Oasis amidst the havoc
HMAS Kanimbla played a vital role in the Asian tsunami relief effort, as well as providing a sanctuary for ADF personnel in Aceh

MAIN PHOTO: HMAS Kanimbla off the coastline of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe

DEVASTATION: Australian ADF Engineers begin the massive clean up job in Banda Aceh.

Photo: LSPH Bill Louys

CLEAN UP: Personnel from HMAS Kanimbla move a bookcase from the mud while clearing drains at the Banda Aceh hospital.

Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe

DELIVERY: US Navy MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter delivers stores to HMAS Kanimbla.

Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe

LEADERSHIP (Above): HMAS Kanimbla’s new CO, Commander George McGuire addresses his crew.

Photo: LSPH Bill Louys

By Graham Davis and CAPT Kate Noble

The Navy’s 8,450 tonne “can do” ship HMAS Kanimbla could well be described right now as an “oasis in a scene of grief and devastation”.

Under the command of CMDR George McGuire the landing ship off Banda Aceh, provided humanitarian aid, medical protection and “hotel services” during its stay, for the victims and the defence helpers involved in Operation Sumatra Assist.

The Boxing Day earthquake and follow up tidal waves took the lives of more than 300,000 people, in countries rimming the northern Indian Ocean.

In response, nations such as Australia rushed aid and emergency personnel to the disaster areas.

The ADF sent more than 1000 troops to Banda Aceh. Navy resources included HMAS Kanimbla, two 817 Squadron Sea Kings, divers, hydrographers, doctors, nurses, medics and other specialists.

The work of the ADF people in the region and those who remained behind to support them, none the least their family members, has not gone unnoticed.

CAPT Kate Noble reporting from the operation said the visits to the ship by Australian Defence people had been formalised as part of a program dubbed “Operation Dry Out.”

As a result Army and Air Force personnel rotated to her for short R and R visits.

Sailors from the ship also wanted to get ashore during this time to help with the aid and restoration program.

The ship established a volunteer program for sailors to go ashore and help with the clean up.

LCDR Malcolm Ralston, the ship’s public relations officer said the response to the request for volunteers had been overwhelming.

“When it first started we had a high influx of personnel,” he said.

“Just about the whole ship’s company volunteered to do it.

“Most people on the ship went ashore at least once and some, many times more.”

The volunteer program ran with sailors working under the guidance of Army engineers.

The work was slow going and very dirty.

Although torrential downpours had, by the end, become less of a daily occurrence, the humidity remained a force to be reckoned with.

Kanimbla also provided support to landbased personnel through the provision of fresh rations and a laundry service.

The ships Sea King flight also remained busy, with two aircraft operating from her flight deck or helipads ashore.

Other operations conducted by the Sea King included flights down the west coast of Aceh to deliver aid.

BIG SPLASH (Above): A Landing Craft approaches HMAS Kanimbla to dock.	MEDIC (Right): Reserve Nurse Commander Terrence Slader, a paediatrics intensive care nurse, tends to a patient.
Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe	Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe
KEEPING WATCH (Above): Jeff Weber, an air crewman with 817 Squadron, keeps the pilot of his Sea King helicopter informed of the distance left to the ground, as the helicopter lands at Banda Aceh Hospital, where the Anzac Field Hospital is located.	REFLECTION: ABCIS Mathew Groves lowers the Australian flag to halfmast in rememberance of the people killed in the tsunami.
Photo: CPL Cameron Jamieson	Photo: ABPH Jarrad Oliffe

 

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