Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-Jun 1965 - Navy League of Australia

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" : . • " • • " • ' • '- .......'• «UpnjUHBOOK REVIEW•THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS",by B. B. Schofield(B. T. Batsford Ltd., London.)Price in Aust., 46/-, Post andPacking, 2/3. Our copy from:Technical Book and MagazineCo., Pty. Ltd., 295-299 SwanstonStreet, Melbourne, Vic.After France fell to Germanyin World War 11, Hitler's decisionto invade Russia started athree and a half years strugglein the freezing seas north ofNorway. The safe delivery ofAllied war material to Russiawas vital to her survival. Shecould not have halted the Germanadvance without this aid.Both sides recognised this fact,and the Allied convoys had tobattle against, not only a determinedand wily foe, but againstthe frozen spray, the ice andcold, the continuous darkness ofwinter, and the absence of darknessin summer.The excellent map on pages12-13 shows the winter andsummer routes of the convoys,and makes an interesting study.In fact, all the maps and diagramsare very clear and informative.After Japan entered thewar, American aid increased thesupplies to be convoyed to Russia,and the problem of transportationbecame acute.Mr. Schofield gives us a verydetailed history of the Arcticconvoys and what appears to bea balanced assessment of theirvalue. He feels that the strategywhich kept the convoys goingfor so long was unsound, andthat efforts should have beenmade to develop the supply routethrough the Persian Gulf andIran. He has nothing but unstintedpraise for the spirit andcourage of the men who mannedthe ships, and concedes thevalue of the convoys, though heSUBMARINE ERA DRAWSTO A CLOSEIn six years 19 new dieseland battery-driven submarineshave been commissioned forservice in the Royal Navy. Allthese vessels have been developedfrom the prototype, H.M.S.PORPOISE, and represent theprogress made with the Porpoiseand Oberon Classes—the lasttype of non-nuclear submarinesexpected to be built for theNavy.The end of an era in submarineconstruction drew nearerto its close when H.M.S.OPOSSUM, the eleventh of theOberon Class, was acceptedfrom Messrs Cammell Laird, atBirkenhead, by her commandingofficer, Lieutenant-CommanderW. L. Owen, R.N., on 5th June.There arc now only two moreOberons to be completed and,after this, construction will beconcentrated on nuclear-poweredsubmarines, unless there is achange of policy.This increases the importanceof the nuclear hunter-killerprogramme, of which H.M.S.DREADNOUGHT is the forerunner,but there are at presentonly two others of her type beingbuilt; the VALIANT, launpointsout that the price paidwas heavy. The Russians do notappear to have been as cooperativeas they might havebeen, as was neatly summed upby A. P. Herbert, in "Less Nonsense,"1944."We might have said 'Our shipping'son the stretchYou shall have all the tanks thatyou can fetch'But that is not the way we fightthis warWe give them tanks and takethem to the door."ched in December, 1963, andH.M.S. WARSP1TE, laid downin the same month. The nuclearhunter-killer programme is beinghampered by the Polaris project.The effect of this is now clearto see. It will be a long time beforethe Navy's hunter-killerstrength is again numericallyincreased to any significant degree.The 19 new submarines representan important replacementeffort, for the quality and capabilitiesof the Porpoise andOberon boats are widely recognised.They can remain submergedfor weeks, needing onlyto hoist their 'snorts' to rechargebatteries. The OPOSSUM, likeher predecessors, has advancedsonar equipment which will enableher to detect targets at greatdistances, and she will be ableto dive silently to intercept atunderwater speeds in excess of15 knots.A feature is her joystick controlgear. Sitting at a consolewhich resembles the flight deckcontrol panel of a large jet aircraft,one man can control thesubmarine's course and depth,and when desirable an automaticsteering and depth control devicecan be switched on. The complementof six officers and 57ratings would, in fact, be largerwithout this measure of automation.Developments in the tacticsof setting a submarine to catcha submarine are, however, soswift that these diesel and battery-poweredsubmarines, valuablethough they are, can neverbe as effective as the 'true nuclearsubmersible'. The need fornuclear hunter-killer submarinesmay, therefore, be expected toincrease more rapidly than presentplanning appears to caterfor.THE NAVYSEA CADET NOTEST.S. ALBATROSSPRIZEGIVINGGrowth of Navy Boon toCareersRapid expansion of the Navywould increase opportunities foryoung men joining the service.Commander D. C. Johns told seacadets and their parents.Commander Johns, of theNaval air station. H.M.A.S. Albatross,presented prizes tomembers of the Wollongong seacadet unit during the