A True Story
By Lindsay W Hensby
Wave Incident HMAS Duchess 1972
Monday 6th of December
I was a crew member onboard HMAS Duchess amidships in the Tube Space. We were preparing for a Replenishment at sea (RAS) with HMAS Melbourne. The swell was large but didn't seem to cause any problems at this stage. As Duchess altered course to come in line on Melbourne's starboard side, the Distance line was sent across and some smaller waves were starting to break over the side washing the deck around us. I was a part of the Boson's Party and old Chief Petty Officer "Cordite Curran" was in charge of the RAS. We were just getting ready to bring the fuel line across when some larger waves started coming over the side onto the deck. From where I stood it looked like waves were bouncing off the Melbourne and then they would ricochet back to the Duchess. Suddenly "the Big One" hit. I remember looking up at it as it rose higher and higher. It looked like a giant wall that took up the whole length of the Tube Space and was at least ten metres high from the deck.
One sailor in particular was pushed along the deck and flew through the bottom railing and over the fish plates. He went overboard and was lost to my view. But he had grabbed hold to a length of rope that didn't seem to be attached to anything, it was just being swept along in the backwash, I dived for the rope and just grabbed the end of it.
A swirling mass of turbulence that roared as it surged its way towards us. The photograph (top right) was taken a couple of seconds after the wave had peaked and was on its downward fall. Everyone was looking at it, kind of transfixed. When the realisation set in of what was happening - it was too late. Everyone in the Tube Space was hit. I saw bodies washed around like rag dolls. Men struggling in an effort to grab on to something fixed down. Some made a run for it but still got engulfed by the wave.I was knocked against and onto the raised section in the Tube Space and at this point as I lay on my back I used my legs to hold myself in place. I could not see or hear anything other than the pounding of the wave. The wall of water was an incredible force, it blocked out all sounds and was unforgiving as it applied intense pressure upon me. As I later found out my back and the backs of both my legs were bruised. As I regained my senses I saw sailors being washed against the guard rails and over the side clinging frantically onto the guard rail from the outside.
Stoker being washed across the Tube Space, then over the side
Waves were still crashing around me as I stood there holding onto the rope with all the strength I could muster. There was weight on the rope, so I knew the salior was still hanging on. And I was dammed sure I was not letting go of this rope! I saw other sailors regain themselves and helping others up. Some had been clinging on to whatever they could - a piece of pipe, a ladder, a stanchion - anything which would have braced them from the full force of this freak wave. Then, as if someone had just turned the sound back on, I could hear shouting from behind and above me. I looked up, and there were officers looking down at me. These Officers were yelling at me... telling me to leave the Tube Space and go forward, all I could do was stand there holding the rope with more waves crashing around me. The Officers threatened me with Captains and Court-martials and disobeying direct orders when I didn't move. I thought to myself at the time, couldn't they see what I was doing, weren't they paying attention to what was happening.
Surely they could see me holding onto the rope with waves still crashing perilously around me, surely they must have thought I was doing it for a reason. But no, they were my superiors, better than me in every way and I was only 16.They could only see a low life ordinary seaman frozen to one spot probably too frightened to move. You would think that these almighty brave officers, at the very least, would try to help me, but no, they just kept on yelling their threats.
In the above photo on the left, you can actually see the sailor in the backwash of the wave being swept across the deck, going from left to right just before he went over the side. The sailor holding on to the pole can only just look at him as he held on with dear life.
The photo above on the right is a picture of myself , and as you can see there was not much of me to hold on to a six foot fully grown man.
The photo on the left is of James Hankey, he also just 16, along with his crew, were also hit by the backwash, and witnessed the sailor being washed overboard.
The photo on the right shows the sailor being helped onboard again, only after it was realised he was climbing back up the rope.
