DERNEDDE, David
| Service Number: | R105811 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 October 1969, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Ordinary Seaman |
| Last Unit: | HMAS Parramatta (III) |
| Born: | Woomera, South Australia, 5 July 1953 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Electrician |
| Died: | Pancreatic cancer, Kogarah, New South Wales, 21 April 2017, aged 63 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 13 Oct 1969: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Ordinary Seaman, SN R105811, HMAS Leeuwin, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1971: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Ordinary Seaman, SN R105811, HMAS Parramatta (III) |
David Dernedde... My story with him
David Joined the Royal Australian Navy on 13th October, 1969 from Adelaide SA. He entered HMAS Leeuwin a few days later after traveling across the Nullarbor by Train.
I joined from Brisbane and had to do the trip by train from there. David was a cheeky young bloke with a wonderful sense of humor and a good work ethic. We finished our Junior Recruit Training on 22nd Sept, 1971 and had leave prior to about 15 or so ord's joining HMAS Parramatta (11) where we went into refit in Williamstown Dockyard in Melbourne. After refit and work up exercises we traveled to the Far East for a 7 month cruise and Far East Strategic Reserve for the Vietnam Conflict David and I stepped ashore and had the time of our lives. Good friends. All of the other Ord Seamen of this cruise were also the best of mates. We visited places that we never dreamed of going to and those memories still have a special place in our minds. We were good mates.
We escorted HMAS Sydney into Vung Tau Harbour in South Vietnam, closed up to action stations.... for real... not just an exercise as we had been planning and practicing for months. It brought home to us that we really were a part of a team on that great ship. We did our duty and did it well.
On arrival back in Australia, I posted off Parramatta to go to my further training and David and I parted company. We all posted to our different training establishments, David went to Cerberus and I went to Watson in Sydney. We never crossed paths again and often wondered what happened to him and where he was.
Sadly now I realize that he is no longer with us and has passed away.
Rest in Peace David. You will be sorely missed.
From all the remaining members of 28th Rhoades Division at HMAS Leeuwin, we pass on to David's Family our sincerest commiserations.
Gary Walter
R106693
Rhoades 29th
Submitted 9 June 2017 by Gary Walter
Biography contributed by Catherine Dernedde
David's ashes will be scattered on 25/4/2018 after the Dawn Service
Click images to start slideshow.