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Dear Pop

another very busy day today.
Australia is a pretty big ship, so today when we had a quiet period, I was led around the good old girl from one end to another.
One thing for sure -Im a bit rusty on my damage control markings -on the old Chook, One just knew where everything was -thats a good thing about destroyers, here -well you really, really need to know your damage control markings!
Its getting hotter, and Im sweating lik a pig at the moment!, still it'll be a lot hotter I suppose when i begin watchkeeping down the hole!

Rumour we are pulling into somewhere to pick up some middies tomorrow, so you might get this fairly quick.

Your son
langy

Too bad you bet on the wrong horse

Good luck with the follow up!

21/12/41

Australia anchors at Townsville, and langy has a long boring day -"dipping tanks"
new to the ship, he is stil coming to grips with the seemingly bewildering numbers and locations of each tank -there capacities -and more importantly -dipping points.
he is assigned at first to one of the stbd wing tanks, which to his dimay has its sounding point in one of the messes.
besides the noise of the mess -which is substantial and annoying as it masks the sound powered phones far too well -there is the terror of overfilling the tank -and the equal terror of spilling just one drop of the horrible thick black crude into the mess.
As one finds on any ship -there is no love lost between gunnery rates and the stokers -to spill just a tiny drop into this mess would not help at all!

Preparations are standard though -this he can quickly grasp - the collection of the goose necks, drip trays and Lime wash ( heaven help you if the XO found any stains on his precious wooden decks!)
The oil is checked for the prescence of water, and the pumping begins
His job is simple.
The first tank is 22 feet deep, the sounding tube 2 foot long
-24 feet.
The dip tape is a long, thin strand of steel -like a tape measure -graduated.
Langy short dips - he drops the brass plumb bob only 10 feet though -this expediates the dipping
The bob comes up -carefully cleaned in the waste rag as it comes
Oil shows at 4 feet on the tape -4 feet plus the 14 feet that he has dipped short -equals 18 feet in the tank.
-if he went to 100%
One never goes to 100% -one aims for 95% -never less -but always a little more.
the bob goes down -quickly, it comes up -14 foot 3 inches -he calls the figure to the controlling fuelling station - 18 ft 3!
And so it goes -18ft 6!, 18ft 10!, 19 ft!
Open sluicing Vv Y! ten turns, shut sluicing Vv x ten turns!
Open X fully, shut Y fully!
The day goes on

Eventually , thankfully with out a mess , langy gets topside.
There is little to see -a fuelling barge -some mangroce covered shores -a few buildings.
There is news -but no mail.
The papers report a naval battle at palua -the Dutch De ruyter and 5 DDs has hit a convoy hard west of the island. The Dutch are fighting hard.
wake holds out still -but under heavy , heavy carrier attack.

Still nothing of the 1st malaya Brigade -or the 7th Division
Langy takes this as good news. At anchor or not -the day still has much to do -the defect log -war or no war -is always steadily trying to grow.
Langy returns to the chippie shop, and turns his mind and hands again to brazing, cutting, and bending, and the never ending war against the greatest enemy -corrosion.

OOps
Still trying to get my head around this picture stuff -sorry.

22/12/41
Townsville has limited fuelling facilities, and it is well after mid morning before the small TF departs townsville, and continues through the calm waters of the inner geat barrier reef.

There is time before departure to listen to the ABC news broadcast -there has been a second battle of palua -Cruisers Houston, Marblehead and Boise have battled a CL and DDs there.
The japanese claim the Prince of wales sunk -this is strenously denied in the broadcast
At wake the marines battle on
For Langy its a good day, the seas here are beautiful, and the work he has is all on "the uppers" -installing new carley floats and rafts, and boat work.
The war seems a million miles away
That evening there are flicks, fresh vegatables, and a steady hammock.

23/12/41

Hello Pop

Well, we are still headed north -and its getting pretty bloody hot!
I have managed to burn myself lobster red -like an idiot -still, its great to get a tan like this , and not be clammy white like at home.
very pleasant in the shorts as well.
Still working like a dog for the Chief Chippee -this is really a bigger ship than what I thought she was originally.
making a few good mates here in the shop -though i am getting very, very keen to get into one of the holds, and getting into my tickets

Looks like the Japs are really pushing in the central pacific -hear that Wake did fall, and well, we all knew Honkers would go if it came to war.

Obviously cannot tell you where we are headed, but I reckon we are going to where the action is thickest.

Spent nearly all day today below practicing shoring.
Interesting stuff -hope we never need it for real!
We have more timber on here than the ark had in her!, so the Chippee really let us go to town.
I won a bottle of beer -(heavens knows when I will see that) over whether Blueee could knock my hatch shoring over or not.

Anyway, My turn for messmans tonight, write again soon

Langy

24/12/41

On the Eve of the day where families through out the world turn their thoughts to the ones they love, Australias finest steam steadily North across smooth seas, headed towards a unknown future.

The ship is quiet and subdued today - few if any are not struck by the circumstances of the day. yet all is not gloom.
There are the promises of what Christmas is all about, and for those who do not believe -there is the comradship of the mess............

