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Greenbank Naa Newsletter Grey Funnel Dits GREENBANK NAA NEWSLETTER GREY FUNNEL DITS Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is in the nature of entertainment for the members. Contributions are acknowledged, with thanks, from service organisations. The editor expressly Disclaims all and any liability to any person, whether an association member or not. Views expressed may not necessary be those held by the Executive or the members. Editor: Tony Holliday [email protected] 0403026916 Series No 1 Date: NOVEMBER 2018 Issue No.5 GREENBANK SUB SECTION…NEWS AND EVENTS…NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 Tuesday 06 November 2018 1930 - 2100 Normal Meeting RSL rooms Sunday 11 November 2018 1045 – 1400 Remembrance Day Service Sunday 25 November 2018 1000 – 1400 Christmas Lunch RSL Rooms December 2018 - no organised events, meetings or functions. ========================================================================================= Editors Request: Articles for the newsletter can be handed in at meetings, or by email: articles may be edited to fit the newsletter. The contents of this edition of the newsletter have been obtained from information provided from Len Kingston-Kerr whom I thank greatly, various publication publications and NAA information emailed in. 1 ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY ADMIRALS Rear Admiral Neil Ralph AO DSC Rear Admiral Neil Ralph was born at Carlton, Melbourne on 25 June 1932 into a family of eight children. His family resided in Ararat where he undertook his education and after completing high school he worked as a teller for the Bank of New South Wales. He joined the RAN on 12 May 1952 as a Probationary Naval Airman (Observer) and undertook three months basic naval training at HMAS Cerberus before being sent to England for training as an observer. Following his training as an observer in the UK he was selected for a seven year short service commission and was promoted to acting sub-lieutenant in July 1953. He returned to Australia in November 1953 and undertook further training including three months general service in the corvette HMAS Gladstone in April – July 1954. He was then posted, as an observer, to the Naval Air Station (HMAS Albatross) for service in 817 Squadron which operated the Fairey Firefly as an anti-submarine aircraft. This also included periods embarked in the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney. In late 1954 he was selected for conversion to the newly acquired Sea Venom fighter and returned to England for training. Neil Ralph was promoted to lieutenant in July 1955 while serving in the UK. He returned to Australia in the newly commissioned aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and then joined 808 Squadron at Albatross. Over the next two years the squadron was frequently embarked in Melbourne for exercises and deployments. Lieutenant Ralph was selected for pilot training in late 1958 and upon successful completion of his training he was posted, in late 1959, to 724 Squadron which operated the Sea Venom and Sea Vampire fighters. In 1960 he transferred to 805 Squadron which also operated the Sea Venom fighter. Again these squadrons were embarked in Melbourne as required for exercises and deployments. The early 1960’s was an uncertain period for naval aviation due to resource issues and there was concern that fixed wing aviation would be discontinued and Melbourne decommissioned. Lieutenant Ralph joined 723 Squadron, operating Sycamore Helicopters, in early 1961 for some brief familiarisation training before proceeding to England for training as a helicopter pilot. Upon return to Australia in 1962 he was posted to 725 Squadron flying the Westland Wessex anti- submarine warfare helicopter. In 1963-64 he served in 817 Squadron which also flew the Wessex and was promoted to lieutenant commander in July 1963. In 1965 lieutenant Commander Ralph took command of 725 Squadron which continued to operate the Wessex helicopter. Throughout this period the squadrons were regularly embarked in the aircraft carrier Melbourne for training exercises and deployments to South East Asia. In March 1967, Ralph took command of 723 Squadron which was now operating the new Iroquois helicopter and in June – August 1967 he served briefly in the destroyer HMAS Anzac gaining bridge watch keeping skills. Lieutenant Commander Ralph was selected to command the first contingent of the RAN Helicopter Flight – Vietnam, (RANHFV) in late July 1967. The contingent was formed at Nowra in August 1967, using 50 personnel from various squadrons, and following training arrived in Vietnam on 16 October 1967. They operated eight Iroquois helicopters and were integrated into the US Army 135th Aviation Company at Vung Tau but later moved to Camp Blackhorse in Long Khanh province in December 1967. The Australian unit was also known as the EMU’s for Experimental Military Unit. 2 Neil Ralph was the also the second in command of the US Army 135th Aviation Company as well as commanding