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EDITORIAL INFORMATION<br />

Sponsor<br />

CDRE Mike Deeks<br />

Editorial Office<br />

SMFEG<br />

Building 80<br />

HMAS STIRLING<br />

Rockingham WA 6958<br />

Disclaimer<br />

The Trade is produced as a means of promoting<br />

the Submarine Force Element Group throughout<br />

the RAN. The content of this publication and<br />

opinions of the authors do not necessarily reflect<br />

service policy and, unless stated otherwise,<br />

should not be construed as Orders, Instructions or<br />

Directives.<br />

2


table of contents<br />

CANSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4<br />

Target setup for the Silent Service . . . . . . . . . . . .5<br />

COS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />

Qualified Submariners Since April 2002 . . . . . . .7<br />

DECHAINEUX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8<br />

SHEEAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10<br />

WALLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12<br />

SMWOC 2002 at Perisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13<br />

Wayne Gilligan commended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14<br />

COLLINS Yearbook 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14<br />

EX LONGLOOK 2002 - UK Report . . . . . . . . . .15<br />

FIMA(SM) Perth in Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16<br />

WO “Buck” Rodgers 50? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17<br />

Vacant position - DFA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17<br />

The Perisher report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18<br />

VICTORIA vs JULIETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22<br />

Pam Sharman leaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23<br />

Submarine mentor program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24<br />

Maritime Museum, WA - a tour . . . . . . . . . . . . .26<br />

Recruit Training School, CERBERUS . . . . . . . . .27<br />

Hawaii Five-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27<br />

Four into One (DSMS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28<br />

Fight On in Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30<br />

The other left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32<br />

Vale - Val Gardiner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33<br />

Book Review - Lost Subs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34<br />

Stop the Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36<br />

Defence Families of Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38<br />

National SM Association office bearers . . . . . . .39<br />

3


CANSG COMMODORE Mike deeks<br />

Welcome to the 2002 Christmas edition of<br />

The Trade. I would like to take this<br />

opportunity to thank all members of the<br />

Submarine Group and the wider submarine<br />

community for their tremendous efforts this year. We<br />

have had some significant successes that you will read<br />

about in the following pages and we can all take pride<br />

in our achievements.<br />

My aim since joining the Submarine Group a little<br />

over a year ago has been to refocus our efforts on<br />

‘operations’. By this I mean, adopting an operational<br />

approach to everything we do. Our primary aim is to<br />

provide submarines in a ready state for the Maritime<br />

Commander, as he needs them for operations. These<br />

operations may include support to other Fleet and<br />

Defence units; participation in joint or combined<br />

exercises either within <strong>Australian</strong> waters or overseas, engagement of our regional allies or operational<br />

deployments in support of national objectives. All of these activities are important in different ways.<br />

I am pleased to report that there has been a marked improvement in the submarine force’s operational<br />

readiness and ability to meet our commitments. Recent Assisted Maintenance Periods have been<br />

completed on time and close to cost. The take-on of work by FIMA has increased and their support<br />

of SHEEAN in Hawaii was most noteworthy. Similarly, the Submarine Engineering Response Group<br />

(SERG) has continued to provide sterling service to boats both deployed and at FBW. There has been<br />

a marked shift in emphasis away from "how are we going to fix this defect" to "how are we going to<br />

allow the submarine to achieve its tasking". There can be a significant difference in the outcome of<br />

these two ways of addressing a problem. We are making progress.<br />

The boats themselves have had a remarkable year with several successful deployments and<br />

completion of a range of exercises and operations, much, of which you will read about in this edition.<br />

They have also carried a heavy load of training new submariners. This is a very important part of all<br />

our jobs and the ship’s companies of the submarines have done a great job.<br />

We have achieved several firsts in the operational arena. I am limited by security by what I can say<br />

in this journal but I will say that we have experimented with new ways of operating and we have<br />

made a very significant contribution to national objectives. Well done to all those who have<br />

conducted and supported those operations.<br />

I trust you all have a happy Christmas with your families and enjoy the Christmas break. For those<br />

that are working over the holiday period, I thank you for your commitment. I look forward to another<br />

exciting year for the Submarine Group in 2003. Keep safe.<br />

4


Target setup for the silent service<br />

COMMODORE Mike deeks<br />

I want to convey to you my thoughts on the direction that the Submarine Group is heading and the values<br />

I see as important to us achieving our objectives. You would all be aware that we continually face<br />

challenges in matching our resources to our objectives. By resources I am applying the broadest definition<br />

including finances, people, stores, equipment, even time. I believe the one thing we can do to alleviate<br />

most of our resource problems is to make the Submarine Group an ‘Employer of Choice’ in other words<br />

make the Group an attractive place to work, one where people are knocking down the doors to join and<br />

which people don’t want to leave. I am not just talking about submariners here but all people who make<br />

up the submarine group; the uniformed people from other specialisations, Defence civilians and<br />

Contractors.<br />

Let me explain how I see this working. If we can make the Submarine Group an organisation where people<br />

are queuing up to get in then that will mean we have all our sea and shore billets filled. More than that,<br />

we will be able to be even more selective about who we have in the Group because we will be able to<br />

choose the very best people from those who want to join. This will mean that the boats (our reason for<br />

being here) will be properly supported and can expect the right level of service when they come alongside<br />

and when they are deployed. We will have people with time on their hands so they can do those projects<br />

we all know of, which are great ideas but that we just don’t have the time to initiate, which will make life<br />

even better for ourselves and those we support. We will be able to complete outstanding work such as<br />

stores OQE reviews, develop Service Level Agreements with other organisations, get stuck into systems<br />

engineering, look for new efficiencies in Usage Upkeep Cycles and maintenance procedures, and<br />

brainstorm and develop new tactics to better use these wonderful submarines ASC has built for us.<br />

So how are we going to achieve this? This is where I need your help. Big time! I want everybody who has<br />

anything to do with operating or supporting the submarine arm to understand clearly how their job<br />

contributes to the goals of the submarine arm and ultimately, to the Defence of Australia, because that’s<br />

what we are here for. I have been working my way through the senior hierarchy of the Submarine Group<br />

talking to individuals about where they fit in and asking them to talk to their subordinates along the same<br />

lines. Hopefully we will soon have engaged everyone in this dialogue.<br />

The second prong to my approach of making the Submarine Group an employer of choice concerns<br />

leadership. On occasions, we rest on our laurels with regards to leadership. I think the <strong>Navy</strong> does a pretty<br />

good job of training us as leaders for the particular scenario at sea in ships and submarines. Also, when<br />

we are surrounded by water we have the benefit of tried and proven mechanisms evolved over hundreds<br />

of years designed to support leaders. I am not so sure good leadership comes so automatically in the shore<br />

environment and I think it is therefore important that we all regularly remind ourselves of what is<br />

important about being a good leader. Again, I am talking about the broadest definition of the term<br />

‘leadership’. ALL of us are leaders because at some time or other in our lives we are placed in the position<br />

where we interact with others in such a way that we want them to do something they otherwise would<br />

not do. This is leadership.<br />

There is a ‘Defence People Leadership Model’ currently in vogue which I think is a useful aide-memoir for<br />

those practicing the art of leadership. It is available on the DEFWEB homepage as follows - [through the<br />

“Information Resource” drop-down heading select “Defence Matters” then go to the Trust in Leadership<br />

heading] or you can get a copy from my office. If all those in leadership positions use the elements of this<br />

model as a basis for dealing with others then the end result will be that people feel good about themselves<br />

and about what they do. We will then have an organisation where people wake up in the morning, eager<br />

to get to work.<br />

This may seem a little far-fetched and there may be some of you thinking I’m in fantasy land but I truly<br />

believe to get the best out of people they must be happy about what they are doing. If you give them clear<br />

direction, make sure they know where they fit in and why they are doing something, make sure they are<br />

properly resourced to do the job you are asking of them, they are given the elbow room to get on with the<br />

job and they are given adequate feedback on their performance then, they should feel pretty good about<br />

themselves and they will tell others that life is pretty good. That is what I am striving for.<br />

5


SMFEG CHIEF OF STAFF<br />

COMMANDER steve davies<br />

By the time you read this edition of ‘the Trade’ 2002 will be drawing to a close and many of us will<br />

be starting to sit back and reflect on the year that was – but at the time of writing (mid-October),<br />

we’re still very much in the thick of it! 2002 is well on the way to being a great year for the Submarine<br />

FEG. At the time of writing we have two submarines (DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN) deployed in our<br />

region, RANKIN conducting the final stages of sea trials in Western <strong>Australian</strong> waters and WALLER<br />

getting ready to undock in Adelaide, where COLLINS and FARNCOMB are undergoing the first Full<br />

Cycle Dockings.<br />

DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN’s deployments have been a highlight of the year. With <strong>Navy</strong>’s surface<br />

combatants playing big patrol boats, our commitment to overseas exercises has largely been met by our<br />

submarines. SHEEAN was thus the only RAN unit in Exercise RIMPAC (Hawaii, July) while<br />

DECHAINEUX was one of the few in Exercise STARDEX (Singapore-Malaysia, August). While in<br />

Hawaii SHEEAN also took part in exercises with our US <strong>Navy</strong> counterparts from COMSUBPAC,<br />

specifically the combined RAN/USN Prospective Commanding Officer training and Exercise<br />

LUNGFISH. PCO training is the ‘growth industry’ in our increasing cooperation with the US<br />

submarine force – for this year’s exercise SHEEAN was fully integrated into the US PCO course and<br />

gained a huge amount of experience in undersea warfare tactics, shooting 26 practice torpedoes against<br />

USS OLYMPIA and receiving a similar amount of ‘incoming’ in return. Overall the two submarines<br />

proved a close match for each other and demonstrated to our <strong>Navy</strong> what we in the FEG have always<br />

known, ie that Aussie submarines can hold their own against the best the world can throw at us! As I<br />

write this SHEEAN is still at sea, due home in a few weeks after more than 5 months away.<br />

DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN have reached high levels of operational readiness during their current<br />

deployments and their performance is building the support we need within Government and Defence<br />

senior leadership.<br />

In the last Trade FARNCOMB was on her way home from Japan; this edition finds her high and dry in<br />

Adelaide after completion of a very successful first commission and the start of her first Full Cycle<br />

Docking. All those who have served in and supported FARNCOMB through this time can be proud of<br />

her achievements. We look forward to seeing FARNCOMB crewed-up again in the second half of next<br />

year then home in early 04, ready to serve the country in her second commission. FARNCOMB will<br />

have the distinction of being the first boat out of FCD, COLLINS’ docking being extended to repair<br />

weld defects in its Swedish-built sections. We expect to see COLLINS back in action later in 04.<br />

WALLER has been doing the hard yards in Adelaide since Easter, but the end is in sight. A successful<br />

battery change docking was almost complete in September when the hard decision was made to delay<br />

the boat by a further two months to conduct a series of weld inspections. These inspections were<br />

needed to prove that the <strong>Australian</strong>-built submarine sections don’t have the same problems seen in<br />

COLLINS’ sections. We’ve now proven this, as our safety systems require us to, but at the cost of two<br />

months in WALLER’s programme. The WALLER crew is now in the final stages of pre-sailing training<br />

and by the time you read this WALLER will be at sea and getting ready for a busy programme in 2003.<br />

I was able to visit RANKIN in Adelaide earlier this year and was impressed with what I saw – like<br />

getting behind the wheel of a brand new car! RANKIN has certainly benefited from the developments<br />

trialed in all her sister submarines, and will deliver to the <strong>Navy</strong> with all the latest mod cons. As I write<br />

this RANKIN is at sea here in WA conducting sea trials under the ‘Red Ensign’. She heads off back to<br />

Adelaide in a week or so and we look forward to seeing her back here next year for the last submarine<br />

commissioning for 20 years or so.<br />

Not surprisingly, when we count our successes, we turn first to what the submarines have been doing.<br />

But we need to keep in mind that they can’t have these successes without a lot of behind-the-scenes<br />

hard work by our people ashore, comprising <strong>Navy</strong>, defence civilians and contractors. We had a big<br />

6


SMFEG CHIEF OF STAFF<br />

COMMANDER steve davies<br />

win in September when the Government announced that it had agreed to the Replacement Combat<br />

