BARRY Townley moved to Swan Hill 35 years ago from Maroubra Sydney, which “back in those days was called surf city.”
“When I was younger I did a bit of surfing, we lived right by the ocean until mum and dad moved to Victoria, where I was brought up in Cobram, Victoria,” Barry said.
At the age of 17 and after he left school, Barry joined the Navy where he served for 12 years.
Six months later Barry was deployed to Malaysia for 10 months due to the Borneo Malaysia conflict on the HMAS Vendetta at the tender age of 17.5.
“The HMAS Vendetta patrolled the waters and coastal areas for would-be pirates, along with strategic reserve patrols,” Barry said.
“The South China Sea is just full of pirates.”
In 1965 Barry was sent to America, and spent all of 1966 aboard the HMAS Hobart, learning all of the latest technology and operations of the well-advanced American-built ship.
“The best part of being in the navy was the time I spent in America, and travelling through the Panama Canal,” Barry said.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (July 6).
