SubmarinesAssociationAustraliaVale |
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In Memory ofPOSTD SM/CPOFF RAYMOND EDWARD MCMINN R53335![]() May He Rest In PeaceThe SAA is saddened to advise of the passing of SAA Member Ray McMinn on Friday the 17th of January 2025. Ray was a proud indigenous man, a descendant of both the Dharug and Murri Nations. When Ray joined the navy, Indigenous Australians were not fully recognised under the constitution and, unless they had been members of the Defence Force, they were denied the right to vote in elections. On entry Ray was rated as a Recruit Steward and after initial training at HMAS Cerberus he posted to the Royal Australian Naval College HMAS Creswell. He was rated as an Assistant Steward (Ordinary Seaman) in February 1962 and as a Steward (Able Seaman) in June 1963. Ray’s first sea posting was to the Destroyer Escort HMAS Stuart in June 1963 as a member of the ship’s commissioning crew. Except for a six week posting to HMAS Melbourne in early 1964, he remained on Stuart until August 1965, when the ship entered its first refit. On leaving Stuart, Ray posted to HMAS Kuttabul. He was advanced to Acting Leading Steward in May 1965, and was confirmed in rank 12 months later. Whilst serving in Kuttabul Ray volunteered for service in submarines and he was our first Indigenous submariner. He undertook initial submarine training at HMS Dolphin in the United Kingdom in mid-1967 before joining the British Oberon Class Submarine HMAS Opportune in October 1967 and the Porpoise Class submarine HMS Grampus in February 1968. Whilst serving in Opportune and Grampus he participated in covert patrols against the Russians at the height of the Cold War. He was awarded his submarine qualification (Dolphins) in May 1968. Ray joined HMAS Ovens in Scotland in August 1968 as a member of her commissioning crew. He returned to Australia on Ovens before posting ashore to HMAS Platypus in October 1969 as an Acting Petty Officer Steward. Whilst in Platypus he completed loan postings to HMAS Onslow. He discharged to shore in 1972 on the completion of his return of service on his submarine training. On leaving the RAN Ray spent a couple of years as Catering Manager for Grace Brothers Roselands and then worked for a time with Penfolds Wines. He re-entered the RAN in 1978 in the Naval Dockyard Police, being advanced to Senior Constable in 1983. He transferred to the Fire Fighting branch of the RAN in the mid-1980s as a Petty Officer Fire Fighter and he was promoted to Chief ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |