Towards the RAN Centenary 1911-2011: A Photostream.

[kookaburra]

Hello everybody,

Some months ago I started gathering together a collection of the best RAN ships photos I could find – and ships of other Navies in the Australian Maritime environment. I began documenting these photos as best I could: naming the actual photographers or other primary sources wherever possible. I also tried to give precise or Circa dating of the photographs. And to provide some notes for almost all, if not every one of them, placing them in some kind context - often factual, or sometimes a point of interest and discussion.

As it grew - much bigger than I ever anticipated – I decided I would make this into a photostream on Flickr, that would, eventually unofficially mark the RAN’s Centenary, which falls on July 20 next year [2011].

The phiotos are almost all historical black and whites, and there are virtually none of contemporary RAN ships. Just a few, and a few colour.

As some here know, I tried to keep this project quiet for quite a while, until I could complete it - but with the kind help of several friends from here on WNSF with proof reading and suggestions, I eventually had to open the access to it, so they could see what was going on. And, as I say, it has taken much longer than I planned.


Thus, the photostream already has a number of regular viewers and folk who comment on the contents. It remains a work in progress, however, as I will keep adding to it, and now presenting additions to it here.

I have presently gathered together almost 1,100 documented photos – setting a minimum standard for size and reproduction quality, which, I think, would be about the minimum quality applied by serious photo collectors here. In most cases I have managed to get photo qualities that are pretty high, and acquired a number of full high resolution copies.

The sources of the photos are books, libraries, museums, several are off other websites where I have approached the original posters or owners for permission, and some I have purchased myself separately. Among 1100 or so photos so far, about 20-30 I think were posted by other folk here on WNSF.

In each case, I have approached those individual forum posters and asked if I could include the pics in this unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 photostream collection.

In every case, the WNSF folk immediately and generously agreed, and I would like to thank our Mods Terry [Astraltrader] and Alan [AlanBenn]; and – since it is mainly Australian ships photos, particularly Ashley [Airlana]; Bruce [Spruso] ; Colin [Beca@clear.net.nz]; Brett [Phoenix09]; Tim [Tim Cotey], and apologies to anyone else I’ve momentarily missed here. They are all individually acknowledged on the photostream itself, as is WNSF as the photo source in those cases. Very kind messages have already come from several folk here who have seen or happened onto it on Flickr, including Ashley, Terry, Mik43 and Brett.

Batstiger Bob, I think I may have used two or three of your superb enhancements in preference to some original library sources. I hope that’s okay, and offer these belated thanks.

The Photostream:

[1]Here [immediately below] is a link to the latest page of the Photostream on Flickr. Anyone sufficiently interested can work back through its present 60 pages [18 largish photo thumbnails to a page] from there. As I’ve said, there are ships of many navies there, but it is mostly RAN , and I suspect you would need to be a real RAN enthusiast to stay with it all the way.

On the other hand, I’m hoping RAN-oriented folk will get a really big kick out of seeing all these photos, large and clear, and well-documented , all in one place. I’m sort of hoping, in that sense, it will end up being more RAN than anyone has ever seen in one consolidated place before.

here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/


[2] New Photos also to come on WNSF. It is, and has always been my intention to share previously unseen pics from the photostream here on the forum, and these will now gradually begin to appear across many threads in the Australian section, as and when I can, and over a period of time.

I apologise for my sudden and total drop-out from the forum threads. I think I I had created an expectation of continued posting in the Australian and NZ sections, and to have suddenly stopped like that must have seemed like bad manners. It was never intended to be like that, however – it was just the way the amount of work involved played out. So, sorry to any friends I have consequently neglected.

Finally:

WHY I DIDN’T DO IT HERE ON THE FORUMS. At the start, the photostream involved many photos that I – and the other folk I have mentioned - had already posted here. The more 'original' pics have tended to come later in my searches, and I'll now start some new acquisitions. However, from the beginning both duplications and the question of the server WNSF capacity precluded it from happening here.

Well, that’s it. Thanks again to those who have contributed, offered encouragement and help. To those people for whom the photostream will now come as something entirely new, I do hope you will enjoy it.

I’d love to hear any feedback, comments or corrections, that you might care to make. Please use the photo numbering system there to direct my attention to any particular photo.

Bests to All. Kookaburra.

[airlana]

Congratulations Kookaburra on the formal launch of your Photostream.

To everyone interested in navy ships, a visit to the site will amaze you. Photos most of us have not seen before, all accompanied with historical notes and snippets of interesting information, written in 'Kooka's" unique and entertaining style. It's a joy and an education to browse through the over 1,000 photos with new additions on an almost daily basis. Where does "Kooka' find the time to do all this? If it comes with retirement, then I have something to look forward to :)

I'm sure "Kooka" won't mind me giving a few tips for those not familiar with Flickr. Each viewing page has 18 thumbnail photos with a caption. Click the thumbnail and a new page will open giving a large photo [see note below] together with all the text relevant to that photo. You can also read the comments left by other viewers and add your own.

Note: click the "ALL SIZES" icon above this photo to view a supersize photo.

Thanks again Kooka, for sharing your Photostream with us.

Ash

airlana

[astraltrader]

Thanks for your kind words and welcome back Jeff!

[mik43]

Folks

If you haven't looked at Jeff's mega project yet on flickr then do so - it is absolutely brilliant as we have come to expect from anything Jeff produces.

Many BZs Jeff and we look forward to a bit more input on the forum now!!!

Mik

[JIM BAUMANN]

Mainly RN and RAN-- WW1 thru to present day--but mainly interwar....

I have had a busy afternoon clicking ....save as...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/


There are a number of resolutions one can download at--go to ' original'--its the the biggest!


have fun

Jim Baumann

[steve roberts]

Hi Kookaburra.A brilliant set of photos,had to create a special file for them all.BZ....Regards Steve.:)

[siggy63]

Mate
excellent set of snaps

Danny

[John Odom]

A lot to look at! Thanks!

[alanbenn]

Guys, you'll find that these wonderful photo's are from our own Kookaburra which he has been working on for sometime...

here's the link to his thread revealing all.

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6095

Regards
Alan

[kookaburra]

It is terribly kind of you gents to appraise that photostream so highly. What Jim has happened upon on Flickr is a mainly RAN photostream [but many other ships in Australia as well] that I have been developing for some months to mark the RAN's Centenary on July 20 next year.

It's a work in progress, but by great coincidence I 'announced' it in a separate thread here in the Australian section just yesterday, and I imagine Terry or one of the Mods may soon combine these threads.

Anyway, it was nice to have your comments and see those 'candid camera' reactions.

The development of this photostream is the reason [if anyone noticed] for my disappearance from the forum threads in recent weeks and months. It became immensely time-consuming, and I just couldn't do both things at once.

The Centenary being marked, btw, is of the promulgation of the Royal Australian Navy - there are, of course antecedents in the Commonwealth Naval Forces and colonial navies before that. It is however the marker that the RAN itself uses when conducting its anniversaries.

Here's a couple of visiting ships pics from the photostream, just to give this post some more interest. They are by the great Melbourne ship photographer A.C. Green [1878-1954] whose photographs are held in the Green Collection at the State Library of Victoria [LaTrobe Library] and are a big component on the unofficial Centenary photostream. These are of RN and USN ships visiting Melbourne, and there are scores of others like them on the photostream.

Thanks again for your interst, K.

[harry.gibbon]

Kookaburra,

Me thinks that the trusty BZ doesn't quite do it on this occasion, more like 'splice the mainbrace' for the magnificent photostream.

Thank you very much,

Little h

[astraltrader]

Threads combined.

If I could please make another request to our members to please check to see if there is not an existing thread subject in existence before starting a new thread. This can be done by using our new [improved] search facility and/or a quick scan down thread titles in the appropriate section[s].

Your help with this is greatly appreciated and is one way members can use to play an important part in the smooth running of the forum.
It helps to cut down on duplicated threads and helps make my life a little easier! :):)

[alanbenn]

Jeff, now everybody knows where to find your photo-stream, I'd just like to say what a marvellous job you've done so far.
Looking forward to more pages being added, it is a wonderful tribute to Australia's naval heritage.

Well done my friend.

Regards
Alan

[Jackaroo]

Jeff, now everybody knows where to find your photo-stream, I'd just like to say what a marvellous job you've done so far.
Looking forward to more pages being added, it is a wonderful tribute to Australia's naval heritage.

Well done my friend.

Regards
Alan

Here! Here!

Well done Jeff

Drinks in the Wardroom ...all on Ivor's bar chit

[kookaburra]

Thank you everyone for the very kind comments made here. It has really been very gratifying, and I've appreciated each one.

I have also been sort of saying this, quite sincerely, on each of my spinoff posts to other threads, but now I've come back here for a particular reason.

Earlier today I posted three photos to the photostream of the WW11 British escort carrier HMS Atheling in Melbourne, and I think they are marvelously atmospheric ships photos. However something else has happened.