System for the submarines. This is a vital step on our path to full submarine capability and was the<br />

result of a lot of work by many people in the submarine community. We look forward to a similar<br />

decision on the new torpedo before the end of the year. The logistic support we provide to the<br />

submarines is constantly improving, as shown by the long deployments this year. It’s not cheap to<br />

maintain and support submarines to this level however, and our logistic funding is one of the biggest<br />

challenges we face over the next few years. We need to keep kicking goals operationally to keep our<br />

share of the dollars.<br />

Our safety systems have served us well this year. The safety culture within the submarine arm is strong<br />

and continues to grow - this was demonstrated earlier in the year when DECHAINEUX sailors<br />

investigated corrosion in a water pipe and discovered a contaminant in our water systems that we<br />

weren’t aware of. Considerable effort has been put into this problem and we can now say with<br />

confidence that we don’t have a health problem in our people and that we know exactly the source of<br />

the contamination and why it’s occurring. In many ways the Submarine FEG safety systems are<br />

leading the rest of <strong>Navy</strong>.<br />

The people in the Submarine FEG are without doubt its greatest asset. Whether they are <strong>Navy</strong>, defence<br />

civilian or contractors and whether they work in the submarines or ashore in the many support<br />

organisations our people continue to impress visitors with their professionalism, dedication and<br />

commitment. As 2002 draws to a close we can all be proud of the achievements of our submarines this<br />

year and we can be satisfied that they couldn’t have done so well without the hard work of us all.<br />

The following personnel have qualified as<br />

COLLINS Class Submariners<br />

since April 2002<br />

(Listed in order of date qualified)<br />

LSETSM Everett DM 24 Apr 02<br />

ABCISSM Lane RL 24 May 02<br />

ABROSM Williams RM 1 Jun 02<br />

ABMTSM Dobner MJ 21 Jun 02<br />

ABETSM Slywa BJ 22 Jun 02<br />

ABMTSM Weldon JM 22 Jun 02<br />

ABCKSM Pappas AH 23 Jun 02<br />

ABETSM Ward RG 5 Jul 02<br />

LEUTSMNSM O’Grady SL 5 Jul 02<br />

LSETSM Reilly DJ 12 Jul 02<br />

ABCISSM Shackleton RT 25 Jul 02<br />

LSETSM Ross SJ 26 Jul 02<br />

ABMTSM Williams AJ 2 Aug 02<br />

ABMTSM Westman MT 11 Aug 02<br />

ABETSM Piper LS 18 Aug 02<br />

ABMTSM Wiles DP 19 Aug 02<br />

LEUTSMNSM Drake MJ 22 Aug 02<br />

SMNEWASM Young CW 27 Aug 02<br />

ABMTSM Philps DM 3 Sep 02<br />

LEUTWESM Wren S 10 Sep 02<br />

ABEWASM Jones RA 28 Sep 02<br />

LEUTWESM Ashdown CR 2 Oct 02<br />

ABETSM Sletten BA 14 Oct 02<br />

LEUTWESM Ritchie M 17 Oct 02<br />

7


HMAS DECHAINEUX DEPLOYMENT 2002<br />

HMAS DECHAINEUX (CMDR<br />

P.M.J. Scott, CSC, RAN)<br />

has had a busy year to date. Returning from<br />

mid cycle docking, DECHAINEUX completed<br />

an operational and safety work-up and port<br />

visit to Geraldton. During this period the<br />

following personnel were awarded their<br />

dolphins and have joined the ranks of the<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> Submarine Community:<br />

LEUT O’Grady, LSET Reilly, ABET Ward,<br />

ABMT Williams and ABMT Westman.<br />

DECHAINEUX then commenced an assisted<br />

maintenance period in early July prior to<br />

her South East Asian deployment.<br />

Several of the crew were presented with<br />

awards during the AMP, recognising their<br />

previous efforts. On Wednesday 31Jul02<br />

the crew of DECHAINEUX and their<br />

families held a pre-deployment barbecue.<br />

It was here that LSEWASM Bruce Dening<br />

was awarded the 2001 Submariner of the<br />

Year award by the Submarine FEG<br />

Commander, CDRE Mike Deeks.<br />

LSEWASM Dening earned this<br />

prestigious award for his consistent<br />

outstanding performance in his role as<br />

the EW2 during 2001. His family and<br />

friends were on hand to assist with<br />

celebrations. LSETSM Dave Reilly was<br />

awarded his dolphins at the barbecue by<br />

the Commanding Officer.<br />

On Friday 02Aug, during a visit by<br />

RADM R.W. Gates, CSM, RAN, Maritime<br />

Commander Australia, DECHAINEUX’s<br />

catering department was presented with<br />

the 2001 Silver Platter Award for<br />

outstanding food services in the<br />

Submarine FEG. ABCKSM Rush<br />

accepted the award in recognition of the<br />

catering department’s hard work and<br />

diligence during a very busy 2001. The<br />

Maritime Commander also presented<br />

LSETSM Tavis Bell with a Maritime<br />

Commander’s Commendation for his<br />

efforts as a maintainer in the Submarine Escape<br />

Training Facility and, ABMTSM Williams was<br />

privileged to have the Maritime Commander<br />

on hand to witness the award of his dolphins in<br />

front of the crew.<br />

After a busy work-up period and AMP, the<br />

boat deployed for South East Asia on 09Aug02.<br />

After waving farewell to family and loved ones<br />

the Ship’s Company completed a sea check on<br />

the first two days out of HMAS STIRLING.<br />

The task was not made any easier when faced<br />

with rough weather whilst on the surface on<br />

8


HMAS DECHAINEUX DEPLOYMENT 2002<br />

the first night out. After dropping Submarine<br />

Sea Training Group and CDRE Deeks off on a<br />

boat transfer off Geraldton, course was shaped<br />

for Sunda Strait and four months "Up Top".<br />

The transit to Sunda was occupied with<br />

country briefs, training and exercise<br />

preparations in a relatively contact free<br />

environment. This however, was all to change<br />

on the approaches to Sunda Strait when<br />

DECHAINEUX encountered a large increase in<br />

merchant traffic and fishing vessel activity.<br />

The next fews days were spent transiting on<br />

the surface, with the crew taking the<br />

opportunity to get some sun and fresh air. One<br />

of the bridge lookouts was keen to spot a<br />

floating thong, believing that would truly<br />

mean that we had arrived "Up Top".<br />

Unfortunately for him, the first floating thong<br />

was spotted ten minutes after he was relieved<br />

from the bridge. DECHAINEUX took<br />

advantage of this period of surface running to<br />

conduct a Crossing of the Line ceremony for<br />

the newer members of the Ship’s Company,<br />

combined with a Swimex and casing BBQ, a<br />

rarity in the Collins age, an enjoyable time was<br />

had by all. DECHAINEUX spent one more day<br />

dived, exposing personnel to the operating<br />

area and environment expected for upcoming<br />

exercises "MASTEX" and "STARDEX" before<br />

arriving in Kuantan on Friday 23 Aug for a port<br />

visit and exercise briefs. With the visit in<br />

Kuantan being a relatively short one, personnel<br />

confined their activities to shopping at the<br />

"Megamall" and sampling the local bar scene.<br />

Several more adventurous members of the<br />

Wardroom tried their hand at jet skiing and<br />

sailing, fortunately without serious injury.<br />

Following the port visit, it was down to<br />

business with the inaugural Exercise MASTEX,<br />

involving HMAS DECHAINEUX and three<br />

Malaysian surface units. This exercise<br />

provided the <strong>Royal</strong> Malaysian <strong>Navy</strong> with<br />

valuable experience in operating with<br />

submarines, whilst providing exposure to<br />

shallow water operations in company with fast<br />

moving surface units for DECHAINEUX. The<br />

high contact environment also provided an<br />

added challenge for all participants. A three<br />

day port visit to Singapore split the two<br />

exercises and provided the crew with the<br />

opportunity to sample Asia’s culinary delights<br />

and engage in some "reconnaissance" shopping<br />

in preparation for the next visit after Exercise<br />

STARDEX. Much of the time alongside was<br />

spent with exercise preparations, briefings, and<br />

several cocktail parties providing personnel<br />

with the opportunity to relax in a more social<br />

environment.<br />

Exercise STARDEX involved air and naval<br />

units from the United Kingdom, Australia,<br />

Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand,<br />

providing the opportunity to expand on the<br />

experience gained over the previous few<br />

weeks. During this period DECHAINEUX<br />

successfully completed another sea check,<br />

hosted COMFLOT onboard and rafted up<br />

alongside RFA DILIGENCE. This was a rare<br />

opportunity for a RAN submarine and one the<br />

crew was keen to take advantage of, since<br />

DILIGENCE was able to offer ample washing<br />

facilities and showers. This was the half way<br />

mark of the exercise and the next week saw the<br />

commencement of the Warex phase with the<br />

submarine operating in an area with 24 hour<br />

Maritime Patrol Aircraft activity, which<br />

certainly provided a challenge for all.<br />

With the completion of two weeks of<br />

demanding operational running<br />

DECHAINEUX transited back to Singapore for<br />

a port visit from 13-20 Sep. Many personnel<br />

took advantage of this extended stay to fly<br />

loved ones up to meet the boat and enjoy the<br />

break before continuing on with the remainder<br />

of the deployment. DECHAINEUX looks<br />

forward to more sea-time before arriving back<br />

in Australia in early November for a well<br />

earned Christmas leave period.<br />

9


SHEEAN’S RIMPAC 2002, PCO OPS 02 AND LUNGFISH 02<br />

HMAS SHEEAN arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 26 Jun 02 to participate in RIMPAC 02. With the<br />

exercise planning and briefings already underway, SHEEAN’s arrival in Pearl Harbor meant busy<br />

times for all in order to meet exercise commitments. The focus of RIMPAC 02 was undersea warfare,<br />

an environment that SHEEAN thrives in.<br />

With a wide range of air, surface and sub-surface platforms, the SHEEAN team was looking forward<br />

to participating in such a large international exercise. Pitting themselves against the forces of the USA,<br />

Peru, Chile and South Korea SHEEAN performed extremely well, maintaining her "Fight On" spirit<br />

throughout. As the only RAN vessel at RIMPAC, SHEEAN maintained the RAN reputation for<br />

professionalism and skill.<br />

RIMPAC 02 was broken into two phases, the workup phase and the tactical free play phase. Separated<br />

by a photo exercise, the workup phase proved invaluable in ensuring that SHEEAN was operationally<br />

on " the step" to take the war to the Multinational Task Force (MTF), and the Amphibious Task Force<br />

(ATF). Following the PHOTEX, SHEEAN re-positioned as part of the Opposition Force (OPFOR),<br />

playing the part of a rogue diesel submarine along with the South Korean submarine ROKS<br />

NADAEYONG and Japanese submarine NATSUSHIO.<br />

"Fighting on" through defects, SHEEAN used innovative ideas to ensure she remained at sea for the<br />

tactical phase and the remainder of the RIMPAC exercises and in doing so, ‘sinking’ 85 000 tonnes of<br />

shipping. SHEEAN started the ‘war’ sinking the civilian cruise liner Norwegian Star and USS<br />

CROMELLIN (FFG).<br />

The next day SHEEAN penetrated a P3C and S60B anti-submarine screen before sighting the<br />

Amphibious Task Force of eight vessels, including the two amphibious assaults ships RUSHMORE<br />

and TARAWA. Waiting silently for the previous 16 hours, SHEEAN penetrated the final surface unit<br />

screen to sink both the<br />

RUSHMORE and the TARAWA<br />

during the hours of darkness.<br />

RIMPAC 02 proved to be a<br />

successful exercise with<br />

SHEEAN performing extremely<br />

well, achieving all her<br />

operational aims. RIMPAC was<br />

closed out with a function held<br />

on the hangar deck of USS<br />

TARAWA. Each country<br />

represented in RIMPAC set up<br />

stalls offering some of their local<br />

fare. The chefs from SHEEAN<br />

barbecued large quantities of<br />

prawns; kangaroo and emu, all<br />

washed down by <strong>Australian</strong><br />

beer. The stand was very well patronized, with the victuals exhausted in the first hour and a half.<br />

With the spoils of war tallied from RIMPAC and the maintenance period running on schedule,<br />

SHEEAN again prepared to sail for the HAXA. This time with a bow full of MK 48 P’s and Wardroom<br />

full of anxious PCO’s, (Potential Commanding Officers) including Australia’s own LCDR Mark Potter<br />

and LCDR Gary Lawton) most of whom had never even set foot on board an <strong>Australian</strong> submarine<br />

before.<br />

The PCO’s quickly adopted the SHEEAN motto, ‘Fight on’, and wasted no time hunting down our<br />

prey for the next two weeks, USS OLYMPIA. The relentless battle between diesel and nuke carried on<br />

10


SHEEAN’S RIMPAC 2002, PCO OPS 02 AND LUNGFISH 02<br />

24/7 with both sides exploiting any advantage over the other, unleashing a volley of torpedoes any<br />

time, day or night. Those of us fortunate enough to be berthed in the WSC can pay testament to that.<br />

