Commissioning Crew Image Gallery
Harry O'Hare, Ray Graham ,Bill Blair, Kym Parry, Trevor Smith, Horse Windly, Richard Phillips.
The Commissioning Crew were selected from all over Australia, it was a great privilege to be posted to the United States to Commission the new Guided Missile Frigates being built in the US, to conduct the US Navy Training, work the ship up and bring her back to Australia.
Some members of the crew and there Families had been in the US up to 2 years prior to the Commissioning to undergo specialist weapons electrical and engineering training, a substantial number of the crew arrived in country in September 1980 followed by the balance crew in February 1981...More
Commissioning Ceremony 1981
The Guard of Honour marching onboard HMAS Canberra during the Commissioning Ceremony at Todd Ship Yards in Seattle, Washington USA. 21st March 1981...More
Commissioning Book
The Commission Book outlines the Commissioning Ceremony for HMAS Canberra and has information and images of the Commissioning Crew...More
A Nominal list, images of the Commission Crew is also available ...More
The Families 1980-1982
The Families Gallery features the Australia Families that accompanied the Commissioning Crew to the United States of America 1980-1982...More
Ship Arriving in Australia 1982
Images of the Ships arrival in Sydney Harbour February 1982, most members of the Crew had spent 12 to 24 Months away from Australia and were glad to be home...More
Final Searide - 2005
The Ship conducted its final searide for Family members of the Decommissioning Crew, it was also the last opportunity for Commissioning Crew members to go to see on HMAS Canberra, the ship departed Fleet base West and sailed to Fremantle, the HMAS Darwin crew manned the side and gave HMAS Canberra 3 cheers as the ship pulled out of Fleet base West...More
Freedom of the City
HMAS Canberra Ships Company challenged the rite of the personnel to march with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, banners flying and drums beating in 1982, 1986 and 2005, a matter of custom in the centuries old tradition and upon production of HMAS Canberra’s Freedom of Entry scroll she stepped aside and let the march continue...More
HMAS Canberra Memorabilia 1981-2005
This Gallery showcases the Memorabilia from HMAS Canberra from Commissioning in 1981 until Decommissioning in 2005...More
SS Canberra 1981
Images of the Cruise Liner SS CANBERRA and the Guided Missile Frigate HMAS CANBERRA took a unique historic maritime opportunity to meet at sea in the Pacific Ocean off California in 1981...More
Reunions
The first Reunion of the Commissioning Crew was conducted in 2001, a part of the Reunion was conducted in HMAS Canberra where a Cocktail Party was held onboard hosted by the Commanding Officer, Commander Roger Boyce RAN, a Reunion was held in 2005 when the ship decommissioned and prior to the Ships scuttling in 2009...More