www.ran-skilledhands.net

Vale - Ian Wailes

Dear Colleagues,

it is my duty to inform you that our friend and ship mate Ian Wailes
has crossed the bar. Ian passed away on Tuesday evening after a
short illness. He was comforted by his wife Ruth, son Richard and
daughter Julie. Ian said at the end, "I have had a good life".

He was the President of the HMAS STUART and Scrap Iron Flotilla
Association for fifty years. Ian was a gentleman, respectful of
others and very well liked. He particularly enjoyed the company of
his ship mates. Many of us had the privilege of joining Ian and
several of his WWII veteran shipmates at the recent Scrap Iron Flotilla Association annual lunch.

Ian expressly requested a very private funeral with his immediate family only to attend.

Our thoughts are with Ruth, Richard and Julie and may the memory of Ian remain with us forever.

--
Terry Makings
Convenor
Scrap Iron Flotilla Association
STUART, VAMPIRE, VOYAGER, VENDETTA, WATERHEN

I have the sad duty to advise that Kimley Jon (Kim) Hickey passed away peacefully at home on 20th June in Cairns.

Kim was a Vietnam Veteran, having served in 1971 on HMAS SWAN as an LME, R96363. Kim did the Mechanician's course later in the 70's and I spent some time with him at NQEA in the late 90's on the Hydro Ships project.

Kim was a decent bloke and did his job at a million miles an hour.

His funeral will be held at the Uniting Church in Smithfield, Cairns, starting at 1:30 PM on 26th June.

Vale Kim, may you have calm seas and sunshine on your journey.

Sad to hear of Kim's passing, I served with Kim on a few postings including Nirimba, Stalwart and Cerberus. He was a pleasure to work with and I am sure he will be sadly missed by his family.

Taken far to soon. Fair winds and following seas Kim.

Jesus. I shared a house with Kim in the late 70's when he was a PO Mech on Yarra just before Yarra came out of the half life refit at CoDock.

We often say that members pass too soon.

This guy certainly fits the bill.

He was a hell of a guy and a true white man.

We were messmates when Barry Irons was Pres of the Mess. Barry also crossed the bar recently.

Sad days indeed... Vale Mate, my thoughts are with your family.

Vale - POWE James Whitelaw Cullen

Jimmyc, known to most as Blue or just Jim, is listed on the Pussers Greenies web site as having left for the Big Switchboard on the 12 of August 2012, the obituary in the Canberra Times on the 15 of August notes his funeral was held on the 17 of August.

Knew Jim when he was on Mandang and I was on Lae in PNG, had a couple of chats with him recently about that time.

Smooth seas, blue skies and fair winds Jim, my condolences to his family.

I regret to advise that David Ramsay died suddenly on the evening of 4 September while attending the current Ministerial talks in Jakarta as an advisor – he was working with the AusAID program. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Captain DJ Ramsay RAN (rtd), son of the late Commodore Sir James, served as a junior officer in BRISBANE 1970-1971, including the second gunline deployment, before joining the Fleet Air Arm where he was an A4 pilot.

Later he was commissioning XO of SUCCESS and subsequently CO. In the latter part of his career, he served as Naval Attaché in Jakarta and hence following his retirement from the Service he continued working with Indonesia.

As one of his yearmates, I mourn his loss – a fine man who has left us at too young an age (64).

Graham MacKinnell

David was the XO in Success during the period I served as Cargo Officer.
He was a good bloke. He had ocassion to give me stoppage of leave at one time and was dammed decent about it!!
Such a shame.

Pete, only one officer would say that of another officer, very pukkah.

PS Not the dying part, that is very sad, once again taken too young.

Here is the signal.