In the comments below the first pic, someone - and it's our own Ashley, Airlana - has come up with a link to a most amazing, human interest story added to HMS Atheling's arrival in Melbourne on that very day.

It's a terrific find, one that made my day, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it - so please, go and have a look.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4362110110/?addedcomment=1#comment72157623447100382

If that doesn't take you to the right spot immediately, it's photo No 1100 you are looking for, and the amazing add-on story comes in the link from Airlana's comment below it. Meantime, here's the pic you're looking for, one of three...

[alanbenn]

Briiliant story Jeff, perhaps the authorities might look up this chap for the centenary year, sure it would make the papers once again.

Regards
Alan

[mik43]

Well done Ash, a brilliant story

Mik

[airlana]

Hi guys,

Yes it's quite a fasinating story and has that real human touch to it. For 12 year old Max, it must have been an adventure of a lifetime and beyond his wildest imagination. If there was a "show and tell' at school, I think we would all expect Max to have won.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anything else. I'm sure there's a chapter two somewhere to this story.

regards Ash

airlana

[kookaburra]

Folks, I did some searching and came up with the story behind the fairly well-known Fremantle photograph below, with the details now laid out on my developing unofficial RAN Centenary Photostream on Flickr.

Naturally many people would miss that, but as the photograph will be familiar to some, I felt its story would be worth sharing here.

This should take you to the story: If not [the sequences change as more pics are added], it's Photo No. 1133. Hope the explanation adds some additional meaning to the image for you. K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4373005266/

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

Among the most recent additions to my Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream are a little six-photo survey of the J Class submarines of the 1920s, some little-seen pics of cruiser HMAS Brisbane [1] from the John Oxley Library in Queensland, and a couple of oddities [ as below]'

* A mildewed old photo of the Intra-Wars 'S' Class destroyer HMAS Success in Papua New Guinea in the 1920s, that suggests to me that her travels may have been a bit more interesting than I, for one, had realized, or is suggested in the usual book sources.

* A photo of the newly commissioned Type 12 frigate HMAS Yarra coming out the Williamstown Naval Dockyard in 1961, smoking like an old coal burner. In fact one or two folk have commented below that they have NEVER seen a frigate making smoke like that, and one person who had served on HMS Whitby says it must have been a smoke screen test....

This takes you to the latest page on the Photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

and here's those two 'oddity' photos

[mik43]

Hi Jeff

Just brought myself up to date since the last time I looked at the 'project' - well done shipmate

Mik

[kookaburra]

Hi Jeff

Just brought myself up to date since the last time I looked at the 'project' - well done shipmate

Mik

Thanks for your usual kind comment Mik.

Today, amongst other things, the Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream has conducted an investigation whether the 1919 RAN submarine J7 had portholes or Captain Nemo-style underwater picture windows in its conning tower.

You can see some of the primary evidence for this unusual proposition below.

If anyone wishes to resolve the matter, they can comment on this thread, or directly in the discussion here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/?saved=1

[steve roberts]

Hi K. The Portholes? Are actually rough weather navigation ports,to save the risk of bridge personnel being washed off the conning tower in very rough weather.They were part of the casing and not included in the pressure hull itself.Quite a few modern Russian Subs were extensivly fitted with this feature as well....Many Regards..Steve.;)

[kookaburra]

Hi K. The Portholes? Are actually rough weather navigation ports,to save the risk of bridge personnel being washed off the conning tower in very rough weather.They were part of the casing and not included in the pressure hull itself.Quite a few modern Russian Subs were extensivly fitted with this feature as well....Many Regards..Steve.;)

Thanks Steve. Damn.

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

Today on the RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream I have posted a special series of 12 pics called 'A Wharf Walk Around Two Daring Class Destroyers of The 1970s'

It is 12 very large high-resolution pics scanned from negatives of privately taken photos, which - with perhaps one exception - I think have never been seen before.

The negatives, along with a wealth of other material that will appear in due course, were very kindly sent to me by their photographer, Geoff Green, who captured HMAS Duchess and HMAS Vampire together at a wharf in Townsville, Queensland, 38 years ago.

I was very excited to receive them, and spent some time today learning how to scan from negs. I hope you will be interested enough to take a look, and that you will enjoy them.

The series of 12 [with more pics to come later] are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

A bit below these are also are two previously unseen pics of the Tribal Class destroyer HMAS Arunta from another source.

Anyway, just for the flavour, here are two examples of the Daring Class 'wharf walk' series...bests , K.

[steve roberts]

Hi K.Thanks for the two pics,and look forward to your 12 others to come.Just one question.What on earth is the stripped awning like things,stretching from the fo'csel head to the beginning of the Bridge superstructure.If its meant to be a wind-break,the out-board ship has her's on the wrong side!!...Many Regards. Steve.:confused:

[kookaburra]

Hi K.Thanks for the two pics,and look forward to your 12 others to come.Just one question.What on earth is the stripped awning like things,stretching from the fo'csel head to the beginning of the Bridge superstructure.If its meant to be a wind-break,the out-board ship has her's on the wrong side!!...Many Regards. Steve.:confused:

Hi Steve,


I meant the pics are on the photostream itself, and - out of consideration for the WNSF server capacity - I am just putting indicative samples here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

I have put up the 12 best black and whites at the moment, and am still just contemplating some of the colour pics.

Yes, I have no idea what those windbreaks or awnings were meant to be. I've never seen anything quite like them before, and also think they look pretty useless. cheers, K.

[astraltrader]

A fine set of pictures indeed Jeff. Well done for uncovering them.

[steve roberts]

Hi K. Many thanks for that.Have looked in your link.There are some superb pictures in there.I guess the windbreak like contraptions will have to remain a mystery...Many regards Steve.

[kookaburra]

Hello everybody

In the midst of some problems with settings for a new modem and system upgrade last Saturday I tried to let the Aussie forum know about some new things appearing on the unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream. In short, there was a message and a sample pic that I thought I had posted here, but which simply never appeared.

The new things I wished to flag were a line of new photo acquisitions I had
made with new photos, for example, of HMAS Voyager [one below], but also other previously unseen vintage pics that will continue to appear progressively.

An immediate exercise I was also trying to flag was a series of photos and somewhat whimsical treatment of a clandestine visit to the 'Mothball Fleet' at Athol Bight, and a clamber over those old ships. You can see the start of that here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4428390612/

The exercise was rather messed up by my computer difficulties at the weekend, but as the old Mothball Fleet remains fascinating to quite a number of people I thought some here might like to catch up with these pics.

I'll be going back to the Mothball Fleet with an album of old [seen] and new [previously unseen] images shortly. I hope RAN oriented folk [and others] will enjoy some of the images now appearing. Cheers K.

[steve roberts]

Hi K.Thanks for those shots.Hope you have your system all fixed up now!:)Please keep them coming.There is something melancholy about seeing grand old ladies in their present states,and remembering how they were!:(...Many Regards Steve.

[kookaburra]

Hi All,

I have been letting the occasional updates here slip a little.

Anyway, today's additions to the Unofficial RAN Centenary Photostream include four port photos of the WW1 torpedo boat destroyers that are quite atmospheric, and I think will have not been generally seen before. They are from a new official Australian Government book, published just last month, and have a good nostalgia air about them I think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

Posting one of the photos below here [it's my personal favourite from the group]. The photo was taken in March 1919, when the six vessels of the TBD squadron assembled in Malta to return to Australia, with cruiser HMAS Melbourne as escort. Yarra and Parramatta ran out of fuel on the last leg to Australia, and had to be towed into Darwin by HMAS Warrego.

[spruso]

What are the objects in the foreground that look like portable toilets?

Cheers
Bruce :confused:

[PHOENIX09]

Hey Bruce,
The things you refer to are ordinance racks for holding individual shells and cordite charges, and are mounted around the Bandstand of the 4" gun of the `River`class.
They are very distinct if you checkout some of the shots of the TBD`s.
Here`s a good shot of a trawler 12 pounder showing the racks very well.
Cheers.

[spruso]

I think the things in the first photo are larger and don't appear sturdy enough to hold a shell. I thought they may be portable stands for wash basins for use while in port.

You can see another shot of the ordinance holders in this photo of YARRA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4516264505/

Cheers
Bruce

[kookaburra]

Hi All,

New entries on the Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream on Flickr in the past day or so include a special new selection of seven photos of HMS Hood in Sydney and Auckland - photos that I think may not have been previously seen; along with some 'romantic' photos of the RAN destroyers between the wars, and a selection of photos of the RAN's first flagship, the Indefatigable Class battlecruiser HMAS Australia [I]. Again, I think many of these will be new to most people.


The latest page, as of this moment, is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

Hope you enjoy them ...some samples:

[PHOENIX09]

Nice shots Jeff, as is the entire collection thus far, just my opinion, truely brilliant mate.
Keep going, 100 pages for 100 years.
Cheers.

