Launching of HMAS YARRA
Date30 September 1958
Object number00045720
NamePhotograph
MediumPhotograph
DimensionsOverall: 154 x 202 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Patrick Dine and family
DescriptionCaptain Leonard Norman Dine, RAN was born on 11 September 1910 in Randwick NSW, the son of W. Dine of Sydney. He became a Midshipman in 1929, a Sub-Lieutenant in 1932, Lieutenant in 1933, Lieutenant-Commander in 1941 where he served aboard PERTH, NEPAL, SHROPSHIRE and BATAAN. In 1947, he became a Commander and during 1950 was Department Director Naval Construction and Naval Liaison Staff London. Dine was an Engineer Officer aboard HMS VENGEANCE from 1950-53 and Acting Captain Fleet Engineer Officer to the Australian Fleet during 1954-56 where he then became Captain. Dine then became the General Manager of HMA Naval Dockyard in Williamstown in Victoria from 1957-61 where he then retired.HistoryCaptain Leonard Norman Dine, RAN was born on 11 September 1910 in Randwick NSW, the son of W. Dine of Sydney. He was educated at Randwick Royal Australian Naval College (RANC), Royal Naval Engineering College (RNEC) Keyham England and returned to RANC from 1926-1928 where he won the prizes for Physics and Chemistry. Dine also won the prize for Seamanship. He became a Midshipman in 1929, a Sub-Lieutenant in 1932, Lieutenant in 1933, Lieutenant-Commander in 1941 where he served aboard PERTH, NEPAL, SHROPSHIRE and BATAAN. In 1947, he became a Commander and during 1950 was Department Director Naval Construction and Naval Liaison Staff, London, England. Dine was an Engineer Officer aboard HMS VENGEANCE from 1950-53 and Acting Captain Fleet Engineer Officer to the Australian Fleet during 1954-56 when he then became Captain. Dine was appointed General Manager of HMA Naval Dockyard in Williamstown in Victoria 1957until 1961 when retired.
Dine married Enid Maud on 22 April 1935 and had one daughter. He later married A. W. Harding in Plymouth and had one son and one daughter. Leonard Norman Dine died 6 November 1992 aged 81.
RENC Keyham
The Royal Naval Engineering College was opened without ceremony on 1 July 1880 as 'The Training School for Engineer Students'. It was occupied by 120 engineering students where were given board and lodgings for five years before they went on to the college at Greenwich for a further two years. They were then drafted on to sea-going ships as Assistant Engineers. The College closed in 1910 as a result of the introduction of the Selborne/Fisher scheme of training that brought common training for both executive and engineering officers. It reopened in July 1913 and then was used for receiving special-entry cadets during the War. On 1 December 1946, the college became known as HMS THUNDERER. The final mess dinner was held at the Keyham College on 15 May 1958 which was followed by the opening of the new Manadon complex a week later. On 19 November 1959, the old buildings at Keyham re-opened as the Dockyard Technical College. The Royal Naval Engineering College closed its doors in 1994 when training was transferred to the University of Southampton.
HMAS YARRA III
Within the collection are a number of launch memorabilia items for HMAS YARRA III which was a River class destroyer escort built at Williamstown Naval Dockyard, Victoria. YARRA III was launched on 30 September 1958 by Lady McBride, wife of the Minister for Defence and commissioned on 27 July 1961. The vessel underwent a refit in 1964 adding to the armament. HMAS YARRA was paid off on 22 November 1985.
HMAS PERTH I
Dine served as Lieutenant-Commander of HMAS PERTH I during the 1940s. HMAS PERTH I was a light cruiser from the modified 'Leander' class and was originally commissioned as HMS AMPHION at Portsmouth on 15 June 1936. AMPHION spent two years as Flagship of the Africa station which was based at the Cape of Good Hope. When refitted in early October 1938, AMPHION was fitted with a 'heavy' catapult to accommodate a Seagull V amphibian aircraft along with twin 4 inch anti-aircraft mountings in place of the original old single guns. Following an agreement between British and Australian Governments, the RAN purchased AMPHION in 1939. On 29 June 1939, the cruiser was commissioned in the RAN at Portsmouth as HMAS PERTH under the command of Captain Harold B. Farncomb MVO RAN. During peacetime, PERTH visited New York to represent Australia at the World's Fair. When war broke out, PERTH was in the West Indies and was ordered to protect the oil tankers operating between Trinidad and Venezuela. PERTH was part of many escort and refuelling duties as well as taking part in the reinforcement of forces before returning to patrol duties. During March 1941, PERTH played a minor role in the Battle of Matapan. On 29 April 1941, PERTH's aircraft was shot down off Suda Bay, Crete, with three of the crew rescued and PERTH damaged. After urgent repairs were carried out in Alexandria, PERTH sailed for Crete to assist with the evacuation of allied troops from the Island during the evacuation it was attacked five times and on 30 May, was hit by a bomb in a boiler room. After repairs, PERTH was relieved by HMAS HOBART and returned to Australia on 12 August 1941 for an extensive refit at Cockatoo Dockyard. In February 1942, PERTH sailed for the Java theatre and was attacked by Japanese aircraft without sustaining damage. During the night of 27-28 February, an eleven ship ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australian) force engaged Japanese forces in the disastrous Battle of the Java Sea, from which only PERTH and USS HOUSTON survived. As PERTH left Tandjung Priok, Indonesia, a large number of Japanese destroyers attacked from all directions. HMAS PERTH escaped from damage until the very end of the action. Four torpedoes were too much for the ship and the vessel heeled over to port and sank about 0025 on 1 March 1942. Most of the crew abandoned ship between the second and third torpedoes but it is doubtful if any of the boats were successfully launched. During the abandon ship operation, PERTH was under fire from several destroyers at close range and many hits were scored and casualties caused. Many were killed or wounded in the water by the explosion of the last two torpedoes. PERTH's company numbered 681, comprising 671 naval personnel, six RAAF and four civilians. 350 naval personnel and three civilians did not survive the sinking. Four naval personnel died ashore without having been taken prisoner with a further 106 men dying in captivity. Four sailors were recovered from captivity in September 1944 after the sinking of a Japanese transport. After the end of hostilities, 214 men (211 naval, two RAAF and one civilian) were repatriated to Australia.
