#moving services South Fremantle

[mikemurphyremovalsau]

Comprehensive Guide to Removalists in Perth: Your Ultimate Moving Solution

Moving can be a daunting task, but with the right removalists by your side, the process becomes much smoother. In Perth, various suburbs have dedicated professionals ready to assist you with your relocation needs. This guide will explore the top removalist services in areas like Wanneroo, Fremantle, East Perth, Mt Lawley, Guildford, South Perth, Maylands, Joondalup, Spearwood, and Scarborough.

Wanneroo Removalists

Located in the northern suburbs, Wanneroo is known for its beautiful parks and family-friendly atmosphere. If you're planning to move here, professional removalists in Wanneroo can provide essential services such as packing, loading, and transportation. Their expertise ensures that your belongings are handled with care, making your transition to this vibrant suburb hassle-free.

Fremantle Removalists

Fremantle is famous for its rich maritime history and vibrant culture. Moving to or from Fremantle can be exciting, but it requires careful planning. Fremantle removalists specialize in navigating the narrow streets and unique architecture of the area. They offer tailored services to ensure your items reach their destination safely and efficiently, whether you’re relocating your business or your home.

East Perth Removalists

East Perth is an emerging urban hub with modern apartments and a lively atmosphere. As more people flock to this area, reliable removalists are in high demand. East Perth removalists are well-versed in handling the logistics of city moves, ensuring timely deliveries and professional packing services that cater to your needs.

Mt Lawley Removalists

Known for its charming streets and vibrant café culture, Mt Lawley is a desirable place to live. Moving here requires an efficient team of professionals who understand the intricacies of inner-city moves. Mt Lawley removalists are equipped to handle both residential and commercial relocations, providing services that include disassembly and reassembly of furniture, packing, and storage solutions.

Guildford Removalists

Guildford combines historic charm with modern amenities, making it an attractive location for families and professionals alike. If you're moving to Guildford, you’ll want removalists who appreciate the area’s unique character. Guildford removalists offer local expertise, ensuring your move is smooth and your items are transported with care.

South Perth Removalists

South Perth offers stunning views of the Perth skyline and a relaxed lifestyle. Whether you’re moving into an apartment or a house, South Perth removalists are ready to assist. They understand the local landscape and provide comprehensive moving services that include careful packing and efficient transport, making your move a pleasant experience.

Maylands Removalists

A suburb on the rise, Maylands boasts a mix of old and new, appealing to a diverse community. If you’re planning a move here, Maylands removalists can offer tailored solutions, from packing fragile items to providing moving supplies. Their local knowledge ensures that your relocation is handled with care and efficiency.

Joondalup Removalists

As one of the major business hubs in Perth, Joondalup is a thriving area with a blend of residential and commercial properties. Joondalup removalists specialize in moves that require attention to detail and logistical planning. Their experience in the area guarantees that your move is executed seamlessly, allowing you to focus on settling into your new space.

Spearwood Removalists

With its family-friendly atmosphere, Spearwood is a great place for new beginnings. Spearwood removalists provide comprehensive services designed to alleviate the stress of moving. They are committed to handling your belongings with care, ensuring that your relocation is as smooth as possible.

Scarborough Removalists

Famous for its stunning beaches, Scarborough is a popular destination for those seeking a coastal lifestyle. Moving to Scarborough means you need removalists who understand the unique challenges of beachside relocations. Scarborough removalists offer specialized services, ensuring that your items are safe from the elements and arrive in perfect condition.

Conclusion

Choosing the right removalists is crucial for a successful move, regardless of where you are relocating in Perth. Whether you’re moving to Wanneroo, Fremantle, East Perth, Mt Lawley, Guildford, South Perth, Maylands, Joondalup, Spearwood, or Scarborough, professional removalists can simplify the process. For expert services, consider Mike Murphy Removals, which caters to all your moving needs with a team of dedicated professionals. Make your next move a breeze!

For more information on their services, visit Mike Murphy Removals.

[sarahdgordon]

HEADSTONE READS: In Memory of Charles Albert Cowdery and Bessie his beloved wife. Both were lost at the wreck of the barque James Service off Fremantle July 23rd 1878. aged 33 and 28 respectively.

photgraph taken Mandurah Cemetary, Pinjarra road.

While exploring a little cemetery in the new town we now call home I came across this headstone and became fascinated by the events that led to this young couple being buried here.

In 1878, the James Service, a 455-ton iron barque built in Scotland in 1869, set sail from India to Melbourne. It carried a cargo of sack bags, castor oil, jute, and sundry items including crates of bowler hats.

On board was a crew of ten* and ten* passenger, the passengers a theatrical group from London, bound for Melbourne.

One of this group was well known actress Bessie (stage name Edwards) Cowdery 28 and her husband Charles Albert Cowdery, 33.

I have found in a search for Bessie Edwards as an actress two mentions in newspaper courtesy of Footlight Notes:

‘Mr. R. BLACKMORE has organised another company for a five months’ season in Calcutta, the artistes engaged comprising Messrs Crawford, Cowdery, [George] Titheradge, Bond, E. Sheppard, Owen, Beverley; and the Misses Alice Ingram, Bessie Edwards, Alma Sainton, A. Rose, Phœbe Don, G. Leigh, F. Seymour, and Tessy Hamerton. They sailed from Southampton on the 21st inst. in the ”Poonah.” The Corinthian Theatre will be the scene of their operations.’ (The Era, London, Sunday, 24 September 1876, p. 4c)

‘CALCUTTA. ‘My dear Tahite, – Miss [Rosa] Cooper‘s benefit came off a few days ago. She played Miami in ”Green Bushes,” and the house was wedged. I understand the low-comedy man of this theatre is engaged to Mr. Coppin. The artist and the manager are shortly going to China in a panorama (”The Prince in India”). The French opera has been a disheartening failure. I never saw anything so bad, even at a third-class concert in Melbourne. Miss Bessy Edwards is a pretty taking actress, and Miss Phœbe Don, if not a great actress, is so bewilderingly beautiful a woman, that young men – and for the matter of that old men – go distraught about her… .’ (The Australasian, Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, 28 April 1877, p. 19c)

On July the 22nd, 1878, residents south of Mandurah, Western Australia, claimed to have heard a signal gun of a ship in distress with another local claiming to have seen a large vessel minus its mizzen mast.  This was the James Service. The next day a local stockman reported to the police that wreckage had washed up on the beach. From the tallest vantage point, a police officer could see the top mast of a vessel but as the sea was so rough, no boats could be launched to attempt a rescue. By late afternoon the mast could no longer be seen.

Over the next weeks, items that had once been on board the James Service washed ashore. Tins of castor oil, a long boat bearing the name James Service, items of clothing, boxes, trunks and luggage, some labelled as belonging to Bessie Edwards. Sadly, bodies also washed ashore. Some, like Bessie and her husband were buried in a small cemetery in Mandurah.  Others were interred in the sand dunes on the beaches they washed up on, so badly decomposed they could not be transported to more suitable places. They in time, however, were moved to different cemeteries.

It is not certain what caused the James service to flounder and sink as no one survived to tell the tale.

