1. Lieutenant Commander George Ewart Vaughan Owen, RANR (S)

23/7/1941-19/1/1942

George Owen was the first captain of HMAS MILDURA. He was born at Chaldon, England on July 21, 1904. He enlisted in the RAN at the beginning of the war, September 3, 1939. Place of enlistment was Fremantle. After the collision with the BERWICKSHIRE, he was replaced as Captain. In a bureaucratic bungle, he did not learn of his replacement until Claude Guille arrived on the ship.

The rest of his naval service is unknown at this stage.

He was discharged from HMAS ORARA at the beginning of 1946.

2. Lieutenant Commander Claude James Poigsdestre Guille RANR(S) OBE

19/1/1942 - 8/7/1943

Born in Southampton, England, on March 17, 1908. The son of a sea captain, he grew up in the Channel Islands. Claude Guille went to sea as a merchant seaman at the age of 16. As a Naval Reservist he was called up on the outbreak of war in 1939. He joined the RAN on September 2, 1940, and served as an officer on HMAS PERTH.

He was awarded the OBE for:

"For bravery and devotion to duty in boarding a burning merchantman during an enemy air attack. During the air raid on Malta on January 16, 1941, this officer having no duty onboard HMAS PERTH at the time, rushed to join the fire parties as soon as heard that the MV ESSEX had been hit. He had served with the company owning the ESSEX, and in a sister ship. He became immediately the moving spirit of the party. All but one of the ESSEX's officers were killed, incapacitated or ashore, and all lights were out. Lieutenant Guille's intimate knowledge of the ship enabled him to direct the rescue parties to the right places, the engineers to the engine room and the fire parties to where they were most needed. In doing this he displayed the highest leadership and utter disregard of personal safety. Then, seeing that the dockyard fire mains would be insufficient, he insisted on having hoses run from PERTH's own fire mains. Those hoses were ultimately the means of saving the ship. Through out the two air raids, whilst on board this ship loaded with 4000 tons of exposed ammunition, he continued to show the greatest steadiness, judgment, common sense, determination and personal courage and was more responsible than any other individual for the ultimate safety of the ship - and probably PERTH as well. His behaviour on this occasion is entirely consistent with his general character and outstanding ability as a practical seaman."

In a conversation with Allan Waugh years later Claude said: "it was a piece of cake. I had sailed in an identical sister ship before the war and knew every nook and cranny."

Ken Robin, 1st Lt. recalls: "Claude Guille was the best captain that I ever had the pleasure to serve under. He knew when to bend the rules or to be very firm. Regulations were to be used as a guide only."

He was later C.O. of HMAS WAGGA. He was discharged from HMAS RUSHCUTTER on January 4, 1946.

Lt.Cdr. Guille died in Brisbane on November 27, 2004.

Click here for the text of Claude Guille's speech to the Mildura Association, July, 2000.

Photo taken during the raid on Malta, January 16, 1941
Picture courtesy of Bruce Constable
http://www.spruso.com/1malta.htm

3. Lieutenant Commander Spence Bernard Komoll RANR (S)

8/7/1943 - 21/7/1943

S.B Komoll temporarily commanded the MILDURA during the two weeks between Guille's departure and Little's arrival. Born in Semaphore, South Australia on January 3, 1896, he enlisted in the RAN on December 22, 1939. In 1944-5 he was the Port Director on Goodenough Island, New Guinea. He was discharged from HMAS RUSHCUTTER on October 22, 1945.

One anecdote remembered is of him striding about the deck wrapped only in a towel, demanding that someone pump the water for his shower.

4. Lieutenant Commander John Midford Little RANR(S)

21/7/1943 - 30/10/1945

John Little assumed command of the MILDURA on July 21, 1943. He was a Merchant Navy veteran and a very experienced and competent seaman. Born on June 27, 1905, in NSW, he was 38 years old when he took command. He had joined the Australian United Steam Navigation Company as a teenage apprentice, and joined the RAN on July 17, 1924, and had worked his way up through the ranks. He commanded the HMAS BINGERA prior to joining the MILDURA.

"Johnny" to the sailors, he was of stocky build and quiet demeanour. He always gave the impression of being in complete control and even if things were going badly on the bridge, he would never raise his voice but could easily generate a piercing glare towards the offender.

He was discharged from HMAS RUSHCUTTER on December 3, 1945, and returned to the merchant navy.

5. Acting Lieutenant Commander Alister William Savage RAN

30/10/1945-12/5/1948

Alister Savage was born in Adelaide, SA, on January 17, 1920. He joined the RAN in Sydney, on January 1, 1934 at the age of 13.

the RAN, and was finally discharged from HMAS LONSDALE, on September 20, 1967, with the rank of Commander. He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and later became the High Commissioner to Cyprus. Illness forced his return to Australia where he died in 1977.

6. Lieutenant Commander John Ferguson, DSC, RAN

20/1/1951-13/6/1952

John Ferguson was born in Dumferline, Scotland, on October 14, 1920. He enlisted with the RAN on September 30, 1940. He won the DSC in the MTB 209 for mine laying along the French coast before the D Day landings. He commanded the MILDURA during her service as a training ship in Western Australia. He was a career sailor and held many senior appointments before retiring as Commanding Officer of HMAS WATERHEN on March 31, 1969. He went on to a distinguished career in the Commonwealth Parliament where he became Senior Private Secretary to the Speaker.

7. Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Russell Bromell RAN

13/6/1952 - 7/5/1953

M.R.Bromell was Captain of the MILDURA during her days as a training vessel in Western Australia from 1951-1953. He was born in Flemington, Victoria on January 24, 1913 and enlisted in the RAN on June 24, 1941. After leaving the MILDURA he was then appointed to the Navy Office in Melbourne. He was discharged from the Navy on January 23, 1958, from HMAS LEEUWIN.

8. Lieutenant Commander M. Millar, RN

7/5/1953 - 12/9/1953

M.Millar was Captain of the Mildura on her last voyage from Fremantle to Melbourne where she was paid off.

Lt.Cdr. M.Millar

Further Information about any of the Captains would be greatly appreciated

BACK TO THE CREW LIST

Back to Home Page

For further information contact hmasmildura 'at' hotmail.com

© HMAS MILDURA ASSOCIATION Victoria Australia May 26, 2005