HMAS NEPAL
Five of the eight N Class Destroyers laid down in British yards during 1939 were transferred to the RAN. HMAS NEPAL was the last and was sent with the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow in Scotland. In September 1942, NEPAL took part in the second phase of the Madagascar campaign. In January 1945, NEPAL took part in further Burma operations, including the capture of Akyab Island on 3 January. On 1 February, NEPAL resumed an offensive role in the Burma theatre, shelling Japanese positions on Ramree Island. In April 1945, NEPAL joined the British Task Force 57 which participated in the invasion of Okinawa, Operation ICEBERG, between March and May 1945. After Japan's surrender, NEPAL spent five weeks in Japanese waters and then returned to Sydney on 22 October 1945 for reversion to the Royal Navy. NEPAL was broken up in the United Kingdom in 1956.
HMAS SHROPSHIRE
HMS SHROPSHIRE was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 24 September 1929 and was recommissioned again in April 1932 and 1934 spending most of its service in the Mediterranean. At the outbreak of World War II, SHROPSHIRE was ordered to take up patrol in the South Atlantic and was then on trade protection duties. Following the loss of HMAS CANBERRA on 9 August 1942 in the Battle of Savo Island in the Soloman Islands, the British Government approved the transfer of SHROPSHIRE to the RAN as a replacement. During the subsequent refit, the ship's aircraft was removed as it was not required for the Australian service. SHROPSHIRE took part in the New Britain operations and to surrounding islands. SHROPSHIRE was in the Philippines when the Japanese surrendered. SHROPSHIRE became squadron representative in Japanese waters and returned to Sydney in March 1947 in preparation for paying off into Special Reserve on 10 November 1949. On October 1954, SHROPSHIRE left Sydney in tow of the Dutch tug OOSTZEE bound for the ship breakers in Scotland.
HMAS BATAAN
BATAAN was the third of three Australian built Tribal Class destroyers. It was originally going to be named HMAS KURNAI but was named HMAS BATAAN in honour of General Douglas MacArthur. BATAAN was commissioned on 25 May 1945 but was too late to take part in active hostilities. BATTAAN was instead part of the surrender ceremony in September on board USS MISSOURI and then assisted in the evacuation of allied prisoners of war in Japanese waters. In June 1950, BATAAN proceeded for Japan for its fifth post war tour of duty and was in Far East waters when the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950. In July HMAS BATAAN transferred to the US Escort Group and then joined Task Force 90 for the amphibious landing of United Nations forces at Pohang Dong. Over the following months, BATAAN would be a part of different Task Forces and patrols escorting allied ships in dangerous waters until on 29 May 1951, BATAAN sailed from Hong Kong for home waters after steaming some 55,000 miles and being underway for more than 4,000 hours on active operations. Upon returning to Sydney, an extensive refit was carried out and it was then deployed again on 8 January 1952 for a second tour of duty in Korea which included blockade enforcement, shore bombardment and escort duty.
On 17 August 1952, BATAAN began its final patrol of the Korean War and assumed command of Task Unit 95.12.4 from HMS CONCORD. On Saturday 30 August 1952, BATAAN spent its last day on operational patrols before relieved by HMCS IROQUOIS. The ship was presented with South Korean flags by Korean leaders and thanked for her part in preserving the country from invasion. Some 35,000 miles had been steamed on operations. BATAAN returned to Sydney on 3 October 1952. Except for a visit to Singapore, the remainder of BATAAN's seagoing service was spent on the Australian Station. Upon travelling with aircraft carrier HMAS VENGEANCE in October 1953 to Jervis Bay, both ships encounted cyclonic depression. The minor structural damage endured in this weather along with the collision with VENGEANCE during replenishment drew BATAAN's service to a close. After a visit to the Cocos Islands, Manus Island, Rabaul and the Solomon Islands, BATAAN was paid off at Sydney on 18 October 1954. BATAAN was later sold for scrap on 2 May 1958 to Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd of Tokyo, Japan.
