HMAS VAMPIRE rugby shirt
Date1969
Object number00046516
NameRugby shirt
MediumCotton
DimensionsOverall (Depth at collar): 710 x 520 x 60 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Paul E Christensen
DescriptionThis Rugby shirt was given to the donor after a game between HMAS VAMPIRE and a Chinese-American Rugby team in Taipei in 1969. The donor played for the latter team and was stationed in Taipei with the United States Navy. Shirts were exchanged at the end of the match.HistoryThe Daring class destroyers, operating in the decades following World War II, came towards the end of 20th-century destroyer development. They were superseded by guided missile destroyers in which sophisticated technology posed different design challenges. In the Royal Australian Navy, the class was replaced by American-built guided missile frigates. Thus VAMPIRE, which served from 1959 to 1986, represents the culmination of a type of warship and the strategy it served.
For most of the 1960s, VAMPIRE served in fleet operations and naval deployments as part of the Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR) with SEATO (South-East Asia Treaty Organisation), and with ANZUK (Australian, New Zealand and United Kingdom forces) in the South-east Asia region. In May 1965 VAMPIRE escorted the aircraft carrier HMAS SYDNEY, fitted out for troop transport, for part of her maiden voyage to Vietnam. VAMPIRE performed repeated escort duty for HMAS SYDNEY in 1965-67, 1969 and 1972. Unlike her sister Daring class destroyer HMAS VENDETTA, VAMPIRE was not directly involved in gunfire action against enemy positions.
From 18-20 August 1969, VAMPIRE was visiting Keelung, Taiwan returning to Singapore after joint exercises off Hong Kong. During the recreational visit the ship's Rugby football team played against a USN team.SignificanceRecreational sport during naval deployments assists in team building as well as offering a respite from duties.
