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. 3 Date: Issue: December 2020 No 12. Greenbank Naval Association Sub Section: Events: For December 2020 Saturday 05 December: Annual Dine in Night & Christmas Function Glenn Hotel…..1900-2330 The Executive takes this opportunity to wish all Members, Associate Members, readers, their wives’ partners and families a Merry Christmas and all the best for a great New Year. 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 NAVAL PERSONALITIES Commodore Sir James Maxwell Ramsay Sir James Maxwell Ramsay (1916-1986), naval officer and governor, was born on 27 August 1916 in Hobart, fifth of six surviving children of William Ramsay, a Brisbane-born accountant and later manager of Tattersall’s lotteries, and his second wife Mary Jane, née Laurie, who was born in Scotland. William had three children from his first marriage; James’s half-sister Grace was the mother of William Neilson. Educated at the Macquarie Street State School and The Hutchins School, in January 1930 James entered the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay, Federal Capital Territory (Flinders Naval Depot, Westernport, Victoria, from August). He became a Cadet Captain, attained colours for rugby and achieved excellent results in academic and professional subjects. After time at sea (1934-36) as a Midshipman, he undertook Sub Lieutenant courses in Britain. Late in 1937 he returned to Australia. He gained further experience at sea and was promoted to Lieutenant with seniority of May 1938. When World War II began, Ramsay served (1939-40) in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea in HMAS Hobart. He was Officer-of-the-Watch in HMS King George V during the engagement on 27 May 1941 in the Atlantic that resulted in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, and he was navigator of HMS Danae when, in the morning of 28 February 1942, she left the Java Sea via the Sunda Strait, narrowly avoiding the powerful Japanese force that sank HMAS Perth that night. In 1942-45 he served in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in HMA Ships Bungaree, Warramunga, Napier and Australia. He was made an Acting Lieutenant Commander in 1944 (substantive 1946). In 1945 Ramsay was sent to the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich, England. On 24 November that year at the parish church, Denham, Buckinghamshire, he married Janet Grace, daughter of Frederick Burley; she was a Red Cross welfare officer. Back in Australia in 1946, Ramsay was posted as staff officer (operations and intelligence) to the squadron commander. He returned to Britain in 1948 for specialist navigation training and then joined the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney as navigation and aircraft direction officer. While serving at Navy Office, Melbourne, in 1950-51, he was promoted to Commander (1950). Appointed Commanding Officer of the destroyer Warramunga in October 1951, Ramsay saw action in Korean waters in February-July 1952. On one occasion Warramunga dashed inshore, firing her guns, making smoke, and deliberately drawing fire from enemy shore batteries, to protect two beleaguered American minesweepers. For his leadership, judgement and coolness under fire in the Korean War, Ramsay was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (1952) and was appointed an officer of the United States of America’s Legion of Merit (1955). He commanded HMAS Arunta in 1952-53, served on exchange in 1953-55 as staff navigator at the Admiralty, and attended the US Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, before returning to Australia early in 1956 to become director of plans at Navy Office, Melbourne. Promoted to Captain in December that year, he commanded the RANC (back at Jervis Bay) in 1959-60 and the destroyer leader Vendetta in 1961-62. In 1963 Ramsay completed the one-year course at the Imperial Defence College, London. Appointed a Commodore, he was the Australian naval representative, United Kingdom, in 1964-65. 2 His responsibilities included some supervision of personnel training in Britain for the RAN’s re-established submarine branch and oversight of the construction of new Oberon-class boats in Scotland. He was also an honorary Aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II. In 1966-67 he served as Director General of Fighting Equipment at Navy Office, Canberra. He was appointed CBE in 1966. Again, elevated to Commodore, in 1968 he became naval officer-in- charge, Western Australia, and Commanding Officer of the Junior Recruit Training Establishment, Fremantle. He retired from the navy on 26 February 1972 and settled in Perth. Ramsay devoted much time to community organisations, including the Australian Red Cross Society and