On this Day – 8.56 pm ,February 10, 1964

HMAS Voyager and HMAS Melbourne collide, Voyager sunk.

This morning I went down to the shores of Jervis Bay and took a couple of photo’s of the memorial dedicated to the men of HMAS Voyager located in Voyager Park at the entrance to Currambene Creek.  I had a conversation with a lady walking her dog  about the memorial,  she said she went by the memorial weekly, and was surprised and unaware of todays significance.     There was nothing to mark the occasion, other than the stark black memorial being warmed by the rising sun.

Two tragic shipping disasters near Jervis Bay have been on a scale which sent shock waves across the whole country and in the latter case around the world. The first  tragedy was the sinking of the S.S Dandenong in 1876 with the loss of 40 lives, many were women and children. The second disaster which shook a nation and has effected so many lives to this day was the loss of HMAS Voyager in 1964. Today is the anniversary of that disaster and we should all take some time to remember not only the  young sailors that lost their lives 54 years ago,  but also the survivors of this tragedy off Jervis Bay who’s lives were changed forever.  HMAS Melbourne underway with the Daring class destroyers Voyager and Vendetta in 1959 REF: http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-voyager-ii

On the 11th February the world awoke to the news the destroyer HMAS Voyager and the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne had collided during night time exercises 19 miles off Jervis Bay. The 3,658 tonnes, Voyager was sliced in two when she crossed in front of the 20,322 tonnes, Melbourne.   HMAS Voyager’s for’ ard section sunk within 10 minutes and the after section 3 hours later,  82 sailors were killed,  mostly in the for’ ard section,  making it the worst peacetime disaster in naval history. Continue reading.

Bow of the Melbourne.  (The National Library of Australia/Australian Women's Weekly)

The museum has an amazing video presentation about the incident, come along and take the time to watch and listen to this moving tribute to the people involved.

S.S Dandenong - Continue Reading.