After a short stopover in Pearl and a change of PCO’s, SHEEAN was back on the step for the second<br />

round of PCO OPS. This was the first time that a Collins Boat had taken part in ‘Hollywood’<br />

operations, and SHEEAN came to the party in admirable fashion. The exercise was broken up into<br />

eight phases each involving a different mode of anti surface and sub surface warfare. The opposition<br />

consisted of two surface combatants, Arliegh Burke class DDG’s the USS O’KANE and USS RUSSELL<br />

as well as the elusive 688 submarine OLYMPIA. All in all, SHEEAN fired a total of 28 Mk 48P<br />

torpedoes during the exercises against both surface and sub surface targets with excellent results.<br />

A snappy dived transit back to ‘Pappa Hotel’, another boat transfer and SHEEAN had bid farewell to<br />

the last of the PCO’s (until the obligatory end of exercise wash up) before embarking our celebrity sea<br />

rider for exercise LUNGFISH. CDRE Deeks, aka COMAUSNAVSUBGRP. ‘LUNGFISH’ provided a<br />

gradual step back from the excitement of the previous two months with the program centring on<br />

tracking runs between SHEEAN and the 688, USS SANTA FE. The exercise phase of the deployment<br />

culminated in a western style shoot out over a ‘gun line’ near the popular diesel boat hangout<br />

"Penguin Shoals". Unfortunately, SANTA FE had all the bullets!<br />

With all the excitement of the Hawaiian Islands in our wake, SHEEAN commenced her transit to<br />

Guam with an anxious eye on FBW in the distance.<br />

LCDR Brown (CO SHEEAN) and RADM Padgett (COMSUBPAC), displaying the prize for the raffle conducted onboard. Proceeds<br />

of the raffle went to the boats charity (Seabrooke House, Rockingham), and the ships ball funds. The winner was LEUT Watters.<br />

11


waller<br />

Since her last feature in The Trade, WALLER has<br />

conducted<br />

a conducted a passage from Fleet Base West to ASC,<br />

arriving in Adelaide on 10 April 02, to<br />

commence Intermediate Docking 3 – due<br />

to complete on 5 September 02. This will<br />

lead WALLER into her end of year<br />

preparations for safety workup and<br />

return transit to Fleet Base West arriving on 6<br />

December 02.<br />

In what has been a quiet period<br />

operationally, WALLER ship’s company<br />

has enjoyed the opportunity to clear<br />

outstanding recreational leave, attend<br />

various and much needed training<br />

courses and to prepare for the end of<br />

year activities and deployment in 2003.<br />

Significantly during the periods,<br />

there was a change of command<br />

with the previous CO, LCDR Brett<br />

Sampson handing over the boat to<br />

LCDR Jason "JJ" Cupples, who<br />

assumed Command on 29 May 02.<br />

LCDR Cupples completed the "Perisher"<br />

and Submarine Command Courses in<br />

June/July 2001, prior to a<br />

short stint at the STSC<br />

where he headed up<br />

Warfare Training until<br />

joining WALLER this<br />

year.<br />

Similarly there will have<br />

been a 50% change out of<br />

Officers in the wardroom prior to<br />

the undocking later this year. The<br />

remainder of the ship’s company remains<br />

relatively intact, allowing the team to retain<br />

the experience gained during 2001 and early 2002.<br />

WALLER will have been on the hard stand at ASC for the best part of 25 weeks when she plans to<br />

undock on 31 October 02. During this long overdue ID, WALLER will have replaced her submarine<br />

battery, completed diesel engine modifications, conducted hull forgings work and repaired the battery<br />

sump defects which forced her into an early ID in April. Additionally, the Collins class hull weld<br />

survey would have been completed. In all, it could be agreed that this docking was an extremely busy<br />

and much needed one.<br />

The undocking will, no doubt, be accompanied by the frenzied activity of watchkeeper training,<br />

command team training and full pre-sea preparations prior to sailing on 22 November 02 for workup<br />

and the much looked forward to – transit home to FBW.<br />

12


SMWOC 2002 at PERISHER<br />

L<br />

ate one night in June the SMWOC 2002 students, with confidence sky high, decided that they were<br />

ready to accept the challenge of the dreaded Perisher.<br />

After much late night deliberation at the bar over angles, velocity, duration of attack, and collision<br />

avoidance, it seemed all were prepared for the challenge ahead. So early the next morning the five<br />

SMWOC students packed the car and began the trek into the ski hills of Canberra.<br />

The first hurdle to be overcome was the issue of whether to obtain wheel chains. Debate raged for<br />

hours with the team divided into two camps, those who regarded the use of any safety device as an<br />

affront to the SMWOC image of masculinity (coincidentally those members who had never seen snow<br />

before) and those who actually knew what they were talking about. Fortunately, further confrontation<br />

was avoided by an independent arbitrator (namely the Mt Kozsciosko National Park Warden), who<br />

stated that if there was no chains there would be no skiing. In any case there was no stopping the<br />

intrepid adventurers who were prepared to forge ahead regardless of the perils.<br />

What the student’s lacked in experience and coordination was made up in overconfidence, bravado<br />

and a determination to return in one piece. How hard could it be? At least three out of the five<br />

members of the group had seen snow and the other two had read about it. In any case it was believed<br />

that too much foreknowledge<br />

would only have engendered<br />

poor practices and habits that<br />

would have to be stamped out.<br />

Therefore the advantage<br />

definitely lay in the lap of<br />

those who had never been<br />

skiing before.<br />

Or that was the theory.<br />

More than a few bruises later,<br />

sore, tired and dragging what<br />

should have been a ski outfit<br />

behind them the fallen<br />

warriors retreated from the<br />

slopes some hours later to the<br />

safe and eminently more<br />

familiar surroundings of the<br />

Perisher Bar. At this point all<br />

falls, ignominious disasters<br />

and general ineptitude were<br />

instantaneously transformed<br />

into acts of grace and heroism.<br />

That is until the Ski instructors<br />

turned up with comments<br />

such as:<br />

“Are you guys still alive?<br />

I think you might have killed that tree.<br />

That giant pole has always been there you know; and,<br />

I have never seen someone walk away from a crash like that”!<br />

In the end the students of SMWOC 2002 emerged victorious, confident in the knowledge that Perisher<br />

was, after all, just another little hill on the way to Canberra.<br />

13


eservist excellence award 2002 - recognition<br />

Chief Petty Officer Wayne Gilligan was employed within the<br />

Submarine FEG Engineering Department as the Deputy Senior<br />

Marine Engineer Officer (SMEO) from December 2001 to August 2002.<br />

This very challenging position, normally filled by a Warrant Officer, is<br />

primarily responsible for the management of the submarine<br />

headquarters Technical Administration Authority office.<br />

CPO Gilligan worked tirelessly to ensure that all technical<br />

administration functions within the SMFEG were efficiently and<br />

effectively carried out during what was a difficult period in Collins<br />

class submarine maintenance engineering. In particular, his<br />

outstanding devotion to duty ensured that all urgent defects<br />

impacting on the operational availability of the submarine fleet were<br />

handled professionally and expeditiously. His efforts directly<br />

contributed to the safe operational availability of submarines.<br />

CPO Gilligan was also responsible within the Submarine FEG for the<br />

disposal of the decommissioned Oberon Class Submarine OTAMA<br />

from HMAS STIRLING to Westernport Bay in Victoria. He successfully conducted this challenging<br />

task with little supervision, often sacrificing his own time to ensure completion within the allocated<br />

time frame.<br />

CPO Gilligan’s professional and dedicated attitude toward his duties reflected highly on the RAN and<br />

served as an excellent example to all submariners. He is an outstanding submarine technical senior<br />

sailor who is a very worthy recipient of a Reservist Excellence Award for 2002.<br />

HMAS COLLINS<br />

DEPLOYMENT 2000<br />

CRUISEBOOK/CD ROM<br />

Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<br />

Postal Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<br />

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P/Code: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<br />

Phone: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<br />

Please send me ________ Cruisebook/Cruisebooks at $35.00 each. Make cheque payable to<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> Canvas Prints or Simon Polling.<br />

18 months in the making, the books are now ready. Included is a CD-ROM with 2454<br />

photographs of the Deployment. Delays regretted, Enjoy.<br />

Mail to: POCISSM Polling, Navcommsta Canberra<br />

C/- HMAS HARMAN, Canberra ACT, 2600<br />

14


exercise longlook 2002<br />

By CMEA(ML)(SM) Paul D. Hepworth,RN<br />

E<br />

xercise Longlook is a tri-service, tri-country evolution<br />

carried out on an annual basis using serving members<br />

from all three armed forces of the UK, Australia and New<br />

Zealand. The application process starts in September and<br />

carries through to departure in May the following year<br />

with return in the autumn normally September. Longlook<br />

2002 was ultimately led by the Army but each service is<br />

responsible for the processing and vetting of applications<br />

and matches. The main objective of the exercise is to<br />

enable servicemen and women the unique experience of<br />

sampling military life and career in a different<br />

environment and country with the expectations that the<br />

exerciser both learns and grows from the experience.<br />

After the initial confusion, well it initially lasted several<br />

months; I was off to Australia with Exercise Longlook<br />

flying with the RAF under the watchful eye of the Army<br />

in the guise of Maj. JA Hughes and his tri-service Admin.<br />

Staff. Confusion reigned initially, as stated, due to the fact<br />

that it was and probably is a rare event for a <strong>Royal</strong> Naval Submariner to be selected to take part let alone a MEAOW. Still,<br />

everyone in the UK, and especially at the Clyde Submarine Base were quick to sort out problems and therefore here I was, at<br />

RAF Brize Norton on my way to the southern hemisphere and ultimately HMAS STIRLING in Rockingham, Western Australia.<br />

It has been quoted that half the fun of going anywhere is the journey but on this occasion I would beg to differ. The flights were<br />

efficient but it took four days until we reached our destination in Perth. We did stay in fine hotels in the cities of Qatar and<br />

Singapore but these respites were brief and we were marching to Army time, still ‘nough said’.<br />

Arriving in Perth gave everyone a chance to rest. We arrived on the Friday, picked up by an ex-RN submariner (well diesel<br />

submariner) POMT D. Naldrett, to minimise any language difficulties, as he was an adopted ‘Geordie’. Our trip to Rockingham<br />

and over the causeway to our final island home took in a few<br />

tourist sights and general location information but eventually<br />

the holy grail came in sight - basically the base, a cabin and<br />

thankfully a bed no belay that – my bed. The priority was rest<br />

and over the weekend everything caught up and by the<br />

Monday I was ready to see what Australia had to offer.<br />

Australia fortunately, had a lot to offer and is such a big place<br />

– attending meetings where the travel arrangements went<br />

through two time zones was an eye-opener for example.<br />

<strong>Australian</strong>s are renowned for their friendliness and it soon<br />

became apparent how true this was. Everyone I met over the<br />

course of the exercise was happy to take time out and explain<br />

his or her duties and responsibilities. People, both servicemen<br />

and contractors, all helped to make my exercise a success from<br />

tours of establishments, departments, schools to the supply of<br />

a laptop computer to assist with an Open University course<br />

started in the UK. Everyone was determined that I would<br />

achieve as much as possible from the experience and<br />

suggestions came from all quarters as I worked within the<br />

departments of the Submarine Squadron. Then, as I visited establishments throughout Australia (work, work, and work!), I<br />

realised that the <strong>Australian</strong> attitude was endemic throughout the country. Travelling to the heat of Darwin, the beauty of Cairns,<br />

the splendour of Sydney and the officialdom of the capital, Canberra, it was apparent that servicemen are basically alike<br />

throughout the commonwealth and in my opinion none more so than the submariner. To have so much in common with people<br />

from a different country and culture was a pleasant surprise and the methods and attitudes I learned during the course of the<br />

exercise will stay with me long after the exercise has finished. Travel opportunities were frequent and of minimal, if any cost.<br />

With a little effort and flexibility it was possible to visit the working environments of the RAN throughout Australia. On a leisure<br />

note, my wife and family flew out in the middle of the exercise. Once again the hospitality of the <strong>Australian</strong>s was apparent and<br />

my family were made to feel equally welcome within the community. Assistance finding accommodation and transport was<br />

forthcoming ensuring a comfortable time enabling the unique experience to be shared as if any option had been available.<br />

Our aim as Longlookers was to represent the UK and in particular the <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Submarine Service, a task I hopefully achieved<br />

but in doing so was equally matched if not surpassed with the representations of Australia and its ‘can-do’ people.<br />