The only clue comes from a passenger's diary that washed up on the beach. Dated 20th July, the writer stated that ‘the ship had encountered very boisterous weather for some time, and that on one occasion the wind had been so strong as to put her on her beam ends, the yards touching the water.’

It is assumed that the ship was damaged in this bad weather and attempted to reach Fremantle for urgent repairs sinking before reaching the safety of the port.

The James Service is virtually part of the reef now, encrusted with marine growth. Its anchor rests in the small Mandurah cemetery alongside some of the unfortunate passengers and crew.

There is an interesting newspaper report of the sinking courtesy of TROVE which can be found here.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5941437

Information used in this post is courtesy of the City of Mandurah, Museum of WA, and Footlight Notes websites.

*Some sites put crew at 11 and passengers at 7.

[greatworldwar2]

• 28th Māori Battalion

The 28th (Māori) Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion, was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War.

The 28th (Māori) Battalion had its origins before the start of the Second World War. In mid-1939, as war in Europe began to be seen as inevitable, Sir Āpirana Ngata started to discuss proposals for the formation of a military unit made up of Māori volunteers similar to the Māori Pioneer Battalion that had served during the First World War. This proposal was furthered by two Māori MPs, Eruera Tirikatene and Paraire Paikea, and from this support within the Māori community for the idea began to grow as it was seen as an opportunity for Māori to participate as citizens of the British Empire. At first the New Zealand government was hesitant, but on October 4th, the decision was announced that the proposal would be accepted and that the battalion would be raised in addition to the nine battalions and support units that had already been formed into three brigades of the 2nd New Zealand Division. Nevertheless, it was decided that the battalion's key positions, including its officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and signallers, would initially be filled largely by New Zealanders of European descent. This decision was met with some consternation, so assurances were made that over time suitable Māori candidates would take over these positions. In this regard, it was decided that the battalion's first commanding officer would be a regular officer, Major George Dittmer later promoted to lieutenant colonel in January 1940 and that his second-in-command would be a Reserve officer, Lieutenant Colonel George Bertrand, a part-Māori who would take up the position with the rank of major.

Almost immediately effort was focused upon selecting and identifying the officers and NCOs. To this end volunteers were called for among units that had already formed as part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and from new recruits. At the end of November, 146 trainees reported to the Army School at Trentham, where even serving officers and NCOs were required to prove their suitability for positions in the new battalion. Concurrently, recruiting of men to fill the other ranks positions began in early October and within three weeks nearly 900 men had enlisted. The process was carried out by recruiting officers who worked closely with tribal authorities, and the recruits were restricted to single men aged between 21 and 35, although later married men were allowed to join, but only if they did not have more than two children, of similar ages. On January 26th, 1940 the battalion came together for the first time, marking its official raising at the Palmerston North Show Grounds. Upon formation it was decided that the battalion would be organised upon tribal lines. The unit consisted of a headquarters company and four rifle companies, designated 'A' through 'D': 'A' Company (Kamupene ā – Ngā Kiri Kapia – the Gumdiggers) was recruited from the Northland to Auckland ; 'B' Company (Kamupene B – Ngā Ruku Kapa – Penny Divers) from Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty and Thames–Coromandel; 'C' Company (Kamupene C – Ngā kaupoi – The Cowboys) from the East Coast from Gisborne to East Cape and 'D' Company (Ngāti Walkabout) from Waikato, Maniapoto, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and the South Island, as well as some Pacific Islands and the Chatham and Stewart Islands.

February saw the issuing of equipment and the commencement of training; punctuated by medical inspections and dental treatment as well as ceremonial duties. A lack of previous experience in technical trades also hampered the battalion's training, as the unit was short of men who were able to serve in roles such as clerks, drivers and signallers – most personnel were drawn from mainly rural backgrounds. Consequently, candidates for these roles had to be trained from scratch. The organisation of the battalion was finally completed in March, when the men were allocated to their respective companies, and on March 13th, 1940 the 28th (Māori) Battalion was declared on active service. After 14 days leave, the battalion conducted a five-week concentration period before embarking on May 1th, 1940. The battalion's strength at this time was 39 officers and 642 other ranks. Sailing upon the Aquitania via Fremantle and Cape Town, the battalion arrived at Gourock, Scotland, after six weeks at sea. Initially they had been destined to join the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division in the Middle East, but due to concerns about a possible invasion of the United Kingdom by the German Wehrmacht, the decision was made to divert the division's second echelon, a brigade-sized force that included the 28th (Māori) Battalion, to Britain to help bolster the island's defences. In late June or early July 1940 the 28th (Māori) Battalion was attached to a mixed brigade under Brigadier Harold Barrowclough. During this time they manned defences in the south of England and undertook further training. The battalion suffered from a lack of equipment, largely due to the priority given to re-equip British units following the losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Force in France, and consequently training was largely focused upon anti-gas procedures and route marching. On July 6th they were inspected by King George VI and he was said to have been impressed by the "smartness of the close order and arms drill of the Māori Battalion" and "by the fine physique, keenness and determined demeanour" of the men.

Shortly afterwards the Mixed Brigade began quick deployment and defensive manoeuvres in earnest, as fears of invasion grew. In between exercises, further training was undertaken and the battalion also worked to improve fixed defences throughout July, August and into September. In September, a divisional review was undertaken and amidst massive German air raids upon London, the New Zealanders were declared to be ready for front-line service in the event of a German landing. Warning orders for deployment to Egypt were cancelled and the New Zealanders were placed under command of XII Corps, taking up defensive positions in the Folkestone–Dover region. In October, the Māori Battalion was attached to "Milforce", under Dittmer's command, along with a squadron of tanks, a squadron of cavalry and a medium machine gun company. Later in the month, the battalion received the order to begin preparing for redeployment to Egypt and an advance party was dispatched in mid-December. On January 7th, 1941 the rest of the battalion left for the Middle East. After sailing via Freetown, Cape Town and Durban, the Athlone Castle sailed up the east coast of Africa and entered the Suez Canal, arriving at Tewfik harbour on March 3rd, 1941. In the afternoon the battalion entrained and two days later they arrived in the desert, where they were met by motor transport which carried them to camp Garawi, about 20 miles (32 km) from Cairo. At this point they were met by about 300 reinforcements which were used to replace men who had been laid down with influenza and to bring the battalion up to a higher establishment. Shortly afterwards they were moved to Alexandria, where they embarked on the Cameronia, bound for Greece.

On April 6th the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia began. In order to help defend Greece, a composite force of three divisions of Australian, British and New Zealand troops were to be deployed, and were grouped together under the title of 'W' Force. However, by the time the invasion began only two of the three divisions had arrived, and the New Zealanders were consequently spread thin, holding a position to the north of Katerini, where they were tasked to defend the strategic Olympus Pass to the south. During this time, the 28th (Māori) Battalion was attached to the 5th Infantry Brigade, which was later grouped with other Australian and New Zealand units to form the Anzac Corps. Vastly outnumbered, within two days the situation for the Allies was not good as the Germans had broken through the defences along the Bulgarian border and the Yugoslav resistance had collapsed. As the situation worsened, orders came down from brigade headquarters that the passes would be held "to the last man and last round".

