Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Written by Year 12 VCE Vocational Major students of John Paul College, Frankston.

Lee Andrews, Royal Australian Navy (Electrical Mechanic Power 2nd Class), Service Number R95791.

Lee Andrews served 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy. His service number or (Identification number) was R95791 and he was born on the 13th of May 1950. Lee served on the HMAS Sydney as an Ordinary Seaman and HMAS Yarra as an Electrical Mechanic Power, 2nd class. There were plenty of good times had by Lee and a few bad times.

Lee talked about first why he joined the navy which was to leave his parents, not because his parents where bad but because they were good parents. He wanted to explore and do something rebellious and get out of home and the navy sounded like a great adventure that filled perfectly with what he was looking for. Lee was also sick of waking up early to attend the farm. 

 So, he signed up at the ripe age of 16 to get out and see the world. He told us he loved it, sure the work was 24/7 on the ship, but he sounded happy reminiscing about on board the ship and telling us his thoughts and feelings because to him it was an overall enjoyable experience. 

During Vietnam he was a part of a former Aircraft Carrier ship bringing onboard supplies such as ammunition, rations, bombs, Jeeps and even the soldiers going to Vietnam. He told us when the soldiers were on board, they swapped quarters so the soldiers could be more comfy and able to rest easier. 

He told us about the amazing food he got to eat on the ship because they had actual Chefs that cooked them fresh food daily. He kissed the tips of his fingers and exclaimed “delicious” when talking about it. That interaction felt very wholesome. 

When bringing the solders back from Vietnam his fellow shipmates told him not talk to the solders as a sign of respect for what horrors they faced. Lee also spoke about nighttime and how he would hear screams from the solders having night terrors and flashbacks to what they had witnessed. Something I will never forget is when he mentioned walking through the quarters of the sleeping solders and how had brushed past the arm of a solder and some of the pores would bleed because it was full of mud and soot and his white shirt would have streaks of blood on it from just brushing past them. 

Lee had five stints/ trips to Vietnam in the navy. He was on the HMAS Sydney three times and then the HMAS Yarra two times. The first trip was from the 20th of Dec 1967 to 3rd of Jan 1968, the second trip was from the 17th of January 1968 to the 16th of February 1968, the third was on the 27th of March 1968 to the 26th of April 1968, then the next one was on the HMAS Yarra from 22nd of February 1970 to the 1st of March 1970, then the last one was from the 22nd of February 1971 to the 1st of March 1971. Lee was an electrical mechanic for all the power electrics on the ships and after nine years he was a navy police investigator.  

Lee was an electrical mechanic for all the power electrics on the ships and then he was a navy police investigator.  

Lee informed us that after his last voyage he started a family, so he wanted to be there for his wife and child. Lee after 20 years resigned from the navy and became a Victorian Police Protective Services officer so he could spend more time with his loved ones. He stayed in the Victoria Police until he decided to retire at 71 and couldn’t keep up running after younger people who were running away after committing crimes. He then joined up with an organisation that helps with keeping veterans together and once in awhile talks to and informs students about the Vietnam War and his role in it.  

 Lee worked tirelessly with the Police Force and he loved the work he did and working hard paid off because he found himself moving up in the ranks in Melbourne becoming a Senior Protective Services Officer and then a Sergeant PSO. Lee loved socialising with the community and after he retired from the Victorian Police, he worked with the Navy Association, Vietnam Veterans and the RSL.  The veterans now have a morning breakfast every Tuesday with veterans coming together to have a chat and talk about their own lives after the different wars not just the Vietnam war.  

Lee made the world a better place by helping with the Navy transporting our soldiers over to war and then getting our boys back home again. He also made the world a better place by being a PSO for over 32 years and we appreciate the work he has done both on land and offshore. Lee made the world a better place by helping the different services from around the Mornington Peninsula and other suburbs, that have served this great country over the years, to be at a place for friendship and mateship. There they could talk about different things in their life during and after the war, it keeps them all united, so for that I honour him and applaud him.  

Thank you, Lee, for serving this great country that I am privileged to call home. Thank you for keeping our communities safe due to your service with the Victoria Police. Thank you for creating a broader community of troops to share stories and have a laugh whether they are Navy, Army, Airforce, or even our great Nurses. Once again thank you for serving my great country. It was a privilege to meet you and listen to you share the stories of your journey. I loved the leadership advice you offered, the stories and just the laughs. It is with great honour that I thank you for serving us in the Navy and Police Force for Australia.  

 With or without knowing it, Lee Andrews has had a crucial part in shaping Australia today. His story is probably a lot different to what the “normal” veteran you would expect. Without Lee the world would be a whole lot duller and more boring, that's for sure. Alot less free too. His service in and out of the Navy is phenomenal, keeping streets clean to ensuring the safe passage of soldiers and their supplies to a hostile land. Lastly Becoming a humble old man with awesome stories to tell. 

Lee was really interesting as a person and his life has been full of adventure and hardship. He seems like he always wanted to help people and be a part of his community.

I am grateful for his service to the community and I’m glad that he got to experience all these interesting experiences. He has inspired me to also try some interesting experiences because, we only live one so we should try different, interesting things. 

Lee Andrews is an inspiring individual who has made a positive impact on the world by sharing his experiences and promoting openness. His willingness to engage with others and share his insights help people gain a deeper understanding of the historical events that took place on board the HMAS Sydney and HMAS Yarra. His demonstration of leadership and teamwork qualities, which would have involved communicating with superiors and other crew members. He also alerted others aboard the ship by performing guard duties over the beaches of Vietnam, it showcases his commitment to making a difference and ensuring the safety and well-being of others. It's admirable how he turned a dark time in history into an opportunity to shed light and inspire others to take action for the greater good.