Commodore John Raymond Da Costa
John Raymond Da Costa was born in Alberton, South Australia. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy from Flinders Park, South Australia, on 2 April 1955 for an initial period of six years as a non-commissioned Naval Airman (Aircrew), undertaking his initial training at HMAS Cerberus, Westernport, Victoria. Prior to enlistment, he had already obtained his Private Pilot’s Licence while completing six months National Service training in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Laverton, Victoria.
From 11 July 1955 until 24 August 1956, John was seconded to RAAF Bases Uranquinty and Point Cook to undertake military flying training on Tiger Moth and Wirraway aircraft, earning his wings at RAAF Point Cook on 22 August 1956. On that date he was also appointed an Acting Sub Lieutenant, accepting a seven year Short Service Commission (Supplementary List) in the Permanent Naval Forces.
Following completion of the Short Service Officers Course, including a brief stint in the Tribal Class destroyer HMAS Warramunga, John undertook further training at HMAS Albatross, Naval Air Station Nowra in NSW, the home of the Australian Fleet Air Arm. There, on 26 November 1956, he joined 851 Squadron for conversion to the Fairey Firefly Trainer and AS Mk6 aircraft before joining 805 Squadron on 1 February 1957 for Operational Flying School (OFS) on the Hawker Sea Fury FB Mk11.
A series of postings over the next two years saw him flying Sea Furies (ashore) on 805 Squadron, followed by a posting to 724 Squadron, the fixed wing training and conversion squadron, for a jet aircraft conversion course on the de Havilland Vampire Mk T34 and T22 trainers. This was followed by a Night Fighter OFS on the de Havilland all-weather Sea Venom FAW Mk53.
Promoted Lieutenant on 23 July 1958, he joined the Front Line 805 Squadron, then re-formed with Sea Venoms, on 1 December 1958 and embarked in the Majestic Class Light Fleet Carrier HMAS Melbourne between 10 February and 8 December 1959. He continued flying Sea Venoms on the Second Line 724 Squadron until 20 June 1960.
On 25 July 1960, Lieutenant Da Costa joined 723 Squadron and commenced helicopter pilot conversion training to fly utility helicopters, chiefly in a search and rescue (SAR) role. The RAN helicopters in service at that time were Bristol Sycamore HR 50 and 51s. Once qualified, his 723 Squadron postings over the next two years fluctuated between NAS Nowra and the SAR Helicopter Flight in HMAS Melbourne when the fixed-wing Squadrons embarked for operational deployments.
A Bristol Sycamore helicopter of the type operated by HMAS Melbourne (II) in a search and rescue role.
723 Squadron also flew Firefly Mk 6 aircraft, converted to the Target-towing role for Fleet gunnery practice. As part of the Navy’s development programme for the Ikara anti-submarine missile, a scale model of the missile-body was attached to a Firefly. 723 Squadron pilots, including Lieutenant Da Costa, flew the aircraft from Avalon airfield in Victoria for trials of the torpedo release mechanism over Port Philip Bay.
On 2 January 1963, John accepted a permanent commission in the RAN and during the year completed a number of Squadron Command qualification courses, having rejoined 724 Squadron in July 1963. In furtherance of the Ikara development programme, a full-scale replica of the Ikara body was attached to a Sea Venom wing. Lieutenant Da Costa flew this aircraft to and from the Woomera Range in South Australia for final torpedo release trials.
In mid-1964, he travelled to the United Kingdom to undertake a Royal Navy Air Warfare Instructor’s Course for fighter pilots on 764 Squadron at the Royal Naval Air Station at Lossiemouth, Scotland.
In 1964 Lieutenant Da Costa was selected to undertake a Royal Navy Air Warfare Instructor course at RNAS Lossiemouth, UK. L-R: Lieutenant Alan Hickling, RN (later RAN), Lieutenant Tom Cridland, RN, Lieutenant Adrian Tuck, RN and Lieutenant John Da Costa.
On returning to Australia at the end of November 1964, Lieutenant Da Costa initially returned to 724 Squadron before joining 816 (Gannet) Squadron in 1965 as the Officer-in-Charge of its B Flight of Sea Venoms. This appointment saw him embark in HMAS Melbourne from time to time over the next 18 months. On 28 April 1966, he was involved in a tragic accident when landing on HMAS Melbourne. Piloting Sea Venom 866 (WZ 900) and having successfully “trapped”, the arrestor gear parted during the pull-out, resulting in the aircraft having neither adequate speed to regain flight or to come to a halt by applying the aircraft’s brakes. Realising the aircraft would ditch the order to eject was given by the pilot. Although John survived the accident, unfortunately his Observer, Lieutenant Ted Kennell RAN, did not.
In January 2002, in an email to the Editor of Slipstream magazine, he recalled:
Of course I had no idea what was going on behind me; all that I knew was that the aircraft was no longer decelerating and that there was insufficient deck remaining to stop by use of brakes, so I instinctively hit the throttle wide open.
With respect to ejecting and being in the water, he wrote:
As the aircraft struck the water, I ejected. After a violent tumbling ride, I entered the water, very hard, and more by training instinct than anything, inflated my Mae West and separated myself from the parachute harness...My next trauma was when the SAR [helicopter] came to hover overhead to winch me up. The downwash inflated my parachute canopy which began to drag me, semi-submerged, away from the helicopter. Apparently I was still entangled with a parachute shroud line which, fortunately, I was able to lift it over my head and come to the ‘Ho’ again, as did the SAR chopper. Once I was in the rescue strop, I released my dinghy pack, and was winched up.
An RAN Sea Venom launches from HMAS Melbourne (II).