On April 9th, the fall of Salonika precipitated the order for the battalion to withdraw from their positions at Katerini south to Olympus. As events unfolded elsewhere, the battalion remained in position, digging in and constructing defences until April 12th when they were ordered to withdraw behind the Mavroneri Gorge and reposition themselves on the western aspect. At this time the 5th Infantry Brigade's orders were changed from a holding action to a delay and withdrawal. It was in the Petra Pass, alongside the 22nd Battalion, that the 28th Battalion fought its first engagement of the war. In preparation for the coming attack, the Māori built their position, running out barbed and concertina wire and digging in while German bombers droned overhead. As German forces were halted at Platamon by the 21st Battalion, thrusts towards Larisa once again put the battalion's position in doubt and they were again ordered to withdraw. In the end the Māori remained in position until April 17th. Throughout the previous two days the battalion worked hard to repel repeated attempts by elements of the German 2nd Infantry Regiment to infiltrate their lines, before they finally received the order to fall back. Withdrawing over difficult terrain towards the pass, the manoeuvre continued into the night as the Germans continued to harass their rearguard units. The move was carried out with considerable urgency because the intention was to blow a bridge up just after the battalion had withdrawn across it in order to delay the German advance. In the end the battalion only just made it. After meeting motor transport, the battalion moved back to Ay Dhimitrios, which they began to prepare to defend in order to help seal off the exit of the Olympus pass. The withdrawal continued, though, and on April 19th the Māori Battalion was called upon to conduct a delaying action as the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade pulled back through Larisa towards Lamia, 80 miles (130 km) south. Here they took up position in a marsh and as they made preparations for its defence, on April 22nd, in Athens, the decision was made that the units of the British Commonwealth forces would be withdrawn from the country.

Over the course of the next two days, the battalion withdrew towards Athens, where they arrived in the early morning on April 24th. They continued on to the beach at Porto Rafti, destroying their vehicles and other equipment as they went. In the confusion of orders and counter orders, the battalion's carrier and mortar platoons had gotten separated from the rest of the unit. By 9:00 pm on April 24th when the final move to the beach commenced they still had not arrived. Of the various groups that had become detached from the battalion, some were able to make their own way to the embarkation beaches, but a number of them were ultimately captured. The battalion's casualties in Greece were 10 killed or died of wounds, six wounded, 83 captured, 11 wounded and captured. After being evacuated from Greece, the Māori Battalion embarked upon the landing ship, infantry HMS Glengyle and was taken to Crete where they formed part of the island's hastily formed garrison. On May 20th, 1941, the Germans launched the opening stages of their campaign with large-scale glider and parachute drops of troops from Maleme to Canea. The landings were focused around the airfield and no troops landed in the area being held by the Māori, nevertheless, a small force of glider troops were found to be occupying a house on the beach about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from them. A platoon was dispatched to attack them and after a brief fire-fight in which two New Zealanders were wounded and eight Germans were killed, the 10 remaining men in the house surrendered. The main German attack was focused upon the 22nd Battalion which was defending the airfield. Hard pressed, late in the day the 22nd requested reinforcements and the 5th Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier J. Hargest, sent one company from the 23rd and one from the 28th. The task was given to 'B' Company and, as the company commander only knew the direct route, they had a night approach march of over 8 miles (13 km) to cover. During the march they came in contact with a platoon-sized force of Germans which briefly held up the company before reinforcements could arrive.

The German force surrendered, but in doing so one of their number threw a grenade at the New Zealanders, wounding two men. In response the Māori fixed bayonets and carried out the first bayonet charge by a New Zealand force during the war, killing 24. A short while later they killed another eight in a separate engagement. Continuing on towards the 22nd Battalion, they bumped into a number of small pockets of Germans before eventually linking up with the 22nd Battalion's headquarters where they were told to return to their own lines as the decision had been made to withdraw. Eleven hours later the company reported back to the 28th Battalion's lines. Over the course of the next ten days the battalion was involved in a series of engagements as they fought to defend the island, with the most notable probably being the bayonet charge that they undertook with the Australian 2/7th Battalion at 42nd Street on May 27th, in which 280 Germans were killed, with the Māori accounting for 100. However, it soon became clear that the garrison on Crete would need to be evacuated and on 28 May the bulk of Creforce began to disengage the Germans and begin the retreat towards Sfakia. The 5th Infantry Brigade took turns with two Australian battalions and the commandos of Layforce to carry out a rearguard action to guard the pass through which the troops had to traverse in order to escape. On May 30th, the final order was received, although due to shipping losses it was not possible to evacuate everyone. In order to maintain fairness, each battalion was allotted a certain number of men who would have to remain and defend the embarkation beaches to allow the others to get away. The 28th Battalion was allocated 230 men to embark, while six officers and 144 men would have to stay behind. A large number of men volunteered to remain, and at midnight the remainder headed down to the beach and were taken off on a landing ship two hours later. The battalion suffered 243 casualties during the brief defence of the island, including 74 men killed and 102 men wounded.

After their escape from Crete, the 28th (Māori) Battalion was evacuated to Egypt where they were re-issued with summer uniforms and began to receive reinforcements. In June they carried out a ceremonial parade for King George VI and the Queen, and the commander of the 2nd New Zealand Division, Lieutenant General Bernard Freyberg. Throughout July, the battalion undertook desert familiarisation training before moving to Kabrit where they concentrated with the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade for a three-week combined operations exercise. Later, in August, they moved to a position 20 miles (32 km) west of El Alamein, known as the "Kaponga Box" where throughout September and into October they undertook the unfamiliar task of road construction. In October, the brigade received orders to link up with the rest of the division in preparation for their commitment to the battle along the frontier. Their first task was to capture the seaside town of Sollum, which was taken on 23 November from its Italian garrison with only a few casualties. Follow-up artillery inflicted 18 killed and 33 wounded. Two hundred and forty-seven Italian prisoners were taken. Following this, the 5th Infantry Brigade was placed under the command of the 4th Indian Division and the 28th Battalion took up positions near Bardia. Three days later the battalion attacked a column of tanks and motorised infantry before ambushing a column at Menastir on 3 December. Later, notable actions were undertaken at Gazala and at Sidi Magreb where over 1,000 Italians prisoners were captured. Following this, the battalion was deployed to Syria before returning to Egypt in June 1942. Now officially under the command of a Māori for the first time Lieutenant Colonel Eruera Love.the Māori took part in the 2nd New Zealand Division's breakout from Minqar Qaim, undertaking a successful bayonet charge. At this time, the battalion's skills with the bayonet earned them a reputation as "scalp hunters" among German commanders, including Rommel. In September and October the battalion took part in important actions as part of the offensive in the Munassib Depression and at Miteiriya Ridge during the Second Battle of El Alamein. In November the battalion supported the final breakthrough by Allied forces that decided the outcome of the battle. Nevertheless, the battalion remained in the fighting and in March 1943, at Medenine it undertook a defensive role before switching to the offensive at Point 209 in the Tebaga Gap, where it was responsible for almost completely destroying a German panzer grenadier battalion. Two weeks later, on the night April 20th, 1943, the battalion took part in the 5th Infantry Brigade's attack on the Tunisian village of Takrouna. The village was situated atop a steep slope, and the attack stalled due to heavy concentrations of indirect fire and landmines, which wounded a number of men. The battalion returned to Egypt with the 5th Infantry Brigade in late-May and underwent a period of refit and retraining, during which the bulk of the original unit was given three months leave and returned to New Zealand.

