By
Tim Slater
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Nothing
like a high pressure wash down to remove the grit. Members
of Anzac’s crew demonstrate their skills.
Photo by CMDR Stu Wheeler
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Ferocious
seas did not deter HMAS Anzac (CAPT Peter Lockwood) and HMAS Darwin
(CMDR Aaron Ingram) from arriving at Fremantle to an emotional
welcome on May 17 after being away for almost seven months participating
in Op Slipper and Op Falconer.
Darwin and Anzac had been away for 210 days after leaving HMAS
Stirling on October 28.
During the deployment they completed more than 400 boardings of
vessels in the Persian Gulf and HMAS Anzac became the first Australian
warship since the Vietnam War to fire her guns in anger.
Thousands of West Australians lined the port to welcome the ships
home with banners and flags flying and the navy band playing in
overcast and blustery conditions.
CMDR Ingram said the weather along the WA coast had been horrendous.
“We surfed a fair bit of the way,” he said. “There
was a point where I finally had to take the bit between the teeth
and say let’s go, we’ve got to head in otherwise we’ll
miss the show.”
CAPT Lockwood said he was equally determined to get home.
“I said we’re going through this storm and we are going
to get back home today,” he said.
“We had a great welcome coming all the way down the harbour
and it just makes us all feel so special.”
Prime Minister John Howard, CDF GEN Peter Cosgrove, CN VADM Chris
Ritchie and MCAUST RADM Raydon Gates were among the welcoming
crowd.
GEN Cosgrove said the occasion had been summed up in one gesture:
“It was the captain of the Darwin who, with his arms full
of kids reached under one of the kids to shake hands, looked me
in the eye and said, ‘well we did it, Boss, mission accomplished’.”
CAPT Lockwood said the deployment had been very long but modern
communications had helped families keep in touch.
“These days email services and telephone calls have made
it a lot easier for us but you just can’t beat the hug and
a kiss when you get back.”
CMDR Ingram said the most memorable moment of the deployment for
him was when HMAS Darwin’s job was almost complete.
“I suppose it was knowing that we had done a great job and
that I was about 85 per cent of the way to bringing everybody
home safe and sound,” CMDR Ingram said.
CN said the ships’ companies had earned the admiration and
appreciation of the naval community.
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