The clay model of the Sailor for the Naval Memorial is now ready for the casting at the foundry, it is hoped that completion and dedication of the Naval memorial will be in the first half of this year.

The Australian  January 30,  by: Mark Dodd

 THE Australian Defence Force needs to increase its presence and visibility across Australia’s north to meet rapidly changing strategic developments in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, a key report has warned. A progress report on the government’s Force Posture Review, ordered last year by Defence Minister Stephen Smith, also calls for a second naval fleet base to be built on the east coast. Brisbane has been named as a possible site to supplement the current fleet base in Sydney.

Prepared by former defence department secretaries Dr Allan Hawke and Ric Smith, the review aims to better position the defence force to meet future strategic challenges in the region. The report calls for the strengthening of military bases close to Western Australia’s North West Shelf  petroleum and mineral resource zone. It says basing more defence assets in Australia’s far north would also enable better preparedness in responding to humanitarian disasters. The full digital experience “The progress report offers a range of thoughts and options on how the ADF could be better geographically positioned to respond in a timely way to Australia’s strategic and security demands,” said Mr Smith.

“The progress report points to the Asia-Pacific Century as reinforcing the need for a force posture that can support operations in Australia’s northern and western approaches, as well as operations with our partners in the wider Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean rim,” he added. On the northwest coast, Exmouth, Dampier, Port Hedland and Broome were cited for improvements to port infrastructure to allow easier wharf access by navy warships. The report foreshadows the sale of additional defence properties and real estate considered no longer vital to ADF capability.

A new era begins!

THE German navy will today unveil memorials commemorating the crews of the HMAS Sydney and the Kormoran that sank it in World War II.

Plaques remembering the 645 Australians and 78 Germans who died will be unveiled at the German Naval Memorial in Laboe, in the state of Schleswig.The push for the memorials came jointly from the German Naval Association and the Finding Sydney Foundation, which located the wrecks in 2008. At the time, Australian officials dropped wreaths as a mark of respect to the lost Australian and German sailors. Despite the discovery of the ships and a comprehensive official inquiry, the HMAS Sydney’s sinking remains controversial with some relatives of its crew members.

Members of the German Naval Association have told Australian officials that relatives complained to them the plaques should not be laid because the cruiser’s sinking was a war crime and last year’s official inquiry was a cover-up.The inquiry, headed by former judge Terence Cole, rejected claims that the Germans tricked the Sydney’s captain into moving in too close and that the Germans murdered Australian survivors.The German Naval Memorial in Laboe has international significance and is one of the few German military memorials not destroyed by the Allies at the end of World War II. Others were seen to “glorify war and the spirit of aggression”.

The Finding Sydney Foundation said the memorial’s intent was to record Germany’s personal tribute to all of the men who died in the battle and had no element of glorifying either combatant or nation.A Royal Australian Navy spokesman said last night the loss of HMAS Sydney was as tragic and significant now as it was in November 1941.”It remains the RAN’s largest ever loss of life during a single action. This plaque commemorates heartbreak and honours sacrifice made by both sides in war,” the spokesman said.

© The Australian

I have just finished reading Mike Carlton’s book “Cruiser” The Life & Loss of  HMAS Perth I would recommend it’s      reading to anyone who had an interest in WWII events in particular the Royal Australian Navy.

Curtescy of FAA Magazine Slipstream

The text below is the Chief of Navy signal explaining the requirement to establish the new Aviation Support Category for LHD operations.

FM CN AUSTRALIA

TO ATG 3600

ATG 3602

RAN ALL SHORE 1/3

RAN ALL SHORE 2/3

RAN ALL SHORE 3/3

BT

UNCLAS

SIC WAA

ORIGNO: 2636/DFMS

015 ALL SHIP 0,15 ALL SHORE 013 ALL OVERSEAS

SUBJ: ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AVIATION SUPPORT CATEGORYTHE RAN IS SCHEDULED TO INTRODUCE THE TWO CANBERRA CLASS

1. AMPHTBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS (LHD) DURING THE PERIOD 2014-2016.THE ARRIVAL OF THESE SHIPS WILL REQUIRE NEW COMPETENCIES AND SKILL SETS TO BE MASTERED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE POTENTIAL AMPHIBIOUS CAPABILITY PROVIDED BY THESE PLATFORMS IS FULLY REALISED ONE SUCH AREA OF EXPERTISE IS THE CONDUCT OF MULTI-SPOT AVIATION OPERATIONS FROM A LARGE FLIGHT DECK, THE SCALE OF WHICH THE RAN HAS NOT CONDUCTED SINCE THE DE-COMMISSIONING OF THE CVS HMAS MELBOURNE. 