Temporarily unfit to fly after the Sea Venom ditching, Lieutenant Da Costa was posted additional to HMAS Penguin for treatment of his fractured ankle. Promoted Lieutenant Commander on 23 July 1966, he returned to HMAS Albatross as Staff Officer to Commander (Air) on 1 August before returning to 724 Squadron on 14 November as Senior Pilot.
For the first five months of 1967 John and fellow pilot Lieutenant Graeme 'Dusty' King were attached to the US Navy’s VA125 Attack Squadron located at NAS Lemoore, California, where they trained on Douglas A4 Skyhawk jets. Their flying training culminated with day and night deck-landing qualifications on the Carrier USS Kearsage off the Californian coast. The RAN had selected the Douglas A4G variant to replace the aging Sea Venoms, placing an initial order for 10 with delivery expected the following year.
John found that the US Navy training syllabus entirely met the RAN’s needs. He also commented on the cultural shock of being in a squadron of 100 aircraft commanded by a Captain as opposed to an RAN squadron comprising just 6-10 aircraft and being commanded by a Lieutenant Commander. However, the openness and support with which the two pilots, and other RAN technical personnel, were treated by USN personnel ensured that they were not ‘short-changed’ in any way during their attachment.
Upon returning to Australia in July, John re-joined 724 Squadron as the Senior Pilot before taking up a short term appointment in Navy Office on 31 July within the Directorate of Naval Aviation Policy. There he helped oversee the introduction of the A4Gs that were delivered later that year. On 16 October he re-joined HMAS Albatross as part of the advance party for the re-formation of 805 Squadron and as its Commanding Officer designate.
805 Squadron recommissioned on 10 January 1968 as the RAN Skyhawk OFS. Despite the enthusiasm of all concerned, the first course, comprising six pilots, took longer than anticipated due to a lack of spare parts necessary to sustain A4 operations, an aspect the RAN had underestimated in establishing an adequate logistics pipeline. The training was further hampered by ongoing modifications to HMAS Melbourne that prevented her from being available for flight deck operations. This aspect of the course was completed in late October by using the deck of HMS Hermes that was in Australia for a combined exercise with the RAN and RAAF. Consequently, Lieutenant Commander Da Costa, as the OFS Commanding Officer, had the distinction of being the first RAN Skyhawk pilot to complete an A4 deck landing in Australian waters.
An RAN A4G about to launch from the deck of HMS Hermes. This was the first occasion on which the new RAN A4Gs had arrested and launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Hermes was at that time operating in waters off the NSW coast near Jervis Bay.
On 2 December 1968, Lieutenant Commander Da Costa was reposted as CO 724 Squadron (without changing his office) which then continued responsibility for Skyhawk OFS training. He remained there for a further seven months before again being appointed in command of 805 Squadron on 28 July 1969 which by then was the front line operational A4 Squadron.
Left: Lieutenant Commander John Da Costa while CO of 724 Squadron, February 1969. Right: An A4G about to arrest on HMAS Melbourne (II).
L-R: Lieutenant Commander Da Costa with fellow A4G pilots Lieutenant Ralph McMillan, Lieutenant Gary Northern and Lieutenant Dave Collingridge. The camaradarie of the A4 pilots was reflected in the flying suit patch worn by many of them.
The following year John joined HMAS Queenborough on 24 July 1970 where he attained his Bridge Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificates that were necessary for future promotion and command appointments. For a period he also served as the ship’s Navigating Officer.
Promoted Commander on 30 June 1971, John embarked in HMAS Melbourne as the Air Group Commander of 805, 816 and 817 Squadrons. Due to a medical 'grounding', at the beginning of March 1973 he was posted to the Staff of the Flag Officer Commanding East Australia Area, remaining in that position for 33 months as, variously, the Command Personal Services Officer, Deputy Chief Staff Officer (Admin) and Command Aviation Officer. A posting to HMAS Albatross followed on 2 January 1975 as Commander (Air) followed by HMAS Melbourne on 9 February 1976 as Commander (Air) and Fleet Aviation Officer. In January 1978, Commander Da Costa was posted as a Staff Officer in the Service Laboratories and Trials Division of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation in Canberra where he remained for the next 13 months. After leave he assumed command of HMAS Kuttabul on 28 November 1980 before “walking across the waters of Sydney Harbour” to command HMAS Penguin on 30 June 1981 on promotion to Captain.
Captain John Da Costa shares a light hearted moment with the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sir James Willis, circa 1981.
At the beginning of 1984, Captain Da Costa was posted to Navy Office as the Director Naval Personal Services. On 30 June that year John was invited to accompany the last CO of 805 Squadron, Lieutenant Commander John Hamilton, to fly in Skyhawk Trainer 880 on its last flight in the RAN before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The flight was of special significance to Captain Da Costa as he had been at the controls of the same aircraft when, on 13 December 1967, it became the first A4 to be flown in Australia.
RAN Skyhawk 880 is now preserved on display at the RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra, NSW.
Promoted Acting Commodore on 13 January 1986 John was appointed Director General Naval Personal Services and confirmed in that rank two years later. In his final Canberra postings, Commodore Da Costa served the entire period in the Naval Personal Services Branch. On 6 July 1989, after 34 years full time service, he retired from the permanent Navy and transferred to the Emergency List (Reserves).
In retirement, John served for 10 years as a member of the Veterans Review Board, a statutory authority established to consider appeals submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ in connection with Veterans and War Widows pension decisions. Since retirement, John also served as the Vice-President of the Naval Officers Club for some 15 years.
John is remembered by many as one of several naval aviators who was instrumental in training future generations of RAN frontline A4G fighter-bomber pilots.
A member of the flight deck party prior to the launch of a Skyhawk from the deck of HMAS Melbourne (II). (Courtesy of artist Mr John Ford)
