.

Joining the ship’s company and the families were the Governor General Dr Peter Hollingworth, the Prime Minister Mr John Howard and Mrs Howard, Opposition Leader Mr Simon Crean, the Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill, the Immigration Minister Mr Phillip Ruddock, the Attorney General Mr Daryl Williams, the Chief of the Defence Force, GEN Peter Cosgrove and Mrs Cosgrove, Chief of Navy VADM Chris Ritchie and the Maritime Commander, RADM Raydon Gates.

VADM Ritchie opened the addresses by pointing out that Sydney was making her fifth deployment to the Middle East in 12 years.

He said the ship has a proud name and he knew her present ship’s company would maintain that pride.

“I hope that in your time in The Gulf the conflict will come to an end.”

VADM Ritchie thanked families for supporting those deployed and implored them to seek help from the Defence Community

Organisation if needed. GEN Cosgrove said the RAN had already done a “tremendous tour of duty” in The Gulf.

He said he could understand that loved-ones experienced sadness when Defence personnel deployed.

“Their service is in a good cause,” he re-assured them.

To the officers and sailors he said they were serving in a “world class navy.

“Good luck to you all.”

The Prime Minister warned that although major conflicts might come to an end there was the risk of “dissident elements” continuing attacks on Coalition forces.

“We admire you, we thank you and we respect you,” Mr Howard told the ship’s company.

“I wish you luck and look forward to your safe and early return.”

Opposition Leader Simon Crean, as he had said at the departure of Kanimbla earlier this year, reiterated the ALP was not in conflict with those going to The Gulf but those who had made the policy to send them.

“You go with our best wishes and with our prayers. You go with the love of your families.

“The protest is against the Government not against the troops. I hope that when you get there the war will be over. Return with honour. Godspeed. The love of your family and friends is with you,” Mr Crean said.

The dignitaries then mingled with sailors and families before returning to the wharf.

As time for the 10am cast off neared the band struck up We Are Australian and finally the National Anthem. Tears streamed down faces and loved-ones ran to the northern end of the wharf for a final glimpse and wave. CN and CDF saluted as the DMS tugs inched the spotless warship away from the wharf and allowed her General Electric turbines to propel 03 towards the Western Channel and the open sea.

Waiting at NAS Nowra was “Tiger 82”, her Seahawk helicopter.

All photos on this page by LSPH Damian Pawlwnko and ABPH Cristine Mercer.

Wedding plans go ahead as Boofa’s banner flies

According to his partner Nicola, HMAS Sydney marine technician, LS Jarrod Leslie has to be back home by August...September at the latest.

“It’s because we are getting married in September,” she declared.

Nicola and the couple’s four-month old son Zakk were among more than 450 family members and friends at Fleet Base East to farewell Sydney when she deployed on Operation Falconer.

Jarrod and Nicola are both Navy, they met through the Service.

She is a Petty Officer steward who served in East Timor. For Jarrod, 31, it will be his second Gulf deployment.

“I was there on Sydney from October 2001 into 2002,” he said.

Jarrod and Nicola were just some of the hundreds of RAN men and women shared some tearful minutes on the wharf or flight deck before the warship cast off.

Relatives came from afar to farewell Brett Anderson he was joined by cousins who come from Forster and Old Bar to be there
ABMT Aaron Light from Grenfell was making his second Gulf trip and was farewelled by Stephanie Twomey.

“I’m extremely proud of him. Words can’t explain,” Stephanie said of Aaron.

Christie Buntiang and their daughter Abigail, 2, were on hand to farewell ABET Zach Buntiang. Another making his second deployment was PO Ian Harvey of Cherrybrook.

He was in Kanimbla when she made her first deployment.

Ian was farewelled by wife Belinda and their children Cayle 2 and Jarrod 7. Belinda told Navy News that to minimise fretting by her son over the absence of his father, Ian had spent much time talking to him about where he was going and what he was going to do.

“Jarrod is a very intelligent kid, Ian didn’t lie to him,” Belinda said.

SMN Tom Kelly, 18 was doing his first deployment and got an extra hug from his mother Mrs Marilyn Kelly.

It was a very sad Richelle Auletta who farewelled husband, SMNEWT Anthony.

ABATA Ryan Beggs is a member of 816 Squadron and it will be his job, along with others, to keep Sydney’s Seahawk helicopter “Tiger 82” in the air. Sarah Brookes of Nowra gave him a big hug when he left.

As the ship inched away from the wharf Renae and Wendy Halley of Tasmania hoisted a bed sheet banner declaring “We Love You Boofa”...Boofa is ABBM Ben Knight.

Vigilance essential

By Graham Davis

The Prime Minister and Chief of Navy have some sound advice for RAN members still in The Gulf and the newcomers aboard HMAS Sydney.

It is “be alert for suicide bombers.”

Prime Minister Howard spoke of the risk of suicide bombers during a dockside press conference following the departure of Sydney on Operation Falconer duties on April 8.

He said that although other military action may have subsided there remained the threat of “suicide bombers on the sea as well as on the land.”

Earlier Mr Howard said Sydney would have a role in protecting ships carrying humanitarian aid.

Of Australian forces generally, the Prime Minister said, “Australia has played a very significant role.”

He spoke of a situation just hours earlier where SAS personnel 200 kilometres from Baghdad had come across a Russian ambassadorial convoy; some of the party was injured.

“Our soldiers offered assistance including medivac,” Mr Howard said.

Chief of Navy, VADM Ritchie has also warned of the threat of suicide bombers in small craft.

In a message to all in the RAN he said the task group in The Gulf continued riverine operations controlling security patrols for mine countermeasures efforts within the Khawr Abd Allah (KAA) waterway.

“The KAA has been opened to humanitarian aid shipping changing the focus to patrol craft and RHIB operations,” VADM Ritchie said.

“Extra vigilance due to potential suicide attacks by small boats has added another dimension to the task,” he said.