Chief Petty Officer Roy Clarence Vayne

Service number 343
Birth Date 1900-08-01
Birth Place Australia: Western Australia, Perth
Death Date 1967
Death Place Australia: South Australia, Adelaide
Final Rank Chief Petty Officer
Service Royal Australian Navy
Unit HMAS Sydney
Places
Conflict/Operation First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Roy Clarence Vayne was born in Perth on 1 August 1900, and was just 14 years old when he enlisted with the Royal Australian Navy in February 1915. For the majority of the First World War Vayne served on HMAS Sydney, which in late 1916 was sent to serve with the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet in the North Sea. There he received a pair of socks through the Rhynie Red Cross Society, knitted by an 8-year-old girl. Vayne wrote a letter of thanks back to the girl, detailing how he missed the sunshine in Australia and hoping the girl wasn't too disappointed that the socks went to a sailor instead of an infantryman. He returned home after the war and married in 1927.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War Vayne served as part of the auxiliary service and spent the majority of the war at the naval base HMAS Torrens. By the time he was discharged on 31 July 1950 he had attained the rank of chief petty officer. Roy Vayne died in Adelaide in 1967.

Timeline

date of birth 01 August 1900
Date of death 1967