Living History

Post World War Two Naval Experiences

I joined the Royal Australian Navy in March 1946, aged 18, having enlisted in South Australia. At that time life in both Australia and the armed forces was still being influenced by World War Two, rationing remained in force, in fact, when servicemen went on leave they were issued with food ration coupons. Because of the large numbers of personnel still in the armed forces, hostels for their use when on weekend leave were still available in most of the capital cities. Melbourne had at least three, Blamey House, in Collins Street, was one and another, run by the Australian Army Canteen Services, was in Elizabeth Street. The YMCA had a large multistorey building on the other side of the Yarra River, just across Princes Bridge. These hostels provided cheap but basic bed and breakfast accommodation. All except for the YMCA would be discontinued after about 1948. One, in Sydney, Royal Navy House, but known always as ‘Johnnies’, was to remain until well into the Seventies, perhaps later. Servicemen going on long leave (twice a year - two weeks for shore-based naval personnel and three weeks for sea-going) travelled by troop trains to their respective states.

Naval life was still governed by the war, all officers and senior ratings had seen service during that conflict and discipline was very much the same. Courses for the various branches, which had been shortened from their normal peace-time length by the exigencies of the war, were still being conducted under these rules, in fact, it was not until 1948 that they would revert to peace-time practices. The strength of the navy in 1946 was 3 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 10 frigates (2 of which were completed late in 1945), 2 sloops and approximately 20 corvettes/mine sweepers. A number of what was known as minor war vessels, such as boom defence vessels, landing ships (tank) (LSTs), tugs, etc., were also in commission. The complement of Flinders Naval Depot (later known as HMAS CERBERUS), the training establishment at Crib Point, in Victoria, was over 2,000, including trainees. Gradually the number of ships in commission decreased. By 1948, two of the cruisers had been paid off, leaving only the heavy cruiser, AUSTRALIA, which had first commissioned in 1928. She remained in service until 1954. Five of the destroyers and several of the frigates and corvettes were also paid off, although four new frigates, which were under construction when the war ended, commissioned during 1946/1947. Two new Battle-class destroyers, laid down after the war, were to commission in 1950.

In February, 1947, after completion of my course as a wireless telegraphist in the Communications Branch of the navy, I was drafted (transferred) to the naval wireless station in Canberra, HMAS HARMAN. Canberra, in those days, consisted of a number of small suburbs, only three of which - Kingston, Manuka and Civic, contained shopping centres. Large open spaces were everywhere and Lake Burley Griffin did not exist. Government of the country was being conducted from what is now known as ‘Old’ Parliament House. In November, 1948, I was drafted to a naval base at Dreger Harbour, in Papua New Guinea, HMAS TARANGAU, which was near Finschafen, where the Australian 9th Division had landed late in 1943. Travel was by air, in a RAAF Dakota, which flew up once a fortnight to spray DDT over the base as a protection against malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and the seating inside the aircraft consisted of aluminium benches lining both sides of the cabin! The debris of war still littered the jungle surrounding TARANGAU, near the base was a large plane dump containing bombers, fighters and transport aircraft which had been considered ‘surplus to requirements’ at the end of the war. Rusting bullets, hand grenades and other items could still be found in the undergrowth. The base was also used as a refuelling point for ships proceeding to and from Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF).

In December, 1949, I was drafted back to HARMAN, arriving there in January, 1950, after completion of my leave. My next draft was to the frigate, CONDAMINE, in September, 1951. However, my time in that ship was short-lived. Whilst on leave in the December I received a telegram ordering me back to the ship immediately. I arrived on New Year’s Day to find that I had received a ‘crash’ draft to the boom defence vessel, KANGAROO, giving me only time to pick up my kitbag and hammock. KANGAROO had completed a long refit during December and had been due to sail early in January, when it was discovered she was one crew man short - her telegraphist! The previous one had been drafted off during the refit and this fact had been overlooked. I had experience with similar radio equipment in her sister-ship, KOALA, during my time in TARANGAU, when her telegraphist had been medically evacuated and I had replaced him and apparently no else with such experience was readily available. That was why I had won ‘the short straw’. KANGAROO sailed from Sydney a couple of days later and met up with the fleet tug, RESERVE, in Brisbane, about to tow a floating dock to the naval base at Manus Island, also known as TARANGAU, which had been opened when Dreger Harbour closed down in 1950. KANGAROO’s job was to act as ocean escort and collect fuel for herself and supplies for the two ships from Cairns and Port Moresby, as RESERVE, sailing sedately along at about 3 knots, could not enter these ports with the tow.

KANGAROO spent most of 1952 sailing between Sydney and Manus Island, with the usual calls into Cairns and Port Moresby. A large prisoner of war camp then existed on the island, housing a number of Japanese war criminals serving out their term of imprisonment. On one such return trip, advice was received that fuel supplies at Port Moresby had become contaminated and it was touch and go as to whether the ship had enough fuel remaining on board to make Cairns. A large canvas hatch cover was rigged on the mast to act as a sail just in case she didn’t. However, it was not required, but she was a very thirsty ship indeed upon her arrival!

In 1953 I was again drafted back to HARMAN, where I met my wife, Joan. She had joined the WRANS, also as a telegraphist, in 1952. Our wedding was arranged to take place in November, 1954, but, 12 days before the event, I received another crash draft, this time to the destroyer, WARRAMUNGA, which was about to re-commission after an extensive conversion refit and again it was found she was one short! Although there were several telegraphists in her communications branch and one less would not have mattered at the time, all must be present and correct when a ship commissions. Luckily she was not completely ready to resume full operational service and I was able to obtain sufficient leave for the wedding to go ahead as planned.

With Joan living in Sydney and after training and exercises along the east coast of Australia, WARRAMUNGA, with other RAN ships, sailed from Sydney in May, 1955, for exercises with British and New Zealand ships in South East Asian waters, expecting to return to Sydney in about six weeks time. However, in July, it was decided that she, with sister-ship ARUNTA, would become the first RAN ships to serve in the Far East Strategic Reserve, which had been formed to assist Britain against the Communist terrorists then operating in Malaya. It was not until December that the two ships returned to Sydney, where I saw my 10-weeks old son, Gary, for the first time! Our time together, however, was not for long. Britain was going to conduct atomic bomb tests at the Monte Bello islands, off the W.A. coast, and extra communications staff would be required at the naval wireless station, COONAWARRA, in Darwin. Accordingly, in March, 1956, I found myself in Darwin, along with others drafted from various ships for this purpose. It was expected that the operation would be over after about four months, but this was not to be. It was October before I caught up with my family again and again at HARMAN. Joan, in the meantime, had gone to Perth, travelling by herself on the train with our then 7 months old son, which, in those days meant changing trains in Albury, Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie. She had been sharing a house in Sydney with another navy couple, but when they had been transferred to Victoria, and with my return uncertain, she decided to go to Perth where her family lived.

At HARMAN we lived in married quarters. Our daughter, Debbie, was born in August, 1957 and in July, 1958, I was drafted again, this time to another BDV, KOOKABURRA, only without the trauma of a ‘crash’ draft. Joan and the two children returned to Perth as I only had 12 months left to serve. In December, KOOKABURRA paid off and the entire crew transferred to KIMBLA, another BDV, but which had been converted for oceanographic survey work. I flew to Perth for Christmas leave and returned to the ship, finally being discharged, ‘engagement expired’ at the end of June, 1959. My life in the navy had many highs and lows, but generally I was glad to have had the experience and receive the sense of discipline which I have carried with me ever since.

Bob, (RAN 1946 - 1959), Happy Valley, South Australia

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