Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 (edited) A subject close to my heart as I spent a about third of my 18 plus years in the Navy based in Darwin working in, on and around these boats and the 40/60 Bofor. We had in total 15 of these vessels to patrol an area (originally) from Perth in West Australia to the Bass Strait between Victoria and the island state of Tasmania!!This was reduced later to Port Headland across the north to Sydney, with the maximum effort concentrated across the northern and north-western regions. Still a huge area.By mid 2007 these will "pay-off" and be scrapped. Edited March 27, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Several boats firing up to head out for for patrols along the Australian Fisheries Zone (AFZ), "barking along the fence-line" as we termed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 (edited) In formation at cruising speed, judging from the bow wave. Two of the four boats I served on are in the photo, HMA Ships Dubbo, foreground, and Wollongong, centre. Some patrols consisted of a lone boat, others two or more. This would allow one boat to patrol above the AFZ and one or more below. If FFV's (foreign fishing vessels) were spotted then we could catch them in a "pincer" movement before they got out of our waters. Edited March 27, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 The 40/60 Bofor, old but more than adequate for the job of fisheries patrols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 HMAS Cessnock, spent three years on her, sitting alongside a Type II FFV, photo taken from ships RHIB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Type III FFV, most if not all of these smaller types originate from Indonesia. They are now commonly know as SIEVs, Suspected Illegal Immigrant Vessels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 The pennant number is difficult to read, looks like 211, which was HMAS Bendigo. This FFV is being escorted back into Darwin harbour to be processed by Customs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 The old and the new. The new Armidale Class PBs are a vast improvment over their predecessors, armed with the 25mm Bushmaster on a Typhoon mount plus two .50 Cal BMGs, with provision for two more BMGs if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 (edited) Guess this is what they call the money shot...HMAS Larrakia under speed during her sea trials. The new generation looks good. Edited March 27, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 This signal (unclassified) was realeased on the 20-Apr-07SUBJ: LAST FCPB OPERATIONAL PATROL 1. TODAY HMAS IPSWICH WILL BERTH AT HMAS CAIRNS AND OUTCHOP FROM JTF639 AND IN DOING SO BRINGS TO A CLOSE A 27 YEAR OPERATIONALCOMMITMENT BY THE FREMANTLES TO AUSTRALIAS MARITIME SECURITY. THEFREMANTLES HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS FROM PATROLS OFTHE BASS STRAIT OIL RIGS IN OFTEN ATROCIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS TOLONG DAYS ON WATCH ACROSS NORTHERN AUSTRALIA. IN THIS THEY HAVEPROVED A MAINSTAY OF AUSTRALIA'S OFFSHORE MARITIME SECURITY ANDEARNED A REPUTATION AS HARDWORKING AND CAN DO VESSELS AND CREWS. ASA FORMER FREMANTLE CO AND THE LAST OPERATIONAL COMMANDER OF THEFREMANTLES I HAVE VALUED AND RELIED ON THEIR COMMITMENT TO OPRESOLUTE TO THE VERY LAST.2. IPSWICH SECURING TODAY REPRESENTS THE END OF AN ERA BUT WITH THEKNOWLEDGE THAT THE TRADITIONS AND CHARACTER OF THE PATROL BOAT SAILORWILL CONTINUE ON IN THE ARMIDALE'S. 3. MATTHEW CHAP 25 VERSE 21.Regards;Johnsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 (edited) A decommissioning ceremony was held at Trinity Wharf in Cairns signaling the official end of the Fremantle Class Patrol Boats. The last two operational boats, HMAS Townsville and Ipswich, lowered the White Ensign for the last time. Edited May 15, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 (edited) Australian Navy Cadets extinguished 15 lanterns that represent each of the FCPB's. Very moving stuff that.Regards;Johnsy Edited May 15, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Lyons Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 As always Johnsy, great photos, and superb information too.CheersBob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 An undignified end. 210 was previously HMAS Cessnock, I spent three years of my career on her. Whyalla sits beside her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 Having walked through HMAS Yarra at a graveyard dock many years ago, I can only agree that it "is men who are the souls of ships". Still sad to see them go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Very sorry to see them go. I had some under OPCON for a couple of years (97-98) and first went to sea in them on HMAS Woollongong. Took a day or so for the crew to accept a khaki bod. They and their crews did a magnificent job. Real workhorses of the RAN and they worked under very difficult circumstances at times but always came up trumps. Hope they keep one for posterity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 23, 2007 Author Share Posted May 23, 2007 (edited) Very sorry to see them go. I had some under OPCON for a couple of years (97-98) and first went to sea in them on HMAS Woollongong. Took a day or so for the crew to accept a khaki bod. They and their crews did a magnificent job. Real workhorses of the RAN and they worked under very difficult circumstances at times but always came up trumps. Hope they keep one for posterity.The "Gong" was my first PB I served on, good bunch of blokes, the command element were a bunch of clowns though. I think she is the one they are keeping for posterity. I would have thought that Fremantle was the obvious chose as it was the first of class and it has the thickest hull plates. Regards;Johnsy Edited May 23, 2007 by Tiger-pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 the command element were a bunch of clowns though.The group I saw in 97 seemed to me to be a very cohesive crew and the skipper seemed to be well respected by his crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-pie Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 The group I saw in 97 seemed to me to be a very cohesive crew and the skipper seemed to be well respected by his crew.Well in 1993 that wasn't the case, though don't get me wrong, the crew was a cohesive unit and I did work for a really good engineering section. The Charge (Senior Technical Officer= Chief Petty Officer) was one of the best I worked for in the six years that I served on patrolies.Regards;Johnsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnockViking1 Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I spent about two years on Cessnock and did a number of trips on all but one of the Cairns based Fremantle's. Fantastic boats and generally fantastic crews, the crew and boats worked hard and played hard! They did a fantastic job for many years. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter monahan Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Sad to see any proud service vessel go to her grave, or the breaker's yard. Especially for those who served on her. I'm sure they're be many a toast raised to the class in the dockside pubs and Legions. God bless them all and all who sailed in them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now