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

ILaminatingMessageries MaritimesAMPBUILDING2 YOUNG STREETSYDNEYi H i: i u i; > c ii i i * KCastingSERVING AUSTRALIA SINCE I8H2You'd be sunk without(IRAPHOXK: 27-2«54Kpox) ResinsARALDITE R>tin- original Epoxy Resin forCoatingToolingFlooringBondingCIBA Company Pt\. Ltd., Orion Rd.. Lane Cove — Phone 42-0221Abo at Melbourne — Adelaide — BrisbaneTHE NAVV10.30 boat's nose suddenly rose,and boat broke surface about amile from torpedo-boat. Blewwater forward, but could not getboat to Jive. Torpedo-boat, tiring,got very close, and ship fromArtaki Bay. a gunboat, was alsofiring at range of about threemiles; flooded a forward tank,and Ixut suddenly took big inclinationdown b\ bows, anddived rapidly. A.E.2 was onlyfitted with l(X)-fooi depthgauges.This depth was quicklsreached and passed Went fuilspeed astern, and commenced toblow main ballast. After a considerableinterval the boat roserapidly, passed the 100-foolmark. and. in spite of efforts tocheck her. broke surface sternfirst. Within a few seconds theengine-room was hit. and holedin three places. Owing to thegreat inclination down by thebow. it was impossible to see thetorpedo-boat through the periscope,and I considered that anyattempt to ram her would beuseless. 1 therefore blew mainBUTTER OFPERFECTION'I \K( II-APRIL. IMSNEW CHIEF OF THENAVAL STAFFA new Chief of the NavalStaff began duty at Navy Officein Canberra on the 24th February.1965.He is Vice Admiral Alan Mc-Nicoll. C.B.E., G.M., who succeedsVice Admiral Sir HastingsHarrington. K.B.E., C.B.,D.S.O., in the R.A.N.'s top post.Admiral Harrington has beenChief of the Naval Staff andFirst Member of the Naval Boardballast and ordered all hands ondeck. Assisted by LieutenantFfannard. I then opened thetanks to flood and went on deck.The boat sank in a few minutesin about S3 fathoms, in approximateposition 4' north of KaraBurnu Point, at about 10.45a.m. All hands were picked upby the torpedo-boat, and nolives were lost."I have no explanation to offerof the original loss of trim ofthe boat. That many leaks hadbeen caused by the final bump,when aground in the Narrows,did not in my opinion satisfactorilyexplain the sudden rise ofthe bows. I believe an identicallysimilar case occurred in the firstyear of the war to submarineE. 11, Lieutenant-CommanderNasmith, when, in the presenceof enemy destroyers, the boatsuddenly rose by the bows, andall tanks had to be flooded tosink her to the bottom, as shewas fortunately in shallow water.On return to harbour she wasdocked for examination, but noreason for the extraordinary behaviourwas found."Finally, I have to bring toyour favourable notice the behaviourof the crew throughoutall the service herein specified.The manner in which they performedtheir duties was such asto earn the most complete recommendationthat I can possiblygive them."for the past three years.Admiral McNicoll took up hisnew appointment with the rankof Vice Admiral. Previously, asa Rear Admiral, he had beenFlag Officer-in-Charge of theNavy's East Australia Area.Admiral McNicoll has servedtwice before on the Naval Board,as Seiind and Fourth NavalMembers, and he is a formerFlag Officer Commanding theAustralian Fleet.Born in April 1908, he graduatedfrom the Royal AustralianNaval College in 1925. He wasawarded the George Medal in1941 for disarming torpedoes ina captured Italian submarineunder extremely hazardous conditions.Admiral Harrington's retirementmarks the end of a distinguishedcareer of 45 years inthe R.A.N. He entered the RoyalAustralian Naval College in1920, and graduated four yearslater. While commanding H.M.-A.S. YARRA in the SecondWorld War he was awarded theDistinguished Service Order andtwice Mentioned in Despatches.In a farewell message, AdmiralHarrington said:—"On the occasion of my retirementI thank all the officersand men of the Royal AustralianNavy for their service and loyaltyduring the period of myappointment as Chief of theNaval Staff. Many changes andheavier responsibilities lie aheadfor Australia and for the Navy.I am confident that you will meetthem successfully and with distinction."The traditions of the RoyalAustralian Navy, founded in warand tempered in adversity, aresafe in your hands. They willdevelop and expand during thenext fifty years as they havesince the constitution of theRoyal Australian Navy in 1911."Goodbye and good fortuneto you all."