Better care She's back - Department of Defence

16 November 8, 2012
CENTRESPREAD
17
WELCOME WELCOME: Special guest for the International Fleet Review launch, launch
Jean Nyse with sailors from HMAS Parramatta. Photo: LSIS Jo Dilorenzo
Recalling lifetime
full of adventures
JEAN Jervis Nysen, nee McKenzie,
was born in December 1922 on board
Jervis Bay during its maiden voyage to
England.
As the daughter of LCDR Donald
McKenzie, she moved every two years
including two postings in England.
“I realised it was a great way to
live. A life of discovery and constant
change,” she said.
The family returned to Australia in
1929 on HMAS Canberra and settled
in Sydney.
When WWII broke out Mrs Nysen
was working as a commercial artist.
After HMAS Sydney was sunk
by German raider SMS Emden, she
decided to become involved in the war
effort.
“I decided I would just have to
put my career on hold and become
completely involved in the war effort.
Nothing else mattered.”
She joined the Women’s Emergency
Signalling Corp in November 1941. Six
months later, she arrived at Harman
Naval W/T Station in Canberra as a
qualified wireless operator,.
Over the next three years, she
worked six-hour watches, transmitting
coded messages between allied shore
establishments worldwide and allied
shipping in Australian waters.
After one watch in August 1942,
she learned that Canberra had been
sunk near Guadalcanal.
“I froze,” she said. “My young
brother [Donal McKenzie] was a
midshipman on board.”
The next morning she learned her
brother had survived.
“My father had been on Canberra
HISTORIC HISTORIC LINK: Jean Nysen
looks at a portrait of her father,
Donald McKenzie, who was on
board HMAS Australia I which
sailed into Sydney Harbour for the
first Fleet Entry in 1913.
Photo: ABIS Sarah Williams
for its first voyage and my brother had
to abandon ship on her last,” she said.
In 1945, she worked in
communications between the Admiralty
and the 336 ships of the British Pacific
Fleet, which had set sail in January to
help finish the war with Japan.
“In order to conceal its true position
we were instructed to escalate the
volume of traffic gradually, to make it
appear that the fleet was much closer
than it actually was,” she said.
After the war, she married and
moved to the Netherlands, returing to
Australia in 1950.
IT’S ALMOST TIME
With just a year to go Navy launches the 2013 International Fleet
Review in Sydney Harbour, marking a very special centenary.
CONTEMPORARY BACKDROP: HMAS Parramatta cruises around Sydney
Harbour during the International Fleet Review launch. Photo: Mark Anderson
AN INTERNATIONAL armada
of 40 warships will sail
into Sydney Harbour next
year, marking 100 years since
the first arrival of Australia’s Naval
fleet. The International Fleet Review
will be one of the most spectacular
events ever hosted by the RAN.
On October 4, 1913, HMAS
Australia led the new Australian fleet
of seven ships into Sydney Harbour.
The Fleet included HMA Ships Sydney,
Melbourne, Encounter, Warrego,
Parramatta and Yarra.
Sydney Harbour was once again
the backdrop for the launch of the
International Fleet Review on October
23. HMAS Parramatta was given the
honour of hosting the event, featuring
sailors past and present.
CN VADM Ray Griggs hosted
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore on
board for the event.
CN told the gathering more than 50
nations had been invited to participate
in the IFR by sending a warship, tall
ship and/or military band.
“Up to 10,000 Australian and foreign
naval personal are expected to be
here for the event,” VADM Griggs said.
“We are delighted to welcome so
many foreign navies and tall ships for
this exciting event.
“I am sure everyone involved will
take away some fantastic memories of
their involvement in this very important
historic occasion.”
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said
the IFR would bring great benefits both
to Sydney and to Australia.
“This event provides another opportunity
to showcase Sydney Harbour on
the world stage, as well as celebrating
Australia’s proud naval history,”
he said.
Participating countries are expected
to include Brunei, Argentina, Canada,
Chile, Columbia, France, Germany,
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal,
Singapore, Spain, Korea, Thailand,
Turkey, United Kingdom, and the
United States of America.
The IFR will incorporate an extensive
program of events including a tall
ship parade, fleet entry and review,
fireworks and light show, combined
naval march; aircraft flypasts; military
band concerts; religious and memorial
services, sporting competitions; and
Fleet departure. Ships will also be open
to visitors.
Australia’s largest maritime tradeshow,
Pacific 2013, as well as RAN
Sea Power Conference will coincide
with the IFR and be staged at
the Darling Harbour Exhibition and
Convention Centre.
Among the honoured guests to
attend the launch was Mrs Jean Nysen
who served in the RAN in WWII, and
is the daughter of an officer who sailed
in HMAS Australia I. She joined the
Navy in 1941.
The ship’s company of Parramatta
were humbled and excited to talk to a
former serving woman who can trace
her family lineage back through her
father, LCDR Donald McKenzie, to the
first RAN fleet that arrived less than 12
months before the outbreak of WWI.
Mrs Nysen was particularly
impressed with how Navy’s technology
had changed.
“The technology that you work
with now makes it a different but more
effective Navy to the one I served in,”
she said.
A Parramatta sailor, ABET Kyle
Petersen, said it was “an amazing experience
to hear her stories”.
ABET Petersen said the entire crew
was proud and excited to be hosting the
IFR launch, as Parramatta I was one of
the seven warships to sail through the
heads on October 4, 1913.
“The IFR will be a great opportunity
to celebrate the warships and all the
RAN personnel who have served their
country with pride over the past 100
years,” he said.
ABET Petersen, 20, said one of
those unsung heroes was his grandfather,
CPO Jim Blunt, who was a
submariner for 15 years and brought
the first Oberon-class submarine to
Australia in the 1970s.
“The IFR promises to be an absolutely
massive event for the RAN and
the people of Sydney and Australia,”
he said.
THRILLED: From top to bottom, LS Daniel Lucia from the Royal
Canadian Navy joins AB David Newton and AB Kyle Petersen aboard
HMAS Parramatta. Photo: LSIS Jo Dilorenzo
SYDNEY PANORAMA: A Sea
Hawk flies the Australian white
ensign over HMAS Parramatta,
HM Bark Endeavour and Lady
Hopetoun in Sydney Harbour for
the launch of the International
Fleet Review. Photo: ABIS Dove Smithett
Visiting
ships will
join huge
exercise
THE 40 ships visiting
Sydney Harbour won’t just
be here for a celebration.
The large number of naval
vessels will provide an ideal
opportunity for a challenging
series of evolutions off the
Australian east coast.
Exercise Triton Centenary
is already shaping up as
being the largest naval exercise
ever to take place off
the eastern coastline during
peacetime.
Australian Fleet
Commander RADM Tim
Barrett said the mass gathering
would provide the RAN
with invaluable opportunities
to test our skills and adapt to
the customs and procedures
of other navies.
“We regularly have to
go overseas for this sort of
activity,” RADM Barrett said.
“But Triton Centenary will
give us the chance to hone
our capabilities in a realistic
environment, all in our backyard.
“The chance to carry out
high-end warfare evolutions
will be welcomed by the
RAN vessels and assets
lucky enough to participate.”
He said Triton Centenary
would see a range of exercises
across the full spectrum
of naval capabilities.
Exercise Triton Centenary
is planned to take place both
before and following the IFR.