To summarise, throughout my time in Australia I have sampled, I have learnt and hopefully grown over the run of the exercise<br />

and the experience was certainly unique and most certainly one that I would heartily recommend to the rest of the fleet –<br />

submariners first!<br />

15


FIMA PERTH LOOKING AFTER THE sQUADRON<br />

By CPOETSM Bill Mansfield<br />

FIMA Perth Submarine Manager<br />

A team of sixteen personnel from FIMA Perth<br />

supported HMAS SHEEAN with a two-week<br />

Assisted Maintenance Period in Pearl Harbor<br />

Hawaii between 22 July – 5 August 2002. This<br />

proved to be a valuable exercise in liaison<br />

between FIMA Perth, SERG, ASC and various<br />

contractors. The FIMA Perth team completed<br />

almost sixty per cent of the Intermediate Level<br />

Maintenance package including EABS checks,<br />

Pre Combustion Nozzle maintenance, nearly all<br />

diesel work, main motor maintenance and<br />

generator work. This ensured that <strong>Navy</strong><br />

personnel gained experience in performing tasks<br />

normally given to contractors.<br />

windsurf, some found the bars and some even<br />

decided to do a submarine acquaint!<br />

Petty Officer Joe Hackenberg getting a few tips<br />

onboard the WW 2 submarine USS BOWFIN (the<br />

Pearl Harbor Avenger)<br />

ABAWASM Terry Webster and LSETSM Mark<br />

Cheffins undertaking maintenance on EABS<br />

masks.<br />

The activity was accomplished in a spirit of<br />

mutual cooperation with all parties working<br />

towards a satisfied customer. From my point of<br />

view it was good to see all agencies cooperating<br />

so well and the fact that SHEEAN sailed twentyfour<br />

hours early with all essential maintenance<br />

completed speaks for itself.<br />

After two weeks of long hours (and two<br />

Amazonian rain forests worth of paperwork!) the<br />

FIMA Perth team was able to relax and explore<br />

the sights and sounds of Hawaii. Some chose to<br />

LS Ricky Clist, LS Rod (Rocket) Turnbull, AB<br />

Matt Moala and AB Andy Wotton enjoying the<br />

facilities in the BEEMAN Center<br />

FIMA’s motto is "Where and When needed" and<br />

I would like to take this opportunity to say that<br />

we are ready to provide a Deployed Forward<br />

Action Group (DFAG) in support of deployed<br />

Submarines, 24/7 as they say.<br />

See you at RIMPAC 2004!<br />

16


WOMTsm ‘BUCK’ RODGERS CELEBRATES<br />

On 21 July this year, WOMTSM ‘Buck’ Rodgers of the Sea<br />

Training Group celebrated his 50th birthday aboard<br />

NUSHIP RANKIN during a safety training period in the<br />

SAXA. This was a highlight for Buck who had mentioned his<br />

desire earlier in the year to spend his 50th at sea – in<br />

particular, wielding the trusty smoke machine that he has<br />

become so attached to since joining the Sea Training Group.<br />

WOMTSM Buck Rodgers joined the RAN in July 1969 and<br />

spent twelve years in surface ships before joining the<br />

Submarine Arm in 1981. During that period he served on<br />

HMA Ships BRISBANE, SYDNEY, SWAN, STUART and<br />

MELBOURNE. In 1981, after completing trade training at<br />

HMAS NIRIMBA, he was posted to HMS DOLPHIN in the<br />

United Kingdom to undertake initial submarine training. He<br />

qualified as a submariner in 1982 and went on to serve in<br />

submarines OTWAY, OTAMA and ONSLOW (with the<br />

occasional pier head jump). In 1995 he moved his family to<br />

the west and, after a stint in the Squadron Technical Office,<br />

underwent COLLINS conversion training. He was posted to HMAS WALLER as the DMEO in June 2001 and<br />

is currently serving as the WOMT STG-SM. Buck’s career highlights have been taking part in the Queen’s<br />

Silver Jubilee 1977, qualifying as a submariner and seeing his son Scott join the <strong>Navy</strong>.<br />

Interesting to note: To date the Rodgers family has a total of eighty-eight years service in the RAN starting<br />

when Buck’s father joined the <strong>Navy</strong> in 1944.<br />

VACANT POSITION<br />

NATIONAL CONVENOR for DEFENCE FAMILIES AUSTRALIA (DFA)<br />

Applicants are sought for the position of National Convenor of the Defence Families of Australia (DFA) to<br />

commence in February 2003.<br />

The DFA is a voluntary group within Defence representing the needs and interests of Defence families. As<br />

National Convenor, your duties will include:<br />

• Managing a regionally based Executive Committee.<br />

• Managing the DFA daily operations including 250 voluntary Defence spouses.<br />

• Attend high level meetings with Defence and external service providers.<br />

• Prepare high level written submissions and correspondence.<br />

• Deliver presentations and conduct media or Government Senate interviews as required.<br />

This permanent part time position must be appointed to the spouse of a current full time serving member of<br />

the ADF. The position is located in Canberra.<br />

The successful applicant will have prior involvement with the DFA (previously known as the National<br />

Consultative Group of Service Families NCGSF) and possess excellent organisational, interpersonal and<br />

communication skills.<br />

The National Convenor is remunerated as a Part Time Office Bearer under the Remuneration Tribunal. Board<br />

duties may also apply.<br />

Interested applicants should contact Judy Swann on 02 6266 2768 or judy.swann@defence.gov.au to obtain<br />

the selection criteria and the duty information. Only applications that address the Selection Criteria will be<br />