[kookaburra]

Thanks for the very kind comments Brett. I'm sure it will make 100 pages.

Hi again, All.

Yesterday's entries included six photos, I think previously unseen, of the 6000-ton German cruiser Koln [III]'s goodwill visit to Australia from March 11 to May 16, 1933 in the course of a world cruise.

It's an interesting period episode, I think, because the visit crossed the period in which Hitler siezed power back in Germany; Koln's captain Otto Schniewind defended Hitler's 'bloodless revolution,' ; there were minor protests about the visit from Jewish organisations and communist groups; the time of the Great Depression; Schniewind went off to Canberra to pay a courtesy call on the Governor- General, who happened to be out first Australian-born G-G, Sir Isaac Isaacs, a jurist and prominent member of the Jewish community ...and the final irony, among Koln's crew was a rising young Lieutenant, Lt-CDR later] Theodor Anton Gunther Detmers - the man who destroyed HMAS Sydney [II] just over eight years later.

Despite all this, in her book 'HMAS Sydney: Fact, Fantasy and Fraud' author Barbara Winter records that Koln's visit largely went off happily.

Some of the photographs are from the Ernest George Best Collection of the State Library of NSW, which I have been introducing lately. It's a huge collection, but mainly of merchant ships, with only a handful of naval ships photos included.

Here's one of the best of the Koln [below], and a link to the current page, which will begin to fall back as new photos are introduced later today. Bests K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

[wagga]

Hello everybody,

Some months ago I started gathering together a collection of the best RAN ships photos I could find – and ships of other Navies in the Australian Maritime environment. I began documenting these photos as best I could: naming the actual photographers or other primary sources wherever possible. I also tried to give precise or Circa dating of the photographs. And to provide some notes for almost all, if not every one of them, placing them in some kind context - often factual, or sometimes a point of interest and discussion.

As it grew - much bigger than I ever anticipated – I decided I would make this into a photostream on Flickr, that would, eventually unofficially mark the RAN’s Centenary, which falls on July 20 next year [2011].

The phiotos are almost all historical black and whites, and there are virtually none of contemporary RAN ships. Just a few, and a few colour.

As some here know, I tried to keep this project quiet for quite a while, until I could complete it - but with the kind help of several friends from here on WNSF with proof reading and suggestions, I eventually had to open the access to it, so they could see what was going on. And, as I say, it has taken much longer than I planned.


Thus, the photostream already has a number of regular viewers and folk who comment on the contents. It remains a work in progress, however, as I will keep adding to it, and now presenting additions to it here.

I have presently gathered together almost 1,100 documented photos – setting a minimum standard for size and reproduction quality, which, I think, would be about the minimum quality applied by serious photo collectors here. In most cases I have managed to get photo qualities that are pretty high, and acquired a number of full high resolution copies.

The sources of the photos are books, libraries, museums, several are off other websites where I have approached the original posters or owners for permission, and some I have purchased myself separately. Among 1100 or so photos so far, about 20-30 I think were posted by other folk here on WNSF.

In each case, I have approached those individual forum posters and asked if I could include the pics in this unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 photostream collection.

In every case, the WNSF folk immediately and generously agreed, and I would like to thank our Mods Terry [Astraltrader] and Alan [AlanBenn]; and – since it is mainly Australian ships photos, particularly Ashley [Airlana]; Bruce [Spruso] ; Colin [Beca@clear.net.nz]; Brett [Phoenix09]; Tim [Tim Cotey], and apologies to anyone else I’ve momentarily missed here. They are all individually acknowledged on the photostream itself, as is WNSF as the photo source in those cases. Very kind messages have already come from several folk here who have seen or happened onto it on Flickr, including Ashley, Terry, Mik43 and Brett.

Batstiger Bob, I think I may have used two or three of your superb enhancements in preference to some original library sources. I hope that’s okay, and offer these belated thanks.

The Photostream:

[1]Here [immediately below] is a link to the latest page of the Photostream on Flickr. Anyone sufficiently interested can work back through its present 60 pages [18 largish photo thumbnails to a page] from there. As I’ve said, there are ships of many navies there, but it is mostly RAN , and I suspect you would need to be a real RAN enthusiast to stay with it all the way.

On the other hand, I’m hoping RAN-oriented folk will get a really big kick out of seeing all these photos, large and clear, and well-documented , all in one place. I’m sort of hoping, in that sense, it will end up being more RAN than anyone has ever seen in one consolidated place before.

here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/


[2] New Photos also to come on WNSF. It is, and has always been my intention to share previously unseen pics from the photostream here on the forum, and these will now gradually begin to appear across many threads in the Australian section, as and when I can, and over a period of time.

I apologise for my sudden and total drop-out from the forum threads. I think I I had created an expectation of continued posting in the Australian and NZ sections, and to have suddenly stopped like that must have seemed like bad manners. It was never intended to be like that, however – it was just the way the amount of work involved played out. So, sorry to any friends I have consequently neglected.

Finally:

WHY I DIDN’T DO IT HERE ON THE FORUMS. At the start, the photostream involved many photos that I – and the other folk I have mentioned - had already posted here. The more 'original' pics have tended to come later in my searches, and I'll now start some new acquisitions. However, from the beginning both duplications and the question of the server WNSF capacity precluded it from happening here.

Well, that’s it. Thanks again to those who have contributed, offered encouragement and help. To those people for whom the photostream will now come as something entirely new, I do hope you will enjoy it.

I’d love to hear any feedback, comments or corrections, that you might care to make. Please use the photo numbering system there to direct my attention to any particular photo.

Bests to All. Kookaburra.
Thanks for all your hard work Kooka, there are certainly a lot to go through, but the quality is as good as any that I have seen. I will make sure that my fellow members of the Mt Gambier ex navalmans association become aware of this site, I am sure it will bring back as many good memories to them as it has to me regards Wagga

[kookaburra]

Thanks for all your hard work Kooka, there are certainly a lot to go through, but the quality is as good as any that I have seen. I will make sure that my fellow members of the Mt Gambier ex navalmans association become aware of this site, I am sure it will bring back as many good memories to them as it has to me regards Wagga

Thanks for your kind comments Wagga. Yes, it has got a bit big, but ... it's a Centenary presentation.

Well, stand by for another big whack of photos from another private collection source in the next day or so. A 1950s 'special' presentation. I'm uploading it in private view at the moment just to keep the material manageable.

I'll put a signal on here when it's ready. Thanks again for the kind words. K.

[kookaburra]

Hi All,

As foreshadowed earlier, I have tonight finished uploading 67 photos from the private albums of CPO Gordon Curtis Evans, Air Artificer, Second Class RN [ret]., an 85-year-old former Englishman gentleman who served two year on HMAS Sydney [III] in the first years of her commission.

Gordon emigrated first to New Zealand, and then Australia in the early 1960s, and has since become an Australian citizen.

The photographs in his albums are rarely taken by him, but are a collection of photos of Sydney drawn from various sources, including RAN Photographic Unit photographers on the ship.

There are some that have been published and seen, but I think the overwhelming majority will be new to you. The Gordon Evans album starts here, and as I say, is 67 photos going over almost four Flickr pages. I hope folks will enjoy them. K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4608494377/

[astraltrader]

Some great pictures there Jeff - many thanks for telling us about them.

One tiny point in your picture 1801 the Firefly is 235 and not 236 and it links up with pictures 1827 and 1829.

No big deal really in the grand scheme of things! :)

[kookaburra]

Some great pictures there Jeff - many thanks for telling us about them.

One tiny point in your picture 1801 the Firefly is 235 and not 236 and it links up with pictures 1827 and 1829.

No big deal really in the grand scheme of things! :)

Thanks Terry, much appreciated. There are some rough spots in that whole mass of material that I am still fixing up, and my typos are getting worse. But that's one error I would not have found myself, and I want to get it as clean as I can for Gordon Evans. He's a lovely chap - I was out to see him returning material today, spent several hours chatting, and came back loaded with more!

Ahhh, it's great - but I do need a rest. Cheers K.

[Bee]

Great Photos Kookaburra,

Thanks for putting them on here.

I reckon you've earned a bit of a rest.

Regards,

Bee :)

[kookaburra]

Thanks Bee. I'm feeling 'calm' again. ;)

Folks in the past couple of days I have put up an unusual series of one-ship Type 12 [HMAS Torrens] photos for the Most Meticulous Modern Modellers on the photostream. I thought I would signal it here as the ship detail for modellers may reach beyond the interest of the regular photo collectors who seem to follow the collection.

These photos are from the private collection of Geoff Eastwood, a Sydney ships photographer whose Dad had close work-life connections with the Navy, and whose own interest gravitated to the Type 12 frigates, or destroyer escorts as the RAN later designated them.

In particular Geoff had adopted HMAS Torrens [II] as his favourite ship.

