The crew of Kurrewa IV after breaking the race record for the Sydney Hoban Race in 19S7 . Almost all are identified with the exception of one young gentleman right forward on the boom . From left ro right . the lost eight along the boom and omitting the one we have 001 been able 10 identify : Bob Wallace , Frank Walker Smith . John Livingstone . ' Rubber ' Kellaway . David Halliday , Frank Livingsrone , Archie Robenson . Graham Wright The group standing behind : Warwick McBeath , Doug Robenson , Jim Biddlecombe . Neil Shannon Mlssin & from this photograph is Ron Robenson who most cerminly would have been there . Ronald J . Robenson wns lost off Kurrfi " a IV some six moot ~ later in most tragic circulll5lanCCS . being swept from the helm and into hom : ndous seas three miles off Sydney I leads . Kurrtwa IV was rcruming 10 Sydney from the Pittwater nft ~ having competed in the Bird Island Race where she placed second to Solo . tnry wa ~ instructed tO write to the Naval Comme > dore , a ~ king for formal permission to ruee over the usual club cou ~ without requiring competing yachts to repon to the Naval Examination Vessel Permission was also sought for yachts on the club regis1er LO enter nnd leave port during daylight hours wi1ho11t closing t11c Naval Examinmion Vessel . provided such yachts were Oying 1 . be club burgce .
On 6 November I 940it was decided not ropanicipate in the conduct of any yaclu race during the present conditions . The Secrerary was instructed 10 write 10 the Jubilee Management Comminee advis · ing them that Jubilee races were no1 to be conducted officially by the club .
The club almost wcni inro recess o . fier this . It was decided to lift the moorings ( rounding marks ) in the
Hotbour . The club also decided not IO suppon other clubs who were protesting against not being issued peLrol ration tickets for their petrol englnes .
Beyond that . Lhose members lefr at home engaged themselves in such 1hings as helping the Country Women ' s A .' ISOCiarion by roping camouflage net .!, as well as providing food hampers for members on > ervioe overseas or in Darwin .
Even amongsl this distraction , and clespi1e the success of Green Poinr , there were still o few members who were against the Green Point clubhouse .
On 19 November 1940 the Committee inspected two sites in 1be Pinwacer near Careel Bay . They were oo 1hc Sand Point side and had a £ 3250 selUng price . TI1e Commodore said , ' I am strongly against the proposal as the club should not emenain the purchase a1 the preseni critical slate of the nffairs of the Empire .' It was also ~ rared that it would be difficult 10 acquire the propeny without recour-M : 10 the club ' s reserves , bu1 even against the opinlon of three senior members of the Committee most of 1he members were in favour . I lowcver , things were moving roo fast for anything to be done _
Fifty-five members of the club were either on active service abroad oroo active service in Australia . and other members were busy mnk . ing camou · tinge nets . Twenty-eight members completed the classes for navigation held by Cap1ain Richmond . and many joined the Royal Ausualian Naval Volunteer Reserve with eommissions-
Racing for the season l 940-41 was officially nbiindooed and by 1942 , 30 % of the club members were on active service . Many club members served wilh distinction , Lieutenant J . Stuart Mould . RANVR , was awarded the George Medal , and Lieutenaru W . L . Fesq . RANVR . was awarded the DSC . Another mcmher , l . ie111enon1-rolonel A . Brown , OBE , DSO , MC , gave a talk at the club on 1he epic defence of Tobruk .
On26 May 1941 a special meeting was held at the clubrooms and it was resolved that ' the foregoing qualifications for Commodore , Vice-Commodore and Rt > ar-Commodore shall not necessarily apply during the duration of the war and Cor six months 1hereafler '.
There were not muny meetings , but the comment .! ar the Annual General Meeting of 14 September
1944 nre interesting . It was considered that the club was not doing enough for servicemen on leave in Sydney . The Committee was criticised for spending money on maintennnce and carpets whilsl 1he empire was s1ill a1 war . le wa ~ Lhought Lha1 the money should have gone into the warcrt ' on . During the >' Cal ', £ 201 Is 6d was donated In furtherance of the war effon .
The only real nt1ack during the war came in Onrwir1 , but there was a flurry on Sydney Harbouron 31 May 1942 when three Japanese midget submarines sneaked through 1hc boom on Sydney Harbour , presumably coming in under the Manly ferries . lbey attaclced the US cniiser Chicago bill auncd too far ahead of her . One 10 ,,, edo hit a retaining wall alongside lhe naval dcpo1 ship HMAS K1111t1 / 111I , causing it
LO explode . and kming I 9 nav • I ratings on board . The 01her 10 ,,, edo did not explode and was la1er found on the stony foreshore of Garden Island .
Naval auxiliary pa ( Jl ) I boats Lauriano ( H . Amou ), Allum ( D . J . Robenson , F . Palmer , R . G .
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