Re: Replenishment at Sea (RAS) Underway Replenishment (UNREP) - Incidents - All Navies/All Classes
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:49 pm
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY
TELEPHONE:
IN REPLY QUOTE: 1/16/2 (JAN!)
HMAS TORRENS at Hong Kong
Maritime Commander (AUSTRALIA)
Maritime Headquarters
HMAS TORRENS -REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS -DECEMBER 1989
Sir, 1.(U) I have the honour to report the proceedings of HMA Ship TORRENS under my command for the month of December 1989. Time zone Hotel (-8) is used throughout.
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(page 2)
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7.(R) After an uneventful weekend, both ships sailed at 1000 Monday 11 for the Subic Bay Exercise Areas in order to recover some of the planned activities for this month. To provide some flexibility for operations during the week, a replenishment was arranged for both ships with USNS ANDREW J. HIGGINS (Charles Becker -Master) for the evening of Tuesday 12. Rendezvous was effected at 1115 on that evening and at 1950 TORRENS commenced replenishing in moderate conditions. At 2045 the ship was struck an exceptionally large wave which swept the fo'c'sle and washed [redacted] over the side [redacted] was also injured by the wave, but was fortunate enough to remain on deck. All personnel were recovered into the sea boat within fifteen minutes, and of the men overboard, only Leading Seaman [redacted] was ~~uninjured. In view of the number of casualties sustained in this incident I abandoned the planned exercise programme. Once the casualties had been treated and made comfortable, TORRENS and STUART commenced a 25 knot fast passage to Hong Kong to land the personnel injured. My report on this incident is contained in my letter 1/17/1 dated 15 December 1989. STUART was detached to proceed independently to harbour. and TORRENS continued at high speed to berth at 1800, Wednesday 19 at TAMAR. The casualties were landed to the British Military Hospital on arrival.
(page 3)
Two of the casualties were released on Monday 18, and a third on Thursday 21. The remaining sailor, Able Seaman [redacted] was discharged from hospital on Friday 22 and returned to Australia by air on Saturday 30.
(note; no para 8.)
9. (U) TORRENS remained alongside at TAMAR until the end of the year................................................
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
R.E. SWINNERTON
Commander RAN
Commanding Officer
TELEPHONE:
IN REPLY QUOTE: 1/16/2 (JAN!)
HMAS TORRENS at Hong Kong
Maritime Commander (AUSTRALIA)
Maritime Headquarters
HMAS TORRENS -REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS -DECEMBER 1989
Sir, 1.(U) I have the honour to report the proceedings of HMA Ship TORRENS under my command for the month of December 1989. Time zone Hotel (-8) is used throughout.
-----------------------------------------------------
(page 2)
-----------------------------------------------------
7.(R) After an uneventful weekend, both ships sailed at 1000 Monday 11 for the Subic Bay Exercise Areas in order to recover some of the planned activities for this month. To provide some flexibility for operations during the week, a replenishment was arranged for both ships with USNS ANDREW J. HIGGINS (Charles Becker -Master) for the evening of Tuesday 12. Rendezvous was effected at 1115 on that evening and at 1950 TORRENS commenced replenishing in moderate conditions. At 2045 the ship was struck an exceptionally large wave which swept the fo'c'sle and washed [redacted] over the side [redacted] was also injured by the wave, but was fortunate enough to remain on deck. All personnel were recovered into the sea boat within fifteen minutes, and of the men overboard, only Leading Seaman [redacted] was ~~uninjured. In view of the number of casualties sustained in this incident I abandoned the planned exercise programme. Once the casualties had been treated and made comfortable, TORRENS and STUART commenced a 25 knot fast passage to Hong Kong to land the personnel injured. My report on this incident is contained in my letter 1/17/1 dated 15 December 1989. STUART was detached to proceed independently to harbour. and TORRENS continued at high speed to berth at 1800, Wednesday 19 at TAMAR. The casualties were landed to the British Military Hospital on arrival.
(page 3)
Two of the casualties were released on Monday 18, and a third on Thursday 21. The remaining sailor, Able Seaman [redacted] was discharged from hospital on Friday 22 and returned to Australia by air on Saturday 30.
(note; no para 8.)
9. (U) TORRENS remained alongside at TAMAR until the end of the year................................................
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
R.E. SWINNERTON
Commander RAN
Commanding Officer