The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
The crew of HMAS Riversnake at Port Victoria, North West Borneo, on the occasion of the decommissioning of the vessel from the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD). The Riversnake and other vessels of the RAN 'Snake' flotilla were being handed over to the British Borneo Civil Affairs Unit (BBCAU) and their crews paid off. Identified from left to right: unidentified (partially obscured); FV236 Able Seaman (AB) A M Colgate RANVR; LT/JX381091 AB J R Sparrowhawk RN; Lieutenant (Lt) John Preston Gowing RANVR, Commanding Officer; unidentified; SV514 AB N W Turnbull RANVR; LT/KX160035 Leading Stoker K J Cross RN; SV515 Leading Seaman A J Edwards RANVR. FV267 Master's Mate (M/M) R T Stacey RANVR and Lt (SP) C A King RANR were both absent. Lt Gowing is holding a sign which is believed to be the vessel's nameplate hastily constructed prior to the photograph being taken as the vessel carried no name plate at all during its service with SRD. The Japanese characters on the board approximate to watersnake although they are not completely correct in their execution or placement, probably having been copied by a non-native Japanese speaker.
LABUAN ISLAND, NORTH WEST BORNEO 1945-11-02. A GROUP OF SHIPS CAPTAINS CHATTING ABOARD HMAS RIVERSNAKE. LEFT TO RIGHT: SUB LIEUTENANT H. L. MILLS, RNVR, COMMANDER OF ARMY VESSEL AM1499; LIEUTENANT (LT
LABUAN ISLAND, NORTH WEST BORNEO 1945-11-02. ABOARD HMAS RIVERSNAKE MAJOR EGAN, BRITISH BORNEO CIVIL AFFAIRS UNIT (BBCAU) AND A RATING PREPARE TO LOWER THE WHITE ENSIGN AND RAISE THE BLUE ENSIGN. RAN
LABUAN ISLAND, NORTH WEST BORNEO 1945-11-02. COLONEL H. H. ROSS, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COLONEL L. G. LOHAN, AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL CUNNINGHAM, SENIOR CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER, AT
Informal group portrait of personnel connected with Operation Jaywick. Back row, left to right, Major (Maj) Herbert Alan Campbell (did not accompany the expedition); B/2575 Leading Stoker James Patric
LABUAN ISLAND, NORTH WEST BORNEO 1945-11-02. COLONEL H. H. ROSS, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COLONEL L. G. LOHAN, AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL CUNNINGHAM, SENIOR CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER, LO
LABUAN ISLAND, NORTH WEST BORNEO 1945-11-02. COLONEL H. H. ROSS, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COLONEL L. G. LOHAN, AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL CUNNINGHAM, SENIOR CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER, LO