considered. Applications close at C.O.B. Friday 13 December 2002.<br />

17


eighteen hours of perisher<br />

Lieutenant Commanders Gary Lawton and<br />

Mark Potter successfully completed the<br />

Netherlands Submarine Command Course held<br />

between March and July of this year. The final<br />

sea phase of the course lasts for 28 days and is<br />

conducted off the West Coast of the United<br />

Kingdom and Ireland. The following piece<br />

covers an eighteen-hour period towards the end<br />

of the course.<br />

"All round look, raise attack". Silence fell<br />

quickly in the control room as the periscope<br />

rose to a height half a metre above the<br />

choppy, grey waters. Spray, whipped up by<br />

the strengthening norwester, flew onto the<br />

periscope window obscuring the Duty<br />

Commanding Officer’s view out to the west.<br />

With a silent curse, he ordered the attack<br />

periscope to be lowered after a single, slow<br />

sweep of the horizon. He knew that he<br />

would have to raise the pericope again<br />

within four minutes to see if the<br />

‘SOMERSET’ was still within engagement<br />

range. Sonar had reported that the Type 23<br />

frigate had faded on sonar two minutes ago.<br />

This information was unsurprising as the<br />

DCO knew from experience that the 23’s<br />

were extremely quiet below 10 knots when<br />

they used their diesel-electric propulsion.<br />

The warship could still be as close as 4000<br />

yards away. The DCO murmured to his<br />

Attack Coordinator "If that contact is not<br />

visible after the next look we will carry on<br />

with the approach".<br />

ORCA had spent the last three days<br />

approaching the North Channel from the<br />

west coast of Ireland. The crew had threaded<br />

their way through a NATO task group that<br />

was, and still known to be, supported by<br />

Nimrod and P3 Orion maritime patrol<br />

aircraft. The poor weather had helped mask<br />

their presence, especially during the transit<br />

of the treacherous Orsay Gap. The Gap lies<br />

25 miles to the north of Ireland; one mile<br />

wide and 100 metres deep, it follows an S-<br />

shaped groove that cuts through granite reef<br />

20 metres deep. Countering the tidal<br />

currents that reach speeds of 5 knots ORCA<br />

had navigated her way through using the<br />

stream to assist in conserving the battery. The<br />

echo sounder provided the necessary clues to<br />

determine where the boat was from her<br />

expected track.<br />

The Gap was effectively the gateway to the<br />

North Channel and then the Clyde<br />

Approaches, home of the ORCA’s target – a<br />

Ballistic Missile Submarine based at Faslane,<br />

Scotland. Intelligence had reported the<br />

imminent departure of one of the ‘bombers’<br />

to her patrol areas deep in the Atlantic<br />

Ocean. The tasking was explicit and direct –<br />

destroy the SSBN before it entered the<br />

Atlantic. The DCO and his team had thought<br />

long and hard on how to achieve this aim<br />

and knew their best course of action to<br />

achieve their goal was to penetrate the<br />

coastal waters and gain contact on the target<br />

before it submerged. Once it had dived the<br />

target would be a hole in the ocean and<br />

virtually impossible to detect.<br />

"Bearing that! Down". The DCO stepped<br />

back from the descending periscope and off<br />

the viewing platform that dominated the<br />

centre of the control room. Pacing over to the<br />

chart table he examined the detail of the<br />

island that he considered offered the best<br />

opportunity of a safe snorting haven. Yes, he<br />

had just identified the ruins of the castle that<br />

dominated the skyline of the ridge that ran<br />

through the centre of the island. Following a<br />

brief exchange with the AC and navigator he<br />

briefed the control room. "Right team,<br />

during that last all-round look there was no<br />

sign of the SOMERSET. I believe she has<br />

continued to open out to the west. I saw the<br />

castle ruins of the large island – the bearing<br />

and the echo-sounder depth indicate we are<br />

18


eighteen hours of perisher<br />

just to the north of the 40 metre patch where<br />

we will await our target. Standby bearings<br />

for a fix".<br />

The fix placed ORCA 2 miles north of the<br />

island. The island was some 5 miles by 2<br />

miles in size and its north coast was<br />

dominated by a series of cliffs and granite<br />

outcrops, battered by Atlantic gales for<br />

millenia. The chart revealed that the water<br />

was deep enough close inshore for ORCA to<br />

safely operate. The DCO believed he also<br />

had a good chance of being able to snort<br />

without detection from patrolling ASW<br />

aircraft due to the sheer face of the cliffs and<br />

the abundance of rocks and reef protruding<br />

through the waves.<br />

"Standby to snort on three diesel engines!"<br />

The two engine room watchkeepers made<br />

their way aft through the crew mess to<br />

monitor their compartment as the snort was<br />

prepared from the Control Room. The sun<br />

had set ninety minutes ago and only one P3<br />

racket was held at low levels. The previous<br />

DCO had not snorted for the duration of his<br />

watch. The battery was now at 17% and the<br />

atmosphere needed to be changed.<br />

Additionally, the crew were already on edge<br />

as smoking had not been permitted for over<br />

5 hours and the DCO knew the team<br />

performed better when they could smoke.<br />

The DCO briefed the oncoming watchleader<br />

of his intentions; snort (snort and snort<br />

again) and remain undetected from the MPA<br />

and use the island to minimise their radar<br />

capability.<br />

"Danger, danger, danger!" After just 20<br />

minutes the snort was stopped and all masts<br />

lowered as the P3 radar signal strength<br />

increased suddenly. The DCO returned to<br />

the Control Room quickly scanning the plots<br />

and sensor displays. Following a short<br />

situation report from the Watch Leader he<br />

checked ship control and conducted an all<br />

round look on the attack periscope. As he<br />

looked out into the night two lights, one red<br />

the other green, traced arcs in the darkness.<br />

It was the P3 – had ORCA been detected or<br />

was the aircraft conducting a search in the<br />

vicinity of the island? The P3 had been on<br />

station for over four hours. The DCO knew<br />

the aircraft would have to return to its base to<br />

refuel and change crews within the next two<br />

hours – what aircraft, if one was available,<br />

would replace it? Checking the battery<br />

capacity and reducing speed he ordered the<br />

submarine to a new course to stem the tidal<br />

stream so that the boat maintained its<br />

position over the 40 metre patch. After seven<br />

minutes the DCO conducted another all<br />

round look. The aircraft revealed itself as a<br />

single, strobe light flying low at a range of<br />

five miles. Waiting a further seven minutes<br />

the Watch Leader conducted the next visual<br />

sweep simultaneously checking the intercept<br />

strength of the P3 radar. The radar strength<br />

had decreased and the aircraft was no longer<br />

visible.<br />

For the remainder of the night ORCA<br />

continued to snort at intermittent periods<br />

clearing the atmosphere and improving the<br />

battery capacity to 65%. The DCO slept<br />

soundly until "Danger, danger, danger!"<br />

woke him with a start. Upon entering the<br />

Control Room he managed to hear the last<br />

part of the report from the radar intercept<br />

operator "…classified Searchwater". So, the<br />

new dangerous racket was from a British<br />

Nimrod aircraft. This radar had the potential<br />

to detect a single periscope head at great<br />

range. The DCO questioned the Watch<br />

Leader about the new racket. The<br />

intercepted bearing was to the north-east of<br />

ORCA; this meant the aircraft was likely to<br />

be arriving within its, and ORCA’s, patrol<br />

area from its home airfield in the north of<br />

Scotland. The first wisps of light were<br />

19


eighteen hours of perisher<br />

apparent in the east as the Watch Leader<br />

conducted an all round look. The sun would<br />

rise in another 45 minutes. The Nimrod<br />

wasn’t seen during that single, slow sweep of<br />

the horizon.<br />

The DCO checked the chart with the Watch<br />

Leader. They had calculated that the SSBN<br />

would arrive to the northeast of their<br />

position in a further eight hours. ORCA had<br />

a further 25 miles to go to close towards that<br />

point. Intelligence traffic received overnight<br />

reported that Sea King helicopters, fitted<br />

with dipping active sonar, would be<br />

supporting the egress of their target. They, in<br />

addition to the warships, would make it very<br />

hard to get to an attacking position without<br />

being detected. He knew that he would have<br />

to use ORCA’s inherent stealth to get to that<br />

position.<br />

"Biiinnnggg". The underwater telephone<br />

loudspeaker turned everyone’s head as it<br />

relayed the first transmission of a sonobuoy.<br />

The sonar operators quickly classified it as a<br />

British sonobuoy at a level that suggested it<br />

may gain contact on ORCA. "I have the<br />

submarine" ordered the DCO, "Set<br />

revolutions for 2 knots". Had ORCA been<br />

detected by the Nimrod’s radar or was this<br />

the first part of a pre-planned acoustic search<br />

by the aircraft. Assume nothing, the DCO<br />

thought to himself as he conducted the next<br />

all-round look. There it was – the Nimrod<br />

looped around to the north of ORCA.<br />

Feeling very exposed, as though all the eyes<br />

of Nimrod’s crew were focussing on his part<br />

of the sea, the DCO lowered the periscope.<br />

He briefed the Control Room "Okay team, I<br />

believe that the Nimrod may have got a faint<br />

indication from her radar of our presence<br />

and is now attempting to verify that using<br />

active sonobuoys. We will remain at low<br />

speed in this shallow water to avoid<br />

classification."<br />

For the next hour the DCO continued with<br />

intermittent looks through the periscope as<br />

the single sonobuoy transmitted and the<br />

Nimrod patrolled at low level to the north of<br />

the submarine. ORCA continued to creep<br />

above the seabed at less than walking pace to<br />

reduce any wake from the periscope during<br />

its periods of exposure. "New contact on<br />

sonar, bearing 080, diesel audible, in/out,<br />

classified fishing vessel" reported the senior<br />

sonar watchkeeper. The DCO thought about<br />

this new piece of information. Could he use<br />

this contact to mask his exit from his current<br />

haven and skulk out to the northeast to close<br />

the expected track of the SSBN? What if it<br />

started trawling? Where was it likely to fish?<br />

Will it mask the presence of ORCA’s target?<br />

The all round look, essential to maintain<br />

safety from other quiet contacts, was due<br />

again. This time the fishing vessel could be<br />

seen, it was in transit and heading to the<br />

deep waters to the east of the Gap. But that<br />

wasn’t all that there was – the Nimrod had<br />

disappeared only to be replaced by two Sea<br />

King helicopters heading towards ORCA.<br />

The DCO was about to announce the sighting<br />

to the control room when the underwater<br />

telephone speaker again seized everyone’s<br />

attention.<br />

"Berrrrwuuuuppp!!!" The first transmission<br />

from the Sea King dipping sonar<br />

reverberated from the speaker. The dipping<br />

Sea King was 3000 yards to the north of<br />

ORCA. It was now apparent to the DCO that<br />

the Nimrod had gained some sort of contact<br />

on ORCA and the Sea Kings were being<br />

employed to prosecute the datum. The DCO<br />

was now forced to remain at slow speed to<br />

defeat the active transmissions from the<br />

helicopters. The shallow water and<br />

proximity to shore would also mean that<br />

there would be lots of reverberations that<br />

would confuse the sonar returns.<br />

20


eighteen hours of perisher<br />

It was time for the next all-round look. The<br />

DCO stepped up onto the viewing platform<br />

having checked the displays and plots. After<br />

a quick glance at ship control the attack<br />

periscope was raised and his assistant started<br />

his stopwatch. "5 ……, 10 seconds……". The<br />

DCO slowly turned the periscope keeping<br />

the horizon just in view as he searched for<br />

new contacts. Suddenly the eyepiece seemed<br />

filled with the bow-like structure and<br />

bulbous nose of the Sea King. It was just 600<br />

yards away and stationary lowering the<br />

sonar body into the water. The DCO felt the<br />

hairs down the back of his neck rise as he<br />

looked momentarily at the helicopter. He<br />

could almost look into the eyes of the pilot.<br />

"15 …….., 20 seconds". "Down!" the DCO<br />

barked as he completed the all round look.<br />

The underwater telephone speaker seemed<br />

to burst into life as it reported another sonar<br />

transmission. "That was from one of the Sea<br />

Kings, currently at red 130 at a range of 600<br />

yards" announced the DCO, "we will proceed<br />

deep, continue at low speed and hug the<br />

bottom to avoid visual counter-detection<br />

from the helos". "Five down, keep 35<br />

metres".<br />

Gradually ORCA descended from periscope<br />

depth. An operator was closed up on the<br />

echo sounder to report the changes in<br />

sounding as the boat inched its way above<br />

the seabed. After 12 minutes the closest Sea<br />

King ceased transmitting and opened away<br />

from ORCA to the north. Soon a new contact<br />

started pinging out to the west. The<br />

transmissions were quickly classified as<br />

belonging to a Type 23 frigate. The<br />

increasing strength and bearings of the sonar<br />

indicated that the frigate was conducting a<br />

search along the coast from the west. It<br />

appeared ORCA had slipped away just in<br />

time. The DCO now increased speed to open<br />

out away from the shallow water and as he<br />

did so he took the submarine deeper to get<br />

below the layer of warmer water to make it<br />

even harder for the different sonars to gain<br />

contact on the ORCA. He was also conscious<br />

that he had to make ground to where he<br />

anticipated the SSBN to be. It was probable<br />

that the SSBN would be routed to the north<br />

side of the channel if his opposition had<br />

believed that it was ORCA they had detected<br />

just off the island.<br />

After a two hour ‘stroll’ at a speed of eight<br />

knots ORCA was ready to return to periscope<br />

depth. The sonar traces were analysed<br />

revealing a cluster of contacts out to the east<br />

and faint transmissions from the Type 23 to<br />

the southwest. There hadn’t been any sign of<br />

aircraft activity for the last hour. "Ten up,<br />

keep eighteen metres" ordered the DCO.<br />

ORCA slowly came shallow, the DCO<br />

gradually ordering less and less speed as the<br />

submarine approached its ordered depth. He<br />

allowed the submarine to settle at eighteen<br />

metres before raising the attack periscope<br />

and conducting the all round look. With a<br />

racing heart he ordered the attack periscope<br />

lowered. "Ship Control, pipe the submarine<br />

to Action Stations". "All positions two<br />

contacts in sight, the SSBN at six thousand<br />

yards and just behind her a Type 22 frigate.<br />

Standby set-ups!" ORCA was poised to<br />

attack.<br />

Members of the Perisher 2002 course in the<br />

wardroom of WALRUS<br />

21


VICTORIA VS JULIETT<br />

By LCDR Lawrie Pappin<br />

During my time in Canada I was fortunate to gain exposure to a number of submarine platforms.<br />

During the early part of my tenure I rubbed shoulders with the trusted Oberon, including an<br />

Intermediate Docking in Marystown, Newfoundland. The arrival of HMCS VICTORIA in late 2000<br />

was my next experience and equally interesting. The Victoria Class boats are the ex-Upholders and are<br />

to be phased into service with the Canadians at a rate of about one submarine a year. Each platform<br />

received a ‘Canadianisation’ package that included a new communications suite, ESM and SFCS.<br />

Despite being a very capable platform, there were the natural problems that occur during<br />

introduction, many reminiscent of our own program. Availability of spares, OQE for spares and a<br />

maintenance system that needed some streamlining were recurring engineering themes.<br />

Notwithstanding these challenges, the Canadians did get some valuable sea time out of HMCS<br />

WINDSOR before her Canadianisation work period, and HMCS VICTORIA will be off the dock by the<br />

time this article goes to print. HMCS VICTORIA will soon be home based in Esquimalt on the West<br />

Coast and I am sure it is only a matter of time before we see her at a RIMPAC.<br />

My final experience was a tour with the production crew for the movie K-19 on a Soviet ‘Juliett’ Class.<br />

The Juliett was built during the 60’s as a missile launch platform, and after completing service with<br />

the Russian <strong>Navy</strong> was used for a time as a floating restaurant in the USA. The battery compartment<br />

had been stripped out and replaced with intimately arranged dining tables (as if they could be<br />

described in any other way). I marvelled that some people would pay to have a meal in a battery<br />

compartment. Other interesting features were the design that included ‘T’ frames on the outside of the<br />

pressure hull and torpedoes that must have been loaded through the tubes. (Whilst looking to refresh<br />

my memory on the Juliett, I discovered you can still buy a Juliett Class submarine over the Internet).<br />

On a more personal note, I am still an advocate for Canada as a place to live or visit, and encourage<br />

personnel to apply for the available exchange postings, or the 3 week ADAC course for AWA’s.<br />

22


FAREWELL – PAM SHARMAN<br />

Avery special person was farewelled at<br />

HMAS STIRLING on 13 September 2002<br />

when Mrs Pamela Sharman retired from the<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> Public Service. Pam’s real name is<br />

Catherine Pamela Sharman although she<br />

preferred to use the name of Pam.<br />

Pam began her navy association as far back as<br />

1960 when she joined the <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> as a<br />

young caps WREN, early postings included a<br />

stint at a large Naval Air Station at Lossiemouth<br />

in Scotland. During her time as a WREN in the<br />

<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> she served as a communicator in<br />

Gibraltar and Malta. She came to Australia with<br />

husband Les (retired Lieutenant, RAN) and two<br />

boys when he joined the Naval Police. Her<br />

husband’s postings included lengthy spells at<br />

HMAS ALBATROSS and HMAS STIRLING.<br />

She arrived in WA in 1986 with her husband Les<br />

Sharman who was the navy’s Provost Marshal<br />

and Naval Police Inspector at HMAS<br />

STIRLING. She joined the Public Service on 20<br />

March 1987 and commenced work as a Defence<br />

Public Servant initially within the Naval Stores<br />

organisation as a purchasing officer, before<br />

moving into the Submarine Escape Training<br />

Facility and finally at the Submarine Training Systems Centre (STSC).<br />

Pam has been actively involved in many fund raising activities although, her most impressive effort<br />

took place when she organised a ‘Biggest Morning Tea’ which was held at the STSC during May 2002,<br />

an event that raised $763 for the Cancer Foundation. Always highly motivated with a passion and<br />

commitment to achieve the best possible result Pam will be sorely missed by her many friends within<br />

the navy community. Pam’s exceptional level of service and attention to detail was recognised many<br />

times, but more recently when she was awarded a Submarine Training Systems Centre ‘Staff<br />

Recognition Award’ for outstanding achievement. A real person who mixed well with all ranks and<br />

did an excellent job in her capacity as the secretary/personal assistant to OIC SETF/LA-SM and TA-<br />

SM.<br />

Congratulations to you Pam on the occasion of your retirement and all the very best from everyone at<br />

the Submarine Training Systems Centre.<br />

23


MENTORING<br />

Mentoring - The Concept<br />

• People are capability. In today’s <strong>Navy</strong>, job roles are changing at an ever-increasing<br />

rate. The <strong>Navy</strong> needs to have the right people with the right training, skills and<br />

experience to operate and maintain its platforms to undertake complex military<br />

operations using sophisticated equipment. The current concept and operation of<br />

minimum manned platforms, together with the resultant change in maintenance<br />

philosophies, has resulted in maintainers lacking mastery of intangible competencies.<br />

It is considered effective integration competencies, tangible or otherwise, requires<br />

mastery of a wide selection of disciplines and influencers both external and internal.<br />

• Mentoring is an initiative aimed at providing practical and meaningful work experience<br />

ashore, using commercial Defence contractors, whilst developing Defence staff skills,<br />

and consequently enhancing Defence capability within the accords of Government<br />

policy of closer industry relationships to develop shared career structures. Mentoring<br />

allows formal and spontaneous learning to occur in a semi-controlled manner, by skill<br />

transfer from trained experienced personnel to those less experienced within a practical<br />

working environment.<br />

Mentoring - Pilot Trial<br />

• It is proposed to outplace selected uniformed personnel into Defence-related service<br />

industry / organisations for<br />

periods of two to six months, to<br />

work alongside contractors to<br />

develop a range of skills<br />

consolidation. The benefits to<br />

mentor, mentee and<br />

organisations (Defence and<br />

industry) could be profound,<br />

breaking down the existing<br />

‘contractor client’ paradigm,<br />

enhancing <strong>Navy</strong>’s capability and<br />

hopefully increasing personnel<br />

and skills retention.<br />

LSETSM Daniel Lee<br />

• Participants: Two personnel<br />

from FIMA PERTH are selected<br />

to participate in the Pilot trial<br />

program. LSETSM Daniel Lee<br />

24


MENTORING<br />

and LSMTSM Warren Bassie will be "loaned out" to Raytheon and ASC respectively.<br />

The initial trial period is from 1 Oct until 13 Dec 2002. The participation will be limited to<br />

the submarine arm in the WA area for the purpose of the trial, although Defence<br />

contractors in Sydney have already indicated interest in the program. If successful, it is<br />

intended to introduce the scheme throughout the RAN, in 2003.<br />

• Divisional: TA-SM will provide Divisional Support during the outplacement. The<br />

participants will comply with RAN discipline standards and regulations, and will be<br />

withdrawn if a dispute arises. Personnel will not be available as operational reliefs<br />

during the time of outplacement. Personnel undergoing discharge, compassionate or<br />

medical treatment are ineligible for outplacement.<br />

• Follow on: TA-SM anticipates that the follow on from this trail will expand up to four<br />

or six personnel for a period of four to six months from Jan 03. CFM will be taking up<br />

the management reigns in Jan 03 and hence expand the program to General Service<br />

and Executive branch sailors.<br />

• Human Resources Plan: The initiative is linked to the HR Plan Initiative 6.8.2 –<br />

Introduce Innovative Mentoring activities into the RAN.<br />

• Legal issues: The contractor will remain responsible for the quality of all goods and<br />

services provided to the RAN. The terms of employment will be covered under a<br />

Memorandum of Agreement between the Commonwealth and the Contractor.<br />

In summary, it is an initiative<br />

aimed at providing meaningful<br />

employment ashore whilst<br />

enhancing personnel skills within<br />

their chosen profession. These<br />

skills can be directly translated to<br />

the workplace, and is an<br />

equitable arrangement for the<br />

Commonwealth and Defence<br />

contractors. It will enhance the<br />

capability of the individual, the<br />

organisation (RAN) and the<br />

Defence support organisation.<br />

Whilst the initial trial involves<br />

personnel with technical skills, it<br />

is intended that the concept be<br />

available to all categories in the<br />

future.<br />

David West (Project Manager) and Tim Hill explaining to LS Warren<br />

Bassie to workings of the SHEEAN refit cycle plan soon to be<br />

undertaken upon SHEEAN’s return alongside FBW.<br />

25


NAVAL DEFENCE GALLERY – maritime museum of wa<br />

The Maritime Museum in Fremantle is due to open to the public in early December 2002. The following is a<br />

description of the Naval Gallery exhibit.<br />

VISITORS TRAIL<br />

There are two ways of entering the Naval Gallery. Either by passing through the Trade Gallery and entering<br />

the gallery on the top floor or up the stairs through the Fishing Gallery on the ground floor.<br />

By following this route upon arriving on the first floor the visitor will face the front of a full-size replica of the<br />

upper deck and conning tower of the famous WWI <strong>Australian</strong> Submarine AE2, which appears with all its<br />

‘masts’ (periscopes, etc raised) just kissing the ceiling. As you walk partially into conning tower, panels will<br />

appear outlining the story of AE2’s historic clandestine voyage through the Dardanelles and the effect of its<br />

remarkable success in doing so on the decision to continue with the landing of the ANZACS at Gallipoli. There<br />

will be audios of the landings and the sounds of the battle and the famous order from General Hamilton to<br />

DIG, DIG, DIG.<br />

Adjacent to the conning tower will be the story of how the navy began in Western Australia including a<br />

uniform from that period.<br />

Following this section will be told the story of HMAS SYDNEY/EMDEN battle that occurred near Cocos<br />

Island, North West of Western Australia<br />

After this will appear a Carley Float similar to the type found from HMAS SYDNEY II in its battle with the<br />

German raider HSK Kormoran in November 1941. Models of the two vessels will appear along with objects<br />

confiscated from the German sailors.<br />

Past this display will appear two Folboats of the type used by the fabled Z force during WW2 with stories of<br />

some of the soldiers (with particular reverence to Jack Sue DCM and replica Sleeping Beauty which is located<br />

next to the Folboats) who carried out some quite amazing operations during this period.<br />

The next section will describe the story of the highly decorated submariner Max Sheean’s DSO famous cable<br />

cutting operation when his crew cut the communications cable from Singapore to the Mainland in WW2.<br />

On the wall opposite the Carley float there will be various displays outlining the story of the WW2 Submarine<br />

base in Fremantle. This will elaborate on Fremantle as a major allied base during this period and the secrecy<br />

surrounding the base and its activities.<br />

Past these displays is a WW2 mine suspended as it were suspended in a water column and anchored to the<br />

seabed by a detachment connected to the sinker. Adjacent to the mine the visitor will then view an exhibit on<br />

the activities of the <strong>Navy</strong> Clearance Diving Team 4 based at HMAS STIRLING and the story of LT CMDR Leon<br />

Goldsworthy CG, DCM, GM who was the most highly decorated member of the RAN in World War 2.<br />

After this display is a cut-a-way MK23 torpedo which shows the technical advances in torpedo weaponry since<br />

WW2. Beside the torpedo is a <strong>Australian</strong> developed missile called the Ikara which was deployed by a<br />

destroyer to hunt and sink submarines.<br />

Looking back, is the entrance to the Submarine simulator - a mock up of the room of a submarine which will<br />

include a periscope located at the centre of the simulator going through the roof focussed on historical<br />

buildings in Fremantle and the activities out in the ocean.<br />

The gallery will also include the history of <strong>Australian</strong> Submarines from WW2 climaxing with the development<br />

of the <strong>Australian</strong> Collins Class submarine.<br />

26


RECRUIT TRAINING SCHOOL, HMAS CERBERUS<br />

By LSETSM Green<br />

Since the Squadron has moved to Western Australia,<br />

there has been limited opportunity for postings<br />

outside of HMAS STIRLING. However, there are now<br />

billets available for Leading Seamen at HMAS<br />

CERBERUS as Recruit School Instructors.<br />

Continuing the long presence of a submariner at<br />

recruit school LSCKSM Sam Carman and LSETSM<br />

Andrew Green have carried the squadrons’<br />

representation at the initial entry level. Since the<br />

inception of Sea Eagle IV, the instructor billets have<br />

become Leading Seamen billets available to all<br />

categories. Selections for instructors are made by<br />

DSCM and Warrant Officer Recruit School, currently<br />

WOMTSM Ian Harvey, who further bolsters the<br />

submariner presence within Recruit School. The<br />

increased representation of submariners has<br />

prompted an increase of inquiry about life in the<br />

squadron from many of the recruits and LS Carman<br />

and LS Green can often be found soliciting a new<br />

supply of replacement submariners through general<br />

enquirers and after hours presentations.<br />

Life at Recruit School is particularly demanding as an<br />

instructor. Staff can be found hard at work both well<br />

before and after the normal working hours. There are<br />

a multitude of problems and inquiries to be dealt<br />

with from "I’ve lost my hat" to "I’m not an <strong>Australian</strong><br />

citizen" and "I want to go home". Unlike the majority<br />

of instructional billets, the role of a Recruit School<br />

instructor has many unique challenges. The new<br />

entry recruit needs to be introduced into the <strong>Navy</strong><br />

way of life which is foreign to them and, the problems<br />

associated with this transition have to be dealt with<br />

by the Instructors.<br />

Those who have already been through the system,<br />

and are now part of it, often undervalue this training.<br />

Taking the skills in military life for granted is a<br />

common thread and having to utilise these skills<br />

years later is testing. Before taking up their new<br />

posting new instructors undergo the Recruit<br />

Instructors course. This course is broken into<br />

components consisting of, but not limited to, parade<br />

training (a refresher for those who have avoided<br />

marching for some time), an OH&S refresher,<br />

physical training and outdoor activities, suicide<br />

awareness and team initiative activities. Included is<br />

the two-week Instructional Technique course as well<br />

as covering the Recruit course content.<br />

HAWAII FIVE-O<br />

Recently the five students and instructor of the 2002 Submarine Warfare Officers Course undertook<br />

two weeks of training in Hawaii. The days were spent conducting sonar training from the USN<br />

perspective in both the classroom and simulators. It also included a tour of the Los Angeles class SSN,<br />

USS Honolulu. Students also attended some valuable briefs about command and control issues<br />

pertaining to submarine operations from the USN viewpoint.<br />

Whilst the time spent in the classroom was intense, the SMWOC students were determined to make<br />

the most of the visit to the warm and friendly islands. The weekends and evenings were spent<br />

exploring the island in a rented monster truck (nicknamed "Truck-a-saurus"), hiking, scuba diving, game<br />

fishing, surfing and sampling the local food and beverages. A special mention has to be given to the fishing<br />

exploits of LEUT Chris Forward who battled with a monster Wahoo fish for 30 minutes before landing the 70<br />

pound leviathan of the deep and (most importantly) came home with the photographs to prove it!<br />

The highlight of the trip socially was definitely Anzac Day. It commenced at dawn with a gunfire breakfast at<br />

Pearl Harbour Naval Base Submarine Memorial. This comprised of the SMWOC students, a coffee percolator<br />

and a large bottle of Bundaberg Rum. This was perhaps an unusual sight for some USN personnel on their way<br />

to work and generated several inquiries from passers by. These questions were quickly answered and once the<br />

significance of the day was explained, the informal gathering soon generated a few extra participants.<br />

On completion of the gunfire breakfast, all hands shifted into dress whites and proceeded to the Punchbowl<br />

War Memorial. The service, conducted by the US Marines culminated with a thunderous 21 gun salute which<br />

was both dramatic and set off car alarms throughout the area. The day concluded with a lively cocktail party<br />

at the <strong>Australian</strong> Ambassador’s residence leaving some of the students lighter in the pocket in the best ANZAC<br />

tradition. Overall, the time spent in Hawaii was a professionally and personally rewarding two weeks. Sound<br />

like fun? Contact your poster on how to join submarines.<br />

27


FOUR INTO ONE<br />

The Creation of a ‘Super’ Directorate of Submarine Sustainment<br />

Creation of the Directorate of Submarine Sustainment (DSMS) on 6 September 2002, saw the<br />

amalgamation of the SMSPO South Australia, the SMSPO Western Australia, the Systems Support<br />

Facility Western Australia and the previous Submarine Warfare Systems Centre HMAS WATSON.<br />

All of these areas have distinct responsibilities for Materiel and In-Service Support (ISS) to the Collins<br />

Class Submarines. Although the level of responsibility has not changed a great deal, the programmed<br />

delivery of RANKIN (Boat 6) in early 2003, and with the winding up of the New Submarine Project,<br />

the immense job of sustaining our submarine fleet needed to be coordinated and overseen by the one<br />

authority.<br />

The person chosen to undertake this job is Captain Toff Idrus OAM, RAN. Toff is a submariner who<br />

has more recently served as a skimmer aboard HMAS ANZAC. Since posting off ANZAC in May of<br />

this year and returning to the submarine world, Toff has been sitting in Canberra undertaking the<br />

fight for personnel and resources to bring about the<br />

establishment of the DSMS. Taking into account the current<br />

financial climate within Defence, Toff achieved the direction<br />

given to him in a very short period of time. The substantial<br />

support provided to Toff by the Director General Submarines<br />

(DGSM) and the Heads of the four areas concerned helped<br />

greatly to reach this goal.<br />

So what does this new ‘super’ Directorate do. Simply, the<br />

DSMS is the authority responsible for the provision of materiel<br />

in service support to the Commander <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong><br />

Submarine Group (CANSG) and his submarines.<br />

What it really CMDR means Mike Houghton is that presenting DSMS Lee runs Ann contracts Jones with and her award. provides<br />

coordination of activities such as maintenance, stores support,<br />

configuration management, engineering analysis, refits,<br />

dockings, software support and just about anything else to do<br />

with materiel assistance to the Submarine Force Element Group<br />

(SMFEG). Sounds simple doesn’t it?<br />

So, who are the leaders of the team that will achieve this? As<br />

stated previously, the boss is Captain Toff Idrus. The following<br />

people are the leaders of the five groups that make up the<br />

DSMS:<br />

Commander Phil Hudson is the Principal Naval Representative<br />

South Australia (PNR-SA) who is responsible for the conduct of<br />

all maintenance engineering activities for Full Cycle Dockings<br />

(FCD), and docking activities undertaken at Outer Harbour<br />

CANSG, CDRE Mike Deeks,<br />

welcomes the inaugural Director<br />

of Submarine Sustainment<br />

South Australia. Additionally, given the unique nature of PNR-SA’s co-location with the <strong>Australian</strong><br />

