Left - HMAS Brisbane entering Bombay, India 1981 Persian Gulf Deployment. My Fo'c'sle Crew. What a great mob of young blokes they were, happy, efficient and competent. Working 'Part of Ship' on the Fo'c'sle up top, (during non 'active' periods), clad only in shorts and sandals was a delight, the clear blue skies, glass like seas, the breeze over the fo'c' sle keeping you cool. It's not for everyone but we certainly enjoyed it.

Left - Closed up in 2 Watches in the Gun PLot. Leading Systems 'Greenie' Red Barry and ABFC Kulzini at the 53 Foxtrot Gunnery Radar Console. One had the opportunity to become very well read during these periods at sea, for whilst at 'Defence Stations' there wasn't much to do once closed up and Daily Systems Operability Tests (DSOTS) were completed.

Left - Leading Systems 'Greenie' 'Tiny' McPherson in the Gun Plot maintaining the Mk 47 Fire Control Computer. What a diligent man he was! This piece of outdated 'farm machinery' was in need of constant 24 hour tweaking and TLC. Tiny had a camp streatcher set up in the gun plot and made it his home where he lived like a mushroom 24 hrs per day so as to keep the gun system functioning. By the way we were pushing out the best gunnery results in the RAN during this period.

Left - PORP Tony Tooke and POETC Jim Currie setting up for the movie in the Aft PO's Mess HMAS Brisbane 1981. Note the 16mm projector on the mess table. Movies were a major event at sea. They would be shown in the various messes and in the ship's company cafe. When 'Up Top' the weather conditions in the tropics would be so good they would be shown on the 'upperdeck' by turning a gun turret around etc and hanging a sheet of it.

Sailors would bring their own seating, along with their beer issue and hoot, yell and roar as John Wayne cleaned up more Japs or Apaches! This great cultural event ceased with the introduction of videos being piped into TV sets placed throughout the ships individual messes. Television went a long way to destroying a great social occasion in the RAN -' Tonight's Movie on the Upperdeck!'

Footnote: When operating with the Yanks it was customary to offer good Aussie Beer in exchange for a lend of the latest Hollywood movies.