the tragic loss of HMAS Voyager during a collision with HMAS Melbourne. 60th anniversary
Annette Cremer
Carer At home-True believer of the ALP. IAM a unionist I will speak out I’m not scared.In a fight your gonna have to back down with me winning
Today marks the 60th anniversary of a significant event in Royal Australian Navy history - the tragic loss of HMAS Voyager during a collision with HMAS Melbourne.
On 10 February 1964, off Jervis Bay on the New South Wales South Coast, the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and the destroyer HMAS Voyager were engaged in a routine night flying exercise.
At 8:56 pm, Voyager, serving as the guard escort, crossed in front of Melbourne, resulting in a devastating collision. The much larger Melbourne cut the destroyer in half, with the bow section sinking soon after and the stern section sinking three hours later.
The crew of Melbourne initiated a rescue operation, recovering survivors from the water and the after section of Voyager. HMAS Air Nymph and HMAS Air Sprite, two RAN search and rescue boats, along with RAN helicopters and minesweepers from HMAS Creswell, successfully rescued 70 men.
Of the 314 men aboard HMAS Voyager, 82 lost their lives (14 officers including the Commanding Officer), 67 sailors, and one civilian dock worker.
In the aftermath, HMAS Melbourne photographers captured poignant moments - from the wreckage of Voyager to the rescue efforts. Other images depict injured and shocked survivors being cared for on Melbourne, activities aboard the aircraft carrier in daylight, and the extensive damage to Melbourne's bow.
Images:
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1. HMAS Melbourne at sea, probably between Jervis Bay and Garden Island, NSW, following a collision with the destroyer HMAS Voyager. NAVY15897
2. View of the damage to the bow of the RAN aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. NAVY15880
3. Workers stand on scaffolding and examine the damage to the port side bow of HMAS Melbourne. NAVY15892
4. Survivors from the destroyer HMAS Voyager are brought alongside the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. AWM305438
5. Wrapped in blankets and covered with oil, six unidentified survivors of the destroyer HMAS Voyager rest and consume hot drinks on board the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. NAVY15889
6. Survivors of the HMAS Voyager talk together and rest on stretchers in the hangar of HMAS Melbourne. AWM305896
My nannas older Late Brother Ken would have been A Petty officer before he was Chief Petty Officer when this occurred and would have known the Captain and some of the officers and would have lost some of his Ship Mates whom Were Comrades.