Welcome Home HMAS Success

As you know I spent yesterday morning at Garden Island for the arrival from deployment of HMAS Success.  What a gorgeous blue sky day we had. It was a little chilly for a while but the sun soon had us shedding layers and it must have been a perfect day to sail into the gorgeous Sydney Harbour!

it is always a privilege to be there when a ships comes home, to share that special experience with the families and friends of the crew and to meet some of those that we have sent quilts and laundry bags too. This time it was lovely to share the experience with Stephanie T and Rita C.

As always there are a few speeches.

The Commanding Officer of HMAS Kuttabul, CMDR Jeffcoat, welcomed everyone and introduced the first speaker

The Hon Darren Chester MP

CDRE Lee Goddard also made a speech and gave us a run-down of where HMAS Success was and what she would be aiming to do but unfortunately my photo was blurry so not worth sharing. I will also tell you that before the speeches he came and spoke to myself, Rita and one of the wives of the crew who was sitting with us at the time. He assumed that we were family waiting for the crew but when I explained who we were  I am really pleased to say that he knew about us, knew what we do and said he sees evidence of our work as he travels around the fleet. He took the time to thank all of us for what we do and said it really makes a difference.

:-)

I could not resist taking a photo of this little family waiting for Dad to arrive.  Anna N these are the two little cherubs, Charlie and Tobu, that will share the quilt you made their dad!  Mum said they all loved it. I love the sailor suits!!!

And here she comes....right on time too, according to the Commodore

A wave from the SWO, the Ship's Warrant Officer, one of my main contacts during this deployment along with the chaplain.

Starting to disembark.  Rita M these are two of your recipients, including "Popeye".

The captain, glad to be back with his family.

Now for the rest of the photos I will list the name of the quilter/s so that you can see your recipients.   :-)

Barbara A

Berrima 1502 - Sue, Tamsin and Jan -  Noeleen LB

Carol W and Joan LB

Jenny D and Gale this is your quilt recipient, the chaplain.  Linda H made him a special laundry bag with the HMAS Success crest on it and a few other details.  :-)

Debbie D 

And again with his boys.  Don't you reckon his wife is GLAD to have him home!

Debbie

The fellow on the left is Dianne B's recipient and the lovely lady on the right is the SWO again and she received a quilt made by Lynn and Debbie and a laundry bag made by myself,

I met this gorgeous family on the day that mum deployed in November and managed to get a great photo of the three of them which was subsequently stitched into the quilt by Evelyn.  I was pleased to get another photo of this lovely trio yesterday!

Floarea

Jacqui P, your recipient is on the left and I am reliably (and somewhat emphanically) informed that the cute little one is simply a prop for the photo....

Jenny F

Katherine

Leanne 

Lisa N 

Lynn, Michele, Debbie and myself made his quilt and Stephanie D made his laundry bag.

Maree J 

Michelle T

The Queanbeyan CWA ladies 

Myf and the Queanbeyan CWA ladies

Pennie

Rhonda and Rayleen

Rita C and Kim M 

Rita C and Kim M 

Rita M - here is your popeye recipient.

Stephanie D made his quilt and I made his laundry bag.   I missed this fellow yesterday but had the pleasure of meeting him when Success deployed and have heard from him a couple of time during his deployment.

Stephanie N 

Stephanie T, and Joan made her laundry bag

Stephanie T 

Louise T and the Dolphin Quilters

Lucy S

Margaret C

Sue N 

Wendy F made this cool, and very much appreciated Laundry Bag and Lynn made his quilt which was quilted by Debbie

The last of these pics are ones that for one reason or another I could not track down teh quilters for....

It was lovely to meet lots of the crew but for all the quilters out there I was really touched by the number of mums, wives, friends and family, who, on discovering that I was the "quilt lady" made a point of asking me to pass on their thanks to whoever made their loved one's quilt and laundry bag.  It was so obvious that it means a great deal to the families as much as it does to the crew.  

One girl offered to get her quilt out of her bag to have a photo taken and I said, "Only if it is no trouble".  Straight away her Dad (assuming here) spoke up and said "If they can go to all that trouble for you it is the least you can do."  

Another time I walked up to a young man with a pretty girl on his arm and asked him if he received a quilt. He said "No" and his lovely girlfriend looked disgusted. I asked him if he had requested one and he said "no".  I looked at her and she said "I know, right!".  LOL I think she will be making sure he requests one next deployment.  

Big thanks to the SWO for looking after us so well, from inviting us in, to arranging disable parking and also seating.  It was great to catch up with you again.

And lucky last, as we were walking back to my car I could not help but spot this fellows gorgeous bright laundry bag.  Now if I have it correct (as the sun was a bit bright on the name tag so I could not read it clearly) this fellow received a quilt from Lynn that was embellished by Evelyn and his awesome laundry bag was made by Joan. 

With him are Rita and Stephanie T who accompanied me for the day!  

Welcome Home HMAS Success. It was good to share the special occasion with you all and for me, lovely to meet some of your families as well as yourselves.  

Till next time................keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Jan-Maree