Imagine how he felt when he learned that Torrens was to be destroyed in June 1999 in a Mk48 torpedo test of the Collins Class submarine HMAS Farncomb's replacement combat control system. It produced photographs shown around the world, includinhg stills used in a Hollywood film, and which Hezbollah later put up on their website, claiming they showed Hezbollah's destruction of an Israeli warship.

Anyway, on a wet day in July 1998 Geoff went down to Circular Quay in Sydney, to make a detailed photographic record of his favourite ship as she was being decommissioned. Perfect for The Most Meticulous Modern Modeller!

I have to confess I had somewhat negelected these pics of Torren's pipeworks, etc - but I have been amazed how popular they've proved in terms of 'views' and downloading. Obviously quite a few people have this interest, and I had under-rated it.

A view of Torren's foremast and radar array attracted dozens of 'views' almost instantly.

Anyway, the series, the Ship Modellers' Tour of HMAS Torrens [which has - now fallen back a little in the queue of uploadings] starts here, and a couple of examples below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4638972492/

I found I became very wedded to these photos once they were uploaded. I hope you enjoy them.

[astraltrader]

Very impressive detail Jeff.

[steve roberts]

G'Day Kookaboro.Thanks for posting those shots + the link.I can imagine model makers all round the world just drooling at the detail in these photographs.
Many Regards Steve.

[PHOENIX09]

G`day Jeff,
The contents of the overview pertaining to H.M.A.S. Canberra(flikr) are well put, couldn`t agree with you more, especially on the bridge personnel, maybe with some pink batts to cushion the descent.
Great work mate.

[kookaburra]

Thanks Brett. Ha ha, it took me a minute to remember that rant as I've been off on another tangent entirely for the past six or seven hours. Anyway, I certainly think these people must now 'Do The Right Thing' and go down on the bridge of HMAS Adelaide when she sinks.

Folks, I have tapped another private photo album, from a former RAN Photographic Unit Member Allen Porter, RAN 1946-1952, and mixed some 25 photos or so with some more from CPO Gordon Evans, RN, 1941-1955, whose albums I have already drawn from extensively in some recent sequences.

These two men are in fact two old shipmates from HMAS Sydney [III], and respectively the past president and past secretary of the HMAS Sydney Association [now the HMAS Sydney and Vietnam Logistic Support Veteran's Association].

The latest sequence is very much a mixed bag. These albums are like any old leatherbound, overstocked home photo albums we all have at the back of a cupboard somewhere: Lots of very small black and white photos held in by little corner stickers.Some scan up suprisingly well,and some - inexplicably - entirely fail to have the same clarity, although they look just as well in the originals.

Then, of course, just every now and then -maybe twice in each album -there will be an absolute treasure.

I'm not sure if I've got much in the way of real 'treasures' this time - they're rather the same type of pics as the earlier Gordon Evans HMAS Sydney III home album material - lots of planes. But I DID like three or four vintage 1949 shots of the Devonport dockyard when HMAS Sydney was leaving, and thought they were rather nice.

Anyway,this new sequence from home photo albums starts here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4651857568/


Hope you find something to enjoy. A couple of examples below

[kookaburra]

Folks, last night I posed a large size [IMB] hi-res 1947 photograph of Williamstown Naval Dockyard and ships on the Unofficial RAN Centenary photostream on Flickr.

It has barely had any attention yet, and I hope you won't mind me urging the RAN followers and general ships interest folk to have a look. Although there are no 'Great' ships in it,it happens to be one of my long-time favourites, and, in the end I did pay the full going rate to get a good resolution copy of it.

That, of course, is not the point.The point is that, this time, I was really pleased with the outcome from the order,and find that by going up large ['original 'size] with the photo you can sort of roam all over half a dozen ships, and all around the historic Melbourne naval dockyard, at busy time.

I got a lot of enjoyment out of it, and wanted to share that with you. It's here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4658471389/

Hope you to enjoy it too. K.

[kookaburra]

Hello All, again in line with my policy of letting you know of anything special going on with the RAN Centenary photostream, today I've posted what I felt was a bit of an 'exclusive' - four colour pics from a private photographer,now deceased, of HMAS Melbourne just back at Garden island after the Voyager collision.

One of the photos [below] had been placed previously on a family photostream by the man's niece - who has very kindly sent it to me with three others, which I think are entirely unseen before.

They're good photos,and pretty big too. Hope you enjoy.They start here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4664261545/

[kookaburra]

Hello All, again in line with my policy of letting you know of anything special going on with the RAN Centenary photostream, today I've posted what I felt was a bit of an 'exclusive' - four colour pics from a private photographer,now deceased, of HMAS Melbourne just back at Garden island after the Voyager collision.

One of the photos [below] had been placed previously on a family photostream by the man's niece - who has very kindly sent it to me with three others, which I think are entirely unseen before.
They're good photos,and pretty big too. Hope you enjoy.They start here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4664261545/

Folks just following on from my own message, posted above. One of the major contributors to the Centenary photostream,Geoff Eastwood from Sydney has very kindly now done colour enhancements on three of the four Jack Davis photographs of HMAS Melbourne after her collision with Voyager, and obtained major improvements with them. They had been afflicted by that notorious problem of excessive blue in 1960s Kodachrome colour film, and I was unable to correct it -I actually didn't have the confidence to try tampering too much, as I feel the photos are rare.

Geoff has also had a look at the fourth photo,but I think it has some other exposure issues. Anyway, just follow the link again if anyone wishes to pick up the enhanced versions. One example below, with which you can see the difference in comparing with the previous post, positioning both messages and thumbnails on the one screen.
ANOTHER CHANGE OF TWO PHOTOS.

Another of the photostream's generous contributors, Chris Howell, a shipping agent and provedore from Bluff, NZ, has also re-discovered much larger versions of two excellent and previously unseen photos of HMAS Arunta that he had kindly given permissions on, and has now sent me the larger versions. These have now replaced the earlier,screen-size pair. If anyone wants the larger versions, you'll find the first of them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4406469928/

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

Just completed another unusual exercise on the RAN Centenary photostream, which I thought was worth bringing to your attention.

The wreck of the WWI era TBD HMAS Parramatta [I], Australia's first destroyer, is of course well photographed and well-known - at least in Australian/RAN terms.It sits in mangrove swamps in the Hawkesbury River an hour North of Sydney, at a place called Cascade Gully.

Now ...do you happen to remember the photographs of Geoff Eastwood,the Sydney Maritime photographer who brought us those incredible 'modeller's detail' photographs of the Type 12 destroyer escort HMAS Torrens at the end of her service life, uploaded a few weeks ago? And before that the really unusual foray onto the reserve fleet ships at Athol Bight in 1984.

Geoff seems to be a bloke with an interest in endings rather than beginnings, and in March 2005 he went out on a surf paddle tomake an incredibly detailed photo record of the wreck of HMAS Parramatta [I], commisisoned in 1910, 100 years ago.

But there's more.

Other people have done some of that,but Geoff - through his modelling activities - had access to the former Cockatoo Island Dockyard plans of Parramatta's identical sister ship,HMAS Swan - beautiful things apparently, hand-tinted and printed on linen,and now held in the National Archives of Australia.

Anyway,for the first time,Geoff has now put these two things togather on the photostream, not only producing the detailed photographs of the wreck's compartments and artefacts - but,through the HMAS Swan plans, telling us exactluy what and where everything is.

I think it actually amounts to a photo survey of some genuine historical interest.

Taking at all just a bit futher,I've also woven Geoff's photos around some new and old pics of the ship and its crew, all of which I hope melds into something that sort of brings Parramatta back to life.

I enjoyed working it up very much, and I think it has some real interest, so you might like to take a look. Thirty four photos, I think, and a diagram. It starts here:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4673811883/

[Bear]

Great photos and thank you so much for the work and effort.
Take a pause to reflect on what we celebrate in 2011. Did the Australian Navy come into being on March 1901, or was it in 1911?
What happened in 1911? Simply, King George V gave his assent for the Australian Navy to use the prefix 'Royal'. That and nothing more.
The Australian Navy between 1901 and 1911 is often called 'The Commonwealth Naval Forces'. This was not an official entity. The Colonial Navies donated their ships to federal control at Federation. If you look at the arrival of our new fleet, you will find that some ships arrived in Australian waters before 1911.
I hate to rain on the parade as I will take part in some of the celebrations as a member of the Naval Association. Just thought I'd bring this up for discussion.

[kookaburra]

You're quite right, Bear - the colonial navies,and the amalgamated Federal force after Jan 1901, called the Commonwealth Naval Forces, all preceded the promulgation of the RAN,and just lately I have encountered several senior naval blokes - the RAN's Commodore Jim Dickson,and NHSA's Ian Pfennigwerth among them - who are tending to, what's the word, decry or pooh-hoo any emphasis on the July 10, 2011 anniversary.

