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Letters
1969 RANC graduate from Jervis Division Mac I came across your sight via the Navy Historical Society website today. As a 1969 RANC graduate (from Jervis Division), I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading your memories of the 1939 Jervis year! I wish more of our predecessors would bless us with their history and experiences. As a small footnote, I think then Commander David Nicholls was the Executive Officer of HMAS Melbourne in 1970 when I served in that ship. I served under Captain Scrivenor in HMAS Sydney in the early 70s. And Nick White (Norm's son) was in my year at the College - but left the Navy as a Sub. I think he had a heart murmur or something similar - but it didn't stop him from being the Mr Malboro man on UK billboards during our time under training in the UK! Steve Hyland
How good of you to take the time to send an E-Mail, its always great to hear from fellow College graduates although we never actually met. The bond of the sea is, and remains, a strong one. Also thank you for your kind words about my talking about the year of 1936 ( Jervis Year ) You may well be aware that Norm White died last year, and of our 12 who went off to sea as Cadets in August of 1939, we are down to, Hugh and Neil McDonald, Red Merson, David Nicholls, Max Reed, John Shearing and lastly myself, but not a bad result given we are all 84, and as the oldest after John Lorimer died, I will be the first to reach 85 on the 9th. of Februray next. Best regards and wishes,
I was at the Washington Navy Yard on 10 September - a drizzly day if I recall - for the handover of USS Canberra's bell. At the time I was the Defence Acquisition Attache in the Embassy. My wife and I lived about 2 miles as the crow flies from the Pentagon where AA77 went in. She described it has feeling like a truck ran into our apartment block - but of course, in the US buildings are not constructed as strongly as in Australia. (The then Consul-General in Atlanta described them as being made with three sizes of staples, small, medium and large!) On my return to the US after a brief visit to Australia in mid-2000, I met the captain of AA77 and talked to him for about a half an hour. His brother and I were the only two passengers in First Class (a benefit of a code-sharing arrangement between Qantas and AA). He had been a USN F-4 Phantom pilot (or it may have been Navy Reserve - that wasn't clear). In the end, his brother struggled to get him his own plot in the Navy section at Arlington. When the Army told him he could have a plot in their section of the cemetry, the Navy was shamed into action. "He" was buried on 12 December 2001, the day my wife and I returned to Australia. I'm off to Washington on Wednesday......many memories. Best wishes
What a coincidence, both Monday the 10th. of September 2001, and of course the infamous next day, 9/11 are times that Denise and I will never forget. The pomp and ceremony of USS Canberra's Bell presentaion, then the unexpected meeting with George W Bush, and our historic photo with both him and our PM. As Denise rushed off to one side to use our camera, the President went after her, took her arm saying " Come on, you are going to be in this photograph" Then took the camera giving it to a three Star US Marine General with an order "Take a Photograph " which was graciously signed by the President, in due course via the US Ambassasdor in Australia. Great to have contact with you. Have a good trip to the States. |