unit'spresentation ceremony andChristmas party.About 150 people attendedthe function in the sea cadetdepot. T.S. Albatross.Commander Johns said theNavy, like the other armed services,was now expanding rapidly."And in an expanding servicethere are more opportunities foreveryone." he said."If any of you want to joinin the next couple of years, Iwould say that with a little effortand a little thought you mustsucceed." he said.The commanding officer ofT.S. Albatross. Lieutenant D.Lindsay, said four cadets fromhe Wollongong unit would beginduties with the R.A.N, in 1965.One of these would join theNavy apprentice school, H.M.A.S. NIRIMBA, and the others•vould join the junior recruitschool, H.M.A.S. LEEUWIN, inWestern Australia.For Hong KongA fifth cadet, joining the Mcr-•hant Marine, left for Hongsong on December 28.Lieutenant Lindsay said theWollongong unit now had aJANUARY-FEBRUARY. IMSstrength of 56 senior cadets and10 junior cadets.Cadets who received awardswere:SeniorParade attendance, work partyattendance,best notebook, mostefficient cadet, S. Shepherd;sport, H. Pease; marksman, J.Varndell; highest money raiser,R. Rutton; special parade attendance,D. Pease, W. Delia, S.Shepherd, J. Needham, G.Childs, L. Barker, W. Hoernig.JuniorWork party attendance, sports,marksman, S. Seabrook; paradeattendance, N. Needham; bestnotebook, H. Stevenson; mostefficient cadet, J. Dunne; highestmoney raisers, G. Roberts; specialparades, N. Needham.Tasmanian Cadets 9Field Gun CrewThe Launceston Division ofthe Australian Sea Cadet Corps,T.S. TAMAR, has raised aCadet Naval Field Gun Crewusing the traditional 12 pounderNaval Field Gun of 1903 vintage.This field piece has alreadygiven displays on television andhas given a very creditable displayat the Launceston NationalShow in October, 1964.It would be of interest to knowwhether any other Sea CadetUnit in the Commonwealth hassuch a gun crew operating intheir unit.The drill carried out with thisweapon covers all phases of thedrill laid down in the Field GunHandbook, including interchangeof wheels from gun carriage andlimber, plus the actual firing ofthe gun using a fixed firing mechanismwith .303 blank cartridgeand a flash powder tosimulate actual firing.The average age of the Cadetsin this gun crew is 16 years.The crew itself has beentrained from the outset by SeaCadet Petty Officer InstructorR. T. Bell of T.S. TAMAR.
.a medical examination and signpapers clearing the Navy fromresponsibility for any injuriesthat might occur during theflight.The other two apprenticeswere not passed as medically fit,so I was the only one to takepart.During the morning of theday I was to fly, I had to attendinstructions on Sea Air Rescue(S.A.R.) where I was instructedin the correct procedure ofleaving the aircraft or bailingout in case of some accident.I was also instructed in howto use my Mae West and onemandinghy, and the most essentialitem—the parachute.I was issued with a flying suit,inner and outer helmet, throatand face microphone, and otherflying extras.I was very fortunate, for onthis day they were to practicefiring rockets with three planeseach firing four rockets.OS—In An AircraftIt was a strange sensation beingcatapulted.In less than two seconds theplane had covered 100 feet andwas moving at 110 knots, with apressure of nearly four "Gs"exerted on our bodies.After recovering from thelaunching, we travelled approximatelyten miles from the shipand fired a smoke flare into thesea for our target — with yourstruly doing the firing.We then climbed to an altitudeof some 5,000 feet anddived at an angle of thirty degreeswith a speed of 300 knotsdown to 1,500 feet, where wefired one of the rockets, immediatelypulling out and climbingback at the same steep angle.This put a pressure on thebody similar to that of beingcatapulted from the carrier, andit lasted for five or six seconds.The procedure was repeatedfor three further runs, until allthe rockets had been fired.We then practiced some formationflying, and returned andlanded back on the carrier.This was the part of our littleflying jaunt that perturbed memost, as for the past few daysI had been watching the pilotsdo their touch and go practiceand had seen how accurate theymust be.Fortunately, it all turned outwell and wc made a perfectlanding and stopped safely.Dropped in DinghyThe next great experience wasduring that night.Just before dusk we wereflown into Jervis Bay by helicopterto the Navy TrainingSchool airstrip and taken bytruck to the wharf, where wemade a trip out to sea in a smallboat.After dark 1 was lowered overthe side in a one-man dinghyand left there to be picked up—some twenty minutes later—bythe helicopter.There I was, floating all alonesome miles from the shore withonly two very small lights—oneon my Mae West and one onthe dinghy.It was the helicopter pilot'sjob to find me and pick me outof the water and return