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Killen’s legacy recalled
By ex-WOCD Larry Digney

Volume 50, No. 1, February 8, 2007
 
FOND MEMORIES: LEUT Jake Linton, Sir James Killen and ABCD Tony Ey in Vietnam on Christmas Eve 1970.
 
Former Minister for the Navy, Sir James “Jim” Killen, passed away on January 12. Here is a tribute written by ex-WOCD Larry Digney.

Sir Denis James Killen had a long-standing and affectionate relationship with the Clearance Diving Branch.

It all began after he was appointed to the position of Minister for Navy in the Gorton Liberal Government in 1969.

By coincidence he was at Coolangatta Airport in September 1970 when members of the 8th contingent of CDT 3 were travelling back to Sydney, having just completed their Army jungle training period at JTC Canungra.
LEUT Jake Linton, OIC of the 8th contingent, introduced himself to the Minister and then in turn introduced each team member to him.

LEUT Linton explained he and the team were about to embark to Vietnam and invited the Minister to visit if he happened to be in Vietnam.

Later in 1970 Sir James did travel to Vietnam to visit some of the RAN forces in the field.
During that trip he honoured his pledge and visited the 8th contingent of CDT 3 in Da Nang on Christmas Eve, 1970, and spent the night with them.

Members of that team recall the open and friendly nature of the Minister and his insistence that a Polaroid photograph be taken of him with his arm around our authentic Vietnamese National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) flag.

As a result of the very relaxed and memorable visit by Sir James to Da Nang and the obvious rapport he enjoyed with the CDs he was invited to become the Patron of the Clearance Diving Team 3 Vietnam Association when it was formed on July 26, 1975. Sir James accepted the request and the relationship strengthened, especially as a result of a closeness enjoyed by Sir James with Jake Linton and the late ex-WOCD, John Gilchrist.

Sir James attended several Clearance Diving functions during his tenure as patron including the retirement function for CMDR Jake Linton at HMAS Penguin in 1985 where he stayed and mingled amongst the Divers for over four hours.

The Australian Clearance Diving world has lost a truly inspirational and beloved friend with the passing of Sir James Killen. He will not be easily replaced. Vale Sir James.