And again you're right that of the new ships both the TBDs Yarra and Parramatta were completed and arrived in Australia in November 1910, before the Royal promulgation the following July.

Yet, like Australia Day and Anzac Day, I'd defend the marking of the anniversary next year on several grouds.

The first is that the RAN itself has now established the tradition of marking 1911 as its creation year with the big anniversary Reviews of 1961 [50th] and 1986 [75th].

The second, with a bit more substance than symbolism, I feel is the history of what was taking place. I'm not denying the existence of the precedessors in the colonial navies and the Commonwealth Naval Forces, but I would claim all were obsolete local forces and supplementary only to the Royal Navy Australia Station cruisers, and the Royal Navy Auxiliary Squadron formed on the colonies request, and partly at their expense, after the Russian Scares of the late 1870s, and mid-1880s.

These Royal Navy forces were on station in Australia until 1911, had the primary responsibility for the defence of Australia, felt like,and were,the 'real' Navy in the region. Men like Creswell,and others were working hard during all those early years against political opposition at home, and imperial indifference and some opposition in Britain, for the creation of an Australian Navy that would gradually take over from the Royal Navy here. Alfred Deakin connived with Teddy Roosevelt to have the U.S. Great White Fleet sent to Australia in 1908 largely in order to create popular sentiment in favour of the establishment of a 'real' Australian Navy, and to place pressure on the British Government to allow it. It was out of those developments that the cruisers and Australia 1 were ordered.

A case could be made actually that the Australian Navy only started to come into its own in some way when HMAS Australia arrived and led the tiny Fleet in through the Heads on October 4, 1913.

But, the Royal Promulgation of 1911, I would say, was the signal of Britain's acceptance that Australia was going to have its own Navy, its Australia Station cruisers were withdrawn. BVut more importantly than that, it was the signal of acceptance by Australians themselves that they had their own Navy, and weregoing to develop it.

History,of course,is never tidy. The reality is that the RAN still had a heavy component of RN officers and specialists until the first years of WWII, and a degree of that continued until well afterwards, into the 1950s with the aircraft carriers - and the 1960s with the submarines.

They say it takes 100 years to build a Navy, and while I acknowledge that the dates are arguable, I sense that the 1911 promulgation is about as useful a marker as any as the start of an independent service, and one that we have already acknowledged as such in major events twice now in 1961 and 1975.

Just a viewpoint. I wouldn't be unhappy if the RAN chose to start taking 1901 Federation as the marker, but say the first 10 years of the history then would look pretty empty, because we had no real ships to play with. Bests, K.

[Bear]

I take your points and they are valid arguments. I tend to support Jim and Ian in this though.
Something that has been lost is the Victorian Navy's role in building our naval expertise. NSW had the RN Squadron based in Sydney and therefore had little motivation to build a strong Colonial Navy. Victoria on the other hand had a horror of the Russians sailing through the Heads into Port Phillip Bay while the nearest help was 500 miles away and therefore did have considerable naval strength. HMVS Cerberus was a powerful and up-to-date warship--one of the first of the ironclads. Victoria also had a number of other powerful units and the latest in the drop-it-and-run torpedo boats.
Creswell was a South Australian, but took charge of the Queensland Navy for awhile and then the Commonwealth Naval forces--he may have been head in Victoria, I'm writing this without referring to my notes as I'm in a hurry. He was certainly the prime-mover in the foundations of our early Commonwealth Naval Forces.
We did have some far sighted politicians--Fisher the foremost--who wanted a strong, independent navy. That is the reason we were so much better prepared for WW I than we were for the second major war. I'm covering some of this stuff in my new book (I'm getting to the end of two and a half years of enjoyable slog).
Incidentally, I was in HMAS Quickmatch when she steamed through the Sydney Heads in 1961 as part of the 50 year celebrations. I have a clear memory of the ships in line ahead as they came through the Heads. I had been at sea for a fortnight for my initial Asdic (now Sonar) sea training, so it was by pure chance I was a part of it. I still have the Jubilee booklet issued to every sailor in that ceremony.

[kookaburra]

Yes, intersting Bear. I was down at Flinders Naval Badse yesterday and the Curator of the HMAS cerberus Museum,WO Marty Grogan, said in passingthat the Victorian Navy was 'the lagest Navy outside Britain' its time.'

I think he may have meant in the British Empire - surely there were others, France,US, Austro-Hungary, Russia Japan -but its size, as you say, was significant.

To tell the truth I'm not sure that the choice of which partiocular day the Navy chooses tomark its anniversary are particularly important - as long as there is a day,in my view. Cheers K.

[kookaburra]

Hello All. AN ANNOUNCEMENT. ,

This is to let you know some rather exciting news: the Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 photostram has now been given access to the picture archives at the HMAS Cerberus Museum, at the Flinders Naval Depot.

It is an extraordinarly generous gesture, and I am sure you will enjoy many of the previously unseen photos that have started being uploaded today, and will continue to appear over the next week or so, and perhaps into the longer fure- if there is one.

For those who do access the photos, I would like to request a special favour.

According to defence service press reports just now appearing, this precious little museum - and it is charming, with many valuable artefacts - is under threat of closure. You could make a small contribution to its rescue by leaving a comment word of appreciation for one of two of the photos that have appeared courtesy of its Curator, Warrant Officer Martin Grogan [longest serving officer in the RAN].

I think it would be an absolute tragedy if the Museum's colllections were to disappear - say, into the hungry maw of the vast Australian War Memorial, which, to my mind, has now turned into nothing more than a huge and rather distasteful mega-war-memory-business, profiting hugely from the human sacrifices its is meant to be commemorating, and living off the tourist trade.

Anyway, enough of that. The Cerberus Museum photos deserve to be considered, simply in their own right, and I am sure you will enjoy them. Please just let the bean-counters know that, with some comment which will
be brought to the attention of the powers-that-be, I assure you.

Thanks.

Below, a little montage 'cover' that I quickly made up to start it off.

[spruso]

Hi Kooka,

Congratulations on the great work you continue to put into the Photostream. Look forward to seeing some of their collection.

Whom do we write to re preserving the Cerberus Museum? I will certainly drop a line.

There was also a small museum at GI in Sydney which I think has now moved to Snapper Island Museum. Don't know what the future holds for Snapper either. I have had one visit there and they have a lot of "stuff". Unfortunately I don't think it's open to the public.

Don't forget there are excellent ship photo books also held at the Photographic Section at Garden Island. Hopefully the unhelpful person who used to be in charge of them has moved on. If so you may be able to access them.

Cheers
Bruce

[kookaburra]

Thanks Bruce,

I'll come back with the best person to write to concerning the Museum's future very shortly - and I'll also do a little photo essay on the Museum itself next week.

I am sorry to say there is some urgency in this, as it appears a decision may by made by the end of the Financial Year - June 30.

In my lateness last night I neglected to include a link to the start of the HMAS Cerberus Museum Photos. They start here, and depending on the outcomes of some work on small album photos, may continue for several weeks. Anyway, the first dozen starts here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4699609945/

[astraltrader]

Thanks a lot Jeff. Fine pictures.

I left a little note of appreciation as you suggested - I hope I left it in the right place!!

From what you say it would be a great shame if this museum was closed.

[kookaburra]

Thanks so much Terry, it is a REALLY nice comment, and very well crafted.

Folks, the charming little HMAS Cerberus Museum at Flinders Naval Establishment is under threat of closure or very heavy change at the end of this month. I've been very generously allowed access to their photos and yesterday asked if folks could indicate their appreciation of the museum though comment on these photos. A bit of policial support if you take my meaning.

Terry really got the idea of what I was asking, and his international 'appreciation' comment, quite funny, can be seen here at the bottom of this opening montage:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4699609945/

Glad if anyone else can follow suit, anywhere around the photos. I'm about to release some more - I'm doing them at about a dozen day. Thanks again Terry, thanks all.

[astraltrader]

A pleasure Jeff.

So come on guys have a look at the great photos and lend your support to the excellent sounding museum Kookaburra has mentioned - there are only a couple of weeks to go before possible closure.

[Jackaroo]

Great comment Terry re the HMAS Cerberus Museum, and thanks to the hard working WO Grogan RANR Good on ya Marty!

Thanks also to Kookaburra for all of his efforts in his research and excellent projects in keeping the Royal Australian Navy history out there.

BZ gentlemen

[MelQuick]

Jeff

Terrific pictures. I've just spent several hours going through them.

Thanks a lot.

Mel

[aussienscale]

[QUOTE=kookaburra;99187]Hello everybody,

Some months ago I started gathering together a collection of the best RAN ships photos I could find – and ships of other Navies in the Australian Maritime environment. I began documenting these photos as best I could: naming the actual photographers or other primary sources wherever possible. I also tried to give precise or Circa dating of the photographs. And to provide some notes for almost all, if not every one of them, placing them in some kind context - often factual, or sometimes a point of interest and discussion.

