Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2005/HMAS Armidale - the name of the boat
By LCDR Antony Underwood
The Commissioning Lady for the newest addition to the fleet, HMAS Armidale (II) , brought home to more than 300 guests at her commissioning on June 24, the significance of the name in the annals of RAN history.
And the CO confirmed that the spirit of ship's company of HMAS Armidale (I) lives on in those who crew the new boat.
When the first Armidale was commissioned in Sydney on June 11, 1942, she had a very young crew.
Youngest on board when the ship was despatched on November 29, 1942 with sister ship, HMAS Castlemaine , was 17-year-old Ordinary Seaman Donald Raymond Lawson.
The corvettes, two of a total 60 built for the RAN, were on a rescue mission to reinforce guerrilla forces in Timor and to evacuate Dutch troops and Portuguese women and children.
Armidale came under air attack by Japanese aircraft and foundered after sustaining two hits from torpedoes.
Mortally wounded Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean died firing his Oerlikon gun as he went down with the ship, a deed commemorated in the name of our fifth Collins class submarine.
He was one of 40 RAN personnel who lost their lives - 43, including Donald Raymond Lawson, 18, abandoned ship and were picked up nearly a week later.
On June 24, more than 62 years later, Ms Jana Stone - eldest daughter of the youngest survivor - rose at HMAS Coonawarra to address ship's company and 320 guests, including three Armidale (I) survivors, present for the commissioning of Armidale .
Ms Stone said her father died in 1988 and soon after had his ashes scattered from HMAS Wollongong at the spot in the Timor Sea where Armidale (I) was sunk.
"The strength of the crew of this small warship was and is such that we in the family knew that Dad was at peace when he could finally be at rest with his fellow crew.
"The continuing Armidale story is one of heroism, self-sacrifice, great endurance, strength of character, bravery, camaraderie and respect for fellow man. May these special qualities also give a special spirit to the crews of the new HMAS Armidale ."
The CO of Armidale (II) , LCDR Andrew Maher, described the three survivors from the original Armidale , Messrs Bill Lamshed, Roy Clelland and Ray Leonard, as "heroes, legends and an inspiration to us all".
"They were heroes as they stood on that dock 63 years ago and commissioned their ship and heroes when they chose to put on a uniform, to take their ship to sea, to do what their country asked, whatever the consequences," he said.
"I present to you the ship's company of HMAS Armidale . They too have chosen to put on a uniform, to take their ship to sea, and to do whatever their country asks, whatever the consequences."
