St Mary’s Anglican Church at Kangaroo Point to host service for Voyager disaster

They may not have been to war, but the crew of the HMAS Voyager II who died in 1964 will be remembered at Kangaroo Point this weekend as Anzacs.

HMAS Melbourne (centre) with two smaller ships including Voyager on a trial run prior to the 1964 disaster. Pictures courtesy of The Australian War Memorial. MUST CREDIT

THE HMAS Voyager II sunk during peace time 51 years ago.

On Sunday, February 8, the St Mary’s Anglican Church at Kangaroo Point will remind us defence force personnel who died on our shores should be honoured in the same way as the Anzacs who lost their lives overseas.
The church will host their annual memorial service to remember the 82 people who lost their lives when the naval destroyer collided with aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne on February 10, 1964 in New South Wales’ Jervis Bay.

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St Mary’s has long been known as Brisbane’s naval church and have a permanent memorial for those who died in the Voyager disaster.
Priest in charge, Reverend Canon Gary Harch said the commemorative mass was a positive event for the survivors and relatives of those who died in the biggest loss of lives in peace time in Australian naval history.

“As people reflect over the years, they have different experiences,” Reverend Harch said.

“Different people give different insights and help people understand it (the Voyager disaster) in different lights,” Reverend Harch said.

Cover page of "The News" newspaper in Adelaide on 11 Feb. 1964 featuring Aust. Navy warship HMAS Voyager disaster article.

Commanding Officer at the Queensland Naval Headquarters, Commander Peter Tedman, who attends the ceremony at St Mary’s each year, said the memorial service is important for survivors to “farewell their mates.”

“We have to remember there were incredible acts of bravery on the night HMAS Voyager II was hit, with people putting themselves in danger to save their mates and if that’s not the Anzac spirit I’m not sure what is,” Commander Tedman said.

Reunion church service for former crew members of HMAS Voyager at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Kangaroo Point in 2011. Photo: Mark Cranitch.

Voyager II survivor Alan Hellier and his wife Sonja attend the memorial service at Kangaroo Point each year.

They have encouraged any survivors or relatives of the HMAS Voyager II to attend the service on Sunday February 8 at St Mary’s Anglican Church at 455 Main St Kangaroo Point.

The service begins at 9am and there will be a wreath laying ceremony afterwards.

This weekend’s memorial service comes as the case of misconduct against a solicitor who represented Voyager disaster survivors in negligence actions has been put on hold after Queensland victim Fred Thompson died before the case was heard.