Submarine Corporation (ASC), Phil will also continue to enact corporate responsibilities as required<br />

by DGSM and through the Director.<br />

Lieutenant Commander Mal Waugh is the Principal Naval Representative Western Australia (PNR-<br />

WA). Recently returned from overseas, he has stepped into the breach as PNR-WA and is responsible<br />

for the conduct of all maintenance engineering activities, except for FCD’s or dockings undertaken at<br />

28


FOUR INTO ONE<br />

Outer Harbour. While predominantly this entails scheduled availabilities, it also includes the<br />

management of any contracted activities for corrective maintenance whenever and wherever it is<br />

required.<br />

Mr Trevor Grainger is the Business Executive and Finance Group Leader. Trevor’s function is critical<br />

to achieving the rationalisation of administration and finance services across the Directorate. The BEFG<br />

will implement common business practices including Human Resources, Contracting and Quality<br />

Systems in all DSMS activities and locations. Much has already been achieved in adopting the best<br />

practice with the aim of standardising all practices to meet the Directorate’s responsibilities.<br />

Commander Adam Lindsay is the Systems Support Group (SSG) leader. The SSG has assumed the<br />

management and governance over all software domains including Combat Systems, ISSCMC and<br />

SIMS/SIS. Headed by Adam, the SSG will also assume responsibility for the coordination of all<br />

category and integration software testing providing the Commander <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Submarine<br />

Group (CANSG) with a central agent for software quality assurance.<br />

Commander Michael Houghton is the Integrated Logistics<br />

Engineering Group leader (ILEG). The formation of a single<br />

Engineering and Logistics Group is the most significant<br />

initiative in the establishment of the DSMS. The two key roles<br />

of the ILEG will be the provision of direct engineering and<br />

logistics support to the PNRs and the improvement of the<br />

supportability of the Collins Class Submarines. The ILEG will<br />

direct and monitor the efforts of the major ISS contractors to<br />

ensure that design, maintenance and logistic support changes<br />

are effected to improve the system and equipment reliability,<br />

availability and maintainability. Michael will undertake the<br />

role of ILEG until the end of 2002 when he leaves to take up a<br />

new posting as the Senior Naval Officer, Queensland. The<br />

reigns of this very important initiative will be handed to<br />

Commander John Chandler, a former member of the old<br />

Submarine Sustainment Management Office (SSMO) and, fresh<br />

from his Staff Course.<br />

(DSMS), CAPT Toff Idrus, back to<br />

the fold after his time ‘<br />

above the waves’<br />

So, that is an albeit brief description of the new Directorate of<br />

Submarine Sustainment. The <strong>Australian</strong> people have spent a<br />

substantial amount of money on designing, building and the<br />

development into a very capable platform that is the Collins<br />

Class Submarine; DSMS’s job is to make sure that money<br />

remains well spent for the remaining life of the submarines.<br />

The Collins Class Submarine is here for at least the next thirty<br />

years. The creation of the Directorate of Submarine<br />

Sustainment, which is staffed with a group of dedicated<br />

professionals, has established a dedicated and coordinated area that will ensure the ongoing<br />

maintenance and development of this platform, so as to get ‘value for money’. Just as importantly,<br />

the DSMS is ready to undertake the task of supporting the submarine FEG and together they will<br />

ensure our Submarine Force is the benchmark for conventional submarines that other countries will<br />

look to.<br />

29


FIGHT ON IN HAWAII<br />

By LSEWASM Tony "William" Nicol<br />

Tuesday 25 June 2002, sitting off the coast of Oahu, race-tracking on the roof, conducting our missile<br />

drills whilst the people of Hawaii listen to their Rock’n’Roll music.<br />

We had finally made the islands of Aloha, albeit with the diffuser hanging off the back of the fin, but<br />

that was not to be the only<br />

bizarre defect during our stay in<br />

Pearl Harbour. However it was<br />

not all work, as we did have a<br />

little bit of time to have some<br />

fun. In fact the first night saw AB<br />

Dobner and LS Slyva enter the<br />

club as qualified submariners,<br />

and we all celebrated over some<br />

non-alcoholic beers and nonalcoholic<br />

spirits at Mooses. It<br />

was not to end there either, as<br />

we discovered the Longboard<br />

Bar which served 95c mai tais<br />

between 6pm and 9pm every<br />

night! We had to investigate, but<br />

evidence was inconclusive and<br />

had to be re-investigated in<br />

more detail.<br />

Nevertheless, the reason for<br />

being here was called RIMPAC<br />

2002, war games on a global<br />

scale, with multinational forces<br />

taking part from all over the<br />

Pacific. Between days where the<br />

crew of SHEEAN had to keep up<br />

relations with the crew of USS<br />

HONOLULU, the fin was put back together, the bottled water was stowed aboard, and we were ready<br />

for RIMPAC 02. Out to sea and the first stage of the exercise involved work up serials prior to the war<br />

stage. During this time the UC2, LS Varian, and ABEWA Spencer took a well earned break aboard the<br />

USS LASSEN (Arleigh Burke FLT IIA DDG), whilst we played host to a couple of their boys. The battle<br />

to remain at sea was proving difficult as we suffered several independent defects including comms<br />

and fridges. Food began to thaw and it looked like we would have to abort the second stage of the war<br />

games.<br />

Prior to the second stage we had to come into West Loch and disembark our MK48 Torpedoes. During<br />

this time the HODs put their brains together to try and come up with a solution that would allow<br />

SHEEAN to Fight On. They did! The following day we took part in the PhotEx for RIMPAC 2002, and<br />

it was quite an impressive display of naval firepower with ourselves leading the pack. On completion,<br />

we conducted a boat transfer at the entrance to Peal Harbour where we embarked a few hundred bags<br />

of ice and some bags of meat. We were all set!! The mission was to ‘sink’ the Norwegian Star, and we<br />

did. The first sinking of RIMPAC 2002, the war games had begun. We continued to remain undetected<br />

30


FIGHT ON IN HAWAII<br />

and ‘sank’ several more units before returning to Pearl Harbour. It was time for mai tais, the AMP, and<br />

did I mention, mai tais.<br />

During the AMP AB "Bungy’ Williams got married at the foot of the picturesque landmark Diamond<br />

Head. LS Ewing and LS Wernas had the honour of being bridesmaids, and looked absolutely fabulous.<br />

As well as people getting married, several members of the crew were able to visit the other islands of<br />

Hawaii, whilst other members of the crew were required to drink more mai tais which we discovered<br />

to have a nutritional value in the form of a slice of pineapple on the side. It was during this AMP<br />

however that another defect occurred which was the most puzzling of all. The microwave mast was<br />

raised for maintenance and on completion the mast would not lower. This defect did not prevent the<br />

submarine from sailing for PCO Ops, we sailed with it raised. Prior to sailing for PCO OPS, ABEWA<br />

Eadie asked if LS Nicol and AB Farmer could be landed as they had worked so hard over the past few<br />

months, his wish was granted and the boat sailed.<br />

PCO Ops was broken into two parts and SHEEAN managed to fire off 28 MK48Ps in total. During the<br />

exercise SHEEAN displayed not only her ability to fire weapons at a capable opponent, but also her<br />

cheekiness when playing the ‘Teddy Sheean’ song over the underwater telephone. USS OLYMPIA and<br />

USS SANTA FE were the unsuspecting audience to the tunes that we played. It was during the<br />

Lungfish exercise that SHEEAN’s youngest sailor turned 21. AB ‘Junior’ Hume became legal to drink<br />

American liquor, but there was still another day at sea until that first drink would pass his lips.<br />

It is at this point that this article ends, and it is safe to say that HMAS SHEEAN has so far enjoyed the<br />

good with the bad, but in true "Teddy Sheean" tradition we will continue to FIGHT ON!!<br />

31


THE OTHER LEFT<br />

by LSCKSM Sam Carmen<br />

It seems only yesterday I was getting off the bus at Recruit School wide eyed and wondering what<br />

all the shouting was about, who was that guy in white, what was a "PO", why can’t I say bathroom,<br />

‘durrie’, ‘heads’, ‘getters’, ‘goffa’? What planet were these people from, what language were they<br />

speaking, what had I got myself into, this wasn’t on the brochure!<br />

Now, eight years later, I find myself on the other end of these questions and what seemed like an<br />

impossible reality then is now second nature.<br />

As each new group of recruits is collected from the airport I see many of the same questions in their<br />

faces, I’m that guy in white, I’m talking with the funny phrases and they’re about to find out a lot of<br />

things that weren’t in the brochure.<br />

One of the toughest things about training new entry recruits is inducting them into the <strong>Navy</strong> way of<br />

life. On top of the modules they learn including drill, physical training, kit maintenance, theory and<br />

practical lessons is the requirement to turn civilians into sailors. This transition from civilian to sailor<br />

is not something that happens over night, it is a gradual process and provides a unique challenge to<br />

Recruit School Instructors.<br />

The opportunity of coming back to Recruit School was a little daunting. The only marching I had<br />

done since leaving CERBERUS was on ANZAC Day and I hadn’t touched a Steyer since being a<br />

Recruit myself. My kit, like most submariners, consisted of some black coveralls, a white shirt, and a<br />

borrowed set of ceremonials. Now I find myself teaching all those things I had been eager to forget.<br />

The hours are long and uncompensated, the responsibility factor is high but, it is still a rewarding job<br />

that I would recommend to anyone willing to give it a try.<br />

LS Sam Carmen briefing his class prior to undertaking<br />

an unarmed drill module.<br />

32


MRS VAL GARDINER<br />

The smiling face, friendly welcome greeting either over the phone or in person, cheerful<br />

conversationalist and longstanding personality in HMAS STIRLING, Building 15, will soon be lost<br />

when Mrs Val Gardiner, Personal Assistant to CDRE Deeks, retires from the <strong>Australian</strong> Public Service<br />

(APS) in late December 2002.<br />

Val joined the APS in 1990 when she was first employed in the Bankruptcy Office in Perth, but after a<br />

years service there decided to take on the demanding position as the Personal Assistant to what was<br />

then known as the Naval Officer Commanding Western Australia (NOCWA). During the period 1991<br />

until her retirement, Val has worked for the senior naval officer at HMAS STIRLING and has seen a<br />

number of major organisational changes occur within that office. Those included the transitions from<br />

NOCWA to Commanding Officer HMAS STIRLING in 1993, to Commodore Fleet Bases in 1997 and<br />

then finally to the office of the Commander <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> Submarine Group in March 2000.<br />

Over the ten years she has been at HMAS STIRLING, Val worked for six different Commodores and<br />

has been witness to a vast number of changes both materially and organisationally around HMAS<br />

STIRLING. If there was ever a person to ask about historical facts about Garden Island, HMAS<br />

STIRLING or people who have worked in the Base, Val was the one to see. As the Personal Assistant<br />

to the senior naval officer, Val established and then maintained a close and well organised relationship<br />

with the vast network of government, military, executive, industry and community organisations that<br />

is located within WA; and this also included interstate and overseas agencies.<br />

Val’s cheerfulness and easy going nature made her a delightful person to work with and she is highly<br />

regarded through her extensive network as a friendly and helpful source of information. Her<br />

dedication to her work and performance as a Defence Public Servant was officially and publicly<br />

recognised in June 2001 when she was presented with a Public Service Centenary Anniversary<br />

Commemorative Medallion at a dinner in Parliament House, Canberra, by the Secretary for Defence.<br />

Val joins two other members of the HMAS STIRLING "Dragon’s Club", Pam Sharman (STSC) and<br />

Barbara Ashfield (FBWHC),<br />

who have retired in recent<br />

months after many years of<br />

dedicated work with the APS<br />

in HMAS STIRLING. While<br />

she may be finishing full time<br />

work, Val is keen to continue<br />

helping others and is looking<br />

at providing part-time<br />

assistance as a teacher’s aide<br />

at a local primary school.<br />

She will be surely missed by<br />

many people, especially by<br />

her immediate work<br />

colleagues in the CDRE’s<br />

office.<br />

Farewell and best wishes for<br />

the future Val. Thank you.<br />

‘Fellow office worker’<br />

33


B<br />

O<br />

O<br />

K<br />

R<br />

E<br />

V<br />

I<br />

E<br />

W<br />

"LOST SUBS"<br />

From the Hunley to the Kursk, the greatest submarines ever lost - and<br />

found.<br />

By Dunmore Spencer<br />

Published by Allen & Unwin/Madison Press and published on 4 October 2002.<br />

Hard cover and containing 176 pages, 204 photographs, 105 paintings and illustrations and one<br />

map. Recommended retail price: $49.95.<br />

This book is a fascinating first - it plunges into the dark depths to locate some of the world's most<br />

famous lost submarines.<br />

Our very own AE-2, the American Civil War Confederate States Ship (CSS) Hunley, the large<br />

