HEAVE IN: ABBM Sally Norwell prepares for the commissioning of HMAS Armidale. Photo: LSPH Kaye Adams.

Photo: LSPH Kaye Adams

 

By LCDR Antony Underwood

In Darwin, the Navy has farewelled an old friend and welcomed a new worker. Late last Thursday afternoon, the last Commanding Officer of HMAS Cessnock, LCDR Tony Powell, handed FCPB 210’s Australian White Ensign AWE) to the Deputy Maritime Commander, CDRE Peter Lockwood.

This was the last act in a ceremony, tinged with nostalgia, as many present remembered the good times and the bad as the tropical sun set on 22 years faithful service.

And the following morning the sun rose over a welcome to the Fleet’s newest acquisition when sailors from the relocated HMAS Coonawarra (Darwin Naval Base) broke out the AWE on the stern of HMAS Armidale, first of class of the new boats.

CO of the new boat LCDR Andrew Maher presented ship’s company to guests assembled for the occasion and spoke of the valour of the ship’s company of the first HMAS Armidale sunk by enemy aircraft in 1942.

Timing of the ceremonies was determined by the Top End tides. In his commissioning speech, LCDR Maher praised:

• The prime contractor, Defence Maritime Services and their partner Austal “for their commitment and innovation”;
• Defence Material Organisation and “the untiring staff of the Patrol Boat Force Element Group who are no doubt relieved by the birth of their oversized baby”; and
• The ship’s test captain, LCDR John Navin, and his trials crew, home of the first eight new boats, HMAS Coonawarra, and support organisations “who were bold enough to embrace this innovative concept”.
  
  “She is the first of a new class of patrol boats,” LCDR Maher said, “a class conceived, built, crewed, maintained and operated to achieve a mission. “Every component serves the purpose of protecting our borders and our national interests.
  
  She is an advance in habitability. She employs technology unmatched for a ship her size.”
  

Armidale weighs into a new era

FOND FAREWELL: LS Jacqueline Percy (left) and LS John Carter (right) fold the Australian White Ensign during a rehearsal of HMAS Cessnock’s decommissioning ceremony at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin.

Photo: LSPH Kaye Adams

The decommissioning CO, LCDR Powell, addressed about 280 guests late last Thursday afternoon including the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Ted -Egan, re-elected Chief Minister Clare Martin and Deputy Maritime Commander, CDRE Peter Lockwood.

HMAS Coonawarra’s CHAP Barrie Yesberg led the service which followed giving thanks “for the high level of morale and the spirit of comradeship which made HMAS Cessnock a good ship”.

In her 22 years in RAN commission, Cessnock had a total of 17 COs of whom at least four were to attend the decommissioning.

Over a total 8,145 days under the Australian White Ensign, Cessnock sailed 589,418 nautical miles, equivalent to around 1,000,000km and her ships’ companies drank an estimated 573,000 cups of coffee on visits to about 19 countries. “She is not a big ship, but she has been home for hundreds of sailors since she was commissioned in Cairns by Lady Joan McNamara,” LCDR Powell said.

[Lady McNamara, wife of former Chief of Defence Force Staff, ACM Sir Neville McNamara was unable to attend the decommissioning.]

LCDR Powell said patrol boats had long been considered the ideal platform for developing all in the future Navy – for teaching skills such as command, seamanship, watchkeeping and engineering to officers and sailors at all levels in a small crew.

LCDR Powell added that the makers (NQEA Shipyard in Cairns), maintainers (the FIMA and contractors in Darwin) and HMAS Coonawarra had all played vital roles in keeping Cessnock operating.

With the advance of age, however, keeping Cessnock operating had become a more complex task with the increasing difficulty of obtaining spares.

“For example, our gun is still fully functional but was manufactured in 1941,” he said.

“The systems program office are hovering like vultures for us to retire as Cessnock will tomorrow be providing many spares to keep our remaining 14 boats operational until their decommissioning.”

He said the current crew and families had overcome their “share of challenges” as the first of class to decommission.

“Very shortly, my crew and I will be moving on to other jobs in the Navy,” he said. “We will look back on our time in Cessnock, remembering as our predecessors do, the camaraderie of 24 people living, eating and working on a 42 metre ship, of boardings at two o’clock in the morning, and of runs ashore in remote and exotic locations.”

As the sun rose over Darwin last Friday, three Navy chaplains representing the major Christian denominations blessed the start of commissioned service of HMAS Armidale, first of 14 state-of-the-art patrol boats being built by Austal in Western Australia.

As with the previous afternoon’s decommissioning, there was a clear lower deck for ship’s company with the Deputy Maritime Commander, CDRE Peter Lockwood, representing the host, Maritime Commander Australia.

Armidale’s CO LCDR Maher acknowledged the heritage of the name chosen for the first of class of the new patrol boats, etched into the annals of Australian naval history, when the WWII corvette, HMAS Armidale, was sunk by an enemy air attack in 1942.

He described three survivors from the incident, Messrs Bill Lamshed, Roy Clelland and Roy Leonard — flown to Darwin specially for the commissioning — as “heroes, legends and an inspiration to us all”.

“The first Armidale commissioned in Sydney in June 1942 and was sunk in an historic battle against vastly overwhelming airborne firepower while on a daring rescue mission to Timor on December 1, 1942.

“As she slipped below the waves, the injured Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean, strapped himself into an anti-aircraft gun and kept on firing, with some success, until after he had disappeared underwater.”

LCDR Maher said his crew, like the survivors from Armidale I, had chosen to put on a uniform, take their ship to sea and do whatever their country asks, whatever the consequences.

“To the men and women of Armidale, you are heroes where you stand,” he said.

“and to command their proud sailors, under the historic banner of HMAS Armidale is indeed my greatest professional honour.”

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