HMAS

Darwin - Part 2

Left: Darwin prepares to board the MV Mansoural in the Red Sea, circa May 1992. Right: Darwin in calm waters of the Red Sea in May 1992.

Darwin was to average between three to four boarding operations per day over the course of the deployment conducting simultaneous insertions using up to three boarding teams at any given time. When she departed the AO on 16 July, some 296 boarding operations had been successfully conducted with 14 ships found to be in breach of UNSC sanctions. Darwin arrived home, via Karachi, Singapore, Darwin and Brisbane, on 14 August at which time the ship entered a leave and extended maintenance period as she prepared to take on a new role as a training ship. The concept was subsequently abandoned and instead it was decided to home port her in Western Australia. Most of the ensuing twelve months was spent undergoing maintenance including a period in Captain Cook dry dock, Garden Island, Sydney.

1993

In February 1993 Darwin's crew received formal advice that the frigate was to be home ported at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. She returned to sea on 28 July 1993 for trials and defect rectification before commencing workup exercises on 20 September. Towards the end of October she underwent further modifications to accommodate the new 7.4 metre Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) which would prove its worth in future operations, and prepare designated mess decks for the advent of full integration of women at sea.

Left: Darwin at sea in October 1993. Right: Darwin launching a standard missile in the East Australian Exercise Area (EAXA) on 5 October 1993.

Darwin departed Sydney on 11 December and arrived in her new home port at HMAS Stirling on 18 December having conducted a surveillance of the Bass Strait oil rigs en route.

Darwin arriving at HMAS Stirling, in Western Australia, on 18 December 1993 as the second guided missile frigate to be home ported at Fleet Base West. 

1994

Darwin visited Fremantle on 7 January 1994 and two days later embarked more than 200 guests for the re-start of the Whitbread Round-the-World Yacht Race. This was followed by a return visit to eastern Australian waters in February to participate in the scheduled Fleet Concentration Period which concluded with a fleet entry into Sydney Harbour on 3 March.

Darwin operating in Sydney Harbour during March 1994.

She visited Melbourne from 11 to 15 March in between Bass Strait oil rig surveillances duties and returned to Sydney on 17 March to prepare for her forthcoming Pacific Ocean deployment. Darwin departed Australian waters for Hawaii, via Lautoka, Fiji, on 23 April in company with HMA Ships Sydney (IV), Hobart (II) and Success (II). She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 May and began preparations for Exercise RIMPAC 94 which began on 23 May. Around 25,000 service personnel from Australia, the USA, South Korea, Japan and Canada took part.

Darwin in company with HMA Ships Sydney (IV), Hobart (II) and Success (II) in April 1994 on their way to Exercise RIMPAC 94.

On completion of the exercise she departed Hawaii on 23 June arriving back in Sydney on 9 July having called at Noumea, New Caledonia en route. From Sydney she took a northerly route back to Stirling, visiting Townsville and Darwin where the ship’s company exercised their right to Freedom of Entry to the City of Darwin on 29 July to celebrate the ship’s tenth birthday. She arrived back at Stirling on 5 August.

The frigate resumed the normal routine programme of exercises, training and maintenance in September 1994. She participated in Exercise SANDGROPER 94 in October before visiting eastern Australian and Tasmanian waters in November.

In the morning of 29 December Darwin was ordered to sail in search of solo yachtswoman Isabelle Autissier, a competitor in the BOC Challenge Around-The-World solo yacht race. Autissier’s yacht, Ecureuil Poitou Charentes 2, had been completely dismasted and suffered extensive damage the previous day following a full 360 degree rollover leaving Autissier adrift and at the mercy of seas of up to ten metres and 50-60 knot winds. With her communications equipment destroyed, Autissier activated her Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon triggering the search and rescue effort.

The yacht was first located by RAAF Hercules C130 and Orion P3C aircraft which air dropped supplies to her, including radio equipment. With that, she was able to advise that she was safe and that the yacht would likely survive until Darwin could reach her.