Having taken no part in the Allied invasion of Sicily in July August, the 2nd New Zealand Division was committed to battle again in late 1943 as part of Eighth Army during the Italian Campaign. The Māori Battalion subsequently arrived in Italy on October 22nd, landing at Taranto. 5th Infantry Brigade undertook a period of training in close-country tactics, remaining in camp at Taranto until 18 November when it was ordered to move north 250 miles (400 km) to join the Eighth Army. The 2nd New Zealand Division had moved into the front line in November in order to relieve the 8th Indian Division and would take part in the advance across the Sangro planned for the end of the month. The brigade subsequently occupied positions around Atessa, with the Māori Battalion in brigade reserve, occupying a series of low hills which formed the Sangro river valley. During December the 2nd New Zealand Division took part in the Moro River Campaign. By this time the attacking battalions had exploited forward towards the Winter Line and the Māori Battalion moved forward by truck on December 1st, crossing the Sangro. Heavy congestion on the road delayed the battalion's movements, and although scheduled to assault towards Elici, they arrived to find the 23rd Battalion and the Division Cavalry had already completed the task. The Māori were again ordered into reserve, occupying positions 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Castelfrentano. As part of the Fifth Army's advance up the Liri valley, the Māori Battalion's next major engagement came in early 1944 when they took part in the fighting around Monte Cassino. The position at Cassino was dominated by an historic Benedictine monastery. Throughout January the Allies continued their advance, but as they were checked by the German positions at Cassino the advance stalled. They met very stiff resistance, and although they managed to reach the railway station they were unable to wrest control of it from its defenders. Lacking armoured support, which had failed to arrive, they fought through the morning and into the afternoon, but when their position was assaulted by two German tanks they were forced to withdraw. In March they were again involved in fighting around Cassino, however, it was not until May that the position was eventually captured, by which time the New Zealanders had been withdrawn from the line, and transferred back to the Eighth Army.

In April 1945 the battalion returned to the front line to take part in the final stages of the war. On April 1th, the battalion entered the line near Granarolo along with the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade and for the next month they were involved in five main battles along the Senio, Santerno, Sillaro, Gaiana and Idice rivers as the Allies pursued the Germans back towards Trieste. It was in Trieste that the Māori Battalion's war came to an end. Their involvement in the final stages of the fighting in Italy had cost them 25 killed and 117 wounded, while losses for the entire Italian campaign were 230 men killed, and 887 wounded. On May 2nd, 1945 news was received that all German forces west of the Isonzo River had surrendered. While this did not officially end the fighting in Italy, it was all but over. Five days later, on the night of May 7th, the battalion received the news that Germany had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, and that the war in Europe was over. Nevertheless, tensions remained high and concerns about the intentions of Yugoslavia regarding the disputed province of Istria meant that the 28th (Māori) Battalion remained on high alert. This continued until early June when an agreement was reached and Yugoslavia withdrew its troops east of the Isonzo River. Following this the routine of the battalion became more settled. Afterwards, preparations began for the battalion's return to New Zealand. The war with Japan continued however, and at the time it was believed that the Māori would take part in further operations in the Pacific. New Zealand policy at the time was that long serving men were to be repatriated and their places taken by men with less time in service. In this regard, commencing in late May, drafts of men departed in the order of their arrival at the battalion. On 15 August 1945 news was received of Japan's unconditional surrender, ending plans for the battalion to take part in further combat in the Pacific. In September it was decided that as part of the departure of New Zealand troops from the theatre, memorial services would be held at the locations of the division's major battles. The last batch of long service men had departed shortly after the battalion's arrival at Lake Trasimene.

Throughout the course of the war, 3,600 men served in the battalion. Of these, 649 were killed or died of wounds while another 1,712 were wounded. Another 29 died as a result of service following discharge, while two were killed by accident during training in New Zealand. The Māori Battalion's service against the Germans in North Africa earned them a distinguished reputation. Such was the respect that Allied commanders had for the Māori Battalion that they were frequently used as a spearhead unit. Bernard Freyberg, the General Officer Commanding of the 2NZEF, commented, "No infantry had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or, alas, had such heavy casualties, as the Maori Battalion." The battalion's reputation was also acknowledged by their opponents. Some sources state that the Afrika Korps commander, Erwin Rommel remarked,"Give me the Maori Battalion and I will conquer the world".

[hawkesburyriverhomebuilders]

The Wreck of the HMAS Parramatta lies between Bar Point and Milsons Island, with her Stern preserved  at Queens Wharf Parramatta Reserve.

HMAS Parramatta (I) was one of six River Class torpedo boat destroyers built for the Royal Australian Navy during the period 1909-16. During World War I they formed the Australian Destroyer Flotilla. Sister ships were HMA Ships Huon (I), Swan (I), Torrens (I), Warrego (I) and Yarra (I).

HMAS Parramatta (I) was laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, at their shipyard in Govan, Scotland on 17 March 1909. She was launched on 9 February 1910 by Mrs Margot Asquith, wife of British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith. Parramatta (I) was the first new ship launched for the Australian Navy followed by her sister ship HMAS Yarra (I).

Launching of HMAS Parramatta (I) on 9 February 1910 by Mrs Asquith, wife of British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith.

The ceremonial axe used to launch HMAS Parramatta (I), now in the collection of the Australian War Memorial.

She was commissioned as HMS Parramatta at Greenock on 10 September 1910 under the command of Captain Frederick Tickell CMG CNF and departed Portsmouth on 19 September 1910 as a Royal Navy ship for the voyage to Australia, and proceeding via Suez in company with her sister ship Yarra and escorted by HMS Gibraltar, arrived at Broome, Western Australia, on 15 November, where the two destroyers passed to the control of the Australian Government.

At the outbreak of World War I, Parramatta (I), with her sister ships Warrego (I) and Yarra (I), formed the destroyer component of the Australian Fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Sir George E Patey, RAN.

The captain and crew of the Australian Destroyer HMAS Parramatta (I) are greeted on her arrival in Fremantle, November 1910.

During the opening phases of the war she operated with the fleet in the search for Von Spee's Pacific Squadron. Later she took part in the capture of the German Colonies in the South West Pacific, and a number of her sailors were landed at Kabakaul (New Britain), under the command of Lieutenant Gerald Hill RNR, of HMAS Yarra (I) to take part in the operations ashore against the Germans. Parramatta (I) was present at the surrender of German New Guinea at Rabaul on 13 September 1914.

HMAS Parramatta (I) leaving harbour, circa 1913-14.

HMAS Parramatta (I) remained in New Guinea waters after the departure of the fleet (HMA Ships Australia (I), Melbourne (I) and Sydney (I) on 17 September 1914, and in company of Yarra (I) and Warrego (I) assisted in the consolidation of the Australian occupation of New Guinea and New Britain.

HMA Ships Parramatta (I) and Warrego (I) navigate the Sepik River New Guinea, December 1914.

