It is with great sadness that the SAA advises of the death of Fred Fisher on the 5th of November. Fred was born in the UK in March 1945 and served in the Royal Navy before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy in the mid 1970s. He entered the RN through HMS Discovery, Ernest Shackleton’s old ship, which was the headquarters ship for the Royal Navy in London. He completed his recruit training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall before undertaking electrical training at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire. Fred's first postings were to Malta were he served in the the stone frigate HMS St Angelo, working at the RN’s Wireless Telegraphy Station Zebbug. His first ship was the WW2 Bay Class Frigate HMS Surprise, followed by a posting to the Gunnery Shore Establishment HMS Cambridge in Plymouth in Devon. He was borne on the books of HMS Pembroke, the establishment for Chatham Dockyard before joining the Leander Class Frigate HMS Aurora.
This was followed by a posting to the RN ASW School HMS Osprey where he worked in the Portland WT Station.
Fred finally saw the light and joined submarines: training at HMS Dolphin in Gosport before serving on the submarines, HMS Grampus and HMS Otus. In the early 1970s he became part of the crew of HMS Odin, which was on loan to the RAN.
He clearly enjoyed Australia as soon after Odin returned to the UK he transferred to the RAN.
His career in the RAN was long and distinguished. He served on all six RAN O Boats and even managed to get to sea on HMAS Collins before it commissioned. He will always be remembered as a dedicated and consummate submariner. He was noted for his expertise on the Submarine Fire Control System (SFCS) where he earned the nickname “Fire Control Freddy”.
Fred was the Right Hand Fire Control Operator or the first and successful Mk 48 Torpedo firing on HMAS OXLEY, and the first and successful firing of the Sub Harpoon Missile on HMAS OVENS.
He was a long time member and OIC of the SEF workshop and his contribution to the RAN was immense.
It is a travesty of justice that his service was never recognised by the award of an national honour.
Fred was predeceased by his wife Mal and is survived by his daughters Louise and Sally and his grandchildren. The SAA National Executive on behalf of the submarine community expresses its sincere condolences to Fred’s family and friends.
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