SUBJ: PASSING OF CAPT DAVID JOHN RAMSAY, OAM, RANR
1. NAVY IS SADDENED TO HEAR OF THE PASSING OF CAPT DAVID JOHN RAMSAY
ON 4 SEP 12.
2. CAPT RAMSAY JOINED THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL
COLLEGE IN JAN 63. HE WAS IN THE LAST GROUP OF
AUSTRALIANS TO UNDERGO TRAINING AT THE ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE, DARTMOUTH
IN ENGLAND BEFORE RETURNING TO COMPLETE HIS BRIDGE WATCHKEEPING
TRAINING IN HMAS BRISBANE DURING HER 1971 TOUR OF DUTY AS THE LAST
RAN SHIP TO OPERATE WITH THE US SEVENTH FLEET IN VIETNAM.
3. CAPT RAMSAY THEN UNDERWENT FLYING TRAINING WITH THE AIR FORCE
THROUGHOUT 1972 COMPLETING CONVERSION ON TO THE SKYHAWK AIRCRAFT IN
DEC 73. IN EARLY 1977 CAPT RAMSAY WAS THE RAN CONTINGENT OFFICER IN
THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA DURING THAT YEAR'S ROYAL TOUR.
4. IN DEC 79 CAPTAIN RAMSAY WAS POSTED TO EXCHANGE DUTY WITH
THE ROYAL NAVY, FLYING SEA HARRIERS THAT INCLUDED TRAINING AND TRIALS
DURING AND AFTER THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT.
5. CAPT RAMSAY RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA IN 1983 AND COMPLETED A NUMBER
OF STAFF AND SEA GOING POSTINGS.THESE INCLUDED COMMANDS OF BOTH HMAS
CRESWELL AND SUCCESS.
6. AFTER LEAVING HMAS SUCCESS IN 1993CAPT RAMSAY UNDERTOOK POST
GRADUATE STUDY BEFORE COMPLETING TWO CONSECUTIVE POSTINGS AS THE
NAVAL ATTACHE IN JAKARTA.
7. IN 1997, CAPT RAMSAY WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF THE
ORDER OF AUSTRALIA FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO NAVAL AVIATION LEADING
TO THE FORMATION OF COMMANDER AUSTRALIAN NAVAL AVIATION.
8. HE TRANSFERRED TO THE NAVAL RESERVE IN 2001 BEFORE JOINING THE
DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT WHERE HE HAD A NUMBER OF
ROLES IN JAKARTA. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ENHANCING THE STRONG
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR INDONESIAN
COUNTERPARTS. AS A TESTAMENT TO HIS COMMITMENT AND SKILLS, CAPT
RAMSAY WAS PRESENTED WITH THE SECRETARY’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN
2011.
9. THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOR CAPT RAMSAY WILL TAKE PLACE AT 1030 12
SEP 12 AT ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, 463 OXFORD STREET
SYDNEY.
10. A WAKE WILL FOLLOW AT THE WARDROOM, HMAS WATSON COMMENCING AT
1300. THOSE ATTENDING THE WAKE ARE ADVISED THAT PARKING IS VERY
LIMITED AT HMAS WATSON.
11. ON BEHALF OF THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING AND THE BROADER NAVY FAMILY
SINCERE CONDOLENCES ARE EXTENDED TO CAPT RAMSAY'S FAMILY AT THIS
DIFFICULT TIME.

Some more details.

SUBJ: PASSING OF CAPT DAVID JOHN RAMSAY, OAM, RANR
A. AUSNAVSTRATCOM WAA/WAU 070527Z SEP 12
1. AT REF A, FUNERAL DETAILS FOR CAPT DAVID RAMSAY WERE ADVISED.
2. IN ADDITION TO THAT ADVICE, CAPT RAMSAY'S FAMILY HAVE ASKED THAT
DONATIONS TO THE HEART FOUNDATION ARE REQUESTED IN LIEU OF FLOWERS.
DONATIONS CAN BE MADE VIA THE FOUNDATIONS WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
.HEARTFOUNDATION.ORG.AU) OR ENVELOPES WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE
FUNERAL.
3. DRESS FOR NAVY ATTENDEES IS W2 WITH MOURNING BRASSARD.