me tothe carrier.This was done by hoveringabout thirty feet above thedinghy and lowering a mandown on a cable with a stropwhich he put around me underthe arms, after which theywound me up into the helicopter.This was practice in case thehelicopter might have to pick upa pilot who had been forced toditch his plane at night.I am pleased to be able toreport that they were most efficient,both in finding me and inrescuing me.My other flying experienceconsisted of stand by duty, withthe helicopter hovering a hundredyards or so away from theship when the planes were takingoff or landing, so that itcould immediately pick up anypilot whose plane might land inthe sea.These helicopters carry radarequipment for tracking submarines,and one of our exerciseswas to locate and destroy an"enemy" submarine by trackinghim on our radar and droppinga homing torpedo close by,which homed on the submarineand "sank" it.All in all, 1 had about sixhours' flying, an experience Ishall always remember.Never a Dull MomentWhen the planes were notflying, the ship was undergoingother exercises—for example, agas attack where everyone hadto use his gas mask and certainparts of the ship were locked andsealed off.What with "atomic attacks","fire", "flooding" and so on,there was something on all thetime, and there was never a dullmoment.After a few days at sea, wewere joined by ANZAC, the escortdestroyer, which took overthe role of stand by or Sea AirRescue for night flying.One day we had gunnery practice.A plane towing a target aboutsix hundred yards behind it flewover the ship, and gunnery crewstried to destroy the target.ANZAC also took part in thisexercise.The fortnight flew by all tooquickly, and soon we were backto resume our civilian life.Naturally, I am most gratefulto the Navy for the experience,but the feeling that comes uppermostto my mind is respect—respect for the smooth efficiencythat characterised every operationI saw.THE NAVtVOLUNTEERS FOR NAVY'SEMERGENCY RESERVEOfficers and men in the CitizenNaval Forces who havethe necessary qualifications arebeing invited to volunteer for theNavy's new Emergency Reserve.The Minister for the Navy,Mr. Chaney, said recently thatthe invitation was contained inletters being sent to members ofthe C.N.F. throughout Australia.Details of the scheme were alsobeing announced on a local levelby Uie various Naval ReserveTraining Establishments in allStates.Retiring members of the PermanentNaval Forces were alsobeing invited to join the EmergencyReserve.Mr. Chaney said the volunteersfor the Emergency Reservehad to be capable of filling animmediate job in the Navy ifthey were called up. This meantthat only trained men could beaccepted for the new Force. Theage limit for entry was 48.Invitations were going tomembers of the Royal AustralianFleet Reserve, officers on theEmergency List, and selectedmembers of the R.A.N.R. andR.A.N.V.R.The Royal Australian FleetReserve consists of former ratingsof the Permanent NavalForces, while the EmergencyList comprises former officers.Only those ratings who have leftthe Navy in the last five yearsare eligible to join the EmergencyForce.A total strength of about2,000 volunteers is planned forthe R.A.N. Emergency Reserve.This will be a third Force, quiteseparate from the PermanentNaval Forces on the one hand,and the Citizen Naval Forces onthe other.Members of the EmergencyReserve will undertake thirteendays paid training each year.They will receive a bounty of£100 in the first year, and furtherannual payments rising toa maximum yearly bounty of£175 after four years. Wheneverthey were called up for continuousservice, the members of theEmergency Reserve would receivea gratuity of £55.H.M.A.S. VENDETTA, who recently returned frou the Far East and fa) at present reflltlnr. It toanticipated ahe will Join the Fleet next month./JANIMRY-FEBBUARx-, 1965
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Page 6 and 7: ' ' "'^JP|Navy in Borneo and look o
Page 8 and 9: Two French warships which visited S
Page 10 and 11: (Bomber) Harris and Sir ErnestOppen
Page 14 and 15: FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS . . .
Page 16 and 17: '•M*\ MUCHELL LI°°ARV
Page 18 and 19: '"-WWAT YOUR SERVICEFor YourHoliday
Page 20 and 21: * 'tht Guard.I ,in.l--'Sail to Euro
Page 22 and 23: SYDNEY SLIPWAY &ENGINEERING CO.PTY.
Page 24 and 25: —14PATTON'S SLIPWAYSPTV. LTD.SLIP
Page 26 and 27: SEAGOING LINER- or SEAWORTHY LINKSZ
Page 28 and 29: "" ' '134,000 MILES UNDER THE SEABy
Page 30 and 31: spearhead InATTACKandDEFENCEWestlan
Page 32 and 33: BLUE STAR LINERegular sailings of f
Page 34 and 35: JRoyal \avy "Helping: to PreserveWo
Page 36 and 37: ——#*MARITIMEMAINTENANCEPTY. LTD
Page 38 and 39: QUARTERLY REPORT OFPROCEEDINGSRepor

Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-Jun 1965 - Navy League of Australia

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