It was certainly a disappointing outcome

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Gary Fradd
S115224
Ex-LSMTH3
1973 - 1985
Cerberus, Melbourne, Creswell x 2, Nirimba, Perth x 2, Kuttabul FIMA

I have come to realise that maintaining valuable data and artifacts over an extended period does have its down point as ones age goes up (okay, I hoard, so what). I have always found it hard to "throw out" many things from my younger days (this is working life days) to the extent that this is being written now. It becomes even more relevant when the level of commentary on varying subjects on this site becomes much less (definitely not a criticism, I have finally come to understand what a "a changing world" is).

During the argument against the cessation of naval trade training and the demise of HMAS Nirimba I ended up with the reports that were central to the effort by some senior naval personnel to ensure that HMAS Cerberus was "protected". Whilst it is not blantantly clear, aspects of those reports, and things reported tend to reinforce that it was never an impartial decision, but guided.

My first problem is that there may be some on this site who swear by the bonafides and great service by some former serving, now departed, naval officers (who appear to have had a core focus with regard to Nirimbas closure, but not necessarily with regard to the best interest of the Navy). Would it be upsetting to some to offer a different perspective as to their effort?

The second is that I recognise that it is time for all the reports and reams of useless correspondence generated will need to be destroyed. Before doing that I thought of raising the subject "Victor Meldrews I Don't Believe It" and just offer some tit bits over the period (from the argument/reports and, over that time, a couple of separate arguments that also went nowhere). On saying that, I have just reread my submission offered at the time (so many changes and redirects). As it currently stands, it would seem that the long term plan for a Central Training Establishment (nominated in the reports), with its primary aim as being "close to the Fleet Base", remains 960 kms away...........................

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Brian Mackenzie
ex-Shipwright Instructor
Oct '88 to Dec '93 (NIRIMBA) before and beyond