With nearly half the crew on Christmas leave, a recall was issued and Darwin was ready to sail on the afternoon of the 29th with the shortfall in her regular crew made up by personnel loaned from other units at Stirling. On the other side of the country, 816 Squadron was going through a similar process at HMAS Albatross in preparing a Seahawk aircraft and crew for a 14-hour trans-Australia flight and rendezvous with Darwin 150nm south of Albany.

1995

The weather had abated by the time Darwin reached the stricken yacht some 800nm south south west of Adelaide in the very early hours of New Year’s Day. The rescue proceeded without complication. The Seahawk launched at 3:15am and was vectored to the yacht by a P3C Orion. An aircrewman was then lowered by winch to the yacht where he secured Autissier before both were lifted to safety. The aircraft landed back on board at 4:05am. Autissier later walked around the ship personally thanking all the crew members she met. The following morning the Seahawk flew Autissier to RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. Darwin arrived back at Stirling on 5 January 1995 after a 3000nm round trip.

Rescue of the French yachtswoman Isabelle Autissier in the Southern Ocean by HMAS Darwin.

The rescue received media coverage around the world and, similarly, congratulatory messages were received from across the globe. One of Autissier's sponsors, GH Mumm, donated 77 bottles of cognac to Darwin and the RAAF in appreciation of their efforts.

Darwin resumed her training, exercise and routine maintenance programme following the rescue. She conducted trials for the Karriwarra Towed Array Sonar System in February and later participated in Exercise KAKADU II, which involved more than 5000 sailors and airmen from eight countries, in northern Australian waters in March. She then visited Sydney in May and Melbourne in June before taking part in Exercise RISING STARS and returning to Stirling on 14 June.

Five of the RAN's six guided missile frigates, including HMAS Darwin, during Exercise KAKADU II in northern Australian waters, 26 March 1995.

On 24 July Darwin deployed for South East Asia calling at her namesake city where the ship's company again exercised the right to Freedom of Entry on 31 July before participating in Exercise KANGAROO 95 in early August. On 13 August she transferred five tonnes of medical stores to Denpasar on behalf of Rotary International before visiting Jakarta for the 50th Anniversary of Indonesian independence where she took part in a fleet review of 55 warships representing 22 countries. She then went on to visit Davao, Penang, Pulau Tioman, Singapore, Phuket and Surabaya, before taking part in Exercises STARFISH, IADS ADEX and SINGAROO, and passage exercises with the USS Independence Battle Group.

The frigate arrived back at Stirling on 13 November having participated in Exercise MARITIME GUARD en route from Surabaya. She immediately began preparations for a refit which would keep her alongside for six months. In between shore-based training, the crew took the opportunity to conduct fundraising exercises for the ship's charities.

1996

HMAS Darwin cuts through the calm waters of the Eastern Australia Exercise Area in 1996.

Darwin returned to sea for acceptance trials on 29 May 1996 resuming a pattern of exercising, training and maintenance the following month. She visited the east coast from June to October for further trials and workup exercises, conducting an Operation ESTES patrol of the Bass Strait oil rig area en route, and visiting Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle. However, the exercises were delayed when several personnel fell ill after exposure to what was suspected to be hydrogen sulphide gas on 13 September. Ten crew members were admitted to Balmoral Naval Hospital with seven remaining overnight for observation. All were released the next day with no residual effects apparent. An investigation of, and alterations to, the ship's sewage and drainage system were consequently made. Darwin returned to Stirling on 9 October.

Between October and the end of the year Darwin visited her namesake city, Broome, the Monte Bello Islands and Geraldton before commencing Christmas leave.

1997

1997 saw Darwin proceed to the EAXA to participate in the annual Fleet Concentration Period in February. She also conducted trials in the Tasman Sea before visiting Geelong in early March. She returned to Fleet Base West on 14 March having conducted passage exercises with the USS Kittyhawk Battle Group en route.

