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You are here: Home / Archives for Article topics / Obituaries

Obituaries

Obituary – Graeme Andrews OAM 1938–2024

David Stratton · Oct 9, 2024 ·

GRAEME ANDREWS: 1938–2024 Graeme Andrews developed a passion for the sea early in life and became one of the country’s foremost authorities on maritime heritage. Through his writing, research, and ...

Occasional Paper 163: Able Seaman Frank McGovern OAM 1919 – 2023

A.N. Other · Jun 2, 2023 ·

By Commander Steve Youll OAM RAN (Retd) Frank McGovern, at 19 years of age joined the Royal Australian Navy on the 30 August 1939. After initial training he was posted ...

Obituary: Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Sam Sakker, MBE, RANR (Rtd)

A.N. Other · Sep 2, 2019 ·

Sam was born in September 1937, in Harbin, the ice city of North Eastern China, but grew up in Tintsin (Tianjin), the coastal metropolis adjacent to Beijing. His parents were ...

Obituary: LCDR Eric Charles Talbot-Booth, RNR

Editorial Staff · Sep 15, 2014 ·

The March 2013 edition of the NHR contained an article A Paymaster and a Master of Ship Recognition on LCDR Talbot-Booth who gained world fame for his books on ship ...

Obituary: Lieutenant Commander Peter Churchill, RN (Rtd) 1921-2013

A.N. Other · Jun 24, 2013 ·

One of the founding members of the Naval Historical Society has passed over the bar and this fitting obituary by Paul Cosgrave was recently published in the Blue Mountains Gazette. ...

Obituary: Bob Nicholls – A Tribute

Pfennigwerth, Ian · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Only a few of us are fortunate enough to live a life as interesting and as varied as did Bob Nicholls, who died suddenly on 10 March 2011. Born in ...

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Bob Nicholls – A Tribute

Pfennigwerth, Ian · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Only a few of us are fortunate enough to live a life as interesting and as varied as did Bob Nicholls, who died suddenly on 10 March 2011. Born in ...

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Obituary: Len Meakin

A.N. Other · Dec 10, 2010 ·

The Submarine Association of Australia has informed us of the passing over the bar on 2nd November 2010 at age 83 of Len Meakin, Gunnery Instructor, Submarine Chief Coxswain, and ...

Obituary: Captain John Frederick Bell, RAN, (Retired)

Wright, W Graham, Captain, RAN (Retired) · Mar 21, 2010 ·

William Shakespeare wrote: ‘The good men do is oft interred with their bones’. So that this will not happen here, I will tell you about John Bell, the boy, which ...

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Obituary: Commander H.K. Duncan, OAM, RAN

Fogarty, Michael · Mar 21, 2010 ·

The commanding officer attempted to light his cigarette. He had gathered his officers in the wardroom to brief them on a dramatic change to the ship’s 1967 program. HMAS Duchess ...

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Obituary: Jenny of ‘Jenny’s Side Party’, Hong Kong

Mobley, Mark, (Naval Reservist) · Jun 21, 2009 ·

Mrs Ng Muk Kah, BEM Generations of sailors who visited Hong Kong will mourn the death of Jenny. She was a much loved living legend who, for all the colony’s ...

Obituary: Reinhold von Malapert

Newspaper, London Daily Telegraph · Mar 5, 2008 ·

This Obituary was first published in the UK’s Daily Telegraph and appears here with that paper’s kind permission Capitan-Leutnant Reinhold von Malapert, who has died aged 93, witnessed the last ...

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Obituary: Rear Admiral W. J. Dovers, CBE, DSC (RAN, Ret’d)

Howland, Tony · Dec 4, 2007 ·

The death occurred on 4 October 2007 of Rear Admiral Bill Dovers. His contribution across so many areas of the Royal Australian Navy marked him out as not only a ...

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Obituary: Lieutenant W E Allen RAN (Retd) 1899-2005

A.N. Other · Dec 3, 2005 ·

Lieutenant Evan Allen, who died aged 106, was the last veteran to serve in the Royal Australian Navy in both world wars, and the last man to have seen both ...

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Obituary: Captain W.F. (Bill) Cook, LVO, RAN Retd.

Milson, Scott · Mar 10, 2004 ·

The youngest officer to command an Australian destroyer during WW2, Bill Cook, has died aged 87, after a notable naval career and having forged a second equally distinguished career at the ...

Obituary: Captain Stan Darling, OBE, DSC**, VRD, RANR

A.N. Other · Jun 16, 2003 ·

JUST PRIOR TO THE START of last year’s Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race a simple ceremony was conducted from the RAN diving launch Seal as the ashes of this distinguished ...

Obituary: Rear Admiral Sir Richard Troubridge,KCVO, Royal Navy

A.N. Other · Jun 16, 2003 ·

REAR ADMIRAL SIR RICHARD TROUBRIDGE, who died on 9 May 2003 aged 83, was truly one of the remarkable naval career success stories of the twentieth century. He was born ...

Obituary: Vice Admiral Rodney Graham Taylor, AO RAN Retd

A.N. Other · Dec 15, 2002 ·

Admiral Taylor joined the RAN as a 13 year old junior entry cadet midshipman in 1954. He undertook his initial training at the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Cerberus, ...

Obituary: Commodore John B Snow RAN (1929-2002)

Leech, D.W., AC, CBE, LVO, VADM, RAN (Rtd) · Jun 9, 2002 ·

(Eulogy given by VADM D. W. Leach AC, CBE, LVO, RAN (Rtd) at the Memorial Service in the Chapel of St George the Martyr in HMAS WATSON on 4 May ...

Obituary: Captain Brian de Courcy-Ireland RN (1900-2001)

A.N. Other · Mar 9, 2002 ·

Joining the Royal Naval College at Osborne on the Isle of Wight in 1913 at the age of 13, Brian de Courcy-Ireland was subjected to the spartan naval discipline of ...

Obituary: Admiral Sir Anthony Synnot KBE AO (1922-2001)

A.N. Other · Dec 9, 2001 ·

Born at Corowa, NSW and educated at Geelong Grammar School. Anthony Synnot joined the RAN as a cadet midshipman in 1939 as a Special Entry and trained in Britain with Prince ...

Obituary: Lieutenant Commander Austin Quince RNVR

A.N. Other · Jun 20, 2000 ·

Lt. Commander Austin Henry Quince RNVR – 17.2.1894 – 23.3.1984 Fellow members of the wartime staff at H.M.A.S. “RUSHCUTTER” and the many officers and ratings who received their training at that ...

Obituary: Captain Barbara MacLeod AM

Letter Writer · Mar 19, 2000 ·

“To achieve the marvellous,” wrote Tom Robbins, “it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought”. When a 24 year-old school teacher from Capel in Western Australia went by train ...

Obituary: Captain Gerald Haynes

Letter Writer · Mar 19, 2000 ·

Captain Gerald Haynes’s wartime career combined skill and daring at sea and in the air. He was officer of the watch in HMS Victorious in the chase that destroyed the German ...

Obituary: Rear Admiral GV Gladstone

A.N. Other · Dec 23, 1999 ·

REAR ADMIRAL GEOFFREY VERNON GLADSTONE AO, DSC & Bar, RAN (Ret.) On Wednesday, 15 September a full naval funeral was held in the Naval Chapel, Garden Island, for a former ...

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