BRAVO ZULU !!!!! SPLICE THE MAINBRACE !!!!
I am only onto the 12th page and have read every single picture, I am an ex RAN member and have many pictures I need to digitise, when done I will post for you and let you know what each pic is about and the circumstances related to them
Once again WELL DONE !! I am really looking forward to the 100th, I hope someting big is planned !!!! I still remember the 75th in 86 !! was the year before I joined the RAN

[aussienscale]

Received this email this morning re the RAN's 100th, will keep an eye out for the web page
UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Mr Thompson,

The Project Director of the RAN 100th anniversary celebrations has replied to my inquiries and has informed me that his department are currently setting up a website for Project 100. If you have any initial inquiries, he is happy to receive your call on the phone numbers below. The Project Director is Commander Ted Breukel and his contact details are as follows:

Ted Breukel
Commander RANR
Project Director
Project 100

02. 9359 4470
0429 127 099

I hope you find this information useful.

Regards

MAREE WHITTAKER-JONES

Dept. of Defence

PO Box 7942

Canberra BC, ACT, 2610

[kookaburra]

Thanks Aussie and Mel -I posted this message before, but must have pressed a wrong button.

Folks for those who have seen the recent uploadings from the HMAS Cerberus Museum archives and followed that discussion, the good news there is that lovely little museum at the famous old Flinders Naval Depot is to survive this latest June 30 end-of-financial-year crisis.

There had been an article in a Returned Services League publication about its impending closure.

Like most such institutions the HMAS Cerberus Museum survives on overworked part-timers and volunteers. As I understand it the number of paid work hours will be further reduced, which is unfortunate for those affected. But the Museum survives, as it should, and must.

Thanks to those who took an interest. K.

[astraltrader]

Very pleased to hear this Jeff. You never know one day I might even be lucky enough to visit! :)

[sandy1000]

What ex - RAN ships survive?

HMAS Castlemaine
HMAS Diamantina
HMAS Vampire
HMAS Whyalla
4 Oberon class submarines - locations known. Otway - Holbrook; Onslow - Sydney; Ovens - Freemantle; Otama - Westernport.
Attack class patrol boats. HMAS Advance - Sydney
Any other ships and their location would be appreciated.

[Jackaroo]

What ex - RAN ships survive?

HMAS Castlemaine
HMAS Diamantina
HMAS Vampire
HMAS Whyalla
4 Oberon class submarines - locations known. Otway - Holbrook; Onslow - Sydney; Ovens - Freemantle; Otama - Westernport.
Attack class patrol boats. HMAS Advance - Sydney
Any other ships and their location would be appreciated.

Sandy

Ex FCPB HMAS Townsville is in Townsville
Ex FCPB HMAS Gladstone is in Gladstone

I have no idea where the rest of the Fremantle Class Patrol Boat's ended up.

Hope this helps

[RogerP]

Hello everyone,

The following are RAN 'little ships' that I know of still afloat or slipped undergoing repairs --

HDML 1321, now named "MV Rushcutter" and located in Darwin since Nov 2009.
HMAS Air Faith, now part of "Air Faith Cruises" in Sydney.
HMAS Air Watch, all I know about this one is she is possibly still in Brisbane?

If anyone wants any further info re the above, especially '1321' which saw service with the AIB and Z Special commandos please get in touch.

[kookaburra]

PHOTO SPECIAL: THREE ROYAL NAVY CARRIERS AT STATION PIER MELBOURNE, March 1, 1946.

Folks,

Photos uploaded over the past 15 days from the HMAS Cerberus Museum Archives reached 200 today, and I have called a pause as I assemble the next round [I was at the Museum again today].

However there are several special things going on in today's photostream entries I wanted to bring to your attention to.

ONE. On March 1, 1946, three Royal Navy aircraft carriers berthed at Station Pier in Melbourne: It was the most, I think, ever to assemble at the pier at one time [it may have happened once previously, I'm still checking that]. Anyway, it provided some memorable photos.

The carriers were HMS Implacable, HMS Indefatigable and HMS Venerable. Rosey Kendall, the daughter of a former shipwright and joiner on HMS Implacable [Dennis Kendall made the model of the carrier installed in the Captain's Room at Lloyds of London, in Leadenhall Street], lives in Melbourne, and has sent some marvelous photos and press clippings to the Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 photostream. I'm sure you will enjoy them.

TWO Please, however, don't overlook the terrific high-resolution pics of both HMAS Supply and heavy landing ship HMAS Tobruk in tonights's postings, from the collection of shipping agent Chris Howell in Bluff, New Zealand. Both are huge, and outstanding photos.

THREE. Finally, several more pics tonight from the HMAS Cerberus Museum Archives. The photo of the survey frigate HMAS Gascoyne, paerticularly, is also large and high quality, the best of the three. But watch for fresh photos from the Cerberus Museum again soon.

Tonight's page is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/?saved=1

Cheers, K.

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

Just advising that I have returned to the HMAS Cerberus Museum Collection on the Unofficial RAN Centenary Photostream at the moment. The latest photos include some large size images mostly not seen previously, I think, of the RAN's Bird or Ton Class minesweepers, Circa 1962-1984.

I thought Ton Class Rik at least would be interested in these.

BTW, the previously seen image of a line being fired across the bows of HMAS Curlew is much larger than that which I have been able to show previously.

They start here, and you will need to follow through a slightly broken chain to see six or seven Ton Class pics, and a larger version of a plans diagram previously posted on WNSF.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4759737639/

The whole page, which will soon drop out of date, is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

and one of the pics for sampling HMAS Ibis, ex-HMS Singleton:

[astraltrader]

Great pictures of the minesweepers Jeff I also liked the couple of old aux sweepers from WW2 - keep it up my friend.

Like fine vintage wine your photostream seems to be improving yet further with age!!

[CGRET]

I would have to agree with Terry on this. Also would add it has alway's been a pleasure to read your posting's and moreover learn something in exchange.

Thank You!!!

Regards
Charles

[kookaburra]

Thank you so much for those kind words Charles and Terry. Much appreciated.

Folks, today I have had a bee in my bonnet about construction times at the former Williamstown Naval Dockyard, and in particular the building of the former Daring Class destroyer HMAS Vendetta [II] between 1949 and 1958.

In short, Vendetta took 9 years, four months and 22 days to build - which, in uninterupted construction terms I'm declaring to be a world record.

I've also done some research comparing Vendetta's construction time not only with those of her peers and counterparts in Australia and elsewhere, but also with some of the greatest warships in history - HIJMS Yamato, HMS Hood, USS Ronald Reagan, SMS Bismarck, USS New Jersey and others.

It's all a bit of fun with some real facts, and you may enjoy it.

The idea took hold me a little messily over several picture entries, but it starts here,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4769973296/

gets into deeper research and comparisons here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4770468307/

conclusions repeated here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4770679699/


BTW, Collectors, please don't miss the HMAS Cerberus Archives photo of HMAS Vampire - repeat of an old photo, but at high resolution it's a cracker - much better than seen before. bests All, K.

[kookaburra]

ROTTEN TO THE CORE

Hi All,

A quick note again. Continuing yesterdays dockyard theme on ship construction times in Australia and abroad, today's Flickr Photostream entries are more diplomatic, grouped around a heading ROTTEN TO THE CORE - a look at Type 12 half-life refits and modernisations at Williamstown Naval Dockyard in Melbourne in the 1980s, during the murderous Ship Painters and Dockers Union faction wars.

I've had a bit of a bee in my bonnet about Williamstown Naval Dockyard this week - I've had a bee in my bonnet about Williamstown Naval Dockyard for years as a matter of fact - but you may just enjoy this, the end of it for these purposes.

It starts here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4773407992/

Bests K.

[astraltrader]

Strewth Jeff - sounds like Chicago in the 1930`s!

[kookaburra]

Folks: I realize I have been failing somewhat to keep the Forum appraised of what is going on in the Unofficial RAN Centenary Photostream of late. Some recent phases have been more photos from the HMAS Cerberus Museum archives - I think I have been back fives times now; also many original photos sent to me by Kimberley Dunstan, a member of the Fleet Air Arm's 816 Squadron.

Kim was in the RAN from 1958 to 1967. What happened here was that over a month or so Kim began scanning and sending me photos more or less on a daily basis, but in ones and two, and it was some time before I realized how significant his contribution was going to become. You will now find dozens of Kim's photos scattered over the last 10-20 pages or so of the photostream.

Kim also proved to by a particularly nice writer, and sent excellent notes with his photos, which are well worth reading. They offer many insights, many facts, and occasionally some excellent anecdotes.

Another distinctive set of entries was four recent acquisitions from the Davidson Collection in the archives of the Sydney Heritage Fleet [formerly the Sydney Maritime Museum], which operates next to the Australian Maritime Museum in Darling Hourbour. The photographs are three previously unseen images of the cruiser HMAS Australia [II] during the Royal Tour of 1954, and another of HMAS Shropshire in reserve in 1950, also previously unseen I think. Their arcghivist and director gave a special dispensation permission for the sold photos to appear publicly on the Photostream.

