On 17th. April 1966 about half the crew of the Curlew in Singapore flew to Australia to be replaced by new crew members. Of the other half, some drafted to other Australian Navy ships in the FESR and the remainder stayed for a second deployment. Until a reunion at Yamba on the NSW north coast in 2004 most had not seen each other since leaving the ship. Click on the thumb nail images for a larger view. If you can contribute to this page please email any photos.
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Some of the Curlew crew from the 1965 and 1966 deployments to the FESR during Confrontation. |
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Curlew veterans of the 1965 deployment attending the march of remembrance in Yamba. |
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Part of the Curlew table at the dinner. |
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Curlew people from all deployments to the Indonesian Confrontation. |
After the reunion at Yamba in 2004, some of the Curlew crew decided to visit their old ship which was still afloat in Port Huon, Tasmania, in February 2005. We slept on board for 3 days in our old bunks, cleaned up and used the galley and the sailors mess for meals and the odd ale or three! The stories were bigger and better every night!
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First look at Curlew after 40 years. |
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On the forecastle with ship owner ex submarine L/Ck Gary H on the left. |
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At the joystick, Curlew has no wheel now. |
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The 975 Radar still works after over 40 years service. |
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On the bridge again, but a different chair. |
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The galley still works just fine. |
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Hands to bathe! |
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Looking from the mess towards the galley. |
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Not our dog "Elvis" but Curlew still has a dog for a mascot. |
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Looking fwd. |
Following an official visit to Tasmania for a wedding an ex ME paid Curlew a visit
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Mal D on the wharf in Port Huon beside the Curlew in 2006. |
During a trip to Tasmania Phil B and Ken B came across this monument to lost seafarers.
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Monument (built in the shape of a ship) to seafarers lost at sea. A lot of RAN people on the tallies. Also many local fishermen. |
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Phil B and Ken (Doc.) B at the monument. |
In March 2006, a plaque to commerate the contributation that the Minesweepers made during the Indonesian Confrontation was unveiled at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Many shipmates had a few stories to tell over the odd ale and Curlew was well represented. The unveiling was a sombre event and the Prime Minister sent the gathering a message of appreciation, which in part offended some veterans as the war in which we fought was compared to a peace keeping mission. All the photos are of former Curlew crew from the 1965 deployment who attended the ceremony; even a Kiwi who was CO for 3 days in Labuan in 1966 was there. After the ceremony an enterprising ex TO from Curlew presented the AWM with the battle flag; Captain, Inshore Flotilla, Singapore, taken from our headquarters ship HMS Manxman in Singapore.
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| In Mackay on 17th. April 2006 another reunion for two shipmates not having seen each other since Tawau, New Years Eve, December 1965. |
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On 1st July 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand, a plaque to the service of HMNZ Hickleton and HMNZ Stanton and their crews during the Indonesian Confrontation was unveiled together with the launching of a book "A Kiwi on the Funnel" by Gerry Wright. Gerry was CO of Curlew for 3 days in Labuan in 1966 and NO for the voyage from Labuan to HK. The 16th MCMS was represented by Allen J (ex Snipe) from Ipswich, who also took part in the ceremony.
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Old Salts: Phil B, Syd B, Rusty W & Ken (Doc) B lunching at North Kirra surf club 24th. Nov. 2006. | ||
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All ex Curlew: Ken (Doc) B, Phil B, Bob D & the angry ant, Robert (Shorty) S, at Cowboys RLC, Townsville 18th. January 2007. | ||
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