HMAS HOBART Zippo Lighter
Date1960s
Object number00056023
NameLighter
MediumMetal
DimensionsOverall: 556 × 35 × 13 mm, 57 g
Copyright© Zippo Manufacturing Company
ClassificationsTools and equipment
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Gift from John Withers OAM
DescriptionA souvenir Zippo brand lighter from HMAS Hobart (II). In 1970 John Withers deployed on HMAS Hobart's (II) third trip to Vietnam. As a Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) Hobart participated in Operation Sea Dragon with the US Seventh Fleet, directing gunfire support towards Vietcong troop concentrations and supply routes.
John Aaron Russell Withers joined the Royal Australian Navy on 12th January 1962 as a radio operator. Withers survived the tragic collision between HMAS Voyager and HMAS Melbourne on the 10 of February 1964, an incident that resulted in the loss of 82 lives and the sinking of HMAS Voyager. This stands as the worst peacetime disaster in the history of the RAN.HistoryOn the 27 October 1969 John Withers was posted to HMAS Hobart as a radio operator. HMAS Hobart (II) was one of three modified Charles F Adams - Perth - Class guided missile destroyers (DDG) built in the United States for the RAN. Along with HMAS Perth and HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Hobart was primarily built for air defence, as part of the first RAN generation of guided missiled armed warships, and first of a United States design. HMAS Hobart was constructed at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City Michigan, and launched on 9 January 1964.
On the 7 March 1967 HMAS Hobart deployed for its first tour of Vietnam as part of the US Seventh Fleet. This was the first deployment by an RAN vessel to the Vietnamese conflict zone. Hobart participated in Operation Sea Dragon providing gunfire support on Vietcong troop concentrations, military bases, bridges, storage areas, and supply routes. Hobart also provided support to US Marine and Airborne divisions, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and notably assisted USS Forrestal on 29 July after the aircraft carrier suffered a major fire with numerous casualties.
HMAS Hobart made two additional deployments to Vietnam, in 1968 and 1970, Withers pat of the crew for the final deployment (16 Mar 1970 - 17 Oct 1970). During its second deployment Hobart came mistakenly under fire by US 7th Airforce Jets. Ordinary Seaman Raymond John Butterworth and Chief Electrician Raymond Henry Hunt were killed in the incident, Hobart suffering serious damage to its weapons and electrical systems and hull.
(Source: https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-hobart-ii)
John Aaron Russell Withers joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as a 20 year old on 12th January 1962. He travelled from Herberton in far North Queensland to Brisbane to enlist, and then on to HMAS Cerberus - RAN recruit training depot in Victoria. Here he underwent training in the communications branch as a radio operator. This involved studies in Morse code, typing, flag waving, flag recognition, speed printing, and cryptography. On the 4th December 1962 Withers was promoted to Ordinary Radio Operator and posted to HMAS Voyager.
On the 31st January 1963 Withers deployed on board Voyager as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR). This trip saw Voyager call in to Singapore, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), Hong Kong, Japan, and the Philippines – in addition to exercises in the South China Sea. Voyager returned to Australia in August 1963 and underwent a six month refit at Williamstown. The ship sailed for Sydney late January 1964, with an intended return to the FESR as Australia’s representative for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. On the way to Sydney Voyager was engaged in exercises with aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne off the coast of Jervis Bay.
Wither’s survived the fatal collision between Voyager and Melbourne on the night of the 10th of February 1964. Voyager was acting as plane guard to Melbourne during aircraft exercises, when a junior training office in command of Voyager decided to change course and pass in front of Melbourne’s bow. Voyager was not travelling fast enough to cross, and 82 of Voyagers sailors were lost in the subsequent collision. Following the accident, Withers was given seven day survivors leave and no formal counselling.
Withers was deployed to HMAS Stuart from 1964 to 1965. Stuart was designated to carry out acceptance trials on the Navy’s newly installed top-secret IKARA anti-submarine missile and torpedo. The IKARA was missile carried, and designed to be fired up to 15 kms from the ship, the torpedo released to search and target a submarine. Trials were conducted on the Barrier Reef off Lady Elliot Island.
He was then selected to serve a year (1968-1969) at the RAN’s Manus Island base in Papua New Guinea HMAS Tarangau, before being posted to HMAS Hobart on the 27 October 1969. He further saw shore based placements at HMAS Penguin (1965) and HMAS Albatross (1968). After four vessel and three shore postings, John Withers signed off from the RAN on the 11 January 1971 at the age of 29.SignificanceIn 1967 HMAS Hobart became the first RAN vessel to deploy to the Vietnamese conflict zone. HMAS Hobart deployed on two additional occasions - in 1968, and 1970, offering Naval gunfire support (NGFS) support and harassment and interdiction (H & I) fire as part of the US seventh fleet. The John Withers collection is significant as an account of the HMAS Voyager tragedy through the personal documents of survivor John Withers. On the 10 of February 1964 HMAS Voyager collided with aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne during a series of flight exercises near Jervis Bay. 82 lives on Voyager were lost, and the destroyer sunk. The collision stands as the worst peacetime disaster in the history of the RAN. HMAS Voyager was Withers' first ship posting, having joined only a year prior on the 31 January 1963 as a radio operator.
