Yarra helps explode ordnance

LEUT Tim Lyons and ABCD Brett Hannerbery prepare to destroy WWII Japanese projectiles.

Unexploded ordnance left over from World War II is one of the scourges of life on many of the Pacific Islands.

The Solomon Islands are an example.

Already ADF personnel deployed on Operation Anode have been called in to render areas safe from the explosive ordnance.

HMAS Yarra (CMDR Alex Hawes) is the latest Defence asset called in to help destroy dangerous ordnance.

The ship’s clearance divers recently destroyed three piles of Japanese shells using red detonating cord.

Yarra’s members are working with Army demolition members on the ordnance clearance tasks.

Destruction of the old munitions is just part of a differing program of activities assigned to CMDR Hawes and his ship’s company.

They have been involved in a number of special ops and police operations including the investigation of crimes ranging from weapons possession, sexual assault of a minor, grievous bodily harm to attempted murder.

Ten prisoners have been moved by Yarra to other locations. The 720 tonne coastal minehunter arrived in the Solomons on March 18 as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

She will remain in The Slot for 60 days and return to Sydney late in May.

From July to October Yarra is scheduled to deploy to South-East Asia and India.

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