www.ran-skilledhands.net

Seejay wrote:Ken's service was held this morning, and he was farewelled in fine style with uniformed sailors carrying his Ensign-draped casket. When he left the church, the cortege was preceded by a guard of honour of his Nirimba term peers.

A good service.

Good bye Ken
Viv

This tribute to Ken, written by Ex-MOBI (Chippy) CMDR Stan Sheldon, has been circulating via e-mail:

All,

It is with great sadness that I have to advise that I received a signal at work today notifying the funeral arrangements of the late Ken Stone. An extract from the signal is attached below. As you should be able to remember, Ken was one of the great MOBI characters at NIRIMBA in our time.

Ken has not been well for some time - I believe that he suffered from cancer.

Ken spent his later years at HMAS CAIRNS where he was responsible for the maintenance of all Minor War Vessels home ported at Cairns and Darwin. He was highly respected at all levels in the RAN for his high levels of energy he applied to his work and his engineering knowledge.

I was associated professionally with Ken for many years and found him to be one of most dedicated and professional officers that I ever served with. I had the pleasure to visit his home on several occasions and found him and his wife to be most gracious hosts.

The world is going to be a much sadder place without Ken Stone.

Stan (Sheldon)

Err ... I believe I put that info on the previous page Rick. The signal that went out to Defence ...

Cheers,
Bobcat

I believe you posted the official Defence signal Bobcat, my post was from a personal e-mail circulating from CMDR Stan Sheldon... H.C.

I was one of the 35 others who joined up with Ken, January 1961, and who served with Ken for the first five and a half years, Nirimba and Melbourne. As with any group of people there were the inevitable personallity clashes, but I can't remember Ken being involved in any of them. I always focus on peoples positives and Ken had too many to list here.
I would like to share a couple of stories with you, and anyone who knew Ken will appreciate them I'm sure. The first incident involved our joining the Melbourne, January 1965. It was a very exciting time, joining our first sea draft and the RAN flag ship, so one can be excused for wondering how the following could happen. How could anyone be adrift? Somehow Ken managed it. I thought that it was two days, but the passing of time may have made it seem longer than it was. The other story involved a run ashore in Hong Kong. Ken was comming back on board and had half an hour or so to wait for Harcourt Gate to open, so being a very wise and economical young chippy, as most are of course, decided to spend the time resting. He must have a hard night as he was soon sound asleep. Ken woke with a start to find one of the locals going through his pockets. Quick as a flash Ken rose to apprehend him only to end up face down on the lawn. His shoe laces had been tied together. It was a disappointed would be thief that escaped as Ken's loot was cunningly hidden.
For our 40th reunion John Simmons asked that a potted history of each individual of the 10th intake be written. John then organised these into book form. Great forethought John.
As we pass through life we have influence on others, and so Ken will live on in those that he came in contact with over the years.
RIP Ken
Roger

It was with great sadness that I heard of Ken Stone's passing away. I served with Ken in Supply in 78,79 and we were stepping oppo's. I was looking forward to seeing Ken and Pam in Canberra next week, sadly now not to be. As robv said earlier in this thread, "To all you folks out there, if you get a chance to catch up with someone from your past , do it . Dont put it off. I'm certainly not going to from now on."
Ken had a very dry but wicked sense of humor, one time when Supply was in Hobart we decided to do a "culture run", hire a car and look at the historical aspects of that fair southern state, ( and in the afternoon...). We lobbed up to the local car rental agency and said "Can we have a car please?" Apparently, an RN ship had been in just previously and had played merry hell with their cars. So the sweet young thing behind the counter said, "I'll have to charge you a $100 deposit" (late seventies dollars mind). Ken said "Thats a bit steep, isn't it?" Things got a bit heated but finally Ken said "OK, and I'll be paying by Bankcard". You could actually hear the wind leaving sweet young thing's sails.
Farewell Ken, fair winds and following seas. Our thoughts are with Pam and family.

A couple of thinngs from Ken's service showed the dignity he kept until the end.

The civilian padre (he also had a navy padre) mentioned Ken's touch of delirium towards the end, and how he woke with a start having to go and store ship. Then, sometime later, he looked at his family and visitors and said 'I'm going to sleep now. I won't wake. Thankyou for coming.'

His family said that he would now be happy to be reunited with daughter Monique (Demelza's twin), who passed away as an infant.

I received this e-mail today and thought some of our members may have known Greg.

It is my sad duty to inform you that in the early hours of this morning
(Thursday 11May 2006) that Greg Murray passed away peacefully in his
sleep after a short battle with cancer, aged 42.

The funeral arrangements are yet to be announced but he will be buried in
Cessnock probably Monday or Tuesday next week. I will forward details on
this as soon as they are known, plus authentication for inclusion on the
Big Switchboard.

I last saw Greg about 6 weeks ago when I visited him in Cessnock and he was
at peace with himself. His family have asked to widely disseminate this
information as they are keen for a large navy presence at his funeral.

Mick Sharp
ex-CPOETS
07. 3715.5383

I noticed a listing in the Last Post section of the latest issue of Reveille.

Bovill G.J. R43267

I checked the Skilled Hands at Sea and found a listing in the 21st intake of July 66:

Bovil D.J.

The intake timing and O/N are about right for it to be the same person. I didn't know the bloke but somebody else may be able to confirm or deny.

RIP

I was in Greg's intake.
I haven't seen him since the Niribba days.
Condolences to his family.

Think you have the wrong bloke, Tsunami. Greg, as a POETS, was at Great Lakes in 1990 doing a Mk 68 and SPG- 53F gun system course while I was doing a GMLS Mk 13 course. We then spent a couple of years on the HOBART together. He was a great bloke. He had a great rapport with his troops. So sad at only 42.