This change in philosophy was brought about, in part, because an increasing proportion of the RAN fleet would be ships designed in the USA, which because of their complexity were more cost effective to maintain using onshore support facilities. In 1982, there was a marked change in policy for the conduct of intermediate fleet maintenance within the RAN. Given Stalwart’s limited communications fit and lack of an operations room, her function as flagship was for ceremonial rather than an operational functions but it was nevertheless a demanding new role for this versatile ship.
With the decommissioning of the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne on 30 June 1982, Stalwart became the new fleet flagship, providing accommodation and administrative support for the fleet staff and fleet band. The ship returned to Sydney on 7 July, resuming her fleet maintenance and support role. On 26 June, Stalwart, and other fleet units, made a fleet entry into Darwin Harbour, as part of Darwin’s Navy Week. With him are Leading Coxswain L Westbrook and Able Seaman Quartermaster Gunner P Gearing. Warrant Officer Tim Collins, OAM, a well known RAN personality at the helm of Stalwart in 1983. The ship’s year ended in the usual way, in her home port of Sydney. K81 provided yet another insight into Stalwart’s multi-purpose potential. The task was completed despite the ship suffering two theoretical missile hits. Her main K81 role was to coordinate and support Blue Force mine countermeasures and clearance diving operations, with a multi-national team of divers embarked. This was a busy period for Stalwart, as she had just completed a hurried post-refit ‘shakedown’. In mid-October, Stalwart was part of the RAN task group involved in Exercise KANGAROO 81 (K81) a major international exercise off the east coast of Australia, involving 25 ships, 100 aircraft and up to 20,000 personnel from Australia, the US, Great Britain and New Zealand.
On completion of a demanding 11-week deployment, she arrived back in Sydney on 29 May, in time for a scheduled refit. During the passage from Singapore to Penang, for a goodwill visit, the ship played host to soldiers of the First Battalion, Royal New Zealand Regiment.įollowing a final visit to Singapore in early May, Stalwart returned to Australia ‘westabout’, via Fremantle. Captain Martin de Ville Salmon assumed command of Stalwart on 14 April 1981. Stalwart arrived in Singapore on 6 April, undertaking her designed role by maintaining Perth and Brisbane, while in port. En route she visited Darwin, for her first visit to that port since early 1975, when she was part of Operation NAVY HELP DARWIN, following the city's devastation by Cyclone Tracy. In late March, Stalwart transited north to Singapore for a Southeast Asian deployment. This was definitely a year when the name ‘Building 215’ was not appropriate. The ship finally returned to Sydney on 15 November for Christmas leave.
#Dead island 2 part 1 free#
The hard work and extra hours certainly won a few friends, as a message from the Australian High Commissioner stressed, “We particularly admired the way many of your crew gave up so much of their free time to work on the home.A considerable amount of goodwill has been generated for Australia.”įollowing Captain’s Divisions in the Bay of Bengal, Stalwart’s Indian Ocean deployment concluded with another port visit to Singapore during 27 October-3 November just in time to purchase duty free Christmas presents. In Colombo, an enthusiastic working group carried out painting and general interior repairs on the Maharagama Boys’ Home. Stalwart, in company with Supply and Perth, arrived in Singapore on 12 September, where they were joined a few days later by Melbourne and Derwent, which had been delayed by weather damage.ĭuring Stalwart’s deployment, goodwill port visits were made to Colombo and Bombay. Stalwart illuminated with festoon lighting while alongside HMAS Stirling, 6 September 1980.