Melbourne Gulf bound
Tempo of boardings back to pre Op Falconer days warns MC

By Graham Davis

Images of a heartfelt farewell as HMAS Melbourne leaves for The Gulf.

Photos: ABPH Bill Louys, ABPH Yuri Ramsey

Maritime Commander RADM Raydon Gates has warned CMDR Vern Dutschke and his ship’s company, now heading for The Gulf in HMAS Melbourne, they are in for “six months of hard work”.

He said the tempo of boardings by Australian ships was “back to pre Operation Falconer days”.
“Recently HMAS Newcastle (whom Melbourne will replace) did 25 boardings before breakfast,” RADM Gates said.

The Maritime Commander’s busy warning came during an address to the ship’s company and family members and friends who had come to see them depart from Fleet Base East on October 27.

He told the gathering the ship was ready to do the job. “Six months is a long time,” he acknowledged as he asked families to support those deployed.

Family members had gathered from an early hour to hug and kiss their loved ones for the last time in six months. Eighteen-year-old SMNCSO Michelle Madeley of Parramatta draped herself in the Australian flag to give her brother Joshua, just 17 months, a final cuddle.

LS David Toms from Ballina got a final hug and kiss from girlfriend Jodie Mitchell. Members of the Defence Community Organisation along with Navy chaplains, SCHAP Richard Thompson (just back from the Bali remembrance) and CHAP Chris Aulich, moved amongst the families.

With a call to board ship, sailors said their final farewells, gave their final kisses and hugs and moved up the brow. Ashore tears streamed down scores of cheeks.

CHAP Aulich comforted one young lad who sat cross-legged on the edge of the wharf, tears streaming down his face knowing he would not see his dad for six months.

With the band playing Anchors Aweigh, HMAS Melbourne, looking spotless from a refit since she was in The Gulf in late 2002, cast off her lines.

The ship’s company, resplendent in their whites, lined the rails. With a DMS tug helping, the warship’s pair of GE jet engines inched her away from the wharf.

Circling in Woolloomooloo Bay was the vintage ferry Reliance.

The home-made banner stretched along her side spoke for those on the wharf ... “05 we luv U”. Off Fort Denison, Melbourne turned, spent a short time at the degaussing range, then headed south for Fleet Base West and a changeover with HMAS Newcastle.

Already on board was her Seahawk helicopter, her flight led by LCDR Dave Frost.

Also deployed was a team of explosive destruction specialists. HMAS Melbourne was ready for a “busy six months”.

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