Australian Navy Records

[trish251]

The WWII Oz navy records consist of 2 cards only. The one for my uncle has the headings

Royal Australian Naval Reserve
Record of Mobilized Service

He served from 31 Jan 1941 until discharge in 1946.

Does this mean he would have been in the Naval reserve? He lived nowhere near the sea prior to enlisting. Is Mobilized service similar to being "called up". I am a definite novice in all things military despite having many of my male relatives serve in the two WWs. None of them ever talked about it (well not to me).

thanks

Trish

[liverpool annie]

This may give you a bit of background Trish !! 

http://worldatwar.net/article/australiannavyreserve/

Can you give us a name ?? if not ... try this !

http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/

Annie 

[trish251]

I can post some of the image Annie - no worries - I'm happy that I know about his service - I just wondered about the "Reserve" and being mobilized - doesn't sound like a volunteer!

His name is Clarence Edward Roche (very fancy name - known all his life as Pat  )

Trish

[trish251]

He wasn't an officer as per one of your links Annie - he was a Stoker and then a leading Stoker - and then went back to being a farmer 

Trish

[kyt]

Hi Trish

What you have there is a generic form - in some cases, those mobilized would have enlisted much earlier than their mobilization but were sent to await the next training session etc.

He seems to have served in Australian coastal waters - ML (Motor Launch) 807 was a British Fairmile "B" motor boat used for harbour defence, coastal convoy escorts and some air seaq rescue work; Orara was a minesweeper; and, both Air Cloud and Air Spray were Air Sea Rescue Ships (more launches than ships really)

K

[trish251]

Hi K

Thanks for that - so he may have applied some time earlier? That makes sense, as does the description of his service.

I have a newspaper cutting related to his service (kept by his mother for 50 years) which details when the minesweeper Wallaroo, a corvette, was sunk off Western Australia - collided with a merchant ship (which doesn't appear to be named). There were at least 3 deaths and I gather the remaining crew were rescued some hours later.

Reading your quick review, I could get interested in learning more about the ships/boats 

Trish

[liverpool annie]

Heres a photo of the crew of HMAS Orara ... can you see Pat on here ?? ( your family liked that name huh ??  )

http://users.bigpond.net.au/elliget/ausran/wecosh/photos/wec50001.jpg

[liverpool annie]

K will tell me if I'm wrong  ... but I think these are the right Air Sea Rescue Ships Trish !! 

HMAS Air Cloud (924) was built by Harbour Boat Building Co., USA. It was launched in 1944 and commissioned on 20 October 1944.

924 HMAS Air Cloud was the first Air Boat to go to West Bay, No.58 OBU to replace HMAS Coongoola, which then returned to Darwin. HMAS Air Cloud suffered propeller damage on a reef and therefore had to return to Darwin so was replaced by 912 HMAS Air Foam (it is believed). Later 926 HMAS Air Sailor and 923 HMAS Air View" took up Station at West Bay (RAAF Truscott) in the Kimberlies of W.A.  During that period the Marine Section Officer was FLGOFF Stewart Brownson.

It was paid off on 20 February 1947.

It was transferred to the RAAF in 1949.

HMAS Air Spray (911) was built by Harbour Boat Building Co., USA. It was commissioned on 13 February 1945. It transferred to the RAAF in 1945 and returned to the RAN in 1965. It was re-commissioned as HMAS Cerberus (Y259) and was subsequently sold on 28 August 1969.

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ran/asrboats.htm

[trish251]

Heres a photo of the crew of HMAS Orara ... can you see Pat on here ?? ( your family liked that name huh ??  )

http://users.bigpond.net.au/elliget/ausran/wecosh/photos/wec50001.jpg

Gosh Annie - you do zip around the net - at a glance I can't see him, but I will study further 

Trish