25/12/41

The port manager at Port Moresby almost has a heart attack as his Christmas day is totally ruined as 2 heavy cruiser, a light cruiser and 2 destroyers hove into view -unannounced -and unwelcome.
Worse news comes with the insistant demands for fuel -fuel that he can barely spare.

For the crews on the cruisers there is time amongst the work for a breakfast of grilled York ham and eggs, and the ship stops for 2 sweet hours to celebrate Christmas lunch, roast turkey,seasoning, ham, potatoes, pudding and cake.

The church service is packed -nearly 600 men on the quarterdeck -and today their voices are striong in song.

The war is getting nearer -as peaceful as PM is today -the Japanese base of Truk -that great fortress, is on many minds.
The japanese are swallowing up islands in the central pacific -another naval battle only 120 miles north west of pearl has been reported.
The crew now know their mission - an evac of troops from Lea -a mission that potentially will bring them into bomber range.

But that is tomorrow. today there is Christmas -and peace for all mankind

Port Moresby -1941/early42

26/12/41
TF Australia sails just after dawn
The ship is now -finally to the XO's satisfaction -shaken down.
Today reports of enemy Submarine activity in the coral sea is recieved, and the ship sails at full action stations, and then, falls out to defence stations.
On paper this is a 6 on, 6 off routine -easy enough.
But there is of course, much more to it than that.

Today langy spends a busy day welding, -jury rigging plates around various parts of the ship - anything to increase the ships protection.
The afternoon is spent helping fit sand bags around the bridge area.
Then there is his defence watch to do - 4 hours in total of continous rounds -checking the ships water tight state - an exhausting job, literally dozens, and dozens of ladders, hatches, armoured doors and the like to be negotiated -again, and again.
Christmas is already forgotten
The ship is standing into danger -and the mood onboard reflects it.

Australia begins daily ASW air patrols.
Langy is going to learn to hate that catupult!

27/12/41
The day passes very quietly today -the 2 heavy, and single light cruiser round the corner of Milne bay during the night, and proceed up the coast towards lea.
Australia has settled fully into her routines now, and her crew is even becoming used to the oppressive heat.

The coast here is beautiful and impressive -great green mountains rising into the haze. There simply is no sign of any civilisation.

In the evening Canberra briefly departs, she rejoins 4 hours later, and a boat transfer takes place -a hazardous operation indeed, with potentially Submarines about.
She has stopped at Buna, and now Australia has a dozen passengers -6 nurses, a priest and some children.
Buna's Missionaries will not be left behind in the face of the advancing red tide.
That evening the captains broadcast updates the war - further losses near pearl harbour, and singapore being pounded by 100 bombers a day.
And heavy fighting in manilla.

boat transfer:

28/12/41
The catapult on the Australia in peacetime would be subjected to a launch at around once a week - in busy times.
Since departing the east Aussie coast, Australia and the Canberra have been sharing a continous ASW patrol. The walrus -posibly the ugliest aircraft ever to stumble into the skies - is despite her looks -ideally suited for the task.
however, the strain of a 2 or 3 launchings a day -begins to tell on the catapults construction.
It is before dawn when langy is dragged from his action station, cracks are appearing on the launchers cradle -repeated shocks are beginning to take their toll.
It is the start of a very, very long day for langy and the juniour rating assigned to help him.
The day is not helped, as a steady stream of concerned personal come down to offer "advice"
The flying officer is first -naturally -"one does not want to be dumped into the drink old son"
Then the XO - after all the ASW is vital to the ships safety
Gunns pokes his head in -why -Langy will never know -but learn over time that "guns" seems to poke his head into everything.

The Engineer arrives -immaculate white overalls as usual- just prior to lunch
Obviouslyb the pressure is coming down from above -but at least he knows well enough that the man actually doing the welding - knows more about it than him.
Langy gets the message.
He knows -as everyone does -that submarines are about -and Lae would bea fine place to wait in ambush.
The job is finished just prior to 2 - just in time for his next defence watch
The ships anchor off lae at this time.
Voyager ducks into the harbour, and returns some hours later.
The seas are mirror calm -and she has no trouble mating alongside Australia -and soon The Cruisers decks are covered in nearly 1000 troops of the NGVR battalion.
Relieved to be finished, the TF heads south again at speed -pleased to have been unmolested .

29/12/41

The seas remain calm, and the task force forges south again
The sky is crystal clear -and the look outs wince as they try to penetrate the suns glare.

But the skies remain clear of any sightings.

Again this evening as the ship closes up tight, the Captain addresses the crew.
The japanese continue to press heavily into the central pacific -Johnston island under the hammer.
The ship fills with rumours -the troops onboard are not heading home to Australia -but some where else -north.

war or no war -some things always have to go on.....

30/12/41

Dear Pop

Well, another exhausting day here.
We just rounded the corner of PNG, and are headed back North, destination not known at the moment.

The Ship is really crowded at the moment -we have a whole bunch of Ex pats here onboard -they formed themselves into some sort of local miitia a month or so ago.
To say that they are not happy about being picked up and sent away from their homes goes with out saying.
I think its only the promise of proper arms, and a swift return after some training that is keeping them in check.
The rumour is though, that they will join the defence of the DEI

I suppose we will find out in time
Water is short onboard -seems some one forgot to tell 1000 smelly soldiers about restrictions until it was too late.
its that short that we may even have to divert.........on small things a war can turn hey!

