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Robert “Bob” Bryce served in the RAN for twenty six years from 1949 to 1969 and sailed on ten naval vessels where he supported the crew as a Naval Writer responsible for the ship’s smooth administration, which included (most importantly!) crew pay.
His favourite ship was the ‘fluffy duck’ otherwise known as HMAS Swan. When asked why that was his top berth of all the ships he served in, including all three RAN aircraft carriers, he replied that the ship ran like a “pusser’s dream” because the skipper knew how to lead a crew and run a tight ship where camaraderie was important to all hands.
After Bob’s retirement he continued to work ashore in Naval administration on HMAS Albatross where he was widely respected as a retired senior chief (Chief Petty Officer) who operated three profitable businesses as part of the ASCO Naval Canteen Fund. All profits were distributed back to naval personnel and their families through welfare agencies that supported all hands.
Bob didn’t speak much about his service in uniform; he saw active service in South-East Asia and was on board HMAS Sydney during Operation Hurricane when on 3 October 1952 in Main Bay, Trimouille Island, in the Montebello Islands in Western Australia the UK Ministry of Defence tested a nuclear bomb that was three times the explosive power of the weapon used to devastate the city of Hiroshima (Japan) at the close of the Pacific War. He said that when the A-bomb went off, most hands were on deck, in tropical kit (a pair of shorts, shirt, and sandals), and they were instructed to turn their backs to the explosion. Of course, being curious, most sailors on the flight deck turned and watched it go off. Bob said that in the flash you could momentarily see the skeleton of the men (in those days) standing in front of you. He was inducted into the unofficial Nuclear Veterans Group who self-funded support for their ship-mates, many of who succumbed to various ‘unusual’ cancers over the years. Bob had his own brush with cancer in the 1950s.
Bob was a warm and generous friend to all who knew him. Before his death he had one request; that he be buried at sea off his favourite beach, Currumbin (QLD). This was duly arranged by his grieving widow, Marjorie, his two sons; Richard and Philip, Currumbin Returned Services League (QLD RSL) and Currumbin Beach Surf Life Saving Club (https://currumbinslsc.com.au/). His one especially requested song at his funeral service was the Naval Hymn.
Rest in Peace Dad. |