NOW: Tonight, I am starting a new series of pics that will run for several days called FLEET AIR ARM DAYS. These are images very kindly sent to me by Ronald L. Marsh of Brisbane, who was a shipmate of Kim Dunstan's, a maintenance rating also with the Fleet Air Arm's 816 squadron, and in the RAN from 1957-1963. The photos are mainly taken on HMAS Melbourne in 1961-62, and you will see many excellent Sea Venom and Fairey Gannet pics over the next three nights, along with some good general flight deck scenes.

I am trying to pace them so there will be something a bit special every night, and I hope you enjoy them.

The contact with Ron Marsh, by the way, came about through the Forum's own Airlana, who put Ron in touch with me. Thanks so much Ash. Just terrific.

The first photo in the Ron Marsh FLEET AIR ARM DAYS series starts here, and as I say, it will go on over the next several days. Inshallah. Cheers K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4984977438/

[kookaburra]

For anyone collecting photos off the Photostream I have just replaced the 1930s photo of HMAS Canberra and S.S. Autolycus on this link with a superior tif version. I think Flickr eventually converts these tifs to jpegs [a notice suggests so] so the time to pick up the improved version is now.

cheers, K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4707384923/?reuploaded=1

[Jackaroo]

Fleet Air Arm days

Kooks. Great set of pictures from Ron Marsh

[spruso]

For anyone collecting photos off the Photostream I have just replaced the 1930s photo of HMAS Canberra and S.S. Autolycus on this link with a superior tif version. I think Flickr eventually converts these tifs to jpegs [a notice suggests so] so the time to pick up the improved version is now.

cheers, K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4707384923/?reuploaded=1

Your site is an exceptional contribution to RAN History. Keep up the great work.
Cheers
Bruce

[Jackaroo]

Anyone know of what is happening for the RAN Centenary?

[airlana]

NOW: Tonight, I am starting a new series of pics that will run for several days called FLEET AIR ARM DAYS. These are images very kindly sent to me by Ronald L. Marsh of Brisbane, who was a shipmate of Kim Dunstan's, a maintenance rating also with the Fleet Air Arm's 816 squadron, and in the RAN from 1957-1963. The photos are mainly taken on HMAS Melbourne in 1961-62, and you will see many excellent Sea Venom and Fairey Gannet pics over the next three nights, along with some good general flight deck scenes.

I am trying to pace them so there will be something a bit special every night, and I hope you enjoy them.

The contact with Ron Marsh, by the way, came about through the Forum's own Airlana, who put Ron in touch with me. Thanks so much Ash. Just terrific.

The first photo in the Ron Marsh FLEET AIR ARM DAYS series starts here, and as I say, it will go on over the next several days. Inshallah. Cheers K.


Yes Kooka it's a great collection of Ron's. Although I've seen most of them before, they seem better this time round especially with the narrative.
Many memories. Spent a day on Melbourne at sea during one of her family days and lots of roaming around Albatross when dad was stationed there.

May I also recommend the Photostream to anyone who hasn't had a look.
Kookaburra now has close to 3,000 pictures uploaded with some very informative text. And if you are looking for something special just type a key word or two into the search box at top right of the page. eg Sydney, Vampire, Shropshire, Sea Fury and that will bring up all the relevant pictures.

Ash/airlana

[Jackaroo]

Yes Kooka it's a great collection of Ron's. Although I've seen most of them before, they seem better this time round especially with the narrative.
Many memories. Spent a day on Melbourne at sea during one of her family days and lots of roaming around Albatross when dad was stationed there.

May I also recommend the Photostream to anyone who hasn't had a look.
Kookaburra now has close to 3,000 pictures uploaded with some very informative text. And if you are looking for something special just type a key word or two into the search box at top right of the page. eg Sydney, Vampire, Shropshire, Sea Fury and that will bring up all the relevant pictures.

Ash/airlana

3000 and counting Ash;)

[kookaburra]

Thanks for the kind words and continuing interest Gents, and everyone.

Ah, I just wanted to signal that tonight I've commenced downloading some super-high resolution pics from the Archives Office of Tasmania. To go on over several nights it will be about 20 pics in all, from the 1950s covering HMAS Melbourne, Warramunga, Voyager and Australia [II].

These will all be very well worth seeing for their size and quality.

I'll then follow with some more modest size historic pics that are also interesting and unusual, both RN and RAN. One is an usual angle on HMS Hood in 1924 visit that I've never seen before. Maybe I'll get to those Thursday.

The high-res pics start here, and as I say will be spaced out over 3-4 nights. bests All. K.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

[Jackaroo]

Some wonderful pics from the Archives Office of Tasmania.

[kookaburra]

Folks, for some forgotten reason a while ago I allowed myself to upload on the Photostream a really sub-standard version of this AWM photograph of HMAS Yarra and the Armed merchant cruiser HMS Hector at Princes Pier Port Melbourne, taken early in WWII.

This replacement pic [below] while not perfect -it's a scan - is still a very big improvement on the version that was there, if anyone had picked that image up.

Details here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3910789312/

Oh, by the way, tonight I've also uploaded what I feel is a quite rare [and big, high-res] group photograph of the J Class submarines at Hobart in 1921. It's another one of these Tasmanian Archives pics I have been working lately, and I really felt it was a bit of a find.

It's here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/5041424824/

cheers, K.

[mstary1]

ROTTEN TO THE CORE

Hi All,

A quick note again. Continuing yesterdays dockyard theme on ship construction times in Australia and abroad, today's Flickr Photostream entries are more diplomatic, grouped around a heading ROTTEN TO THE CORE - a look at Type 12 half-life refits and modernisations at Williamstown Naval Dockyard in Melbourne in the 1980s, during the murderous Ship Painters and Dockers Union faction wars.

I've had a bit of a bee in my bonnet about Williamstown Naval Dockyard this week - I've had a bee in my bonnet about Williamstown Naval Dockyard for years as a matter of fact - but you may just enjoy this, the end of it for these purposes.

It starts here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4773407992/

Bests K.

I remember being on HMAS Cook in 1990 and the quarterdeck had been painted by the dockyard. There was one small section STBD aft about 4x3 feet that needed redoing. The Buffer directed me to repaint it which I did. I was spotted by the dockies who nearly went on strike over it. It was sorted out eventually but that was my first encounter with dockies and since then I have never been and never will be in a Union. One remembers the strikes over toilet paper at Garden Island as well.

I also wonder what is scheduled for the 2011 centenary as no doubt where I'm based at Waterhen, we will be in the thick of it. I was on HMAS canberra for the 1988 Bicentenary and no doubt this one will be a big bash. Haven't heard any Buzzes yet around Waterhen.

[kookaburra]

Thanks mstary for that interesting story - which yet again confirms my feelings about these issues.

Folks, for those downloading from the Flickr photostream, today I have replaced an early photo of the auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Coolebar with a better version of the same image.

It's not high resolution, but an 'old photo' scan from another book version, and simply comes up a good deal better than the pretty dark, blotchy photo we had there before. Here's the improved version...

[astraltrader]

Thanks Jeff - a definite improvement.

[harry.gibbon]

I remember being on HMAS Cook in 1990 and the quarterdeck had been painted by the dockyard. There was one small section STBD aft about 4x3 feet that needed redoing. The Buffer directed me to repaint it which I did. I was spotted by the dockies who nearly went on strike over it. It was sorted out eventually but that was my first encounter with dockies and since then I have never been and never will be in a Union. One remembers the strikes over toilet paper at Garden Island as well.


What happened to freedom of expression then:p:) Must report a vested interest here.

Since leaving the RN, I have been a member of my Union (much amalgamated) for 35 years (twice as long as I served in the pusser) and shall so remain, hopefully till my demise.

There is a thread running on dockyard mateys in the UK dockyards, to which I have contributed and I should add that for all the jibes that they take/took, there performance in times of need are second to none.

Little h

[kookaburra]

HMAS Australia [II] and HMAS Arunta in Jervis Bay, NSW, Circa 1950.

Again for those picking up images from the Unofficial RAN Centenary Photostream, this is another replacement scan of an early uploading. Same pic, but clearer, from a different book.

I also previously had the second ship mis-identified as Warramunga. It's Arunta. cheers, K.

[kookaburra]

Sloop HMAS Warrego at Port Moresby , 1942:

Hello All,

Again, this is a replacement for a photo uploaded much earlier - in this case a very significant improvement on the earlier version. It was a scene I had liked, and in a weak moment compromised with a so-so enlargement from a quite small image because of that.

Anyway, this much larger version has now come along, and got me out of all that.

By the way, just to explain - this spate of 'replacements' is happening because, through a generous friend, I have managed to acquire a whole new motherlode of old RAN books and publications, which should keep things ticking along for a while yet. Bests, K.

