Easter at Christmas

HMAS Adelaide (CMDR David Johnston) was in the vicinity of Christmas Island on OP Relex II duties over Easter.

Easter is normally a time of recreation and family gatherings and, for some, church services. The Command Team decided the ship’s company, including an embarked Army detachment, should have the opportunity to observe at least some of the Easter traditions.

These started on the morning of Good Friday, when a “Stations of the Cross” service was conducted. The service commemorates the journey Jesus made from his sentencing to his crucifixion at Calvary.

ABBM Allan (Ned) Kelly had made a cross and decorated it with traditional Bosun’s rope work. The cross was carried around the ship from the flightdeck, to the fo’c’sle, to 02 deck with the last station on the GDP. At each station, a different member of the ship’s company led the prayers.

Later on Good Friday, a ceremony was held to scatter the ashes of two former sailors. They were Able Seaman Dennis William (Bill) Henry Youde and Able Seaman Norman James Kerr who enlisted in the Navy in 1939 and spent five years on active service. They both died in Adelaide in 2002.

On Easter Sunday, the congregation met in the port hangar for the church service, where the Chaplain wearing a set of rabbit ears met them.

The service remembered all ADF personnel people deployed over Easter and the families of Adelaide’s ship’s company. At the end of the service, those present each received a chocolate Easter egg and later the Easter Bunny delivered eggs for all hands to each of the messes.

A memorable Easter concluded with 2 Mess hosting a Mexican night and a Flight Deck movie.

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