From Tony Vine

It seems that every week I am writing an Obit for the Submarines Association. Sadly today it is for a fellow Mobi.
Apparently Biff passed a month or so ago and the local RSL failed to notify the SAA.

VALE - CPOMTP3SM JOHN MILLS R42858 - MOBI - JANUARY 1964 INTAKE

It is with great sadness that the SAA advises of the death of long time SAA member John “Biff the Tiff” Mills in Adelaide.
John was born in Cheshire England in March 1947 and emigrated to Australia at the age of two where his family settled in South Australia. He enlisted in the RAN in the January 1964 intake of naval apprentices at HMAS NIRIMBA. In June 1964 he was rated as an Engine Room Artificer Apprentice (Fitter and Turner).

John, like many apprentices, before and after him, would fall foul of the Master at Arms resulting in him being placed on “2nd Class for Conduct” in 1966. Despite this setback he graduated from NIRIMBA in July 1967 completing his training on the Destroyer Escort HMAS YARRA. He was advanced in minimum time to ERA 3rd Class (Leading Seaman) in January 1968 and to ERA 2nd Class (Petty Officer) in January 1969.

In 1969, John volunteered for submarines and after passing the suitability test, he undertook submarine training at HMAS DOLPHIN in the UK. It is known that he served on HMAS ONSLOW, OTWAY and OTAMA. A keen punter, he has been remembered for his running of an illegal Starting Price (SP) Bookmaking service at HMAS PLATYPUS. John discharged from the RAN around 1980 and later moved back to South Australia.

John was a long-time member of the SAA SA Branch. The SAA National Executive extends its condolences and sympathy to John’s family and friends.

Vale John Mills.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

John Mills Vietnam Service

Unit Name Start Date End Date
HMAS Yarra 22 Dec 1967 01 Jan 1968
HMAS Yarra 22 Feb 1970 01 Mar 1970

RIP

_________________
Charlie (Chuckles) Britt JP TPI
Welfare Pensions Officer
R95712
Ex-LME(D) LSMTP2
17th Intake JR's, 23rd MOBI Intake .
Oct 66 - Nov 74
Leeuwin, Nirimba, Cerberus, Stalwart, Cerberus, Waterhen, Penguin, Carpentaria, Dolphin, Penguin, Sydney, Albatross, Leeuwin, Acute, Leeuwin, Cerberus, Stalwart, Waterhen, Attack, Leeuwin, DEE.

I only vaguely remember John as he was 3 terms behind me, and as it was back in the day, MOBIs tended to know every MOBI above them and progressively less and less of the terms following.

The fact that he was regularly under punishment for various reasons (as was I,) rings a bell though..!

Always sad to lose one of our 'Band of Brothers' so VALE, John Mills, rest on your oars, your journey's done... R.I.P.

_________________

Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane

Sadly another brother lost too soon. John and I were both in the SA group as part of the 16th intake. Recall he had a good sense of humour and was willing to have a crack at anything (which from memory he did) and we had a lot of good times in the early days, but unfortunately lost contact after we left Nirimba. Vale John, RIP, condolences to your family and friends. May you have fair winds and following seas.

_________________
Mike (Pony) Moore
O42860
Ex-LT GLEN(ME)
16th MOBI intake
Jan 64 - Jul 88.
Anzac, Nirimba, Stalwart, Moresby, Creswell, Waterhen, Penguin, Vampire, GMGID (PJP), Coonawarra, Attack, Ardent, Cook, Kuttabull, Cerberus.

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.

Sounds like John was one of the many larrikans that went through Nirimba.
Vale John.

_________________
Graeme 'Smiley' Rhodes
R94714
Ex-CPOMTP(D)5
Jan'65 Leeuwin Intake (10th) - Jan'66 Nirimba Intake (20th)
Jan'65 to Mar '88
Leeuwin, Nirimba, Stalwart, Samarai, Lae, Penguin, Curlew, Buccaneer, Navy Office, Barbette, Cairns, RANTTU (based in Port Moresby), Stirling, Bunbury.