Japanese I-52, German U-boats of two world wars, the mysterious loss of Israel's Dakar, the<br />

United States Cold War warriors USS Thresher and USS Scorpion and more, including the recent<br />

Russian Kursk, are included.<br />

It is perhaps prophetic that on 8 August, 2000 the Confederate submarine CSS Hunley was raised<br />

at Charleston, South Carolina after being sunk 136 years previously during the American Civil<br />

War and only four days later the modern 14,000 tonne Russian Kursk plunged to the bottom of<br />

the Barents Sea after an accident.<br />

With revolutionary new technology, divers and deep-sea submersibles are giving scientists and<br />

marine archaeologists unprecedented access to these lost submarines, and in some cases,.<br />

revealing new evidence as to their fates.<br />

Fittingly renowned maritime archaeologist Dr Robert Ballard has written the Introduction for<br />

this book. He says "Whether these submarines were lost in war or peace, whether they were<br />

Russian or American, British, <strong>Australian</strong>, German of Japanese, all share in common the<br />

outstanding men who served on them. Like aviators, submariners from different navies have<br />

more in common with one another than they do with members of the their own fleets who sail<br />

on the ocean's surface". How very true.<br />

The <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Navy</strong>'s most famous submarine, AE-2, receives four pages of coverage<br />

under the heading of "AE2 - A Hero of Gallipoli". Opening with a reproduction of the superb<br />

painting of the boat by Charles Bryant - which hangs in the <strong>Australian</strong> War Memorial - the<br />

feature includes present day underwater photos of AE-2, which is a section of the chapter<br />

devoted to World War One.<br />

There is a chapter devoted to 'Lost in Peace', which predominantly is devoted to the two major<br />

disasters of the 1930s which dominated world headlines involving two modern submarines, the<br />

<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Navy</strong>'s HMS Thetis and the United States <strong>Navy</strong>'s USS Squalus.<br />

Chapter Seven, titled 'A Casualty of the Cold War' focuses mainly on the US <strong>Navy</strong> nuclearpowered<br />

boats Thresher and Scorpion, but among other inclusions is the Israeli <strong>Navy</strong>'s Dakar<br />

which disappeared on 28 January, 1968.<br />

After 25 separate unsuccessful expeditions to find the submarine, finally the Israeli <strong>Navy</strong><br />

consulted US <strong>Navy</strong> experts and hired an US-based company to undertake the mission.<br />

Dakar was finally located and identified on 28 May 1999 - 10,000 feet below the surface of the<br />

Mediterranean. There are some fine photos of the site accompanying the story.<br />

'Lost Subs' is profusely and superbly illustrated with more than 300 archival photographs,<br />

paintings and illustrations. Jack McMaster has provided the illustrations and the well-known<br />

American artist Ken Marschall, whose artwork graced many of Dr Robert Ballard's' books on<br />

34


Titanic, Bismarck, Lusitania and The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal. There are reproductions of<br />

other superb paintings by a number of fine artists.<br />

One poignant photo is a 1998 shot of the wreck of HMS Perseus, which struck a mine while on<br />

patrol in the Ionian Sea on 6 December, 1941 with the aft escape hatch still open from where<br />

sole survivor stoker John Capes escaped using his Davis escape gear.<br />

Other striking photos include a haunting full page view of a diver approaching the conning<br />

tower of the U-352 which was sunk off the North Carolina coast and an incredible series of<br />

shots of the large Japanese cargo submarine I-52 which lies 17,190 feet down in the Atlantic<br />

Ocean, some 870 nautical miles off Cape Verde Islands and sunk in 1944 by US aircraft.<br />

Amazingly, the submarine has not been crushed and its anti-aircraft guns still point skywards.<br />

Two metric tons of gold bullion remains locked inside the hull, the depth having foiled at least<br />

one attempt at its retrieval.<br />

A list of 15 websites are listed in the back of this book to assist the reader to further pursue any<br />

of the 'lost subs' listed if they so desire.<br />

'Lost Subs' has it all. It is superbly illustrated and designed, crammed with information and<br />

very reasonably priced for a work of this magnitude. Released in time for Christmas.<br />

Vic Jeffery, Regional Manger, Defence Public Affairs (WA)<br />

B<br />

O<br />

O<br />

K<br />

R<br />

E<br />

V<br />

I<br />

E<br />

W<br />

35


STOP THE PARTY<br />

THE SOCIAL SIDE OF RIMPAC 02 BY THE COB<br />

Well, you would think after 20 odd days at sea from Sydney to Hawaii, with no crossing the line<br />

ceremony (of course), the last three days on the surface in sea state three, a fin that had what looked<br />

like a SAM launcher on the back of it and no RO units, that you might never want to go to sea again.<br />

If only this was true.<br />

SHEEAN has been deployed for RIMPAC 2002, PCO OPS and LUNGFISH, already dealt with by<br />

TORPS. However, these were small commitments in comparison to the most important part of the<br />

deployment "the senior sailors social commitments". In fact, the sea time provided important<br />

recovery periods between the overwhelming social programs organised by our hosts.<br />

This year we were well hosted by No. 3 Squadron and our host boat USS HONOLULU. The Chief’s<br />

Mess of HONO put on one of the biggest parties we can remember with gifts, food and lots of beer<br />

(yes free US beer is not bad).<br />

On we must go, to the next compulsory function. The Dockyard Command Master Chief made us at<br />

home with a well-intended Aussie BBQ. However we must do something about Fosters being an<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> beer. With his wife out of town we made his place home and were able to change the beer<br />

in the fridge.<br />

So, to the next party and the next and so on until we thought we must return the hospitality. A Senior<br />

Sailors Cocktail Party was held onboard for about 25 guests, Force Master Chief Rick West,<br />

Command Master Chief Billy Cronin, Robert Hamilton, Ron Johnson, Chief Petty Officer Darren<br />

Smith (RAN) and their wives just to name a few. This was a wonderful experience for them, as the<br />

US doesn’t allow any functions like that onboard.<br />

Chief (doing it hard on exchange posting) Darren Smith and his wife held a BBQ for us at their house.<br />

(Picture below, nice pool) However, again US beer (but still free).<br />

CPO Gorsch, PO Appelbee, PO Preston, Niki and CMC Billy Cronin, PO Masters and PO Cossey.<br />

36


STOP THE PARTY<br />

THE SOCIAL SIDE OF RIMPAC 02 BY THE COB<br />

All jokes aside we have never been treated better. The USN and their Chiefs have gone out of their<br />

way to make us feel welcome and we have endeavoured to return the same. I can only hope we are<br />

able to return the hospitality when we have USN boats visit us.<br />

Some people should not be allowed to dress themselves.<br />

When do men grow up!<br />

Finally, special thanks go to Billy Cronin’s wife Niki who, on return from Aussie, still allowed us to<br />

use her garden for many a night of horse shoes and an Italian card game of Scoppa.<br />

RIMPAC 02 – Where ‘fighting on’ meant more than just overcoming the operational challenges!!<br />

37


defence families of australia<br />

NEW NAME FOR BUSY GROUP<br />

The Defence Families of Australia (DFA) is the new official name for the National Consultative<br />

Group of Service Families (NCGSF).<br />

Despite a substantial growth in members and an increasing awareness of the group within<br />

Defence, the NCGSF has often battled with it’s long name. Judy Swann, National Convenor,<br />

explained “For 16 years we have been an effective group within Defence, made up of Defence<br />

spouses and representing the interests of families<br />

- but our name has always been hard to<br />

pronounce and remember!”<br />

The new name and logo was officially launched<br />

by the group’s Patron, Mrs Julia Anderson, wife<br />

of Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, at the<br />

Annual Dinner in August.<br />

The guests were impressed by Mrs Anderson’s<br />

DEFENCE FAMILIES AUSTRALIA NEW LOGO<br />

strong support for the group and the volunteer<br />

work that they do in representing the needs of Defence families. The guests included CDF<br />

General Cosgrove, Lieutenant General Leahy (Chief of the Army), Air Marshall Houston (Chief<br />

of the RAAF) and Vice Admiral Ritchie (Chief of the <strong>Navy</strong>). Present also were Minister Danna<br />

Vale and Defence Parliamentary Secretary Fran Bailey.<br />

Judy Swann addressed the guests and thanked Minister Vale and General Cosgrove for the<br />

overwhelming support that the group has enjoyed over the years. “With the support of the<br />

Minister and the Senior levels of the ADF, we are able to improve areas of Defence policy that<br />

affects Defence families - if the families are happy, the member is happy and more likely to<br />

enjoy a fulfilling and lengthy career<br />

with the ADF”.<br />

Western <strong>Australian</strong> Delegate, Robyn Ritchie (left) talks with<br />

Judy Laschelle, Director General DCO (Right) & South<br />

<strong>Australian</strong> Delegate, Patricia Clive (Centre)<br />

The DFA’s new mission statement<br />

“A voice for Defence Families”<br />

captures the exact purpose of the<br />

group when it was formed in 1986.<br />

Judy Swann says “We provide a<br />

forum for Defence families to have a<br />

say about Defence life and what<br />

things could be improved to enhance<br />

their quality of life. As Defence<br />

spouses ourselves, we know what its<br />

like out there and how the ADF<br />

could help you with deployments or<br />

relocations”.<br />

The ADF has a strong history of listening to this group and many policies have been introduced<br />

or improved as the result of the great work of the voluntary spouses. The DFA currently has over<br />

250 members. If you would like more information, please call Judy Swann 1800 100 509 or visit<br />

www.defence.gov.au/dfa<br />

38


SUBMARINE ASSOCIATION<br />

National and state branch office bearers<br />

National President Treasurer Secretary.<br />

CAPT Barry Nobes RAN (Rtd) Peter Vidler Peter R. Smith<br />

307 Hudson Parade 3 Fyall Street 98 Yelverton Street<br />

Claireville Erminton Sydenham<br />

NSW 2107 NSW 2115 NSW 2044 H 02/9519-8745 F 02/9557-1480<br />

Email: nsecsaa@localnet.com.au<br />

ACT BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

G. W. (Geoffrey) Burns LEUT R. C. (Rob) Thurston RAN<br />

201 Longmore Crescent 15 Starritt Place<br />

Wanniassa<br />

Macarthur<br />

ACT 2903 ACT 2905<br />

H 02/62910395<br />

NSW BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

M.A. (Max) Hardy<br />

R.I (Bob) Marsland<br />

1 Robina Place 13 Goliath Avenue<br />

Alfords Point<br />

Winston Hills<br />

NSW 2234 NSW 2153 H 02-9624-4057 W 02/9359-3437<br />

QLD BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

J.M. (John) O’Brien<br />

R. S.(Rod) Gould<br />

27 Loffs Road MS 2213 Lowood<br />

Loganholme QLD 4311 P/F 07/54268366<br />

QLD 4129<br />

Email: rgould@gil.com.au<br />

SOUTH AUST BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

F. R. (Fred) Butcher OAM Allen Francis<br />

107 Mount Osmond Road 25 Osborne Road<br />

Mount Osmond<br />

North Haven<br />

SA 5064 SA 5018 H 08/8248-0643 W 08/8438-7816<br />

TASMANIAN BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

Commodore Kim F. Pitt AM RAN (Rtd)<br />

David Byrne<br />

61 Burwood Drive 54 Woodcutters Road<br />

Blackmans Bay Lindisfarne TAS 7051<br />

TAS 7052 03 6223 5880<br />

Email: djbyrne@bigpond.com.au<br />

VICTORIAN BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

Gerry France<br />

Charlie Bonnett<br />

18/152 Underwood Road PO Box 6038<br />

Ferntree Gully Karingal LPO Vic 3199<br />

VIC 3156 03 9789 1509<br />

Email: emncee@bigpond.com.au<br />

WEST AUST BRANCH President<br />

Secretary.<br />

John A. Rana<br />

Norm T. Williams OAM<br />

6 Banksia Place STSC PO Box 599<br />

Yangebup<br />

Rockingham<br />

WA 6064 WA 6168<br />

Email: aussubco@iinet.net.au<br />

Visit the Submarines Association national website at http://submarinesaustralia.com<br />

39

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