If
you are able to assist
with the following
please contact David
Plummer at email
address: david.plummer@defence.gov.au
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This
time it is one from
me requesting
assistance from all
those old salts with
really good
memories, probably
most likely of the
seaman category, who
served in HMAS Stalwart.
I
am currently working
at the Master
Attendant's Office
in Sydney for duties
with the IFR,
pending my
retirement from the
PNF early next year.
One of the tasks I
have just completed
is the positioning
of Number 3A Buoy in
Man of War Anchorage
to the former
location of the old
EMS Mooring.
The buoy is now in
exactly in the same
position as the
former buoy although
it is only a 3 leg
1st Class rather
than a 4 leg first
class buoy.
It
is intended to use
the re-established
mooring for HMAS Success,
thereby releasing
wharf space and also
providing an
additional berth for
visiting Australian
submarines and
frigates. When
Success eventually
pays off the mooring
will also provide a
berth pending
ultimate disposal -
which is now a very
lengthy process.
My
problem, and the
reason for this
email, is that I am
having difficulty
locating any
information on how
the chain cable was
secured on Stalwarts's
quarterdeck and also
how it was secured
on the shore line.
I have some vague
memories from my
very brief time
onboard and also
from being berthed
outboard when I was
in Moresby and
we were in Sydney
for the bicentenary
but that is about
it.
Could
you please send this
email out to your
contacts and ask is
anyone can:
a.
provide me with
contact details for
any former COs or
XOs that could
provide me with
Command level advice
on how the ship went
about Mediterranean
Mooring
b.
provide me with any
recollections on how
the quarterdeck gear
worked - how the two
stern mooring chains
were brought inboard
and what it was
secured to (at the
moment I am assuming
it would have been
brought in by a wire
around a capstan and
then the cable would
have been secured to
a Blake and Bottle
screw Slip in the
same way as the
fo'csle operates.
c.
provide me with any
recollections of how
the two stern
mooring chains were
secured on the shore
side. The
bollards are still
there but I have no
idea how the cable
was secured to the
bollards.
d.
advise what the size
of the anchor cable
was - I am assuming
it was the same size
as the anchor cable
and therefore around
2 5/8 to 2 3/4 inch
?
e.
advise what was done
with the stern
mooring chains when
the ship wasn't
there.
f.
and for the stokers
- does anyone
remember what shore
services Stalwart
received at the
mooring ?
Any
advice, and in
particular any
photographs that are
not currently
available on the net
(and I have searched
extensively), would
be most gratefully
received.
These
are the last 8
Commanding
Officers of HMAS Stalwart.
My rough
calculation is
that, presuming
they are still
alive, they will
all be at least in
their mid 60s to
mid 70s.
Does anyone have
contact details
for them ?
CAPT
I.A.
Callaway,
RAN
|
28
November
1979
|
CAPT
M. DeV.
Salmon,
RAN
|
13
April 1981
|
CAPT
M.S. Unwin,
RAN
|
4
January
1983
|
CMDR
D.
Collingridge,
LVO RAN
|
25
November
1984
(temporary)
|
CAPT
P.A. Ross,
RAN
|
14
January
1985
|
CAPT
B. Wilson,
RAN
|
23
January
1987
|
CAPT
M.T.
Dunne, RAN
|
19
January
1989
|
CMDR
C.E.
Constance,
RAN
|
15
December
1989
|
Funnily
enough Captain's
Salmon and Unwin
were very close
friends of the
family with whom
we have completely
lost touch since
they retired and
Captain Dunne
(then LCDR) was at
HMS Dolphin
when I flirted
with the idea of
becoming a
submariner in
1979.
David
Plummer
D.S.
PLUMMER CSM
LCDR,
RAN
Moorings
Officer
Office
of the Master
Attendant
Garden
Island
SYDNEY
NSW
Tel:
02 9359 5102
Mob:
0477 758 684 (work)
Email:
david.plummer@defence.gov.au