Thread: Tilt shift, tiny Sydney

Originally Posted by kogvos

I stay because cuppabillytea is just around the corner.

Funny. I just came around the corner 20 minutes ago. That ambulance wasn't taking you away, was it?
You should pop around the corner for a beverage some time.

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Were you ever on Torrens Bob?

Didn't have that pleasure. Had a mate who did, he only had good things to say about it. Always looked ship shape & Bristol fashion, as they say. My first time at sea was on the old carrier Sydney, for six weeks in 1964, as a first term apprentice. Learned to lash up and stow a hammock, and how to chip rust. Living in a mess deck with hammocks was an interesting experience. After my time at Nirimba was over, I joined Vampire. Best ship I ever served on. Then came Perth, Brisbane, 3 months on Hobart to replace a man with a broken arm for a RIMPAC trip, then off to Mchales navy, Darwin. A close second to best vessel I served on was Ardent, up & down the West coast, over to Gove, refits in Cairns at NQEA, a great time in my naval life.

By this time, being away from home was wearing a bit thin. Posted to Sydney, Woollongong came next. The dreaded B.S.O.R.s' came next [ Bass Strait Oil Rig patrols.] mind numbingly boring, sitting at a buoy waiting for a ship to take a short cut through the restricted zone. with just the seals for company. Didn't they stink!. The rig, Mackeral, I think, had radar, and when they spotted a offender would radio us, we would slip, race out and with all the authority bestowed on us, gruffly warn them away. Of course, normally they totally ignored us. I often wondered if there was anyone on their bridge, at times. Rumor had it the fine they incurred was less than the cost of the fuel used by taking the short cut.

One positive was we got to go to Tasmania, occasionally. Launceston, and Hobart. Going back there for a drive , one day, beautiful place. We also worked with the SAS & CDT4? I think, doing secret squirrel stuff. Our job was to keep out of their way, which we did well. When they had their game faces on, they were very focused men.
That's the long answer , Bill, short answer is no.

Thanks Bob. It's just that my cousin Charlie was on Torrens from commission. He lived a stones throw from Cockatoo Island where she was built and did a lot of pre-commission work on her. After his time on Torrens he was posted to Canberra. Apparently he was a wiz at Sonar. Sadly he was killed in a car crash on he's way from Canberra to his family's weekender, which was across the road from ours at King's Point Burrill Lake. Incidentally, my Brother Dennis was Civilian in charge of RANTAU for many years.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

I enjoy walking Sydney's history.

We go there for a week every couple of years.....it's good that way.

We are going to Melbourne in a few weeks to do the same thing.

If you haven't already done so, may I suggest a visit to the Naval Heritage Centre, G.I..

RAN Heritage Centre | Royal Australian Navy