the Australia-Britain Society. In June 1974 he was appointed Lieutenant- Governor of Western Australia. From September 1974 to November 1975 he acted almost continuously as administrator; he was knighted (1976) for his services. On 22 April 1977 he was sworn in as governor of Queensland. His diligent attention to his duties and easy manner made him popular. He was appointed KCMG in 1978 and KCVO in 1982. In May 1985 he visited the University of Queensland to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws. Several thousand people, demonstrating against a concurrent award to the premier, Sir Joh Bjelke- Petersen (who did not attend), jostled and embarrassed the Governor and official party and disturbed the ceremony. Ramsay’s term ended on 21 July and he retired to the Gold Coast. Sir James was generally regarded as affable and commanding. He encouraged others and had the admirable qualities of a first-class naval officer of his day - abundant courage, strong leadership and sound management - but these attributes were accompanied by a little rigidity in thinking and attitudes. His leisure pursuits included golf, tennis, fishing and boating. ************************************************* ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ADMIRALS RADM. R.R Calder Ronald Rex Calder was born on 18 August 1930 at Gladesville, NSW but grew up in Malvern, South Australia. He was a student at Adelaide University, undertaking engineering studies, when he entered the Royal Australian Navy as a probationary Sub Lieutenant on 15 March 1949. Initially he was posted to the South Australian shore base HMAS Torrens to complete his Bachelor of Engineering studies, which he did in early 1950. Calder was promoted to Lieutenant in March 1950 and undertook a brief period of training, at HMAS Cerberus, before proceeding to the United Kingdom in June to complete the Post Graduate Electrical Officers Course. Upon return from Britain in mid-1952 he served in the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney until the end of the year and then joined the destroyer HMAS Tobruk in February 1953. Calder served in Tobruk, as the Electrical Engineer Officer, until early 1955 which included operational service in Korean waters from June 1953 until February 1954; including the last month of hostilities before the Armistice was signed on 27 July 1953. He then served at HMAS Cerberus, during 1955-56, as a Year Officer and instructor at the RAN College. During 1957 he served at HMAS Lonsdale and HMAS Kuttabul on the staff of the Equipment Trials Unit. 3 He was the Weapons Electrical Engineer Officer in the destroyer HMAS Voyager from December 1957 until July 1959 during which time the ship deployed to Southeast Asia as part of the Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR). Calder was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in March 1958. From July 1959 until September 1961 he served at HMAS Cerberus and was attached to the staff at West Head Gunnery Range. In 1962, Calder was Assistant Superintendent Weapons Engineering at Garden Island Dockyard before proceeding overseas to attend the United States Armed Forces Staff College. He was then promoted to Acting Commander in July 1963 and posted to the Office of the Australian Naval Attache (Washington) as the Staff Officer Guided Missile Destroyer Project, which oversaw the construction of the three Charles F Adams Class guided missile destroyers for the RAN. Calder was confirmed in the rank of Commander in June 1965. In 1966 Commander Calder was appointed as commissioning Weapons Electrical Engineer Officer for the third guided missile destroyer; which was commissioned as HMAS Brisbane in December 1967. Brisbane conducted an operational deployment to Vietnamese waters during April-October 1969 during which time the ship fired over 7800 rounds of 5-inch ammunition at shore targets. Commander Calder was subsequently awarded a Naval Board Commendation for his services in Brisbane during this deployment. Calder was then posted to Garden Island Dockyard as the Superintendent Weapons Engineering during 1970-1972. He was promoted to Captain in December 1972 and served at Navy Office, in Canberra, as the Director Naval Equipment Production (1972-1974) and Director Naval Industrial Policy (1974-1976). In 1977 Captain Calder became the Director Naval Weapons Design. On Australia Day 1979, Captain Calder was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of services to the Royal Australian Navy, particularly as Director of Naval Weapons Design. Calder was promoted Commodore in June 1979 and appointed as Director General Naval Production in Navy Office, Canberra. In May 1983 he was promoted Rear Admiral and appointed as Chief of Naval Engineering.