Rowland Basil Devereux

Rowland Basil Devereux

Personal Information
Date of Birth	23 Jan 1921
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	8 Jun 2019, aged 98
Place of Death	Bentley, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years old
Description	5'7¼" (1.71m) tall ; ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair
Religion	Church of England
Address	Victoria Park, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Dorothy Devereux
Military Information
Reg Number	22825
Date of Enlistment	3 Feb 1939
Rank	Petty Officer
Ships Served On
Ship Name	HMAS Canberra
Tour Dates	17 Jun 1939 ‒ 8 Feb 1940
Ship Name	HMAS Adelaide
Tour Dates	9 Feb 1940 ‒ 15 Jul 1942
Ship Name	HMAS Kalgoorlie
Tour Dates	16 Jul 1942 ‒ 4 Oct 1943
Ship Name	HMAS Toowoomba
Tour Dates	5 Oct 1943 ‒ 31 Dec 1945
Ship Name	HMAS Echuca
Tour Dates	8 Feb 1946 ‒ Jun 1946
Ship Name	HMAS Labuan
Tour Dates	1 Jul 1946 ‒ 10 Jul 1946
Ship Name	HMAS LST 3022
Tour Dates	11 Jul 1946 ‒ 24 Nov 1946
Ship Name	HMAS Shropshire
Tour Dates	25 Nov 1946 ‒ 8 May 1948
Ship Name	HMAS Australia
Tour Dates	9 May 1948 ‒ 28 Mar 1949
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1945-75

War Service

Rowland entered naval service on 10 Oct 1941 at HMAS Cerebus V (Fremantle Naval Reserve Base). On 10 Jan 1942 he had passed his initial tests and was rated as an Ordinary Seaman. At the conclusion of basic training on 23 Mar 1942 he was posted to HMAS Leeuwin, remaining with them until the war clouds were gathering.

Rowland was posted to HMAS Canberra on 17 Jun 1939, and while he was aboard she was primarily occupied with patrol and convoy escorts in home waters. On 9 Feb 1940 he transferred to the HMAS Adelaide. During his time aboard the Adelaide she was involved in a collision with a merchant ship. Only minor damage occurred. She was also involved in the ousting of a Vichy French regime in New Caledonia, to be replaced with a Free French alternative. The Adelaide then returned to patrols, convoy escort and shipping protection roles off the Australian coast. She was undergoing a refit at Garden Island when Rowland left her on 15 Jul 1942.

The minesweeper HMAS Kalgoorlie was to be his next ship, joined on 16 Jul 1942, and it was while he was a member of her crew that he was on 1 May 1943 rated as acting Stores Petty Officer, with that rank subsequently confirmed on 1 May 1944 while he was a crew member of the HMAS Toowoomba. Soon after he joined HMAS Kalgoorlie she left Sydney for Darwin, where she was used to patrol the Darwin to Port Moresby waters, with a side trip to Timor in September 1942 carrying troops. In late February 1943 the HMAS Kalgoorlie returned to the east coast station and soon after Rowland was transferred on 14 May 1943 to a shore position.

On 5 Oct 1943 he was posted to the HMAS Toowoomba a sister ship to HMAS Kalgoorlie which was at that time serving as part of the British Eastern Fleet carrying out extensive patrols of the Indian Ocean until in December 1944 she entered Fremantle for a refit. Once the refit was completed HMAS Toowoomba return to convoy escort and patrol duties in northern Australian and New Guinea waters. Rowland was reposted on 31 Dec 1945.

The rest of his records relating to his peace time service are in faint pencil so the following information is 'best guess'.

Post War

Rowland served on the following ships following the conclusion of the war: On Minesweeper HMAS Echuca 8 Feb 1946 engaged in post war minesweeping - Until June 1946? Then seemingly on LST 3501 (HMAS Labuan) from 1 Jul 1946 until 10 Jul 1946, transferring to HMAS LST 3022 from 11 Jul 1946 - 24 Nov 1946 - when she was placed in reserve.

His records indicate service on the County Class Heavy Cruiser HMAS Shropshire from 25 Nov 1946 until 8 May 1948, including spending time from January 1947 in Japanese waters before returning to Sydney to prepare for paying off. His next ship was HMAS Australia from 9 May 1948. She remained in Australian waters during the time that Rowland served on her. His final postings were shore ones to HMAS Albatross the Naval air base in NSW from 29 Mar 1949 to 7 Dec 1950, and then HMAS Leeuwin from 8 Dec 1950 until he was discharged on 2 Feb 1951.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 at 9 Alexander street, Coogee, NSW, RAN with Dorothy Jean; 1954 - 1980 at 159 George street, Queens Park, carpenter;