In December all three ships proceeded up the Sepik River, and in January 1915 visited Morobe, Finschhafen and other points on the coast, cruising also to neighbouring island groups including the Admiralty Islands. On 5 February 1915 the three destroyers finally left Rabaul to return to Australia.

HMAS Parramatta (I) wearing her early wartime paint scheme.

For several months after her return to Sydney, Parramatta (I) remained on the Australian coast. On 27 April the Flotilla left Port Phillip on a cruise which included visits to Jervis Bay, Port Jackson, Port Stephens and points along the Barrier Reef. By mid-June 1915 the three destroyers reached Cairns and thereon began the return south patrolling and exercising en route. On 23 August they returned to Sydney for refit.

In November 1915 Parramatta (I), Yarra (I) and Warrego (I) proceeded to Sandakan in Borneo and based there, the Flotilla spent the next six months patrolling Malayan, East Indies and Philippine waters. On 17 July 1916 Parramatta (I) returned to Sydney.

HMAS Parramatta (I) spent the period of September 1916 to May 1917 on patrol in Australian waters. On 10 May 1917 she sailed from Sydney in company of Yarra (I) and Warrego (I) for the Mediterranean, being joined en route by Swan, Huon and Torrens to form an Australian Flotilla of six destroyers. Following a period of training the ships were based on Brindisi on the heel of Italy for Adriatic anti-submarine patrols. On this work the destroyers were responsible for blocking the southward passage of submarines through the Adriatic Narrows into the Mediterranean and also the safe transit of Italian transports to and from Albania.

Left: Crew members fitting a warhead to a torpedo in the Mediterranean, 1917. Right: HMAS Parramatta (I) passing through the Corinth Canal, Greece, 1918.

During the early months of these operations a patrol seldom passed without an enemy submarine being discovered and hunted, but as time went on the enemy was more rarely sighted until the patrol became routinely uneventful steaming. Enemy attacks on the strongly escorted troop transports moving in the danger areas were few and far between, but there were some by a few of the more audacious enemy submarine commanders.

HMAS Parramatta (I). Painting by Phil Belbin

A photograph taken from the observation balloon being towed by HMAS Parramatta (I), in the Adriatic Sea on 5 August 1918.

During one such attack, 16 November 1917, the Italian transport Orione had her stern blown off by an enemy torpedo. Parramatta (I) and Yarra (I) stood by to salvage after Warrego (I) and Huon (I) had rescued the survivors. Parramatta (I) took her in tow but the enemy was still lurking beneath the surface and fired a second torpedo while the tow line was being secured. She then broke surface and dived again passing directly under Parramatta (I). Yarra (I) set out to hunt the enemy down but after a long and fruitless search returned to help in towing operations until the damaged ship was handed over to an Italian tug later that day.

HMAS Parramatta (I) alongside the torpedoed transport, Orione.

Adriatic operations ended for Parramatta (I) on 28 September 1918 when she proceeded to Piraeus for refitting. She returned to duty on 21 October, spending a brief period on patrol off Suvla Bay (Gallipoli) and Imbros before passing through the Dardanelles with the fleet to Ismid in the eastern corner of the Sea of Marmora.

HMAS Parramatta (I) crew members with the Australian Flag in Brindisi Harbour, 1918.

The Australian Torpedo Boat Destroyer Flotilla at Brindisi, 1918.

In November she joined an Allied Squadron at Constantinople and on 25 November passed the Bosporus en route to Sebastapol where the Allied group took over some Russian ships on behalf of the anti-Bolshevik forces. Thenceforth Parramatta (I) was used to carry despatches and mails between Sebastapol and Constantinople.

The Australian Flag flying from the bow of HMAS Parramatta (I) on her arrival at Constantinople. The domed building in the background is the Dolmabahce Mosque.

At the end of December 1918 her service in the Black Sea and Sea of Marmora ended. Proceeding via Malta and Gibraltar she reached Devonport on 14 January 1919. En route, in company of other destroyers of the Australian Flotilla, Parramatta (I) was forced by gale force winds to put into Ferrol after sustaining considerable damage from heavy seas off Cape Finisterre.

On 6 March 1919, in company of HMA Ships Melbourne, Huon, Yarra and Warrego, she sailed for Australia, joined by Swan and Torrens at Malta. The flotilla reached Aden on 25 March, Colombo on 2 April, Singapore on 15 April and Darwin on 26 April. On the last day of the voyage Parramatta (I) and Yarra ran out of fuel and had to be towed into Darwin by Warrego.

The remainder of Parramatta's seagoing life was spent in Australian waters. She paid off at Sydney on 22 July 1919, recommissioned for a month (17 May 1920-13 June 1920) on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales in HMS Renown, and thereafter remained in Reserve at Sydney until October 1924. From October 1924 until November 1925 she was based at Westernport as a training ship. On 16 November 1925 she returned to Sydney and remained in port until May 1926, when she proceeded to Adelaide where she was placed in Reserve with a Care and Maintenance Party for Naval Reserve Training. Except for a visit to Melbourne in May 1927, she remained in South Australian waters until April 1928, when she returned to Sydney, finally paying off on 20 April 1928.

On 17 October 1929 she was handed over to Cockatoo Dockyard for dismantling. Her hull was subsequently used as an accommodation vessel, on the Hawkesbury River, NSW, by the New South Wales Department of Prisons before being sold to Mr George Rhodes of Cowan as scrap. The vessel was moored in the river but broke adrift during a storm and ran aground and her wreck remains there to this day.

The wreck of HMAS Parramatta (I) in the Hawkesbury River.

What remained of Parramatta (I) lay derelict on a mud bank north of Milson Island in the Hawkesbury River until 7 July 1973. On that and the following day the bow and stern sections were salvaged and later transported to a site on the north bank of the Parramatta River, upstream from the Silverwater Bridge. The stern of the ship was later established as a naval memorial at Queens Wharf Reserve. The bow section is mounted at the north end of Garden Island, Sydney, within the grounds of the Naval Cultural and Heritage Centre.

The stern section of Parramatta (I) mounted at Queens Wharf Reserve as a permanent tribute to the ship.

[livingcorner]

The hidden history behind one of Australia’s most secretive naval bases

Before he was made the Commanding Officer of HMAS Stirling, the Navy’s base on Garden Island, south of Perth, Captain Ainsley Morthorpe confesses he thought the island was “a bit of a dump”.

“Particularly if you get off at the airport, you drive down through the industrial areas — it’s a port and you don’t see anything outside of here,” Captain Morthorpe said of his previous visits.

You're reading: The hidden history behind one of Australia’s most secretive naval bases

But since taking over as Commanding Officer in February 2019, he has had a chance to explore beyond the red brick and concrete buildings of the base and discovered that “it’s actually beautiful, there’s amazing stuff here”.

The Navy has control of the entire island but only uses about 30 per cent of the land — the remaining land is covered in natural bushland and the odd relic from World War II.

The Henderson shipyards at what was Careening Bay. Five frigates and all six submarines are based out of Garden Island.(

Supplied: Royal Australian Navy

)

A keen photographer, Captain Morthorpe regularly goes out to the remote corners of the island, taking pictures of the environment and hoping to spot one of the three pairs of ospreys that live there.

The island became separated from the mainland about 6,000 years ago and despite the impact of colonialism and the naval base, remains a protected ecosystem.

