Stanton, Richard W. (Chief Petty Officer, b: 1922)

Typescript memoir (44p), (January 1939 to February 1952), entitled "A life on the ocean wave" written by 22719 Chief Petty Officer Richard W. Stanton relating to his career as a radio operator in the RAN. It describes convoy escort and minefield mapping operations and patrols carried out in September 1940 by HMAS Vampire with the East Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria, Egypt. It mentions supplying Malta, Crete, the bombardment of Bardia, support of the AIF in Libya and Tobruk, the evacuation of troops from Crete, delivery of supplies and evacuation of wounded during the siege of Tobruk. Stanton then transferred to four ships in the Pacific area which were engaged in patrol and convoy duties, HMAS Arunta, HMAS Warramunga, HMAS Stuart and HMAS Ballarat. Stanton was serving on HMAS Warramunga at the Battle of the Coral Sea and on the HMAS Ballarat at the Japanese surrender on 31 August 1945. It describes HMAS Ballarat's minesweeping duties in Hong Kong and China. The typescript also relates Stanton's post-war experiences on: HMAS Manoora repatriating Australian and Dutch troops and Indonesian internees, and transporting occupation forces to Japan; HMAS Barcoo engaged in survey and charting of the Australian coastline, HMAS Tobruk and HMAS Australia until his retirement in February 1952.