The Submarines Association of Australia (SAA) regrets to advise that long-standing member Ian Taber passed away on the evening of 7 June this year.

Ian was born in Gundagai, NSW, on 16 January 1938 and enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy from Cootamundra, NSW, on 25 May 1958 as a Direct Entry Engine Room Artificer (ERA). A fitter and machinist by trade, he had served his apprenticeship with the NSW Railways.

Upon entry, Ian was rated as a Recruit ERA. After passing his trade proficiency test at HMAS Cerberus in June 1958, he was rated as an Acting ERA4 (Petty Officer). He completed his marine engineering training in April 1959 and was posted to the World War II–vintage Tribal Class Destroyer HMAS Warramunga, which was in dry dock in Sydney.

Ian served on Warramunga until the ship decommissioned in December 1959. During this time, he was confirmed in rank as an ERA4 and awarded both his Boiler and Engine Room Watchkeeping Certificates, a remarkable achievement in just eight months. The ship had spent a busy year on the Australian coast conducting exercises and visits, which would have aided Ian in the progression of his training.

On the day Warramunga decommissioned, the WWII River Class Frigate HMAS  Barcoo was recommissioned as a hydrographic ship, and many of Warramunga’s crew, including Ian, joined Barcoo. He served on Barcoo until October 1960, then joined the light aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne for six months. This brief posting was followed by a transfer to the Q Class Frigate HMAS Queenborough, where Ian was advanced to ERA3 (Chief Petty Officer) in July 1961.

In July 1962, Ian left Queenborough to travel to the United Kingdom to commission Australia’s replenishment ship. Built for Australia in the mid-1950s, the ship had been loaned to the Royal Navy due to manpower constraints, serving as RFA Tide Austral. It commissioned briefly into the RAN on 15 August 1962 as HMAS Tide Austral, but in mid-September it recommissioned as HMAS Supply. In October 1963, the classification of ERAs changed, and Ian’s rank became ERA1. He delivered Supply to Australia, remaining on the ship until August 1963, when he posted to HMAS Cerberus as an instructor.

In early 1963, the Australian Government announced it would acquire Oberon Class submarines, and the RAN called for volunteers to man them. In June 1964, Ian—now an ERAD1—along with 28 other aspiring submariners, flew to the United Kingdom to join 57 men already in training. He completed his initial submarine training at HMS Dolphin in Gosport before joining the newly commissioned HMS Ocelot, serving in the Third Submarine Squadron based at HMS Neptune on the Gare Loch in Scotland.

Ian qualified as a submariner on Ocelot and remained onboard until June 1966, when he was posted to stand by HMAS Otway, then under construction at Scotts Shipbuilding in Greenock on the River Clyde, west of Glasgow. While standing by Otway, Ian met his wife Elizabeth, a local nurse. Otway commissioned on 11 July 1967, and after trials and workups, proceeded to Australia via South Africa, as the Suez Canal had been closed due to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Before leaving the UK, Ian had to hastily arrange a passport for the couple’s first child, Sharon, who had just been born.

Ian remained on Otway until mid-1969, then undertook his Chief ERA’s Qualifying Course at HMAS Cerberus. He returned to Otway as her CPOMTP4SM in January 1971, serving on her for nearly five years, including during her first refit. He left Otway to return to the United Kingdom as the CPOMTP4SM of HMAS Orion, then under construction at Greenock. In June 1977, Ian commissioned his third RAN warship, taking Orion through sea trials and workups before leaving her in March 1978 to return to Australia for discharge—time expired.

On discharge, Ian returned to the NSW Riverina, settling in Wagga Wagga, where he and Elizabeth raised their family. He joined the ACT Branch of the Submarines Association of Australia in December 1991 and remained a member until his death.

The SAA extends its condolences to Ian’s wife Elizabeth, his daughters Sharon, Fiona, and Francine, his extended family, and his friends.

The SAA has been advised that the funeral will be a private family affair.