The remains of the WWII coastal defences are slowly being reclaimed by nature.(

ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne

)

Protected island leads to ‘fitter penguins’

It is joined by a bridge to the mainland, but visitors can only come by private boat during daylight hours, and are required to observe strict rules, including not bringing any plants or animals onto the island.

The island is now a Class-A nature reserve and a haven for birds and the rare tammar wallaby, as well as quite a few carpet pythons.

Read more: Do’s and Don’ts for Choosing the Right Fence Colour | Maria Killam

A carpet python on Garden Island.(

ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne

)

It also has healthy growing Rottnest cypress and Rottnest tea trees, all but wiped out on the mainland.

“One of the reasons why this is such an amazing place is because there was no-one out here chopping trees down so we still kept it all and they all still exist — it’s an ark,” Captain Morthorpe said.

The healthy and protected conditions have also inspired the little penguins of nearby Penguin Island to move.

“I don’t know exactly when they came across here but I know that when we built the navy base we also provided them with perfect breeding habitat,” the Captain explained.

“They now live here and they’ve been studied and they’ve been tagged.

An ill-fated island garden

The island was spotted by Dutch sailors and marked on maps as early as 1658 and again by French sailors in the early 1800s, but it was Captain James Stirling of the Royal Navy who gave it the name Garden Island when he landed in 1827.

Garden Island from above at sunset.(

Wikimedia Commons: Scott Palmer/CC0

)

Stirling had recognised the island as an ideal base from which to explore the Swan River. He was prevented from sailing into the river because of the sandbar across the river mouth.

“This is why this island was so important, because when Stirling turned up because there was a bar across here, it was really difficult for them to get anything into the river,” Captain Morthorpe said.

“They had to actually unload the boats and then drag them across the bar and it was very dangerous so he was here for about three months.”

The beach at Sulphur Town, WA’s first colonial settlement on Garden Island.(

ABC Radio Perth: Emma Wynne

)

Leaving with plans to return and start a colony, Stirling planted a vegetable garden and left behind cow and several sheep and goats for his return, but had no idea how harsh the summer would be.

“When he came back in 1829 of course it was all dead,” the Captain said.

“The soil is poor and there is no real water.”

Sulphur Town settlement

When Stirling returned with 450 soldiers, sailors and free settlers, they made their first homes on Garden Island, naming it Sulphur Town after the transport ship HMS Sulphur that brought them.

“He set this up as his safe and secure site whilst he finished his exploration off what is now Perth,” Captain Morthorpe explained.

Most of the settlers only stayed for a few months and by 1834, what was left of Sulphur Town was destroyed by fire.

Read more: Vegetables to Grow in Winter: 8 Crops for Winter Harvesting

“By that stage he basically gave up on the place but he still owned the island, and that he didn’t allow anybody else to do anything on here that he didn’t control,” the Captain said.

Later, Careening Bay, on the eastern shore, was used to repair boats — it has now been developed into the ship yards, but then there was little infrastructure.

A ship lying beached in Careening Bay, a platform is used for repairs, 1880s.(

Supplied: State Library of Western Australia

)

“At nice big shallow beaches like that you can bring a sailing boat in, put it up on the beach and at low tide it falls over and you can get access to the hull and you can repair it,” Captain Morthorpe said.

After World War I Garden Island became a place for holidays, picnics and fishing.

Land was sold off for shacks and a jetty built.

Garden Island, 1936. Between the wars, shacks and ferries served holiday makers.(

Supplied: State Library of Western Australia

)

During World War II, batteries were built as part of Perth and Fremantle’s coastal defences and Careening Bay was used to train members of the secretive special boat section in using vessels including the ‘Motorised Submersible Canoe’.

Construction of the naval base, HMAS Stirling, began in 1971 and was completed in 1978, along with a bridge and causeway that allows personnel to drive onto the island.

It is now Australia’s largest naval facility and home to five frigates as well as the entire submarine service.

When all the ships are in port, there can be up to 4,500 personnel living on the island.

ABC Radio Perth will broadcast live from Garden Island on August 2.

Posted 30 Jul 201930 Jul 2019Tue 30 Jul 2019 at 3:14am, updated 30 Jul 201930 Jul 2019Tue 30 Jul 2019 at 7:59am

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/the-hidden-history-behind-one-of-australias-most-secretive-naval-bases/

[prattplumbers]

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Plumbing administrations are most extreme significance for your private property with the goal that you're plumbing framework can work productively for arranging water effectively and securely. Thus it is significant that you search for proficient handymen who have the right stuff and mastery for managing the diverse pipes issues. This administration can likewise help you for obliging the other pipes needs that you may look in your property like the substitution of channels that have blasted or broken because of catastrophic events or its age, damaged sewer lines, channel blockages and low water pressure in fixtures. The handymen likewise manage diverse pipes issues like sewage and vent framework, gas plumbing, outside private pipes and inside water supply framework.

Proficient pipes administrations can be gainful for you as it encourages you to dispose of each sort of plumbing issues at your home. However, you should ensure that you are recruiting dependable and legitimate handymen with the goal that the work can be finished in the most effective way. The pipes organization offers experienced and prepared handymen who have the necessary information and abilities for managing each sort of plumbing issues. They will utilize the most recent apparatuses and hardware for ensuring that your pipes issues are settled rapidly and expertly with the goal that you will have total genuine feelings of serenity.

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[hudsonespie]

MSC Australia Marks 30 Successful Years In Container Shipping Business

MSC Australia has come a long way since 1989. From six MSC staff, offering a fortnightly container service to South Africa, the agency has now expanded to hundreds of employees and vessel calls in seven major ports around Australia, operating seven weekly liner services.

Today, MSC Australia provides its customers with direct connections to all major overseas markets. Here’s a sneak peek of its story made of growth and opportunities, with more to come.

Some historic milestones

A particular highlight was the visit of the MSC Fabienne on its maiden voyage in 2004 to Sydney Harbour, where key dignitaries and clients were invited onboard to tour the state-of-the-art vessel, which at the time was the largest to call Australia.

Image Credit: msc.com

MSC also brought new life to a forgotten heritage building with its new Australian head office in Fremantle, where it moved in 2016. 11 Cliff Street is a stunning landmark, complete with a 12-metre-wide, glass-fronted annexe and is the result of a four-year renovation project.

It is one of seven offices in Australia together with three offices in New Zealand from where MSC continues to grow its shipping line, intermodal and logistics services, always reacting quickly to local market changes and meeting growing demand with excellent customer service.

“I congratulate the entire team on their achievements, and I know that their loyalty and excellent attention to their tasks has made all the difference. I am also very mindful of the contribution of our clients, who we thank for their trust and we assure them of our utmost care at all times,” said Captain Michele Bordiga, Chairman of MSC Australia.

Evening cruise and fireworks

Some 140 employees, customers and partners gathered in Sydney on Friday 5 April to celebrate the 30th anniversary of MSC Australia with an evening boat cruise on Sydney Harbour, featuring a tug boat salute and spectacular firework display in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House. Guests included MSC Geneva representative Captain Michele Bordiga, longstanding clients, Ports Australia and NSW Port Authority members, key service providers from across Australia and New Zealand and local MSC staff.

