Publication:Navy Annual 2005/HMAS CANBERRA NEA 2005
BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER GRANT MCLENNAN, RAN
HMAS Canberra departed Fleet Base West on 14 March 2005 to commence a North east Asian deployment that would see her visiting five countries and ten ports before returning home almost five months later.
The deployment commenced with a short visit to Singapore before HMAS Canberra became the first Australian ship to visit the home of the PLA-N (Chinese Navy) South Fleet in Zhanjiang. The next port of call was the home of the PLA-N eastern Fleet and one of the largest cities in the world, Shanghai. The visit was a highlight for many of the sailors onboard as they ventured to Beijing and climbed the Great Wall of China and saw many of the sights around the Chinese capital.
The next country visited was Japan, where HMAS Canberra was given the opportunity of providing an honour guard for the Prime Minister, The Honourable John Howard MP when he was at the World expo in Nagoya for the Australian National Day. The port visit also saw the Ship host a dawn service on ANZAC Day for many of the Australian and New Zealand nationals who were in Japan.
After a quick visit to Pusan in South Korea, HMAS Canberra returned to Japan and the US Naval Base of Yokosuka for a week-long stay. This was followed by a visit to Guam where HMAS Canberra joined up with the US Navy Seventh Fleet including the aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk.
Upon return to Australia and a short visit to Mackay, HMAS Canberra participated in exercise TALISMAN SABER before heading south to visit Sydney for the final time prior to decommissioning. It was during the period alongside at Fleet Base east that the Ship's company travelled to the City of Canberra to conduct its final Freedom of entry parade.
There were a number of people onboard the Ship who used the opportunity of visiting Canberra. Sixteen members of the Ship's company had trained for a number of months in order to raise money for The Canberra Hospital's Paediatrics and Child-Health Department Ward by cycling from Sydney to Canberra. The cyclists stayed at Mittagong and Goulburn on the way to Canberra and in the process raised in excess of $6,000 for the children.
After a hectic weekend in the Nation's Capital, the ship left Sydney and showed a number of family, friends and other visitors some of her abilities as she conducted a families cruise to Jervis Bay. After another final visit, this time to Adelaide, HMAS Canberra headed home and arrived back in Fleet Base West after travelling 26,300 nautical miles in 144 days.
Although this was a major deployment, it is not the end of HMAS Canberra's operational service as she will participate in exercise BERSAMA LIMA around Singapore and Malaysia prior to decommissioning in November 2005 after 24 years service with the Royal Australian Navy.
For Queen and country.
