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STEP UP: The Guard marches across the gangway of HMAS Sirius for the commissioning of the Navy’s new oiler last month. The event took place on the same day that HMAS Westralia decommissioned.
Photo: ABPH Lincoln Commane
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By Hugh McKenzie
Volume 49, No. 18 , October 05, 2006
CMDR Tim Crawford scored a first for Navy since 1935 when he decommissioned his old command, HMAS Westralia, and commissioned his new, HMAS Sirius, at HMAS Stirling last month.
A large audience including CN VADM Russ Shalders AO, CSC, RAN, MCAUST RADM Davyd Thomas, representative of the Minister for Defence, Senator Judith Adams, veterans of Westralia I, and former COs took part in two-and-a-half hours of ceremonial to make the transition complete.
It was the first time since 1935, when HMAS Sydney II was commissioned and HMAS Brisbane I decommissioned in Portsmouth, UK, that the RAN has held a combined decommissioning and commissioning ceremony.
CMDR Crawford made particular mention of his decommissioning guest of honour, Surgeon CMDR (Ret’d) Jim Guest who had served in Westralia I.
“Westralia’s reputation has been forged by many of those here including our guest of honour and the veterans of Westralia I particularly at the Leyte Gulf landings in October 1944, and Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. On behalf of today’s Westralians, I welcome all of those who also have the right to call themselves Westralians. It is a great privilege for us to share this rite with you and the relationship we have developed is significant to us,” he said.
“Westralia and her crew have always had a reputation for getting the job done without fuss and fanfare. To Westralia, looks don’t always matter, but results do. Nonetheless, as you look at her today, the pride of the Ship’s company is evident in the shine on her side and the bearing of these people, the name by which we affectionately refer to her, ‘Rusty’, is belied.”
CMDR Crawford said that the Westralia reputation had been further enhanced by Westralia II’s 17 years of service perhaps most notably during her deployment to the first Gulf War, in the rescues in the southern ocean, in Southern Ocean fisheries patrols, and on numerous deployments throughout Asia.
“Unfortunately, some who have forged this reputation are no longer with us and that fact makes the name Westralia and today’s events all the more poignant,” he said.
The ceremonial paused for one minute’s silence to remember AB Phillip Carroll, LS Bradley Meek, PO Shaun Smith and MIDN Megan Pelly, who lost their lives in a fire onboard the ship in 1998.
“Their legacy lives with Westralia daily, and has been faithfully remembered on each anniversary – we have not forgotten – we will not forget,” CMDR Crawford said.
As Westralia’s officers and Ship’s company marched off after the decommissioning, the Australian Navy Cadets marched on, parading the ANC Colour, together with members of the RAN Band Drum Corps, who beat to quarters in preparation for the Commissioning of NUSHIP Sirius.
The Ship’s Commissioning Lady Mrs Janine Nobbs was met by MCAUST and CMDR Crawford. Her first duty was to inspect the guard, and as she did so the band played a special arrangement of the Pitcairn Anthem made by Director of Music, Navy, LCDR Phil Anderson.
The anthem emphasised the strong attachment between the name Sirius, Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands and the first fleet – HMS Sirius being its supply vessel, later wrecked off Norfolk Island.
After HMAS Sirius had commissioned, Mrs Nobbs explained that she was a great granddaughter of Fletcher Christian. She added that her husband, Bernie Nobbs, was a great grandson of 2LT Philip Gidley King, of the first fleet, later Commandant of Norfolk Island and Governor of NSW.
CMDR Crawford thanked his crew for putting in the hard work to take delivery of the ship and commission.
“Without their tenacity, initiative, flexibility, sense of humour and sheer willingness to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work and fill in the missing links we would not be here today,” he said.
