HMAS Canberra


This site is dedicated to all Royal Australian Navy and Australian Defence Force personnel who have served in HMAS CANBERRA.

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HMAS CANBERRA (1) D 33 from the 9th of July 1928 until she was sunk in action off Savo Island on the 9th of August 1942.

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HMAS CANBERRA (2) FFG-02 from the 21st of March 1981 until Decomissioning on the 12th of November 2005.

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HMAS Canberra (3) LHD-02 from Commissioning on the 23rd of November 2014.

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HMAS CANBERRA News - Updated 31 March 2013

2010 News Archive...More

2011 News Archive...More

2012 News Archive...More

Association News...More (HMAS CANBERRA HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association Website)

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To all my Family, Friends, Colleauges and shipmates,

I will be riding the Ride to Conquer Cancer in Oct 2013, I will be representing the HMAS CANBERRA-HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association in raising funds for the the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.

It is a excellent opportunity to raise funds for such a import cause, the reality is that we will all face the prospect of being diagnosed with Cancer during our lifetime.

In recent times I have seen friends, colleauges, my former shipmates and Association members battling Cancer with great dignity and courage. It is time for me to do something tangable and real to assist in raising funds for this important cause.

I have been working towards and training for the Ride to Conquer Cancer for the past 6 months, I am having great assistance from Greg Brumby my Cycling Coach and Nick Thompson my personal trainer.

I will be providing updates on this page and on the HMAS CANBERRA-HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association Website

To Nick , you are my inspiration for this mate, and the loving memory of Lisa.

Please go to the link below to support and sponsor me...More

I look forward to your support.

Cheers,

Lee

Lee "Bickies" Webster
President
HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association
(WA Division) Inc

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VALE - Michael "Dixie" Lee

“Second to None"

Michael "Dixie" Lee

Dixie served in HMAS Canberra 1993-94.

Dixie has been ill for some time with a serious heart condition Cardiomyopathy, he passed away St Vincents Hospital in Sydney on Saturday 23 March 2013 whilst awaiting heart transplant.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dixie at home in Canberra in November 2012, . I admired Michael's courage, determination and his excellent sence of humour in the face of great adversity.

He was very proud of his 10 years of service in the Royal Australian Navy and was very fond of his time in HMAS CANBERRA he was an excellent sailor and shipmate.

Dixie had wonderful support from his wife Allison, family and friends and will be sadly missed.

Michael's funeral service will held on Thursday 28 March 2013 at 4:30pm at Norwood Park Crematorium 65 Sandford St, Michell ACT, followed by an official "wake" after the service at the Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club.

The HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association wishes to express its deepest Sympathy to his wife Allison, family and friends at what must be a very difficult time.

You were "Second to None" Dixie, Fair Winds and a following Sea.

Yours Aye,

Lee

Lee "Bickies" Webster
President
HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association
(WA Division) Inc

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ANZAC DAY 2013 Program - WA DIVISION

 

The WA Division of the Association will be participating in ANZAC DAY 2013 and will be attending several events as per the Program below:


All members of the Association and personnel who served in HMAS CANBERRA or HMAS SHROPSHIRE and Families are welcome to attend...More

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VALE ex CPOSTD Greg Earle

“Second to None"

Greg Earle - HMAS CANBERRA in 1983

CPOSTD Greg Earle, Greg passed away in Brisbane on the 10 March 2013, Greg served in HMAS CANBERRA 1982-84 as a ABSTD and was a member of the ships company on the North West Indian Ocean Deployment.

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HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association (Queensland Division)

Association Meeting in Queensland - 10 March 2013

L to R Scotty Miles - Andrew Black - Chris Howitt - Paul Eckersley - Mick Grange

Congratulations to the Queensland Division of the HMAS CANBERRA HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association.

The Queensland Division of the HMAS CANBERRA HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association has been inactive since 2006, it is great that members of HMAS CANBERRA 2 have reactivated the Association in Queensland.

The first mission of the Queensland Division is to march on Anzac Day in Brisbane this year.

