HMAS Brisbane operational sounds

The operational sounds of HMAS Brisbane recorded onboard whilst the ship participated in the live fire exercise "Tandem Thrust" held off the coast of Northern Queensland, 24-29 May 2001.

25 May 2001
1 of 23 HMAS Brisbane is tied to the dock in Mackay harbour. Recorded on Bridge. Officers and crew can be heard in general conversation. Captain and Executive Officer give instructions, which are confirmed by relevant crew members, associated with the moving away from the dock and departing Mackay harbour. “Challenger” is the civilian tug boat assisting HMAS Brisbane maneouver away from the dock. On occasion civilian shipping radio conversations can be heard in background. Once departed Mackay harbour HMAS Brisbane cruises south, the Navigator / Officer of the Watch can be heard giving course and location instructions.
2 of 23 Briefing by Gunnery Officer James Luck – live fire exercise as part of HMAS Brisbane’s participation in Exercise Tandem Thrust. HMAS Brisbane, in association with RAAF FA18 aircraft and United States Marine Corps AH1 Cobra helicopters, is providing fire support to the Australian Army’s 3rd Brigade on shore.
3 of 23 Recorded in Gun Plot (Plotting) Room. Preparation for gun firing. Gun Plot controller and Operations Room staff exchange co-ordinates and commands via intercom. Gun Plot crew member describes the purpose for releasing a small weather balloon. Gun Plot crew members can be heard conversing in background.
4 of 23 Recorded in Gun Plot 1700-1745. Conversations between Gun Plot controller and Operations Room. Mount 51 and Mount 52 firing
5 of 23 Transfer Room Includes: sound of round travelling up transfer mechanism from the transfer room to loading position next to the gun breach, loading into the breach, gun firing, expelling spent cartridge and reloading. Intercom conversations can be heard in background.
6 of 23 Gun operator describes various types and applications of 5 inch gun ammunition used by HMAS Brisbane.
7 of 23 Recorded inside Mount 52. Includes: sound of round travelling up delivery mechanism from the Transfer Room below to loading position outside gun breach, loading into breach, gun firing, expelling spent cartridge case and reloading. Intercom conversations can be heard in background. There is a round jammed in the transfer mechanism. The gun operator can be heard discussing the problem with his supervisor on the deck below. The gun is turned off and the gun operator climbs into the transfer mechanism, he is heard saying “goin’ down”. Continuation of live firing. After the cessation of firing the operator explains the cause of the ammunition feed problem which occurred earlier.
26 May 2001
8 of 23 Recorded in Operations Room (microphone was hanging over plotting table).
Saturday night Live Fire exercise. Voices heard:
Gunnery Officer James Luck
Ground Spot Signaler Matthew Hobbs
Navigator (surname Leach)
Captain of HMAS Brisbane
Army Liaison WO2 James Francis
Gunnery Officer James Luck is heard talking to Gun Plot and the observer on shore as they co-ordinate the commencement of the mission. Gunnery Officer can also be heard conversing with other personnel in Operations Room.
27 May 2001
9 of 23 Recorded on Bridge. Sunday Morning. Final session of live fire exercise.
The buzzing sound is the interference caused by the ship’s radar.
Officer of the Watch is heard giving course alterations to Helmsman. Ship is preparing to commence live fire exercise. Includes conversations of bridge crew. Mount 51 and Mount 52 commence firing. The fire mission is suspended while three F111 aircraft approach and fly past on their bombing run to the target. The bridge crew can be heard commenting as they observe the F111 attack. After the F111 attack is completed HMAS Brisbane resumes the fire support mission. At the conclusion of the fire mission the Executive Officer is heard, over the ship’s communications, advising the ship’s company that the fire mission is complete and the ship will undertake a major damage control exercise followed by a boat transfer of personnel with HMAS Manoora before going to standard cruising watches for the remainder of the day.
10 of 23 The Navigator can be heard plotting course for cruising south and fixing location. An exercise is conducted where the ship has suffered damage and casualties from land based artillery fire. Damage and casualty reports are heard being received from various sections of the ship. The army liaison warrant officer James Francis, who was onboard for the previous three day live fire exercise, is heard saying his farewell to the ship’s captain. The ship maneuvers for an exchange by small boat of army and navy personnel. The ship goes to standard cruising watch.
11 of 23 Recorded in COMFLOT area. General ambient sounds of the ship’s air conditioning and other systems. Occasionally, there are sounds of doors being opened and closed as personnel move through the area, plus announcements over the ship’s intercom. The ship was cruising south at approximately 25 knots.
28 May 2001
12 of 23 Recorded on bridge. Ship is cruising south at approximately 25 knots, passing Gold Coast. General Bridge atmosphere.
13 of 23 Central Corridor walk. Internal walk through from the forward end of the ship, starting at the Ward Room, to the stern. Sounds heard include engine and boiler rooms as open hatches to those rooms are passed (access to the boiler and engine rooms is via ladder stairs set in the floor of the central corridor). Aft end of corridor opens onto open deck where wind noise affects microphone. Recordist climbs stairs to deck level above to commence internal walk from aft to forward returning to Ward Room where the Gunnery Officer James Luck is conducting a tutorial with a junior officer. The Ward Room steward can be heard in the background putting away cutlery.
14 of 23 Interview: Able Seaman Knies talks about his role in the gun mount during firing. He also talks about his experience of the incident in August 1999 when a round misfired causing a fire in Mount 51. Interviewed by Bill Brassell (recordist) and Michael Cecil (Australian War Memorial curator of Military Technology).
15 of 23 Ben Jowatt explains the workings of the five inch gun system in an interview with Bill Brassell and Mike Cecil.
16 of 23 Sea wake sounds recorded mid ships on the starboard side. Cruising speed approx 25 knots.
17 of 23 Sailor’s café. Sailors can be heard conversing, laughing etc while they eat their evening meal.
18 of 23 Engine Room. Sounds of turbine engine operating. Cruising speed approximately 25 knots. Engine room crew and intercom conversations can be heard in background.
19 of 23 Boiler Room. Occasionally the sound recordist can be heard seeking permission from boiler room crew members to enter various areas and gangways of the boiler room. Boiler room crew and intercom conversations can be heard in background.
20 of 23 Corridor walk from Boiler Room hatchway to ComFlot. After climbing gangway ladder to exit Boiler Room the recordist walks along the corridor to ComFlot.
21 of 23 ComFlot area. Sounds of air conditioning and ventilation systems. Sounds of toilets flushing.
29 May 2001
22 of 23 Recorded on Bridge. Sailing into Sydney Harbour. The weather was raining and on occasions the window wipers can be heard making a rapid rattling sound. Sounds of bridge activities, the Captain can be heard giving instructions to the Helmsman as he steers the ship through Sydney Heads, down the harbour to its berth at Garden Island Naval Dockyard.
23 of 23 Recorded in Engine Room. Sailing into Sydney Harbour. Sounds of engine room including intercom communications with the Bridge. The ship is being steered through Sydney Heads, down the harbour to its berth at Garden Island Naval Dockyard.