Rowland Basil Devereux
From Our Contribution
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| 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 |
| Military Movement | |
| 1st Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 17 Jun 1939 ‒ 8 Feb 1940 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Canberra |
| 2nd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 9 Feb 1940 ‒ 15 Jul 1942 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Adelaide |
| 3rd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 16 Jul 1942 ‒ 4 Oct 1943 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Kalgoorlie |
| 4th Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 5 Oct 1943 ‒ 31 Dec 1945 |
| Transport Details | HMAS Toowoomba |
| Post War Details | |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Medals | 1939-45 Star |
Pre War
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 ""Kalgoorlie she left Sydney for Darwin, where she was used to patrol the Darwin to Port Moresby waters, with aside trip to Timor in September 1942 carrying troops. In late February 1943 the 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 the 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 the 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 are in faint pencil so the following information is 'best guess'.
Post War
It would appear that at the conclusion of the war he spent more time in HMAS Leeuwin and had brief stints on a range of ships from Port Adelaide to the Shropshire (25 Nov 1946) and HMAS Albatross (28 Mar 1949). Rowland was discharged on 2 Feb 1951.
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