In times past

Subsequent to the signing of the Korean Armistice on July 27, 1953 while serving in HMAS MURCHISON in the Gulf of Siam during a SEATO exercise with US 7th Fleet at approximately 1600 hrs at and to the embarrassment of our anti-submarine screen; [HMAS MURCHISON was not serving in the A/S screen] some 200 yards on our port quarter; a Russian Submarine surfaced. [Lord only knows how long she had been in the midst of the fleet]  Her Captain, opened the hatch, waved and crash-dived.

Along with a couple of other RN frigates we were ordered to engage the submarine. For the next 3/4 weeks, steering by ASDIC, we chased that boat all over the Gulf dropping hand grenades at predetermined intervals.

I am sure that we could have been torpedoed numerous times.

Ralph Wollmer