Bill hangs up his spanners

CMDR Bill Van Boheemen aboard HMAS Kanimbla after 40 years of service in the RAN he has decided to retire. Photo by LEUT Chris Wakefield

By LEUT Chris Wakefield

Commander Willem (Bill) Van Boheemen will step ashore from HMAS Kanimbla on September 17 ending a career of 40 years in the Royal Australian Navy.

Bill joined as a 15-year-old apprentice on July 5, 1963.

He boarded HMAS Nirimba an RAN apprentice-training establishment in north-western Sydney.

During his long and distinguished career Bill has served in no less than 11 RAN ships and 18 establishments (many of these on more than one occasion).

These postings have including a stint in PNG, the mine hunter HMAS Ibis, HMA Ships Vampire, Supply and Perth, both RAN aircraft carriers and finally HMAS Kanimbla.

His career highlights include having his first Charge job at age 22 onboard HMAS Lae (an Attack Class Patrol Boat based in PNG), being promoted as an SD to SBLT in 1976; this saw him off to England for 12 months.

He was the arresters engineer in HMAS Melbourne (1977-78), marine engineering officer (MEO) in HMA Ships Vampire and Perth, and finally serving as the engineer officer (EO) in Kanimbla.

Between 1993-1995 he was the Fleet Marine Engineering Officer.
He also served as the Assistant Naval Scientific Adviser between 1997-1998.
CMDR Van Boheemen intends, at this stage, retiring in Sydney with his wife Evelyn.

.