From the Navy Victoria facebook page we have the news of the passing of SAP R.W. Roach on 11 January 2021. Aged 75. He joined Nirimba in January 1962.

I never met him, but I assume his nickname would have been Cocky, and another has Mobi crossed the bar.

Fair winds and a following sea, Cocky.

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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!

Ditto from me.

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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.

I was another that never had the pleasure of serving with Roger.

Roger Wingfield Roach R42565, Jan 62 Intake and he trained as an SAP.

His Vietnam service included an escort trip in HMAS Derwent in 1969.

RIP Roger

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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).

Roger 'Cocky' Roach was a member of the 12th MOBI Intake, one ahead of Chippy Ned and myself...
I had little contact with 'Cocky' other than recognising his as just another face in the 'Bastardising Squad' regularly storming our sprog huts, overturning bunks and tipping over lockers...

Being a Greenie, he most probably left RANATE for Cerberus at the end of his 6th Term to complete his apprenticeship...
Whilst I certainly remember him, I didn't come across him out in the Fleet...
VALE 'Cocky', rest on your oars, your stirring days are over... R.I.P.

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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

Cocky was an OA originally before they got converted. I served with him at West Head gunnery range for 6 months about '71, before I went to Manus. He also played hockey for Nirimba.

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David Charlton (Charlie)
R42659
Ex CPOMTL3
14th MOBI intake
Jan '63 - Jan '75
Nirimba,Melbourne, Parramatta, Cerberus, Penguin, Lonsdale, Tarangau, Penguin, Parramatta, Waterhen, Melbourne