Any way, sounds as if the main thrust of Japan is towards pearl -who'd have guessed -if they cut Australia off from the states, we will really see if Winnie will live up to his pledge of Australia over India......
The NGVR...

31/12/41
Its been a long time since langy has sailed in the waters near the Northern tip of Australia. The task force is hugging the coast, inside the reef, and all day the shoreline is in easy sight -miles, and miles of endless beaches, and deep dark greenery.
The top end is a very empty end of the country.

Langy gets a good look at the coutryside, because once again, the catapult gives him a good high vantage point
It is another busy day of welding, grinding and fitting for him and his offsider, a sullen lad, who langy quickly decides is worth little to expend conversations on.

In the afternoon the Canberra refuels the escorting destroyers -astern fuelling is used -and late that evening the Task Force arrives at Thursday island.
The island is in a very confusing patch of islands, odd shaped bays, and dominated by a large hill.
Little signs of life -a couple of aboriginal shacks on one shoreline, and a single rickity pier.

Langy has one exciting moment -along with a few of his mates -as they watch the troops disembark.
Snowey spots it first -a longish brown shape floating moitionless some 20 feet from the boat launch.
"hey langy" he calls "reckon that big buggar would like the taste of nips?"
he points.
langy gets to see the 15 feet or so of Salt water crock, before it silently disappears
Langy decides that his thoughts of requesting a swim might not be such a good idea.

1/1/41
there are no new year celebrations on board the task force this day
Thursday island does have a good radio transmitter attached to the pilot house.
The news from the war grow dark
Battleship Revenge has been sunk by japanese torpedoe bombers at soerabaya -from the amazing range of what is reported at 500 miles from the nearest japanese base.
This is a very , very rude warning, that the Japs have a deadly weapon in their hands.
In the pacific the list of unknown islands taken by the Japs grows -the Gunnery Officer pins a map of the pacific up in the main passageway, and the little red flags moving west , east and south is a sobering sight.
Johnston island has fallen.

The task force delays sailing for 6 hours -and the Engineer promptly terrorises the crew with a massive damage control exercise - a mani machinery space fire.
It goes very poorly, too many men have spent their time onboard thinking that the damage control stuff is the stokers stuff, not the domain of gunnery jacks and cooks.
So the first thing that the Engineer does is "Kill off" 2/3 rds of the stoker department.
For langy and his mates, the next 6 hours are tops - sitting on the fantail of the ship, watching the chaos develop.........

2/1/42
the task force steams on, the sun now baking her decks
On board many are thinking ahead to the Victoria bar in Darwin....

Around Middday the Tf comes down to a crawl, and 3 ships are seen to approach from the North.
Commander Dechaineaux has the Australia "clear lower decks", and Langy mans the rails with many others to view the curious, and some what unsettling sight before them

Cruisers Houston and Marblehead , and the destroyer Bulmer pass proudly southward.
Houstons Bridge is burnt out -but she steams truly
Marblehead's deckshave swelled, forced upwards by the impact of explosive deep inside
Bulmar is simply a wreck

The crew gives 3 cheers, not the fake cheers one hears at some naval review from more peaceful times -but a gut sent cry of encouragement and acknowledgement.

The Australia picks up speed, and soon, when the long expected pipe comes"for exercise, for exercise, fire, fire ,fire in Alpha boiler room", the crew turn to with a much improved vigour........

3/1/42
The task force keeps sailing north west towards Darwin, and the day is another long, long one.
Langy has been rotated from pump and flood, he is now "Attack party"
A small group of men who upon hearing a report of damage are to attack it with portable extinguishers, and prevent small ires becoming big big ones.

During exercises its a thankless, fruitless task -as they always "are beaten back"
At Times Langy feels that he like to "beaten back "the XO

The daily news board reports Johnston island falls
Bataan the last defence
The red dots are spreading on the map

4/1/42
Langy is called to damage Control central today
The PO regulator is brisk and busy
But he has welcome news, From Darwin on Langy will be watch keeping, beginging in Alpha boiler room, First and Forenoon watch-the good one.
Although he is a kellick already, Australia is a different type of vessel from any he has served on.
So he must learn the jobs of all who will eventually be under him, learn their jobs, and learn the systems
starting with sprayer puncher for the first week.

Its a quiet day
Sunday

langy does not mind at all -he is has already had a gutfull of the catapult -which he hears, has just cracked, again.

5/1/42
Nobody gets a beer at the Vic
The Task force anchors briefly, mail and signal traffic is exchanged by boat -a smallish fuel barge tops up the tanks, and the harbour is quitted.

The only ships in the harbour were an AVD, an AR, and a AS, and all were raising steam as the task force sailed
The crew hear rumours of an allied counter attack somewhere north, rumours that the POW was about, rumours that the japs were being killed in the millions at davao

Rumours, rumours, rumours
As the ship departed, langy could only shake his head
If Darwin was going to be the base for the counterattack -then a lot of work would have to be done