Warren Boyd

Warren Boyd

Yirriganydji/Wudjala
Ordinary Seaman
Underwater Control
HMAS Vampire II
Royal Australian Navy

Medals

Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 with clasp Vietnam
Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal
Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with clasp FESR
Australian Defence Medal

“I was born and bred in Mossman, Far North Queensland. I am of Aboriginal descent, with my mother Adelaide (nee Obah) Yirriganydji from Cairns and father, Frederick Boyd, Wudjala from Charters Towers. In my young days, I always loved diving, so I wanted to be a diver. I couldn’t wait to finish Year 11 at Mossman High School, so I completed a half year and enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). I travelled to Melbourne on my way to HMAS Cerberus where I did my basic training. When my training was over I was sent to Sydney to HMAS Watson and commenced my UC (Underwater Control) training. I was then stationed on HMAS Vampire and, as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR), we did a nine month ‘good-will’ tour to the Far East. We stopped at Singapore; Vung Tau in Vietnam; Hong Kong (China); and Sasebo and Hakodate in Japan. On the way home we stopped in at Chilung and Kaohsiung in Chinese Taiwan, then Singapore, our last stop before returning to Australia. HMAS Vampire berthed at Townsville where I left ship, took ‘leave’, and headed to Cairns where the family now lived. I then returned to Sydney, where I was shore-based at HMAS Penguin, and started a divers course. Not long afterwards, I decided to call-it-a-day. It’s a lot of work to move past all the memories, thoughts and emotions to concentrate and see what’s left when all the noise is gone. Serving in the RAN was the most rewarding thing I could ever do.”

– Warren Boyd