“I am exceptionally proud to be celebrating MSC Australia’s 30th Anniversary in 2019. The loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our staff has ensured the success of MSC here in Australia,” said Kevin Clarke, Managing Director of MSC Australia.

“While this is a poignant time for the company, offering us the chance to look back at all that has been achieved over the last three decades, it is vitally important we continue to focus firmly on the future and maintain MSC’s continuous evolution.” he added.

Reference: msc.com

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[afltickets]

Manuka Oval-An Experience in Delight

Stadiums invoke the competitive spirit, enduring rivalries, and passionate contests, but add ambiance and memories to it, and you have the Manuka Oval in Canberra, Australia. The Oval has brought joy to our youth and comfort to our seniors. It is a stadium where stories are shared, where joys are pooled and where statistics are bragged about. A home for cricket in summer and for Australian rules football in winter, Manuka Oval is a sports-lover delight.

MANUKA OVAL- A BRIEF HISTORY

Named after a Mauri tea tree, Manuka, the Oval was initially a public park. After it became enclosed in 1929, the venue has continued to entertain fans of cricket, Australian rules football and occasionally rugby. It is a stadium graced by the presence of cricket legend Donald Bradman and the folklore’s of great Australian rules footballer, Alex Jesaulenko.

The Manuka Oval acquired different brand names such as StarTrack Oval Canberra from 2013 to 2016, and, since 2017 the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra Oval, but to the diehard fans it will always be Manuka Oval. With a total capacity of 13,550 people, the games have been sold-out five of the ten times when the Greater Western Sydney Giants played against their rivals.

THE LANGUAGE OF MANUKA OVAL

Watching an Australian Football League match at the Manuka Oval exposed you to a new language. It is here that you will observe a ball magnet carry the team from coast to coast. You will hear a football fan yell chewy on ya boot, and call someone a mongrel when they make a horrible pass. Players have nicknames such as Coxy, Boomer, and Goodsey. Footy is a team game that involves many players to move the ball and the game forward. For the first-timer, watching this Australian invention is an experience to remember.

MANUKA OVAL AND THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Football in Australia can mean a different version depending on the geography or economic class. In eastern Australia, football is rugby, but to the upper strata, it is rugby union. In southern Australia, it is quintessentially Australian Football. Although the Australian Football League (AFL) is rooted in the many kicking games played by the Australian aboriginal, Gaelic, Chinese, and the Indians, it is indeed an Australian invention. To some historians of AFL, it predates other modern forms of football.

In 2012, Manuka Oval became the permanent home for the Australian Football League, including the Women’s League. The Oval has hosted several clubs since 1998, including the North Melbourne Football Club, the Melbourne Demons, the Western Bulldogs, and, since 2012, the newly established Greater Western Sydney Giants (GWSG). A professional AFL club, the GWSG plays four games a year at the Manuka Oval as part of their agreement with the Australian Capital Territory.

This sport also known as ‘the people’s game,’ endures not because of the joy it spreads, but also because of the attention it brings to individuals and tells their stories at the Manuka Oval.

The team at Ticketblaster has been involved in AFL tickets for almost 15 years. Our Australian based customer service team is here to help you 24/7.We have a large range of AFL Footy Tickets available for purchase. Ticketblaster supplies many supporters with Medallion Club AFL Tickets. In addition, we sell tickets all AFL venues. A few of those venues include:

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[ljgrealestate]

The Experts Maximise yields with granny flats (Part one) Bookmark and Share I’m hearing more and more about investors using granny flats to maximise their rental yields. This is an increasing trend occurring in New South Wales as a result of changes to the planning laws back in July 2009. The State Government made the changes to encourage greater supply of affordable housing in a climate of chronic undersupply. It was a clever move and a fantastic win-win idea. With every granny flat built, a new home is made available to tenants, generally at a lower price than an apartment – a big win for tenants. And because they cost very little to build, the yields on granny flats can be well over 10 per cent – so a big win for investors. The new laws made it easier to get approval for granny flats and they also allowed them to be rented out. Previously, granny flats were only allowed for a dependent relative such as a teenager, or obviously, a grandparent. While you can build a granny flat out the back of your home and rent it out positively geared, you can also add a granny flat to an existing investment property to increase the yield. In some cases, adding a granny flat can turn a negatively geared investment into a neutral or positive one overnight (as long as you can find a tenant and there can be issues with this, which I’ll get into later). Granny flats are also cheap to build. I’ve seen advertisements for granny flats, fully installed, for less than $70,000. Obviously, you’ll pay more depending on the size of the flat and how many rooms you put in it. Say you spent $80,000 and rented it out for $250 per week. That’s a remarkable 16 per cent yield. Of course, yields vary nationwide, so talk a local property manager about how much a granny flat in your area typically rents for to determine your potential income. You should also ask them how easy it is to rent them out. Unfortunately, the opportunity to rent out a granny flat is only available in NSW, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and, as of December last year, in the city of Fremantle, Perth. Tasmania and NT have more restrictions in place than NSW, such as the flat having to share connections to essential services with the main house. Here are the basic rules for granny flats in NSW. If you can meet these criteria, you’ll get approval very quickly through a private certifier or your local council: Your block size must be a minimum 450 square metres Your block must have a minimum 12-metre frontage You need a three-metre clearance between the flat and the back fence You need about a one-metre clearance between the flat and the side fence The floor area of the flat can’t exceed 60 square metres The floor area of the flat and the main residence can’t exceed local council restrictions The height restriction is 8.5 metres. Interested? If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find many companies specialising in granny flats. Check out some of the designs and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Granny flats are no longer drab little cottages; there are plenty of stylish designs available that will appeal not only to you but also to your prospective tenants. Now, there are some risks. I had a chat to our head of network property management, Michael Connolly, who confirms they are seeing a few more clients renting out granny flats in areas where there are larger blocks of land, such as Sydney’s Western Suburbs and Northern Beaches. But he does have a few words of warning. Next week, Michael and I will fill you in on the pros and cons of using granny flats as an investment strategy. We’ll also tell you about our experiences in leasing houses with granny flats attached or on the same lot. Stay tuned and please write to us if you have a granny flat that you’re using for investment – we’d love to hear about your experience.

[greatworldwar2]

• HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen

HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen is a Jan van Amstel-class minesweeper of the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN).

Abraham Crijnssen was the third of eight Jan van Amstel-class minesweepers constructed for the RNN during the late 1930s. Built by Werf Gusto at their yard in Schiedam, South Holland, the minesweeper was launched on September 22nd, 1936, and commissioned into the RNN on May 26th, 1937. She was named after 17th century naval commander Abraham Crijnssen. Abraham Crijnssen and her sister ships were 184 feet (56 m) long, with a beam of 25 feet (7.6 m), a draught of 7 feet (2.1 m), and a displacement of 525 tons. The minesweepers were fitted with two Yarrow 3-drum boilers and two Stork triple expansion engines, which provided 1,690 ihp (1,260 kW) to two propeller shafts, allowing the ship to reach 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Abraham Crijnssen was armed with a single 3-inch gun, and two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, plus a payload of depth charges. The standard ship's company was 45.

