Kanimbla
comes up trumps in 2003 Fleet Awards
By
Michael Weaver
The
ship’s company of HMAS Kanimbla (CMDR Stephen Woodall)
has won the prestigious Gloucester Cup for 2003, following the
announcement of the annual Fleet proficiency awards by Maritime
Commander RADM Raydon Gates.
The Gloucester Cup is awarded to the major fleet unit or submarine
that has been foremost in all aspects of operations, safety,
seamanship, reliability and unit level training.
HMAS Darwin (CMDR Aaron Ingram) was the runner-up.
Kanimbla’s defining moments included her exceptional work
during ship boardings and activities in the Gulf, where she
was described as “the lynchpin of maritime operations”
by VADM Keating of the US Fifth Fleet.
Kanimbla also helped save eight Iraqi fishermen and also helped
a seriously ill man in heavy seas in the Indian Ocean while
on the way home from her wartime deployment.
Other
awards are as follows:
-
McNichol
Trophy for air squadron proficiency - 817 Sqn (CMDR James Tobin),
with 816 Sqn (CMDR Brad White) runner-up.
-
Kelly
Shield for overall proficiency in the patrol boat FEG - HMAS
Wollongong (LCDR Stephen Thompson), with HMAS Gladstone (LCDR
Chris Smith) runner-up.
-
Rushcutter
Shield (formerly Kelly Shield) for mine warfare proficiency
- AUSCDTONE (LCDR David Hughes), with HMAS Norman (LCDR Scott
Hamilton) runner-up.
-
LCH
Proficiency Shield - HMAS Tarakan (LCDR David Hannah), with
HMAS Wewak (LCDR Etienne Mulder) runner-up.
-
Hydrographic
Excellence Award - HMAS Benalla (LCDR Fiona Smith), with HMAS
Paluma (LCDR Wayne Hoban) runner-up.
-
Otranto
Shield for surface combatant gunnery proficiency - HMAS Stuart
(CMDR David Greaves), with HMAS Warramunga (CMDR John VanDyke)
runner-up. HMAS Anzac (CAPT Peter Lockwood) received a special
mention for her naval gun support during Operation Slipper.
-
Voyager
Trophy for surface combatant/submarine anti-submarine warfare
proficiency - HMAS Warramunga (CMDR John Vandyke), with HMAS
Canberra (CMDR Stuart Mayer) runner-up.
-
Electronic
Warfare (EW) Proficiency Shield for major fleet unit/mine hunter
coastal/submarine EW proficiency - HMAS Arunta (CMDR Brad Wheeler),
with HMAS Canberra (Stuart Mayer) runner-up. Special mention
to HMAS Dechaineux (LCDR Simon Rusiti).
-
Action
Information Organisation (AIO) Shield for major fleet unit/mine
hunter coastal AIO proficiency - HMAS Warramunga, with HMAS
Manoora (CMDR Martin Brooker) runner-up.
-
Collins
Trophy for embarked flight proficiency - Sea King Flight One
(embarked in Kanimbla/Success), with Seahawk Flight Four (embarked
in Sydney/Parramatta) runner-up.
-
Submarine
Fighting Proficiency Award - HMAS Dechaineux, with HMAS Rankin
(LCDR Stephen Hussey) runner-up.
-
Commodore
Wardle Cup for fleet unit/establishment/communications facility
proficiency - HMAS Melbourne (CMDR Vern Dutschke), with NAVCOMSTA
Canberra runner-up.
-
Wormald
Shield for fleet unit nuclear and biological chemical defence
(NBCD) proficiency - HMAS Kanimbla (CMDR Stephen Woodall), with
HMAS Manoora (CMDR Martin Brooker) runner-up.
-
Combat
System Proficiency Shield for surface ship combat systems and
weapons engineering proficiency - HMAS Anzac, with HMAS Warramunga
runner-up.
-
Australia
Cup for marine engineering proficiency - HMAS Sydney (CMDR Michael
Van Balen), with HMAS Stuart runner-up. Special mention for
HMAS Huon (LCDR Barry Jones).
-
FIMA
Shield for most proficient Fleet Intermediate Maintenance Authority
- FIMA Darwin.
-
NQEA
Engineering Sword for patrol boat engineering proficiency -
HMAS Wollongong, with HMAS Townsville (LCDR Michael Harris)
runner-up.
-
Supply
Excellence Award for fleet unit/fleet support unit supply proficiency
- HMAS Manoora, with HMAS Kanimbla runner-up.
-
Silver
Platter for excellence in food service: Major Fleet Unit Silver
Platter - HMAS Warramunga, with HMAS Newcastle (CAPT Gerry Christian)
runner-up; Minor Warfare Vessel Silver Platter - HMAS Yarra
(CMDR Alex Hawes), with HMAS Geelong (LCDR William Triffit)
runner-up; Submarine Silver Platter - HMAS Rankin (LCDR Stephen
Hussey), with HMAS Dechaineux runner-up.
-
Pakistan
Shield for sports participation and achievement: for units with
100 or more personnel - HMAS Success (CMDR Mark McIntosh), with
HMAS Manoora runner-up; for units with less than 100 - HMAS
Yarra (CMDR Alexander Hawes).
-
Fleet
Training Award for contribution to individual and collective
training progression - HMAS Canberra, with HMAS Success runner-up.
