I wish to pass on the sad news of the passing of my long time good friend WOMTH Russ Norrish.
Russ originally joined up as a ME shortly after the time when Direct Entry tradesmen were not being recruited. He was later given the opportunity to change to a Chippie. RIP my friend.

_________________
Tom Shaw
R42017
Ex-CPOMTH
1st MOBI Intake
July 1956 TO July 1976.....August 1986 TO December 1992
Melbourne, Queenborough, Kuttabul, Penguin, Hobart, Brisbane, Platypus

I remember Russ well, I served with him a couple of times. He was a great bloke and we had lots of laughs and quite a few runs together.

Fair winds and smooth seas old mate.

_________________

John Kelly (WEBMASTER)
R42620
Ex-WOMTH
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'83
Nirimba x3 - Rushcutter - Sydney x2 (Carrier) - Melbourne (Carrier) - Penguin - Kuttabul - Creswell x3 - Stalwart x2 - Brisbane.

Like Ned, I too shared several postings with Russ and he was a real character, a bit of a shaker and a mover and never afraid to enjoy a chat,
I'd be surprised if today's Navy had too many "characters" like him, he was not your stereo typical CPO, more your Sgt. Bilko.
What do you reckon Chris, do you remember him from Plats?

_________________
Bob Moult
R42629
Ex-CPOMTH
13th MOBI Intake
1962 to 1982
Nirimba, Sydney, Melbourne, Tarangau, Penguin, Albatross Kuttabul, Harman, Hobart, Platypus, Duchess, Brisbane, Moreton

Vale Russ. Only ever struck you a couple of times. Off to that big Chippy Shop in the sky. Fair winds and following seas.

_________________
Steve Shepherd
R43062
Ex-CPOMTH3
18th MOBI Intake
Jan 65 to Jan 78
Nirimba,Sydney,Vampire,Tarangau,Albatross, Stalwart,Creswell.

NORRISH, Russell Charles R57977

My memory does not recall any direct dealings and/or postings with Russ, but his name rings a bell.

Russ's Vietnam Service consisted of 6 x trips in HMAS Sydney (65 - 67) and 3 x Trips in HMAS Duchess (69 & 71).

RIP Russ

_________________
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).

Remember Russ from a RIMPAC on the Melbourne great guy always a smile on his face there must be something brewing if the big fella needs all those chippies up. Fair Skye's and following breeze Russ.

_________________
Henry Schubert
R42972
Ex WOMTH
17th MOBI Intake
July 64 - July 85
Nirimba x 2, Sydney, Lonsdale x 3, Tarangau, Melbourne, Coonawarra, Kuttabul, Stalwart, Jervis Bay, Penguin, Tonga Defence Cooperation, Cerberus Hobart, Harman.

I served with Russ on HMAS Melbourne, straight after we graduated from HMAS Nirimba, and yes, he was quite a character...

One incident which lingers fondly in my memory was in the Chippy Shop on Melbourne; we had one of those safety posters behind the perspex on the Chippy's notice-board, it featured an imitation soft
latex thumb 'cut off' at the base, complete with a bit of gory blood around the ragged end, stuck to the poster, under a stern warning of: "Use safety guards, or this could be you..."

It was the pride and joy of CNS Bill Lamshed as it brightened up an otherwise dull noticeboard...

In the quiet of one starry night at sea, Russ (and I think Blue Asquith,) conspired to stealthily replace the gory thumb, with an equally gory condom, stuffed with sawdust, complete with two
strategically placed ping-pong balls, a handful of wood-wool shaving 'pubes', a splash of red paint and a few drips of Aquadhere emanating from the 'business end', added for that touch of realism...!

I can still remember Bill Lamshed going ballistic and fronting Russ and Blue up to Chippy Officer Brian Swan, it also marked a turning point whereafter Bill started treating us recently graduated MOBIs
as trustworthy and the DENS as a bunch of irresponsible -stirrers...

From memory, after the Grey Funnel Line, Russ spent quite some time as the President of the Penshurst (NSW) RSL...


VALE Russ, rest on your oars, Matey, 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

When I posted the message of Russ passing I knew it would jog the memories of some antics he got up. to over the years.
I had never heard the story of the "thumb and the condom" before.
Another good tale is how someone on the flight deck of the SYDNEY mentioned how good the ESMERELDA looked whilst she was berthing at GI and Russ recalled, so it should, I "supplied" all the white paint.

Rick...thanks for the memories but Russ was the President of Penshurst RSL Sub-branch and Brian is still the Vice President of Epping RSL Sub-branch.

_________________
Tom Shaw
R42017
Ex-CPOMTH
1st MOBI Intake
July 1956 TO July 1976.....August 1986 TO December 1992
Melbourne, Queenborough, Kuttabul, Penguin, Hobart, Brisbane, Platypus

Thanks Tom, I've just corrected that...!

_________________

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

No Bob, I never served with Russ. I posted into Plats after he was replaced by Jock Schofield. And when I got skidded for a second tour of Tracy duty Russ had just left with the previous Reconstruction Team. There were plenty of stories of his exploits during his time there, so we endeavoured to set a better/or worse example.

RIP Russ, and thanks for your service.

_________________

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!