All I could think of was to keep holding on to the rope, it was heavy, it was hard and I was sore and weak from having the wind knocked out of me from the freak wave, and just as the sound was turned on it was turned off again. All the brave Officers went silent as a hand pulled itself up from over the side, on the rope which I was struggling to hold. He was a Stoker, he must have been 6 ft and looked like he weighed a ton he just stood up, soaking wet with a painful terrified look on his face, but he still managed to give me a wink and a thumbs up. I felt the biggest smile form across my face and felt elated and relieved at the same time, as I waved back in response I noticed my hands had been bleeding from the rope but neither did I mind nor did I care, he was safe, so off he went back inside the ship and I never saw him again, I never found out who he was and at the time it didn't matter. I checked and made sure that everyone was back on deck helping two more sailors who were clutching on to the Guard rails, then with the utmost of disrespect I turned towards my mentors and said...
"NOW....I will leave!"
In the photo to the left The RAS continued at this location forward.
Yes this is where I was ordered to go after the freak wave hit me. I was soaked through to the skin, I was in pain from being struck by the wave, my head was spinning and I was confused. The realisation of what had just happened was starting to sink in. I was numb and just going through the motions of the RAS, I can't even remember how it ended, but I do recall being helped into my hammock and just laying there, gradually I could feel the pain of what had just happened creep through every inch of my body. I couldn't move and I couldn't speak.I was physically,mentally and psychologically damaged. The experience has made a scar in my life, not only with the flickering memories haunting me, but that scar will slash deeper and deeper as I grow older.
It is sad to think that there has been no official record found of this event ever taking place and that nothing was ever mentioned in the ships log, other than, "the waves were getting a bit rough, so we moved forward." However, in recent findings in the Duchess ROPs, page 25 paragraph 14, it says it all, Page included below. In my opinion, being an officer there at the time and in doing a cowardly act of abusing someone who was risking his life, in such perilous conditions, to save a shipmate, guilt would have an overwhelming effect of keeping themselves silent forever.
In a strange way, I had not told anyone of this event until some thirty odd years after it had happened. I think we categorise these events in our lives as personal and shove them somewhere in the back of our minds - not quite forgotten but in the unimportant region of our memories. Sailor's onboard did what we did at the time because it was expected of us and yet we were made to think nothing of it. We injured ourselves and didn't complain at the time but years later we suffer from those injuries and in most cases that is our Legacy.
Possibly, the most interesting part of my tale is the photograph of the wave itself. I just happened to be talking to another sailor in a pub, about a month after the incident, and I was talking about the wave and he mentioned he was the official ships photographer aboard HMAS Melbourne and he had some photos of the wave breaking. I went with him onboard the Melbourne and he showed me a couple of photo's. I asked for a copy and he sold to me the two large photographs he had already developed. I still have the original photographs today, both of which I have used in this story. The third photograph was given to me by Peter (Bear) Garth. (now deceased)
There are stories to be told no matter how small or insignificant, so speak up. You never know, it could just be the spark that shines a whole new light on something lost in the dark - a missing piece to a puzzle that forms a picture of true events. The more we talk about our past enables us to reflect on these types of incidents and allows the truth to be told. We can't change the past - but we do forget to remember it! But that is what the government wants - for us to forget - so they don't have to compensate us.
The irony of it all is that I was informed recently that my old shipmates were trying to arrange for me to receive a bravery Medal, The Star of Gallantry, for risking ones own life in perilous conditions to save another. They were told that the statute of limitations had expired and it was no longer considered a brave deed. However it was alright for the powers to be to say "Help us!" and "Protect us!" when we were needed. So while we were defending our country, allowing its people to sleep safe at night, allowing its children to have a good education and its workforce and professional people to grow and prosper,everyone felt safe and secure.
But now in our time of need they all turn their backs on us and say "But that was a long time ago, its not like that anymore. That couldn't have happens to you. Prove It."
WELL HERE IS THE PROOF!
This is an excerpt from HMAS Duchess Report of Proceedings, (ROP). RCDIG1074147 page 125.
As you can see in parragraph 14, it clearly states," heavy seas which occasionally broke over the tube space."
