RETROSPECTIVES: More Pipe Dreams The messdecks of HMAS MELBOURNE [II] in 1958 - Graeme Andrews.

3297. '...Dear Mother. I don't know what it is, but I keep having this awful dream that I'm sleeping in a furnace, and someone's about to turn the steam valves on...I wake up shrieking every night and clutching for... '

 

On her arrival in 1956, the messdecks of HMAS MELBOURNE were hailed as a major advance on her sister ships in service, in that sailors had fold-down bunks rather than hammocks to sleep in, as in HMAS SYDNEY [III], shown recently in pic NO. 3259, here:

 

www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/5170552621/

 

We're not so sure. Curled up in a hammock suddenly looks like it might be preferable .Notice the seamen's trunks and luggage stored right up to the deckheads, upper left.

 

Let's take a look at another HMAS MELBOURNE messdeck. We had one in Kim Dunstan's 'Navy Life' series of pics, at NO. 2867, here:

 

www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4956433798/

 

Hmmm. A bit better ... maybe...

 

Photo: Graeme Andrews, RAN 1955-1968, from a private disc, with permission.

 

A COMPENDIUM of links to some 350 images of HMAS MELBOURNE [II] on this Photostream begins at Pic 5444 and extends over seven entries. It starts here:

 

www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/6707592179/in/photostream

 

 

Done