If you are available to march behind the HMAS CANBERRA HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association Banner in Brisbane please contact Andrew Black on 0417684742 or email him at andrew.black1@hotmail.com

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HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association (Queensland Division)

Association Meeting in Queensland - 10 March 2013

The Queensland Division of the Association will be conducting a meeting at the Nerang RSLon Sunday the 10 March 2013 at 1300.

Please contact Andrew Black on 0417684742 for further information

Click on Image for Directions and Map

69 Nerang St, Nerang QLD 4211
 (07) 5578 1222

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HMAS CANBERRA 2 Shipmate - Michael "Dixie" Lee - Update 10 March 2013

Michael "Dixie" Lee

Dixie served in HMAS Canberra 1993-94.

Dixie has been ill for some time with a serious heart condition Cardiomyopathy, he has a titainium pump to ensure his survival until he can undergo a Heart Transplant.

Dixie had a set back recently and missed out on recieving his heart transplant, he is currently in St Vincents Hospital in Sydney where he must undergo more open heart surgery next week.

Michael has been doing it tough lately, he feels like he has gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson, Mike Tyson has got nothing on Dixie, he is courageous and has a great sense of humour even when things are getting tough.

Dixie has excellent support from his wife Allison, Family and Friends, he lives in Canberra and it will be a few weeks until he will be able to return to the ACT and await another opportunity for a Transplant.

The HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association and I wish Dixie and his Family all the best for the future and a speedy recovery from his Heart Surgery and his future Transplant.

If you wish to contact Dixie please email me your details and I will pass the information to him.

president@hmascanberra-shropshire.asn.au

"Second to None"

Yours Aye,

Lee

Lee Webster
President
HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association
(WA Division) Inc

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USS Canberra Association- Newsletter

USS Canberra 2013 Spring Newsletter...More

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Expression of Interest 2014 REUNION

Hi Folks,

The HMAS CANBERRA-HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association 2014 Reunion is currently being planned.It will be held on the weekend of the Commissioning of HMAS CANBERRA 3 in Sydney, NSW.

The date of the Commissioning has yet to be confirmed, however it will be in the first quarter of 2014 most likely in January.

The Reunion is open to all members of the Ships Company of HMAS CANBERRA 1-2-3, HMAS SHROPSHIRE, members of HMAS CANBERRA-HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association and guests.

This Survey will assist in determining the interest and potential numbers of personnel wishing to attend the Commissioning Ceremony and the Reunion events.

Please Note: The Navy Events Cell will be liaising with the Association for the Commissioning Ceremony, numbers of personnel that will be able to attend the Commissioning has not yet been determined.

Tentative Program

Fri: Commissioning Ceremony HMAS CANBERRA 3
Sat: Association Function (Reunion)
Sun: Memorial Service - HMAS CANBERRA- HMAS SHROPSHIRE
Sun: Farewell Lunch

The cost of these events are yet to be determined.

Please Register your interest in attending by clicking this Link... Expression of Interest

Yours Aye,

Lee "Bickies" Webster
President
HMAS CANBERRA- HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association
WA Division
0431547527

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HMAS CANBERRA 3 Naming Ceremony

 

 

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LCDR Mackenzie "Mac" Gregory RAN (Ret'd) - ABC NEWS

ABC NEWS

7.30 Report

Sole survivor fights to clear WWII shadow

Wed Jan 16, 2013

Adam Harvey

"Click on Image"

The sole survivor of an Australian air crew wrongly blamed for a naval disaster near the Solomon Islands in World War Two is determined to keep up the fight to have the history books corrected.

This story features LCDR Mackenzie "Mac" Gregory RAN (Ret'd) President of HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association Victoria Division. Mac was the Officer of the Watch in HMAS CANBERRA 1 when the ships was attacked by Japanese Forces at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942.

The story sheds light on the Battle of Savo Island and has some clips of HMAS CANBERRA 1

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-16/sole-survivor-fights-to-clear-wwii-shadow/4468200

 

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Former HMAS CANBERRA Sailor Dives on the Ship

“Second to None"

Scott Miles

ABCK Scott Miles in the eyes of the ship on the Forecastle of HMAS CANBERRA during the transit through the Suez Canal in 1992.

