Fremantle Class Patrol Boats

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Tiger-pie]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Tiger-pie]

The 40/60 Bofor, old but more than adequate for the job of fisheries patrols.

[Tiger-pie]

HMAS Cessnock, spent three years on her, sitting alongside a Type II FFV, photo taken from ships RHIB.

[Tiger-pie]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Tiger-pie]

This signal (unclassified) was realeased on the 20-Apr-07

SUBJ: LAST FCPB OPERATIONAL PATROL

1. TODAY HMAS IPSWICH WILL BERTH AT HMAS CAIRNS AND OUTCHOP FROM JTF

639 AND IN DOING SO BRINGS TO A CLOSE A 27 YEAR OPERATIONAL

COMMITMENT BY THE FREMANTLES TO AUSTRALIAS MARITIME SECURITY. THE

FREMANTLES HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS FROM PATROLS OF

THE BASS STRAIT OIL RIGS IN OFTEN ATROCIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS TO

LONG DAYS ON WATCH ACROSS NORTHERN AUSTRALIA. IN THIS THEY HAVE

PROVED A MAINSTAY OF AUSTRALIA'S OFFSHORE MARITIME SECURITY AND

EARNED A REPUTATION AS HARDWORKING AND CAN DO VESSELS AND CREWS. AS

A FORMER FREMANTLE CO AND THE LAST OPERATIONAL COMMANDER OF THE

FREMANTLES I HAVE VALUED AND RELIED ON THEIR COMMITMENT TO OP

RESOLUTE TO THE VERY LAST.

2. IPSWICH SECURING TODAY REPRESENTS THE END OF AN ERA BUT WITH THE

KNOWLEDGE THAT THE TRADITIONS AND CHARACTER OF THE PATROL BOAT SAILOR

WILL CONTINUE ON IN THE ARMIDALE'S.

3. MATTHEW CHAP 25 VERSE 21.

Regards;

Johnsy

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Bob Lyons]

As always Johnsy, great photos, and superb information too.

Cheers

Bob

[Tiger-pie]

An undignified end. 210 was previously HMAS Cessnock, I spent three years of my career on her. Whyalla sits beside her.

[Tiger-pie]

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...

[Crunchy]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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

[Crunchy]

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.

[Tiger-pie]

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

[CessnockViking1]

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

[peter monahan]

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!