2, THE COMPLEX NATURE OF LHD AVIATION OPERATIONS WARRANTS PERSONNEL WITH SPECIALIST TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE TO MASTER THE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED TO ENSURE SAFE AND EFFICIENT MULTI-SPOT FLIGHT DECK AND HANGAR OPERATIONS, ACCORDINGLY I HAVE AGREED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AVIATION SUPPORT (AVN) CATEGORY TO UNDERTAKE THESE DUTIES ON THE LHD 

3 TO ESTABLISH THE CATEGORY IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO MEET THE LHD TNTRODUCTION INTO SERVICE PLAN, COMMANDER FLEET AIR ARM (COMFAA), lN  CONJUNCTION WITH THE DIRECTORATE 0F NAVY CATEGORY MANAGEMENT (DNCM), TS To ESTABLISH A CATEGORY IMPLEMENTATION MANGEMENT TEAM (CIMT). THE CIMT IS TO DEVELOP AND COORDINATE THE EXECUTION OF AN AVN CATEGORY ESTABLISHMENT PLAN, ENSURING GROWTH OF THE CATEGORY MATCHES LHD REQUIREMENTS 4. FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE AVN CATEGORY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE WHEN THE CATEGORY DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS FINALISED

 With the resurrection of the Premier Bramch of the Fleet Air Arm what will be the next re-incarnation?? Safety Equipment and Armourers.

DFWA UPDATE #248 of 17 March 2010

The Association is gratified, but not at all surprised, that the men and women of the ADF who rescued Afghan asylum seekers after the SIEV 36 explosion at Ashmore Reef in April 2009 have been vindicated by the Northern Territory Coroner. Coroner Greg Cavanagh found that: Whilst there was a priority to save ADF members in the water first and whilst that in fact occurred, I conclude that no criticism can be made in the circumstances of this case. It was not known whether ADF members in the water were injured or not, Corporal Jager would have drowned but for the efforts to rescue her. The fact that the ADF members were recovered and then assisted in the timely rescue and treated of passengers probably saved many lives. I have concluded that action taken by navy personnel was appropriate and more passengers might have died but for the action they took. Indeed, later in these findings I refer specifically to the bravery of three members of the ADF. In my view the individual efforts of ADF members Jager, Keogh and Faunt are worthy of specific mention. The Association again thanks the men and women who protect our borders, often a thankless job that can be made more difficult when media and others cast dispersions on their integrity and professionalism. The Coroner’s report is a welcome assertion of this.

1 March 2010

The RAN is marking its anniversary with a welcome gift, announcing changes to ships’ Battle Honours. Campaign and battle honours are highly prized by ships, squadrons and establishments across the RAN. The large boards on which these honours are listed are proudly displayed, and by listing the operational achievements of all previous units of that name, they serve as a constant reminder of the Navy’s past achievements. The earliest Australian award, New Zealand 1860-61, dates back to the Colonial period. A recent review of the Royal Australian Navy’s list of campaigns and battles proposed several new awards to reflect recent RAN operations. The review also identified prior anomalies where some ships had not received due recognition for their activities. The full revised list was approved by the Governor General last year. The Chief of Navy VADM Russ Crane AO, CSM, RAN says Navy has much to be proud of on this special day. “We should all take great pride in being a critical part of the Navy over the past 109 years,” Vice Admiral Crane said. “In a time of very high operational tempo the navy team, which includes our many civilian and commercial partners, continues to achieve and sustain the high standards set by those who went before us.”Newly commissioned unit battle honour boards will incorporate the changes from commissioning with the cost of the boards incorporated into the project budget. Battle honour boards for units presently in commission will be progressively updated in accordance with normal protocols based on wear and tear. The cost will be borne by the relevant command using extant budget guidance.Download the full of RAN Ships & Units in line for changes to their campaign and battle honours. http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf

A Sailors Ode

Let this be an Ode to the men

Who will never sail again;

The men who in the glory of their proud spirits

And unselfish madness of their heroism

Have reached their harbour on the other side

May peace and trnquillity be theirs always.

Naval Ode

They have no grave but the cruel sea

No flowers lay at their head

A rusting hulk is their tombstone

Afast on the ocean bed

They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them nor the years condem

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them

LEST WE FORGET