Kookaburra2011
March-April 1958: HMAS QUEENBOROUGH and HMAS QUICKMATCH at Noumea. Graeme Andrews Collection.
3810. In late March 1958, the converted 'Q' Class fast anti-submarine frigates HMAS QUEEMBOROUGH and HMAS QUICKMATCH left Sydney on a one-month cruise to Lord Howe Island, Brisbane, Noumea, Norfolk Island, Auckland, and Wellington.
During this cruise, according to Trevor Weaver's book 'Q Class Destroyers and Frigates of the Royal Australian Navy' [1994] the frigates embarked Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [CSIRO] researchers performing ocean water quality tests on passage [p159].
HMAS QUEENBOROUGH also dumped obsolete ammunition en route to Noumea. Weaver doesn't tell us if the ships were conducting ocean water quality tests and dumping obsolete ammunition at the same time, but this would not be totally inconsistent with the Navy.
'...Hmmm, I say Smithers, there's a strange sulphuric taste to this current off Noumea. Methinks we've found ourselves an undersea volcano ...'
Photo: Collection of Graeme Andrews, RAN 1955-1968, RANR 1980. From a private disc, with permission.
March-April 1958: HMAS QUEENBOROUGH and HMAS QUICKMATCH at Noumea. Graeme Andrews Collection.
3810. In late March 1958, the converted 'Q' Class fast anti-submarine frigates HMAS QUEEMBOROUGH and HMAS QUICKMATCH left Sydney on a one-month cruise to Lord Howe Island, Brisbane, Noumea, Norfolk Island, Auckland, and Wellington.
During this cruise, according to Trevor Weaver's book 'Q Class Destroyers and Frigates of the Royal Australian Navy' [1994] the frigates embarked Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [CSIRO] researchers performing ocean water quality tests on passage [p159].
HMAS QUEENBOROUGH also dumped obsolete ammunition en route to Noumea. Weaver doesn't tell us if the ships were conducting ocean water quality tests and dumping obsolete ammunition at the same time, but this would not be totally inconsistent with the Navy.
'...Hmmm, I say Smithers, there's a strange sulphuric taste to this current off Noumea. Methinks we've found ourselves an undersea volcano ...'
Photo: Collection of Graeme Andrews, RAN 1955-1968, RANR 1980. From a private disc, with permission.