However, there is a mention of a large wave and other large waves "as the attached photo shows, can produce waves of quite alarming and dangerous size." Which subsequently washed sailors overboard, and injured many others who participated in the refueling, off Jervis Bay.
This is not uncommon with Duchess ROP's, there was also a mention that eight ordinary seamen enjoyed a sailing expedition to the Hawkesbury, myself included.
What was failed to be mentioned, was that the sailing boat I was on, hit a sand bar, capsized, broke the main mast and rudder, in which we all nearly drowned.
Story by Gordon Spear
Its been many years since I last had the guts to think about it but.... Well there isn't much else to add to Lindsays version, other than my own personal thoughts/memories.
I was working on the forecastle with P.O. Terry Dacks mob, when we were told to go down to the tube space and assist with a R.A.S. (replenishment at sea). This particular replenishment being fuel. (F.F.O.), heavy fuel oil that fuelled the boilers looked kind of like tar. For any ex officer reading this, here is what we were supposed to do.
By way of two coxswains, (drivers), one of an air craft carrier with a DEFINITE DISLIKE for DARING CLASS DESTROYERS near Jervis Bay, and the coxswain of the Duchess not even able to see from his helm, keeping the same distance apart for a long time EXACTLY, and the only way of keeping us that way is a bloody rope being held onto by 17 yr old kids.
Thank god this happened in the dark ages....those in charge should have been hanged.
The way I remember it is....holding onto a rope behind Gav Ryan. No big deal until the rope was yanked out of my hand, a scream of male voices and a rush of thousands of gallons of water trying to burst through the gap in the superstructure of our destroyer we knew as the "tube space", where once torpedo tubes were mounted.
I lost my grip, I was pushed from my feet. I waited for my face to hit the steel deck of the destroyer...it never happened because at the same time I was propelled backwards through the water. Losing my breath I pulled at the short string with my right hand......much like a builders string line........my life jacket inflated and I was once again out in the fresh air. Flailing around in the water, I grabbed with my left arm, the first solid object I saw....an unfamiliar object, but nevertheless better than any other option at the time. Suddenly I could hear noises again, and I mean noises, not voices, all was too confused, until I heard very clearly a voice...yelling...loud..
"Let go of my f....ing leg you little c..., you'll kill us both." The unfamiliar object was my mates ankle...I was holding on in fear and he was sliding over with me.
Till the day I die I will never forget the voice, as he kicked me free sending my arm through the bottom rail with the rest of me, dipping in and out of the ocean. I can remember, and I don't know why, but I remember thinking, "If I go into the sea, the propellers will mash me to bits." I know who he was, and so does he, and we have spoken about it. He has been damaged for life by this and other similar reasons.
Rex also went for an unexpected dip that day and he said once again today, that had it not been for B.J., he may well be dead. Rex did not have a lifejacket, as he was a stoker, ill equipped for the uppers. Oh yeah...to top it all off, some bloody wanker officer charged me a 116 (reimburse cost) for the price of a gas cylinder from the life jacket.
Hey if you are reading this Mr Officer....stand and be recognised. That sort of "carry on" was not liked. It was "bullying" I don't like bullies ever, even now. I only like bullies for breakfast with milk and lots of sugar. But I have to spit out the crap.
Story by Kevin Ward
I remember the incident alright. I was standing at the diving store which was port side, just outside the door into the main superstructure, anyway I was in the tube space, but had moved back to the diving store, cannot remember why?.. but I was facing aft when the wave hit, and the only thing I can think of (and it always stuck in my mind - but I didn't realise till I read the story and what a huge drama it was). Anyway like I said the only thing I could think of to describe it is being in one of those glass tubes at the aquarium at the zoo or seaworld, my vision just turned aqua blue, but I could see thru it, and I saw all the bodies going everywhere like it was glass, just a flash a few seconds. then all the running around trying to help people up, and pull the few back on board that went thru the rails. anyway thats my memories of the incident.
regards Killer
The new photos that have come to light are numbered 1,2 and 3.
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copyright (c) Lindsay Hensby 2006
Wave Incident HMAS Duchess 1972