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HMAS Otway, Holbrook
We were most surprised to see a full sized submarine embedded in a park in the middle of NSW! My back was seizing up so I got up early today, at 7.15am, and left Barry to sleep in. I made my breakfast and looked outside. There was the larger of our two duck friends hanging about a neighbour’s caravan looking hopeful. By the time I’d finished eating he’d disappeared again, without any food I suspect.
Once Barry was up and we’d secured everything for travelling we set off for Wodonga, our next stop on the way home. The return road, on the Hume Highway, was a lot less traumatic than the outward journey, although we did encounter a few hills. Only one was a long and slow climb but it was not really a problem and we didn’t overheat at all, thank goodness.
We were needing a break and some petrol as we approached the town of Holbrook, so we left the Highway and made our way in. We found an easy parking space beside the road and then noticed a full-sized submarine embedded in the park right opposite us! That was a surprise when we were nowhere near the sea. We got out to have a look and discovered that it was the HMAS Otway. People of
The Submarine Museum, Holbrook
A little hologram of Gundula Holbrook telling the story of the bravery of her husband, British Lt James Holbrook, for whom the town of Holbrook is named. all ages were clambering over it and taking photos. Barry went up on it but, needless to say, I didn’t – I just took the photo.
There was also a Submarine Museum, which we went into. It was not big but contained a lot of interesting artefacts and equipment from submarines with detailed technical explanations on them, which Barry was very interested in. There was also a wonderful video hologram of the story behind the town taking the name “Holbrook” as told by British Lt James Holbrook’s Austrian wife, Gundula,(although it was actually performed by an actress with an Austrian accent). It showed a tiny woman, standing on one of the shelves in the display, telling the story with great expression and lots of gestures. She interacted with the items on display, walking behind a row of his medals, picking up a chair from behind his photo, then carrying it to the front and sitting on it. She even sat on the edge of his desk blotter at one point.
She told of her husband’s bravery during the First World War when he was the captain of a submarine, B11, at the age of 26 years. The submarine
Submarine Museum, Holbrook
Very cramped sleeping quarters on a sub! was working in the Dardanelles and encountered sea-mines. With a damaged front hull, he worked his way through 5 rows of mines and met and destroyed a German ship that was guarding them in supposedly “safe” waters. He was then running too low on battery power for silent underwater running and so was being shot at from the cliffs with shells. He managed to work his way, very skilfully, back to the supply ship without losing any of his crew.
For his deeds, he became the first submariner to receive the Victoria Cross, the highest British military medal, and he was given the French Croix de Guerre. He didn’t think he’d done anything beyond his duty and was surprised that others wanted to award him.
It was the custom in the old days in Australia to name towns after prominent British people, as the ties to the “Motherland” were still very strong. The town had been called “Germanton” but this was not acceptable to many of the population as they were at war with Germany. After much deliberation, they settled on naming their town Holbrook, after the brave young submariner, who was surprised and very honoured. Thereafter, the
Submarine Museum, Holbrook
The control room, complete with periscope. Barry was looking through it at our ute parked across the road. town developed an affinity with submariners and they decided to create the displays and save the HMAS Otway from being scrapped.
We walked out of the Museum, through the mock up of the crew sleeping quarters and the control room, complete with working periscope, from which you could see the surrounding scenery and our ute parked over the road. It certainly gave an idea of how cramped submarines are inside. I’m glad I don’t have to be squeezed in one with hundreds of other people.
After another quick coffee, we moved on to Wodonga Showgrounds across the border in Victoria. We’d hardly pulled up when Ray, from the last camp in Gundagai, called out “hello”. We got set up and then joined Ray, Sandy and the couple in the van next to us, Harry and Nicola, for a “Happy Hour”. I think this kind of thing may happen more often as we do our bigger trip. It’s nice to bump into familiar faces, even if they are new friends. We plan on seeing an old friend, too, tomorrow at Shepparton.
Before I made dinner, later, I watched the gorgeous sunset that lit the sky with pinks on
HMAS Otway, Holbrook
The big kid couldn't resist climbing on it one side and oranges on the other. I do love to see a sunset to finish the day.
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