On 2 April Darwin deployed for Asian waters and over the next four months visited Penang, Pulau Tioman, Kuantan, Singapore, Sattahip, San Fernando, Kure, Pusan and Surabaya, before taking part in Exercises FLYING FISH and SINGAROO as well as other fleet and passage exercises. She arrived in Darwin on 24 July in time for Exercise KAKADU III arriving back at Stirling, via Port Hedland, on 25 August where, excepting a period of trials in October, she entered a leave and maintenance period.

1998

Darwin returned to eastern Australian waters for the February 1998 Fleet Concentration Period and later took part in trials conducted by DSTO in South Australian waters in March.

In the morning of 5 May, while Darwin was conducting exercises with HMA Ships Adelaide (II), Sydney (IV) and Success (II) in the vicinity of Rottnest Island, a signal was received stating that HMAS Westralia (II) had suffered a fire in her main machinery space shortly after leaving Fremantle and was in need of urgent assistance. All four ships came to Westralia's aid with Darwin providing medical assistance. Tragically, four members of Westralia's ship's company lost their lives in the incident sending shock waves throughout the fleet.

HMA Ships Darwin, Melbourne and Perth alongside Bravo Pier at Pearl Harbor Naval Base during Exercise RIMPAC 98.

On 27 May Darwin set course for Sydney, conducting an Operation ESTES patrol en route, before proceeding to Hawaii to participate in Exercise RIMPAC 98 in company with HMA Ships Perth (II), Melbourne (III) and Success (II). The task group arrived at Pearl Harbor on 22 June before sailing for the sea phase of RIMPAC which commenced on 10 July and concluded on 31 July. The task group departed for home on 10 August detaching Darwin on 21 July to participate in Exercise NORTHERN ENCOUNTER in the Coral Sea. She arrived back at Stirling, via Sydney, on 5 September and commenced preparations for a refit.

The Fleet oiler USS Cimarron conducts a replenishment at sea with HMAS Success flanked by HMAS Perth and HMAS Darwin during Exercise RIMPAC 98.

With the ship alongside for maintenance 12 members of Darwin's ship's company took the opportunity to conduct a week long, 2044km cycle trip around the south west of Western Australia, raising more than $5000 for the Princess Margaret Hospital. It was a fitting end to a busy year.

1999

On 22 February 1999 Darwin began sea trials before undertaking workup exercises in the last week of April. She visited Darwin late in July and later participated in Exercise KAKADU 99 in early August. Upon completion of KAKADU on 12 August, Darwin proceeded in company with HMA Ships Anzac (III) and Brisbane (II) for South East Asian waters and participation in Exercise STARDEX 99. The task group visited Jakarta and Singapore, and was preparing for STARDEX when Darwin was recalled to Darwin to stand by for a potential deployment to East Timor. While en route a major defect was discovered in a gas turbine requiring a change out of the 1A Main Engine Gas Turbine at the start of September.

HMAS Darwin in northern Australian waters in 1999.

East Timor - Operations SPITFIRE and WARDEN

HMAS Darwin at flying stations off Dili, East Timor in late 1999.

With the new gas turbine tested successfully, Darwin departed Darwin on 6 September becoming the first RAN vessel to pre-position for Operation SPITFIRE, the ADF operation to evacuate Australian nationals from East Timor consequent to civil unrest following the East Timorese independence referendum in August. Darwin was stationed to the southeast of East Timor before joining other units for Operation WARDEN during which she performed patrol, escort and guard ship duties as required. Apart from a three day visit to Darwin at the end of September, she remained in the East Timor Area of Operations until 2 November at which time she was released. Darwin arrived back at Stirling five days later having rescued four yachtsmen from their disabled yacht, Irish Hurricane, by helicopter en route. She then entered a leave and maintenance period.

In early November 1999 HMAS Darwin came to the aid of the stricken yacht, Irish Hurricane, that had run aground on the Western Australian coast.

• HMAS Darwin - Part 3