Rowed out of town
HMAS Melbourne gains a new CO, and loses another

A fast getaway

GOODBYE: CMDR Vern Dutschke is farewelled as he is rowed ashore from HMAS Melbourne.

Photo: ABPH Nina Nikolin

By LCDR Mick Gallagher

HMAS Melbourne has a new Commanding Officer, CMDR Anthony B Raeside.

CMDR Raeside assumed command of the guided missile frigate from CMDR Vern Dutschke. Melbourne and her five sister ships were the first RAN ships to be powered by gas turbines.

She is a long-range escort capable of area air defence, surface and under sea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction.

Melbourne deployed to East Timor in 2000 and the Solomon Islands in 2001.

She recently participated with ships of the RAN and RNZN in Tasman Ex 2005.

The name Melbourne has been carried by two former RAN warships: a light cruiser 1913-1928, and an aircraft carrier 1955-1982.

The ship’s motto, Vires Acquirit Eundo, translates as, She Gathers Strength as She Goes.

A fast getaway

Two guys were attending a party in the woods, when all of a sudden, it started to pour with rain.

They ran for their car, jumped in, and gunned it.

They were going pretty fast when an old man’s face appeared in the passenger window, knocking on it!

The passenger screamed, but decided to roll down his window halfway.

‘’What do you want?’’ he asked. ‘’Do you have any tobacco?’’ asked the old man.

The passenger handed the old man a cigarette, and he went away. ‘’Go faster!’’ said the passenger.

‘’I don’t want to see him again!’’

They speed away, but soon, the old man appeared at the window again! Scared, the passenger rolls down his window again.

‘’Do you have a light?’’ said the old man’s face. Trembling, the passenger handed him a pack of matches. And the old man went away.

‘’Drive faster!’’ said the passenger. So they pushed it to 100km. But 10 minutes later, the face returns.

‘’What do you want from us?’’ screamed the passenger. The old man gently replied ‘’You fools want some help getting out of the mud?’’

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