It’s my sad duty to report the passing of 2nd MOBI Intake (January 1957,) ERA1 Irving (Ross) McLean R42073 18/3/1940 - January 2017

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G’day boys,
Have heard sad news today from Kevin Fanker’s daughter, Katrina, of the sad passing of Ross McLean, a great man, very sadly missed, one of the best,
John (Jack) Lennon

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(This farewell was delayed while I gathered more details... H.C.)

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G’day Rick, thanks for contact. I am trying to get some more info on Ross. I only met up with him a few times after leaving Nirimba in Dec 1960. We both served on Anzac 61/62, then I went one way and he went survey ships I think. He left the Navy and became a hospital engineer. His wife Pat passed away not so long ago, and Ross called me sometime after that to let me know he had asbestosis. Hard to believe really, Ross was one of the fittest men I know, “Olympian B…ds” is what our first Chief Tiffy, Tom Code called Ross and Gary Stewart on the ‘Zac. I have requested some info from Kevin Fanker’s daughter re any funeral arrangements,
Take care,
John (Jack Lennon)

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G’day Rick,
Ross’s funeral service was held today (25/01/2017) in Tamworth, here is message received from the daughter of another great friend and Jan’57 tiffy, Kevin Fanker:

“Hey John, held here in Tamworth. This is where he lived with his second wife Patty. It was a happy coincidence for me, as I recognised the name. Anyway, quite a religious man from all accounts. Lovely farewell at St Pauls Anglican Church in West Tamworth today at 2pm. Thence for Cremation. Such a lovely man, will be sadly missed. Thanks John”

Take care mate, have posted pic on FB of Ross, Gary Stewart (another great guy) and me! (Ross and I both joined Nirimba Jan57 from Victoria)

Jack L

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Hi again Rick,
Ross McLean is in the centre of pic below (in gym gear, to the left of the mast) between Brian Merchant and Bob Moule
Jack L

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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

I never had the pleasure of meeting Ross, but if he was an ERA, he must have been a great bloke.

Vale Irving "Ross" McLean

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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).

Out of interest, in my reply to John (Jack) Lennon, I asked if he might be able to identify those in the well utilised 'Uniforms/ Various' photo below...



John replied:

G’day Rick,

Thanks for a great job on this website. As you look at the pic, on left, in No. 1s, Max Kean (1st intake), Jacket and beret, Laurie Lesson (I think), (4rd intake), who was lost on the Voyager 1964, No. 8s Mick Schuler, (3rd intake,) blazer and flannels, Bob Moule, (1st intake,) gym kit, Ross McLean, (2nd intake,) rugby kit, Brian Merchant, (1st intake and still looks pretty much the same!) 10As, Kev Fanker (2nd intake, and best apprentice), 2As, Dave Luck, (1st intake,) 10s, Jerry Lewis, (1st intake and was backclassed to my term, 2nd intake,) and 6s, Polly Lloyd, (1st intake.) I have coloured in purple, the ones that I know have passed, I’m sure that Kev Assenheim can help you out on that score,

Cheers, and thanks again,
John (Jack)



P.S. I have enclosed a couple of pics, Ross McLean and John O’Neill, (both 2nd intake,) with the wheel! And a banyan pic from 1961, Bay of Islands, NZ ,
HMAS Anzac, Ross is there in centre (in rugby jumper), along with Don Meredith on left, Garry Stewart, and skinny legs me!

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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

Just one correction. The battledress & beret (second from left) was known as No. 4's. At least, when I joined, that was the classification at that time.

Night clothing was also known as 4A's, utilising the battledress trousers and the white Tropical (Trop) Shirt from the No. 10's.

Some things remain in the memory, indelibly etched.

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Chris O'Keefe
R43136
Ex WO Chippy
19th MOBI Intake
July 65 to July 85
HMAS Nirimba X 4 -Penguin-Sydney-Queenborough - Creswell - Moreton - Stalwart - Platypus - Coonawarra Reconstruction Team 76 - Platypus - Hobart - Cerberus - FHQ - Coonawarra.

Anyone can be ordinary. Shipwrights choose to be extraordinary!

Concur.

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Gordon Robertson
ex-CPOETC
R42793
15th MOBI Intake
July63 to March74
Nirimba, Sydney III, Collingwood(UK), WSTG(UK), Lonsdale, Swan, Cerberus, Kuttabul, Harman, Kuttabul(RANTAU)

Can't remember what I had for Breakfast, but can remember that Battledress Trousers and White Trop Shirt was 4A's

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Steve Johns
R110510
Ex POETS
31st MOBI Intake
July 71 to July 81
Nirimba, Kuttabul, WRE, Kuttabul, WRE, Kuttabul, Parramatta, WRE, Yarra, Stalwart, Derwent.
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I should add that 4A's was Night Clothing - Summer.

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Chris O'Keefe
R43136
Ex WO Chippy
19th MOBI Intake
July 65 to July 85
HMAS Nirimba X 4 -Penguin-Sydney-Queenborough - Creswell - Moreton - Stalwart - Platypus - Coonawarra Reconstruction Team 76 - Platypus - Hobart - Cerberus - FHQ - Coonawarra.

Anyone can be ordinary. Shipwrights choose to be extraordinary!