[PHOENIX09]

What a great shot of Warrego, seen it before but not at such a good res.
A busy scene with not much concern for air raids apparent.
An interesting point to note, the splinter shield on the vickers quad 0.5 is mounted behind the loading mech and ammo drums.
Thanks Jeff.

[kookaburra]

Thanks Brett.

This is another 'improved version' of a Nov. 1967 RAN aircraft carriers in company photo previously placed on the photostream, but of which I previously had only a truncated version scanned from half a book image over a creasefold.

I've now replaced it with this full width version from the Vince Fazio RAN Aircraft Carriers book cover - much better, but still needing the 'old photo' scanning technique for clarity. Again, anyone collecting from the Photostream may now wish to pick up this new version.

Sorry the daily pressures of the Photostream have literally taken me out of circulation here - I keep hoping to 'finish' it - but it looks like some superb contributions continue to come into the dear old WNSF, and I always enjoy seeing them.

cheers all, K.

[kookaburra]

Hi All,

Another much better scan of a photo uploaded on the Photostreasm previously, and now replaced with this one - This is HMAS Parramatta [III], 1968. This version is really significantly better clarity. Cheers, K.

[Mark65]

Hello All,

Among the most recent additions to my Unofficial RAN Centenary 1911-2011 Photostream are a little six-photo survey of the J Class submarines of the 1920s, some little-seen pics of cruiser HMAS Brisbane [1] from the John Oxley Library in Queensland, and a couple of oddities [ as below]'

* A mildewed old photo of the Intra-Wars 'S' Class destroyer HMAS Success in Papua New Guinea in the 1920s, that suggests to me that her travels may have been a bit more interesting than I, for one, had realized, or is suggested in the usual book sources.

* A photo of the newly commissioned Type 12 frigate HMAS Yarra coming out the Williamstown Naval Dockyard in 1961, smoking like an old coal burner. In fact one or two folk have commented below that they have NEVER seen a frigate making smoke like that, and one person who had served on HMS Whitby says it must have been a smoke screen test....

This takes you to the latest page on the Photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/

and here's those two 'oddity' photos

Oil-fired boilers will smoke like that if the fuel supply is in excess to the required amount of air needed for complete combustion. and by the look of all the steam the boiler safety valves have lifted.

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

Another replacement: much improved version of an earlier photo of the Flower Class minesweeper sloop HMAS [ex-HMS] Marguerite - built by Dunlop Bremner and Co Ltd, of Port Glasgow, Scotland, laid down July 1915, completed 1916, and served with the RN during WWI. One of three minesweepers [the others being HMS Mallow and HMS Geranium] sent to sweep New Zealand waters for mines in 1919, then did some similar work off Cape Everard, Victoria, after which all three were presented to the RAN in 1920.

Marguerite served mainly as a reserve training ship and paid off in 1929. Transferred to Cockatoo Island Dockyard for stripping on Sept 26, 1932, and her hulk sunk as a target off Sydney on August 1, 1935.

[BILLFORD1]

[QUOTE=kookaburra;123181]ROTTEN TO THE CORE

ROTTEN TO THE CORE - I know where you're coming from kookaburra. I was on Swan, DE-50 for a Dockyard Maintenance period in June '76, and employed as part of the Dockyard Liason Team at the time. Heard some bloody funny stuff. One of the greatest sources of mirth for many years was the removal of a radar display from the bridge to the Electrical shop for overhaul. From memory it took about a total of 17 blokes a period of nearly 4 days to complete the evolution. (A combination of the required Shipwrights, Riggers, Green Steam Engineers & assorted lackeys IAW Union protocol !!). We reckoned that myself & the ABRP on the DLT could have unplugged the connectors, whipped 4 bolts out and carried the bugger over to the shop in about 15 minutes !!! :D

[kookaburra]

Hello All,

As Bruce tells us in his latest thread, the RAN has opened its Archives, which I came across in the oddest way - they seemed to be leaking out first through some sharing arrangement with the Archives of Canada, where a lovely bloke in Livingston, Scotland , Ronnie Bell, was tapped in, and consequently coming up with RAN images no-one had ever seen - or bigger and better versions of those we had.

Ah, I'm beginning to feel that I'll never get off the treadmill of my RAN Centenary Photostream. Love doing it, but its dominating.

As a consequence i"m replacing a lot of old scanned images, and now adding new ones. The Archives images are too large to post here 4-8MB often, but, just as an example, there are two image replacement of photos I'm particularly fond of, and which our Collectors may want to access for these new versions. It's all good really.

Bests, everybody ...Here's the links to those two images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4184212121/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3861079171/?reuploaded=1

[astraltrader]

Thanks for those two excellent examples Jeff - greatly appreciated for thinking of us.

[I will soon be able to repay you in spades - wait for email from me after I have sorted out some amazing photographs I have on RAN ships over the next fortnight!!
Will explain details when I have sorted some examples for you!] ;)

[Dick]

Just to underline Terry's comments, your efforts in bringing to us all these wonderful photos of RAN ships is very much appreciated.

[kookaburra]

Thank you for that kind comment Dick, and Terry of course. Look forward very much to hearing of your latest Terry.

I left off reply yesterday until the Mods had cleared that crazy intrusion on so many threads.

Folks...

I''m still adding pics and replacing earlier, poorer quality book scans from the images now showing up on the RAN Heritage Collection. I can't quite keep everyone up to date all the time with the replacements, but these are a few of the more recent examples ... I feel the first, particularly, is one the Collectors will be glad to have at improved quality and size:

HMAS Vengeance, arrives fremantle, 1953:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3807940131/?reuploaded=1


HMAS Ballarat [WWII corvette, McLaren Harbour, New Guinea]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4893287081/?reuploaded=1

HMAS Gawler, [WWII corvette, at Whyalla SA]:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4315094786/

HMAS Voyager [WWII destroyer, Sunda Bay, Crete]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3883030989/

[kookaburra]

Hi All:

This is an important replacement image for collectors - a much bigger and better version of Harold Cazneaux's artistic 'Ye Mariners of England' - submarine J4 and cruisers Sydney and Melbourne in a different light under the sheerlegs at Garden island:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3919221704/

[patroclus]

Hi All:

This is an important replacement image for collectors - a much bigger and better version of Harold Cazneaux's artistic 'Ye Mariners of England' - submarine J4 and cruisers Sydney and Melbourne in a different light under the sheerlegs at Garden island:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3919221704/

I have to confess to not having seen that photograph before. It is very good.

Thanks.

[kookaburra]

I have to confess to not having seen that photograph before. It is very good.

Thanks.

Good Patroclus, glad you enjoyed it.

In very similar style, here is another vast improvement version of an important 1930s photo - one I have on my study wall here at home. It's credited to the [NSW] Government Printing Office, which produced thousands of wonderful images of NSW life. But it's so much in the Cazneaux style I actually wonder if he did some work for them - quite possible.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3824975999/

[patroclus]

It certainly has something of the same feel to it as the previous one - you may well be correct.

[RogerP]

Hello everyone,:)

Many thanks for all the excellent contributions re the photo's, really nice. Wouldn't mind seeing more 'little ships' though, patrol boats and the like.

A coupla questions though re the Centenary itself ---- as 'jackaroo' said way back in post #84 "Anyone know of what is happening for the RAN Centenary"? There has been no mention at all and is CDR Bruekel (post #67) still involved? I have tried contacting him -- no replies to e-mails or phone messages left.:(

[IRON GATOR]

Great work on the pictorial compilation kookaburra, some "gems" there...

There will be an update on Fleet Review at the upcoming RAN Sea Power Conference during Session 11, afternoon, on Thursday 2nd February 2012:

http://www.seapowerconference.com.au/program

Update on the RAN International Fleet Review 2013. Captain Nick Bramwell, RAN; Director, International Fleet Review

Lets hope a few more invites are sent out as a result.

What a great day that will be, not to be missed!

[BILLFORD1]

Hi K.Thanks for the two pics,and look forward to your 12 others to come.Just one question.What on earth is the stripped awning like things,stretching from the fo'csel head to the beginning of the Bridge superstructure.If its meant to be a wind-break,the out-board ship has her's on the wrong side!!...Many Regards. Steve.:confused:

In case there was no definitive answer as to the 'striped thingys' on the forecastle of Duchess....I think you will find that all RAN Ships carry 'Privacy Screens' which are erected prior to Official Cocktail Parties etc so the peasants cannot stand gawking, either on the Wharf or in Boats, at the Invited Guests & Celebrities. From memory they were fairly light material enabling a couple of sailors to rig reasonably quickly.....

[battlestar]

G'Day All

Hi Kookaburra.

I just wanted to commend you on your project. I also like how you displayed my photographs. If there are other RAN ships you need, just PM me, I'll see what I can do.

Outstanding work Sir. BZ to you.

Battlestar