the RANHFV. Operations in Vietnam consisted mainly of inserting, and extracting, US and South Vietnamese troops into landing zones; often under heavy enemy fire. During his time in command of the RANHFV three of his personnel were killed and several others injured. A number of aircraft were also destroyed or badly damaged due to enemy fire or crashed during bad weather. Lieutenant Commander Ralph took a very active part in flying operations and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), on 10 December 1968, in recognition of his services as the Commanding Officer of the RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam. The first contingent of the RANHFV was relieved in September 1968 and returned to Australia. Neil Ralph undertook more familiarisation training at sea in October –November 1968, in the frigate HMAS Yarra, and was subsequently awarded his bridge watch keeping certificate that year. He was promoted to commander in December 1968 and the following year completed the No. 23 RAAF Staff Course at Fairbairn in Canberra. Commander Ralph was appointed as the executive officer of the fast troop transport (former aircraft carrier) HMAS Sydney in early 1970. During his time onboard, the troop transport conducted five logistics re-supply deployments to Vietnam. In August 1971 he was posted to the UK to serve on the staff of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. Upon return to Australia he became Commander (Air) at Albatross in December 1973. He was promoted to captain in December 1974 and became the Director of Naval Training at Navy Office in Canberra. This was followed by his appointment as the commanding officer of the frigate HMAS Torrens in June 1977. During his time in command the frigate operated in Australian and South East Asian waters. Captain Ralph was selected, in October 1978, to become the inaugural Director of the newly created RAN Staff College, at HMAS Penguin, which commenced courses in 1979. He was subsequently made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in June 1980 for services in establishing the Royal Australian Naval Staff College. Ralph was also promoted to commodore in June 1980 and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies, in London, in 1981. Upon return to Australia in 1982 commodore Ralph was posted as the Chief of Staff to the Fleet Commander in Sydney. Commodore Ralph then became the commanding officer of the Naval Air Station (HMAS Albatross) in April 1984. A year later, in April 1985, he was promoted to rear admiral and commenced duties as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. Rear Admiral Ralph was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) on Australia Day 1987 for exceptional service and performance of duty in the Royal Australian Navy, particularly as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. Rear Admiral Ralph retired from the RAN in early 1989. He was then appointed as Commissioner for Veterans Affairs and held the position for six years before retiring in 1995. During this time he was also the Commissioner for the Australia Remembers 1945-1995 project commemorating the end of World War II. Following his retirement he took up farming in the Nowra area. Rear Admiral Ralph also has a keen interest in Australian military history and has led a number of battlefield tours. He is currently the patron of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia (Victoria Division) and the Vietnam Veterans of Australia Inc. 3 Battle Stations: On Wednesday the 3rd of February, 2016, Neil Ralph suffered a morning’s break-in and altercation with a male intruder. Neil Ralph has never been one to back down from a challenge and that was the case when the 83-year-old found an intruder in his Nowra home early Wednesday morning. The 37-year naval veteran was getting ready to go for his morning walk at about 5.45am when he found a man inside his bedroom. Ralph challenged the intruder but also knew he had to “control the situation”. “He [the intruder] crossed the bed and tried to get past me in the doorway, but I picked up a chair and whacked him,” he said. Unfortunately, the blow didn’t stop the offender, with the chair breaking. After a short struggle the man pushed past the admiral, who fell to the floor. He said the offender closed the door and held it shut, blocking him in the room. He then came back into the room and said he wanted my wallet. At which point the admiral picked up a piece of the broken chair and again struck the intruder, who also armed himself with a piece of wood and struck the veteran, causing a nasty gash to his forehead, which later required four stitches, grazes and bruising. The intruder made his way out to the kitchen, attempting to search a number of cupboards, with Ralph in pursuit. The intruder managed to steal a box file containing instruction books for various appliances in the home and made his way into the dining and lounge room area before attempting to go out through the front door which was deadlocked.
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