The ship was based at Surabaya in the Netherlands East Indies when Japan invaded in 1941. Following the Allied defeats at the Battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait in late February 1942, all Allied ships were ordered to withdraw to Australia. Abraham Crijnssen was meant to sail with three other warships, but found herself proceeding alone. To escape detection by Japanese aircraft (which the minesweeper did not have the armament to defend effectively against), the ship was heavily camouflaged with jungle foliage, giving the impression of a small island. Personnel cut down trees and branches from nearby islands, and arranged the cuttings to form a jungle canopy covering as much of the ship as possible. Any hull still exposed was painted to resemble rocks and cliffs. To further the illusion, the ship would remain close to shore, anchored and immobile during daylight, and only sail at night. She headed for Fremantle, Western Australia, where she arrived on 20 March 1942; Abraham Crijnssen was the last vessel to successfully escape Java, and the only ship of her class in the region to survive.

After arriving in Australian waters, the minesweeper underwent a refit, which included the installation of new ASDIC equipment. On September 28th, the minesweeper was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Abraham Crijnssen. She was reclassified as an anti-submarine convoy escort, and was also used as a submarine tender for the Dutch submarines that relocated to Australia following the Japanese conquest. The ship's Dutch sailors were supplemented with survivors from the British destroyer HMS Jupiter and Australian personnel, all under the command of an Australian lieutenant. The wardroom tradition of hanging a portrait of the commissioned ship's reigning monarch led to some tension before it was decided to leave Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands on the bulkhead instead of replacing her with King George VI of the United Kingdom, which was installed in the lieutenant's cabin.

While escorting a convoy to Sydney through Bass Strait on January 26th, 1943, Abraham Crijnssen detected a submarine on ASDIC. The convoy was ordered to scatter, while Abraham Crijnssen and HMAS Bundaberg depth charged the submarine contact. No wreckage of the suspected submarine was found. A pair of hastily released depth charges at the start of the engagement damaged the minesweeper; several fittings and pipes were damaged, and all of her centreline rivets had to be replaced during a week-long dry-docking. Abraham Crijnssen was returned to RNN service on May 5th, 1943, but remained in Australian waters for most of World War II. On June 7th, 1945, the minesweeper left Sydney for Darwin, with the oil lighter (and former submarine) K9 in tow. On June 8th, the tow cable snapped, and K9 washed ashore at Seal Rocks, New South Wales. Abraham Crijnssen was used for mine-clearing sweeps of Kupang Harbour prior to the arrival of a RAN force to accept the Japanese surrender of Timor.

Following the end of World War II, the minesweeper was used on anti-revolution patrols of the Netherlands East Indies. She left for the Netherlands in August 1951, and was converted into a boom defence vessel in March 1956. The ship was removed from the Navy List in 1960. After leaving service, Abraham Crijnssen was donated to the Sea Cadet Corps (Zeekadetkorps Nederland) for training purposes. She was docked at The Hague from 1962 to 1972, after which she was moved to Rotterdam. The ship was also used as a storage hulk during this time. In 1995, Abraham Crijnssen was marked for preservation by the Dutch Navy Museum at Den Helder. She was retrofitted to her wartime configuration.

[footyplusau]

Who is new AFL chairman Richard Goyder?

Incoming AFL chairman Richard Goyder, who takes over the game’s top job on April 4, is one of Australia’s most prominent and respected businessmen.

But his football career has far more humble beginnings. He first kicked a footy around when he was six years old and living on his parents’ wheat and sheep farm in Tambellup, 317 kilometres south-east of Perth. 

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Nat Fyfe plans as Freo captain

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AFLW plays of the round

AFLW plays of the round

Jen McCormick snaps a ripper as Adelaide see off the Doggies, Mo Hope kicks her first but the Dees take the points, the Blues yet to be beaten and Tayla Harris will be a superstar.

Nat Fyfe plans as Freo captain

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Nat Fyfe plans as Freo captain

Nat Fyfe plans as Freo captain

Fremantle Dockers new captain Nat Fyfe opens up on his plans as the club’s new skipper for the 2017 AFL season.

AFLW Plays of Round One

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The most stunning plays from round one of the AFLW.

Home invasion leaves Essendon players shaken

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Young Essendon footballers become the latest victims of a terrifying home invasion after the house they share in Maribyrnong was targeted by a gang of thugs.

Packed Princes Park watches Carlton take debut win

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Packed Princes Park watches Carlton take debut win

Four goals from Darcy Vescio helped the Blues to victory over Collingwood after a lock out at Princes Park for the first ever AFLW match.

Living two lives

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Tiana Ernst delivers babies by day and plays footy by night. Hailing from far north Queensland and moving south for the game she loves, Tiana is set to play a season of footy alongside her current life as a doctor.

James Hird’s father speaks out

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James Hird’s father speaks out

James Hird’s father Allan talks to 3AW about his view on his son’s overdose and the Essendon doping saga.

AFLW plays of the round

Jen McCormick snaps a ripper as Adelaide see off the Doggies, Mo Hope kicks her first but the Dees take the points, the Blues yet to be beaten and Tayla Harris will be a superstar.

“I captained Tambellup under-12s to victory over the Katanning Police Boys in 1971, which is probably the pinnacle – almost – of my football career,” Mr Goyder said on Wednesday. 

The Wesfarmers managing director barracked for East Perth and for Carlton, his hero Syd Jackson’s team, in the VFL.

Richard Goyder will take over as AFL chairman in April.  Photo: Philip Gostelow

As a young man he played for University Football Club in Perth, but unable to get a guernsey, shifted to rivals Old Scotch. He won an A-grade premiership against his old team that year.

Goyder graduated with a commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and started a corporate career that took him from various roles at Tubemakers of Australia, a company that made pipes, and in 1993 to Wesfarmers. 

He joined the conglomerate’s board in 2002 and took the top job of managing director and chief executive officer in July 2005.  

In that role, Goyder oversaw the running of Australia’s largest private sector employer, which today it worth $49billion. 

His legacy at Wesfarmers will be the courageous $19.3 billion acquisition of supermarket Coles in 2007, a purchase that changed the shape of the conglomerate forever, redefining the business as a retail giant and landing it in Australia’s rolling supermarket wars.

Speaking at the announcement of his retirement from Wesfarmers this week, Goyder said the company would be a shadow of what it is today without the Coles acquisition. At the same time Goyder was reaching the top echelons of  business, he was also quietly embedding himself in the AFL machine. He joined the board of Fremantle in 2006 and five years later was appointed to the AFL Commission – the first member from WA since the clubs banded together in late 2000 to remove Terry O’Connor. 

Goyder, who has four children (one son plays for Claremont in the WAFL) and will turn 57 this year, will be the first ever AFL chairman to be based outside Victoria. 

The Perth local was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2013 for distinguished service to business through his leadership of Wesfarmers as well as his promotion of corporate engagement with the arts and Indigenous programs.

Through his work with Business Council of Australia, he has argued vociferously for economic reform, warning Australia must take action to safeguard its future prosperity. At one point it was speculated Goyder was considering a move into politics — but he put an end to that in 2015, saying he could make a better contribution to Australia as a businessman.

– With Catie Low and AAP

The post Who is new AFL chairman Richard Goyder? appeared first on Footy Plus.

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