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Tuesday 10 March 2015
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Bugle player’s tour of the century A HASTINGS musician is heading to Gallipoli to play The Last Post on the 100th anniversary of the Anzac landings. Able seaman and bugler, Racheal Byrnes, of HMAS Cerberus, is part of a musical group playing aboard the frigate HMAS Anzac when it anchors in Anzac Cove on 25 April. A ceremonial service on board will complement the three Australian and New Zealand commemorative services at Gallipoli: a joint Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site, an Australian Memorial Service at Lone Pine, and a New Zealand Memorial Service at Chunuk Bair. Ms Byrnes left on Thursday for a week’s training in Sydney before leaving on Sunday 15 March for a five month naval deployment - called Northern Trident - joining a New Zealand ship enroute and culminating in the Gallipoli visit on Anzac Day. The frigate’s extended voyage will take in Diego Garcia, Crete, Gallipoli, Brindisi in Italy, Valetta in Malta, Portsmouth in England, Brest in France, Ferrol in Spain, Casablanca in Morocco, Cape Town in South Africa, and Port Louis in Mauritius. While Ms Byrnes and the other musicians are away they will still need to be effective crew members. Like all sailors they will do watch keeping, fire drills (any time of the day or night), emergency medical training and general duties. When they get the opportunity, they will rehearse to prepare for their musical commitments – most importantly, Anzac Day at Gallipoli. “When the ship pulls into port, that's when the band will usually perform most, and at official functions or other community engagements,” she said. “I am really looking forward to it.”
In tune: Racheal Byrnes prepares for her voyage to Anzac Cove. Picture: Yanni
No ferry: islanders isolated Keith PLatt keith@mpnews.com.au FRENCH Islanders have again been left stranded by the ferry. Engine problems put both the main ferry, George Bass, and its back-up, Schouten Passage, out of action. It is understood the Department of Transport issued a stop notice on the George Bass on Friday 27 February. The ferry is reported to have been running on one motor and was dock-
ing on the outside of the Stony Point jetty because restricted maneuverability prevented it from using its normal landing inside of the jetty. Without the regular ferry service schoolchildren were being brought from the island in small private boats. Over the long weekend a boat owned by Westernport Fishing Charters was brought in to provide the ferry service, although it could not carry as many passengers as the regular ferry and on Saturday afternoon brought passengers
back to Stony Point when weather prevented it from tying up at Cowes, Phillip Island. Passengers were also left at Stony Point because of limited space on the fishing charter boat. A wedding planned to be held on French island was cancelled due to the lack of a ferry. Some business owners on the island are considering adding up their losses due to the ferries not operating and making approaches through the Ombudsman for compensation.
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had contacted The News: “If they know so much, ask them.” He said the ferry had sailed from Stony Point that morning in line with the timetable and that it “doesn’t matter what kind of boat” was being used. Westernport Fishing Charters confirmed on Tuesday that its boat was operating to the timetable. “Nothing’s happened to the ferry service,” Mr Denvir said. “I’m not required to use any particular type of vessel.” Continued Page 6
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The Schouten Passage was due to begin sea trials on Tuesday after undergoing repairs at Yaringa Boat Harbour, Somerville. The whereabouts of the George Bass is unknown. When contacted by The News yesterday (Tuesday) Inter Island Ferries’ operator Frank Denvir said he had “no explanation to give” as to why his ferries were not operating. He said The News could “keep wondering” and should go back to whoever
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