- Author
- Letter Writer
- Subjects
- History - general, Letter to the Editor
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- September 2010 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Dear Sir,
…In your article ‘The Naming of RAN Ships’, there was not even the sniff of a name of a ship of the RAN Hydrographic Service, (now the Australian Hydrographic Service) hydrographic fleet, which I would remind you is still a part of the RAN.
When it comes to RAN vessels bearing or having borne aboriginal names, along with Arunta and Warramunga there was Warreen, Tallarook, Brolga, Jabiru, Goolgwai, Bangalow, Kwato, Bungaree, etc., many of which were surveying under the noses of the Japs in Japanese held waters in WW2. Then of course there were River Class frigates such as Barcoo, Lachlan, Diamantina and Gascoyne, the latter two being Oceanographic ships, and the Parramatta Class sloop Warrego, plus the Bathurst Class Minesweepers/Corvettes Benalla, Shepparton and Whyalla
You have to remember that Australia was given the responsibility of all hydrographic work in the SW Pacific in WW2, even MacArthur’s ‘I shall return’ was facilitated by what became the RAN Hydrographic Service, under the command of Commander C.G Little, OBE, DSC, MID, US Legion of Merit, RAN, (aka ‘Jimmy’ or ‘Abo’), a very fine naval officer and friend.
I recommend to you the book Leadline to Laser, The Hydrographic Service Royal Australian Navy 1920-1995, by the late Commander R.J. Hardstaff, RAN.
Yours aye,
Ron Whitmore