Back in the family fold

Friends and family pack the wharf at Fleet Base West to welcome back their loved ones.

HMAS Adelaide in Cockburn Sound HMAS Stirling. Photos: ABPH Karen Bailey and ABPH Joanne Edwards

Photos: ABPH Karen Bailey and ABPH Joanne Edwards

By Gary Booth

(CPA-WA) After 180 days away deployed on Operation Catalyst duties in the Persian Gulf, HMAS Adelaide arrived home last month to an enthusiastic welcome from more than 400 family at Fleet Base West.

Senator Ian Campbell, representing the Minister for Defence and RADM Rowan Moffitt, Maritime Commander Australia were also on hand to welcome home Adelaide and praised the outstanding efforts of the 220 strong ship’s company.

“Adelaide has performed magnificently during her deployment and has carried on the standard that the RAN has established now over the last 15 years of deployment to the Gulf,” RADM Moffitt said.

“She has done a great job.”

CMDR Bruce Victor, CO HMAS Adelaide, was full of praise for his crew. “The ship’s company are an exceptional group of people.

Their greatest qualities are the way they have bonded together and been a team.”

For the ship’s company, it is now time for a well earned leave with their loved ones before returning to a maintenance period and then picking up their operating program for the remainder of 2005.

Some statistics from Adelaide’s 180 days on deployment:

• Sailed 28,966.3 nautical miles
• Ship’s helicopter flew 154 sorties
• Boarding parties conducted 145 boardings
• Conducted 19 replenishments at sea
• Conducted 12 stores replenishments using ship’s helicopter
• Received 21 Desert Duck visits (USN mail and stores utility helicopter)
• Received 556 bags of mail, weighing 7140kg
• Cooks served 121,000 meals, and
• Three new dads during the deployment.

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