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Midshipman's journal belonging to James Laurence Wilfrid 'Red' Merson, RAN

Date1939

Object number00055131

NameJournal

MediumPaper, ink, cloth

DimensionsOverall: 345 × 235 × 35 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Amanda Reed

Terms

DescriptionMidshipman's journal belonging to James Laurence Wilfrid 'Red' Merson during his service aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II).The journal was kept by Merson while he served aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II) between September 1939 and July 1940. It is an unbound volume containing several pages of handwritten notes and passages relevant to Merson's duties as a midshipman. Interspersed among the handwritten pages are hand-drawn maps and other illustrations, including plots of AUSTRALIA's course within Australian waters.HistoryThe midshipman's journal belonged to James Laurence Wilfrid 'Red' Merson during his service aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II), and was kept between September 1939 and July 1940. Merson retired from the Royal Australian Navy with the rank of Commodore in 1977. Commodore Merson served in four conflicts: The Second World War, Korean War, Indonesian Confrontation, and Vietnam War. His Second World War service aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II) occurred in conjuction with the outbreak of the conflict. Merson later went on to serve as commanding officer of HMAS VAMPIRE (II) during the Indonesian Confrontation, when VAMPIRE conducted patrols off the coast of Borneo and Malaya and was called upon to provide fire support for Commonwealth land forces. His command of VAMPIRE covered the period between 29 April 1965 and 6 December 1966. During the span in which Merson kept his midshipman's journal aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II), the County-class heavy cruiser operated primarily within Australian coastal waters and on one occasion investigated a doubtful report of an ‘unknown raider’. However, beginning in May and July 1940 AUSTRALIA was employed on convoy escort duties between Fremantle and Capetown, South Africa. It later extended its area of operations between Capetown and Freetown on Africa's west coast. HMAS AUSTRALIA joined the Dakar Squadron in July 1940 in company with HM Ships HERMES, DORSETSHIRE and MILFORD. In this capacity it helped patrol the coast of French West Africa and kept watch on the Vichy French fleet. AUSTRALIA sank a French destroyer and chased the French light cruiser GLOIREl, which it damaged and later escorted to Casblanca. During the same month, the cruiser fired its first shot in anger when it came under attack from an enemy bomber. On 9 July 1940, AUSTRALIA joined a convoy bound for the United Kingdom and for the remainder of the month patrolled off Norway in the vicinity of the Faeroe Islands with the 1st Cruiser Squadron. The ship was briefly engaged in the search for the German battleship GNEISENAU while operating in this area. Merson was aboard two RAN warships lost only three months apart during the Second World War: HMAS NESTOR and HMAS VOYAGER (I). In the latter instance, he was nearly left behind during the effort to evacuate VOYAGER's officer and crew from Timor. He later served as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier HMAS SYDNEY (III) during the Vietnam War, when it was part of the 'Vung Tau Ferry' transporting Australian soldiers to and from the war zone.SignificanceCommodore James Laurence Wilfrid Merson served in four conflicts during his career in the Royal Australian Navy: The Second World War, Korean War, Indonesian Confrontation, and Vietnam War. His Second World War service aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA (II) occurred in conjuction with the outbreak of the conflict. Merson later went on to serve as commanding officer of HMAS VAMPIRE (II) during the Indonesian Confrontation, when VAMPIRE conducted patrols off the coast of Borneo and Malaya and was called upon to provide fire support for Commonwealth land forces. His command of VAMPIRE covered the period between 29 April 1965 and 6 December 1966.