Beimop Tapim

I am a proud Dauareb man from Mer Island in the Torres Strait Islands, the youngest of thirteen children. During my final year of school on Thursday Island, HMAS Gascoyne anchored in the harbour. In January 1966, just three months before my 18th birthday, I decided to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In doing this, I followed in the footsteps of my Uncle who joined the army in WW2, and two elder brothers, who joined and fought in WW2. My wife, Pamela and my eldest son, also named Beimop, have proudly served time in the RAN. Currently, my daughter Taslena is serving as a Lieutenant Medical Officer.

In 1974, I was part of Operation Navy Help Darwin, a disaster relief operation initiated by the RAN following the destruction of Darwin, Northern Territory by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24-25 December 1974. Thirteen ships, 11 aircraft, and 3,000 personnel were sent to Darwin in the largest disaster relief operation undertaken by the RAN in its history. The RAN task force was present from 31 December 1974 to 31 January 1975. I also participated in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), which is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC has been held biennially since 1971 and is hosted and administered by the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii. In 1981, I received the National Medal, awarded for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances, including in times of emergency and national disaster, in direct protection of life and property