Officer Earned Renown Under Fire
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THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2020 30 Timelines To submit or suggest an obituary contact us at [email protected] Men on moon New party launched Third of beauties Man has landed on the moon. The U.S. spacecraft, A new political party, The Australia Party, was Joanne Barrett, of Australia, finished third in the 1969 Eagle, carrying Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, launched in Canberra yesterday. The party Miss Universe beauty contest at Miami Beach IN THE HERALD touched down on the lunar surface early today results from a ‘‘marriage’’ between Tasmanian last night. The winner was raven-haired 18-year- Compiled by (Sydney time). The astronauts’ landing – man- Independent Senator R. J. D. Turnbull and the old Gloria Diaz, of the Philippines. Second was Lyn Maccallum kind’s first on another celestial body – opens a Australian Reform Movement. Senator Turnbull Harriett Eriksson, of Finland. Miss Barrett, 19, a new era in the history of the human race. It said the party would stand in about 30 seats and tall blonde model and clothes designer was one followed a perfectly executed 250,000-mile hoped to win between 12 and 16 per cent of the of the crowd’s favourites. For her ‘‘native cos- flight from the earth and a series of lunar orbits vote at the General Election later this year, about tume’’ she wore a yellow wraparound dress with by the main Apollo 11 spacecraft, Columbia. the same proportion as the D.L.P. a large hole in the middle. ANDREW JOHN ROBERTSON 1925–2020 Officer earned renown under fire ice-Admiral Andrew MUSEUM INITIATED John Robertson was a While commanding Albatross, gunnery officer on Robertson initiated the V HMAS Anzac at anchor establishment of the Australian off North Korea in 1952 when she Naval Aviation Museum, now the came under enemy fire from four Fleet Air Arm Museum. 76mm guns hidden in caves some Promotion to rear-admiral came 10 kilometres distant. in 1980, when Robertson became Anzac’s guns found the caves’ head of Australian defence staff in entrances, and a 23-minute duel, in the Australian High Commission which the destroyer fired 174 in London. He was later appointed rounds, ensued. Robertson, an flag officer Naval Support indispensable part of the ship’s Command in Sydney. many engagements with enemy It was during this time that he forces, was awarded the was made a Freeman of the City of Distinguished Service Cross for Sydney for enhancing the bond his ‘‘calmness and disregard of between the navy and the city. personal danger’’. Vice-Admiral Andrew John Robertson was appointed Robertson’s 40-year navy Robertson addresses Army troops Officer in the Order of Australia in career was full of extraordinary (left) before training in 1973. the Queen’s Birthday honours list achievements. in 1980 for service to the Royal Long before this conflict, just Anzac’s guns found the caves’ Australian Navy and the defence before the outbreak of World War entrances, and the smoke and dust force. He retired from the RAN in II in 1939, Robertson, aged 13, partly obscured the destroyer early 1982 after 43 years of service. joined the Australian Navy as a from the artillery. A running duel cadet midshipman, and despite his ensued for 23 minutes with Anzac HONORARY FELLOW young age, excelled in every aspect firing 174 rounds, with 50 from the Robertson, the driving force of training. enemy falling near the ship.’’ behind the conception and He received numerous awards As Anzac’s gunnery officer, creation of the Australian National for academic achievement, Robertson was an indispensable Maritime Museum, was named the seamanship and sport, part of the ship’s many inaugural honorary fellow in 2016. culminating with the King’s Medal engagements with enemy forces, At age 91, Robertson was the key as the cadet midshipman who and for his service, was awarded instigator behind the Windjammer displayed the most exemplary the Distinguished Service Cross. Sailors statue in Darling Harbour, conduct, performance of duty and His DSC citation reads: ‘‘His and at the time of his death, he was leadership among peers. calmness and disregard of a member of 18 organisations or After graduating in 1942 at the personal danger when most associations, including as patron age of 17, Robertson served in effectively controlling the of the HMAS Sydney Association HMAS Australia and HMAS armament in a relatively and Training Ship Sydney for Warramunga, conducting patrols prolonged action against an enemy naval cadets. and convoy escort duties in the coastal battery of four guns which Maritime museum director and Coral Sea, around New Guinea and hotly and accurately engaged chief executive Kevin Sumption off the east coast of Australia. HMAS Anzac on 16 November 1952 said: ‘‘The council and staff of the In 1944, then midshipman was most notable.’’ museum are saddened by the loss of Robertson went to England for his our great friend RADM Robertson. sub-lieutenant’s course, where, LONDON POSTING He was one of our earliest champ- true to form, he received first-class Following the Korean War, ions and we bear daily witness to his certificates in seamanship, Robertson was appointed the legacy in the work we do here. navigation, gunnery, torpedoes, Australian naval liaison officer in ‘‘The Windjammers Sailors signals, air operations and anti- ‘Anzac was at anchor protecting the London, and then remained in statue, in the museum’s forecourt, submarine warfare. garrison when fired on by four 76mm guns England to undertake the Royal was donated by RADM Robertson The Royal Navy posted him to Navy staff course. He was and is much loved by our visitors.’’ HMS Kimberley in the Aegean in caves more than 10 kilometres away.’ subsequently promoted to Chief of Navy Vice-Admiral Sea, where the destroyer played a commander in 1957. Michael Noonan described leading role in enforcing the Robertson undertook the long following year, where the ship After returning home, Robertson as a role model for what surrender of German forces in the gunnery course at HMS Excellent, again saw active service in Robertson undertook a wide range navy officers can achieve in the Dodecanese Islands in May 1945. Whale Island, in England. On return providing naval gunfire support. of senior appointments including most demanding of circumstances. Returning to Australia later that to Australia, he was posted to Among numerous engagements command of the fast troop year, Robertson joined the HMAS Cerberus in Victoria as an with enemy forces, the most transport HMAS Sydney, taking ‘ROSE TO ALL destroyer HMAS Bataan, which instructor at the Gunnery School. legendary fight occurred on troops to South Vietnam, CHALLENGES’ was later deployed to Japan as part However, he was soon after November 16, 1952. commander First Australian ‘‘Rear-Admiral Robertson always of the British Commonwealth posted to the newly commissioned Anzac was at anchor protecting Transport Squadron, and sought to fight through obstacles, Occupation Force. During this destroyer HMAS Anzac, which the garrison on Cho Do island commanding officer HMAS and rose to all challenges both in time, he walked over the nuclear just three months later would form when fired on by four 76mm guns Albatross, the Naval Air Station at war and peace,’’ Noonan said. bomb site at Hiroshima, shortly part of the UN response to the hidden in caves more than 10 Nowra, on the NSW South Coast. ‘‘One of our most admired after the bomb was dropped. invasion of South Korea. kilometres away. According to It was during this time that leaders, his courage under In August 1947, he joined HMAS Immediately on arrival in the naval historian Vice-Admiral Robertson helped facilitate from pressure and calm demeanour in Swan, which was leading the 20th waters off South Korea in August Peter Jones, rounds from the Albatross the evacuation of more the face of adversity has set the Minesweeping Flotilla and 1951, Anzac was put to work and mountain guns were soon falling than 350 residents after floods benchmark for our navy leaders conducting mine-clearance saw active service while around Anzac. inundated the Nowra area. now and for generations to come.’’ operations in Australia and New conducting aircraft carrier escort ‘‘In this perilous situation, The lessons learnt from Rear-Admiral Andrew Guinea. Minesweeping was time- duties. Anzac fired 1000 rounds of Anzac quickly slipped her cable, providing this disaster relief were Robertson is survived by his wife consuming, arduous and dangerous 4.5-inch ammunition at North leaving a buoy marking the anchor. called on four months later, when Patricia (Pat) and children Angus, work, as demonstrated by the loss Korean targets ashore. Due to the nearby shoals, Anzac Albatross aircraft were used in the Jane, Julia and Bruce. of HMAS Warrnambool with four Anzac returned to Australia for was prevented from making a mass transit of supplies into, and men killed in September 1947. a refit in October that year and was quick seaward escape,’’ Jones said. people out of, Darwin after cyclone Lieutenant-Commander Alistair The following year, Lieutenant back in action in Korea the ‘‘Fortunately, in a spirited fight, Tracy in December 1974. Tomlinson and Tim Barlass 1HERSA1 A030.