Scott Scotty" Miles has dived on HMAS CANBERRA in Victoria in December 2012 some 20 years after serving in the Ship.

Scotty served in HMAS CANBERRA during Operation Damask VI in 1992-93. He has been working very hard over the past 12 months to gain his diving ticket and enough experience to confidently achieve this dive.

The ship has become a well know tourist attraction in Victoria, Australia since she was sunk as a Diving Wreck in 2009.

Scotty on the Bridge of HMAS CANBERRA 2

 

Scotty's HMAS CANBERRA Diving Video

 

Scotty produced this Video of his dive on HMAS CANBERRA in December 2012

The video is dedicated to the crew of the Operation Damask VI and all that sailed on our beautiful ship, "You are all Second to None"

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HMAS Canberra 3 - Ship starts to take shape

The Canberra Times

January 2, 2013

David Ellery

CAPITAL AFLOAT: HMAS Canberra is almost 28,000 tonnes. The combined cost of Canberra and its sister ship, Adelaide, will be more than $3.1 billion.

This year is shaping up as a big one for the future HMAS Canberra, Australia's first helicopter landing dock and the third Royal Australian Navy vessel to bear the name of the national capital.

BAE Systems maritime director Bill Saltzer said the vessel now looked like the ship her designers had expected her to become following the recent installation of the Australian-made superstructure blocks on the massive hull.

A 29-year veteran of the shipbuilding trade, Mr Saltzer said the moment when the 300-tonne bridge block had been swung out over the hull by a crane had been tense.

Although the 28,000-tonne Canberra is almost half as large again as Australia's previous biggest ship, HMAS Melbourne, she is less than one-third the size of some of the vessels Mr Saltzer has worked on.

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Among other roles, he commissioned and then managed a military shipbuilding yard in the United Arab Emirates.

''I have handled overhauls and refuelling on USS Nimitz and worked on other Nimitz-class aircraft carriers including the Roosevelt, Lincoln and Washington,'' he said.

''I have also worked on the USS Enterprise, which had eight nuclear reactors.''

USS Nimitz and her sister ships are 333 metres long, compared with 230 metres for the Canberra, and carry 93,405 tonnes fully laden compared with 30,700 tonnes for the Australian helicopter landing dock.

Now that the key elements of the vessel are in place, much of this year will be devoted to fitting Canberra out in preparation for her commissioning into the Australian fleet in the first quarter of next year following testing and sea trials.

Mr Saltzer said the work was on schedule and on budget. He understood that the official naming ceremony would be held early this year.

There is, however, much more to the project than just building the ship. Navantia, the designers who also built the hull, are contracted to supply the watercraft that will be shipped aboard Canberra and its sister ship, Adelaide.

The Australian Defence Force is under pressure to train crews and soldiers to make effective use of the two vessels, which have a combined cost in excess of $3.1 billion, from the day they are commissioned.

Adelaide is expected to be ready for service in 2015.

Mr Saltzer said the two vessels were world class and more appropriate to Australia's operational needs than US designs - which tend to be larger and more manpower-intensive - would have been.

He said the project had resulted in the development of a highly efficient naval shipbuilding industry and expressed concern that this capability might be lost if it was not used for new projects.

''Australia is an island nation,'' he said. ''Shipbuilding is a strategic industry.''

Mr Saltzer said he would miss Canberra and Adelaide when they finally sailed away.

''Every ship, especially one as large and as complex as this one, becomes a part of the family,'' he said. ''When it sails away it is like watching a member of the family leave home.'' ...More

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News Image Gallery

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HMAS CANBERRA (1) - News Articles 1927-1992

Newspaper Articles of HMAS Canberra 1, from her launching in the United Kingdom in 1927 to when she was sunk in World War 2 and beyond..More

 

 

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HMAS CANBERRA (2) New Articles 1980-2010

Images of various News Article collected from 1980 until 2011... More

 

 

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