Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 1 2009/Captain's Log

Dear Families, Friends and Supporters of HMAS Toowoomba.

Welcome to our first deployment newsletter which we hope, captures some of the key events that have kept us all busy since we left our home port of Fleet Base West on Tuesday 9 June 2009.

Thank you very much to those of you that were able to come down to the wharf to give us such a great send off. We all agreed that it was one of the biggest farewells any of us had seen and it certainly felt very special. It feels like a long time ago since we sailed from Garden Island but that is because so much has happened - certainly the time is not dragging.

We plan to produce three of these newsletters. This offering includes the key events during our journey up to the Gulf and some of the main activities that have taken place since our arrival here in the Middle East. The next version is planned to go out towards the end of September and will cover the middle part of our deployment to Operation SLIPPER. The final edition, which I suspect may have a slightly different geographical flavour, is due to be sent at the end of November to ensure that it reaches you before we arrive home.

The last seven weeks have been a very interesting and successful period for Toowoomba. Our Ship and Sailors remain in great shape. Whilst we all miss our family and friends dearly, we know we are doing very worthwhile work, contributing much and making a difference. Morale generally remains high and everyone I speak to appears to be enjoying themselves.

I thank you again for the sacrifices you make whilst your family member is deployed away from home and on behalf of us all in Toowoomba, send a special note of congratulations to Ami-Lee Stolzenburg, partner of our LSMT Rob O'Connell, who gave birth to their baby daughter Makayla-Lee yesterday afternoon, on Tuesday 21st July 2009. I hope you agree that our Editor, Chaplain Steve Gunther and his Publisher, WO Dave Devlin have done a great job producing this, the first edition of The Fearless Times. If you enjoy it, you might wish to write and let us know. Perhaps we can include the most interesting and amusing responses in the next newsletter.

All for now and Aye.

Ivan Ingham Commander, RAN Commanding Officer.