Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

G'day Mac,

I have been looking at your J-Boats page ("AE 1, AE 2, and J Class Submarines in The Royal Australian Navy") on and off for the past month and have found it excellent for filling in a few blanks in my father's career. Believe it or not it was only last night that I went to your
home page!

Now for a brief intro. Michael (Mike) Calder (Phillip Year 1945) son of N K  (Tusky) Calder (First Entry 1913); finished my days as "Droggie" in 1982. But with  your passion for naval history you probably know that already ;-).

Having just found your profound knowledge of naval history I seek your assistance in trying to get the facts on another aspect of my father's career. So what am I on about?

My father was posted between June 10, 1932 and January 19, 1934 to HMAS CANBERRA. Of this period I have written:-

"Tusky" was again serving at sea and had been posted to HMAS CANBERRA as Squadron (T) Officer. It is understood that there was a minor "mutiny" of some sort during the commission. I have never found out what it was all about but understand that the Captain was not onboard and the "sit-down strike" was directed at either the Commander or the First Lieutenant. Knowing my father's authoritarian attitude he may well have been involved although he said not. Mum says that when he returned home to Sydney he said that his career was "finished" as a result.

Whether his career was affected by this incident I do not know but the fact is that he was transferred to the Auxiliary Services in 1937 and I have written this:

Tusky was posted between September 17, 1937 and November 29, 1939 to HMAS CERBERUS (Additional)for duty at Naval Reserve Depot, Port Melbourne and was transfer to the Auxiliary Services. He was now aged 38, had been a Lieutenant-Commander for nine years and was due to retire at the age of 45 unless he was promoted. I believe he considered his career in the Navy was all but over.

Recently my brother provided what he understood of the incident.

As I remember it, it was certainly during the Depression, so maybe 1929 is right, though I had a feeling for 1931 or 1932. Dad was No1 of the Canberra and the Captain was on shore or on leave. I think they were at Garden Island, and there was an Admiral's inspection due. Dad was dissatisfied with the state of the ship -surprise,surprise! - and cancelled a scheduled "make-and-mend". The sailors refused to "turn-to" so, as I say, he issued the order to clear the lower decks and arm the officers. I gather the CPO's and PO's went below and calmed the men down and they returned to work. [I think I am right that Dad was in the UK at the time of the mutiny at Nore, and was mindful of the consequences of that event].

I understand Dad immediately advised NOIC or the Navy Board of his actions and was assured the Board would back his actions to the hilt - to the point of resigning en masse - if the Governmnet didn't back Dad's actions. I believe there was a Labor government in power at the time, and there was serious industrial unrest due to wage cuts implemented as part of the Niemeyer plan to deal with the Depression. [Keynes didn't get a look in at that stage!]. Anyway the upshot was the Navy Board caved in, a court martial was held and Dad was "severely reprimanded". That of course was the end of any hopes of a "flag" for Dad.

I must say, I have always given Dad great credit in that he never once complained to me of his treatment and remained loyal to the Navy to the end. It must have been a very bitter experience for him.

That's about all I can tell you from what he and (mainly) Mum told me much later on.

I do have a copy of my father's service records, such as they are, ("Record of Service Card" for Mr Norman Keith CALDER) which were forwarded to me under copy of Defence Corporate Services & Infrastructure letter 2002/25609/11 ; NR3767/02 dated 16 August 2002 and there is no mention of any incident or court martial. I had hoped to be provided with a much more detailed record of his service. Dad only spent two periods on CANBERRA; he stood by, commissioned her and brought her to Oz from 1/9/1227 to 5/6/1930 and then he was Squadron (T) as above.

I should add however that my brother may be in error (confused) regarding a court martial. I was court martialed 1/8/1957 (file 4019.3.4001 refers) and was reprimanded. Nevertheless I am sure an incident did occur.

I always thought the "mutiny" was supposed to have happened on (off) the North West coast of Australia. I do not know the dates but had no doubt that such an incident would mentioned in either the Reports of Proceedings of the ship or the ship's log.

Yesterday I spent at the National Archives here in Sydney going through CANBERRA's Logs for 1931 - 1934 but could find no mention of any such "incident". I found several officers "logged" on occasions but otherwise all was routine! Quite surprising. It would appear that there were no RAN ROPs until about 1939.

While I was looking for CANBERRA info in the NAA I also found this:

Title
HMAS Canberra - Visit to Shark Bay, WA [46 pages]
Series number
MP138/1 Control symbol
603/247/1005
Contents date range
1932 - 1932

Access status
Open Location
Melbourne Barcode no
1330797

I cannot have this sent to Sydney but I can have it copied however I will not procede with this until I see what you can tell me.

Finally, I was talking with Russ Vasey at the AIN meeting the other week and I asked him if he knew anything - "Don't know the details but everyone knows it happened." Everyone except those that I ask :-(.

My question to you - do you know anything about when this incident may have occurred and under what circumstances?

Finally I do have a number of photographs of CANBERRA, one from the air during her building at John Brown's Yard, her commissioning or a visit of King George V and a visit of Princess Mary which may be of interest. I am attaching another which I have windowed out for a larger photo which includes NELSON and one other battleship during a review.

I am looking forward to hearing anything you may be able to provide that leads to the truth in all this "hearsay".

What a great web site you have - I now have another reason for my wife to complain about all the time I spend in front of the computer.

All the best.
Mike.

Michael CALDER

HMAS Canberra

BTW - You don't happen to have a nice clear picture of J4 or J7 by any chance? I have grabbed a couple from the SLV(?) website but they are a bit fuzzy.

The attached from Mike is OK to put up on AHOY, I have his approval.

He finished a long time service in the RAN as a Captain RAN, and was a Surveyor, after leaving the Navy, he bought a yacht, sailed to Fiji, wrote a book on navigating that area, and eventually sailed round the world.

His Father was in the first Naval College entry at Osborne House in Geelong.

Whilst serving as the Squadron Torpedo Officer in HMAS Canverra over 1932/1934, there was a problem on board that verged upon a Mutiny. The Naval Board did not back up his Father, who in 1937 was shunted by the Navy into its Auxiliary Services, putting an end to his Father's career in the Permanent Navy.

Mike is seeking details of that event in the Canberra, and asked me what I knew or could find about it.

I had heard shadowy detalis, but it was always shrouded in both mystery and secrecy, I have not been able to uncover anyhing specific. I suggested we publish this letter from Mike, in the hope that someone may be able to fill in some details.

Mike mentions 1929, but his Father was not in Canberra then, he thinks that the Labour party was in power at the Federal level, but in 1932, Joseph Lyons and his non labour party won the election, and he served as PM until 1939.

Shark Bay, a remote area on the West Australian coast is mentioned as a possible site for this event.

I would not agree, the Captain of the cruiser is unlikely to be on leave there, and a cancelled Make and Mend ( a half day off for the sailors not scheduled for duty ) would not have as much impact if the ship is at Shark Bay, as it would alongside the Naval Dockyard at Garden Island in the heart of the city of Sydney.

I have offered to visit the National Australian Archives in Melbourne, next week, to look at the Shark Bay documents.

The J Boats referred to, are the 6 J Class submarines given to the RAN by Britain after WW1. We have a big article on them on AHOY, and my Dad came from England to Australia on board J2, and they were based on Geelong, which is how I came to be born in that city in 1922.

Thanks,
Mac.

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