Heedes, George Wisbey

George Wisbey Heedes - HMAS Australia RAN

George was born on the 18th December 1898 in Fremantle WA to George and Rosa Heedes and was one of twelve siblings born into the family.

George was educated locally and the family lived at 18 Carnac Street Fremantle. (later renumbered to 4 Carnac St) He was educated locally at Fremantle Boys School and during this time also served in the Navel Cadets. After leaving school he continued service with the Navy, joining the Royal Australian Naval Reserve forces.

With the outbreak of the Great War George continued his service in the Royal Australian Navy. He had the service number 4195.

He was officially taken on duty of the Royal Australian Navy on the 9th November 1914. As he was only 15 at the time he was given the rank of Boy II and then a few months later in 1915 was Signal Boy.

George was sent to HMAT Cerberus in Victoria for training and in November 1915 was sent to England where he was assigned to the RAN London Depot. On the 12th January 1916 George was assigned to the HMAS Australia. George had the rank of Ordinary Signalman.

On 22 April 1916 HMAS Australia collided with HMS New Zealand in a heavy fog. The resultant damage kept HMAS Australia in dockyard hands until 9 June 1916, which meant it missed participating in the Battle of Jutland. After its return to service in June 1916, Australia continued North Sea patrols as a unit of the British Grand Fleet. In November 1917, another collision, this time with HMS Repulse, caused Australia to be docked for three weeks. Repairs completed, Australia resumed a mostly uneventful routine of patrol and fleet exercises in the North Sea.

Through 1918 HMAS Australia continued with it's patrol work and was also used for experiments with launching planes from naval ships.

After the Armistice, HMAS Australia took part in the surrender of the German fleet. George's letter home about this event was published in the local paper.

Daily News 21st May 1919

A FREMANTLE BOY ON H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA

HELPS GERMAN FLEET INTO CUSTODY.

Writing to his mother, Mrs. G.Heedes, 18 Carnac-street, Fremantle,
George Heedes says: — To-day we brought the Fritz navy into Rosyth.
Never have been more pleased in all my natural than I was at about 10 a.m. to-day (21-11-18) when we sighted 'em. We left harbor about 3 a.m. full up with Press representatives, artists, interpreters, and what not, and did a few hours' steaming round, then formed up with the remainder of the Grand Fleet. Never before since the world began have so many ships been together. Every ship that could raise steam was out to see the sight. One reason was to see what for years we have been waiting to come out and "stoush," but the main reason was in case the Huns started any funny capers. We were ready, and only needed the word to have blown every square inch of every Fritz sky-high. It was exciting when we first sighted them — just to see if there was going to be a scrap or not, but Fritz surrendered without a murmur. It shows just how much he is euchred, to give up such fine ships as he did without saying a word, but then the force we had out was enough to put fear into half a dozen navies of his class. We had over 200 destroyers, and these were all over the show like beetles, and dozens of battleships, battle cruisers, and scores of light cruisers, besides seaplane carriers, and cruisers, also the Minotaur (you will remember her in Fremantle in the early part of the war). At 10.39 a.m. we had the German High Sea Fleet secure. There were 3 battleships, seven light cruisers, and five battle cruisers, also 49 destroyers (one destroyer struck a mine on her way over here and sank). One battleship was left in dock at Kiel, one light cruiser was not yet ready for sea, and the other battle cruiser, the Mackensen, is not yet completed. Wasn't I pleased when I saw the Von der Tann. She is the battle cruiser which, had there ever been an action, was to have been our target. And the Derfflinger and the Hindenburg, the ships that had so much to say against our battle cruisers in the battle of Jutland. It seems hardly believable that they should come into Rosyth like a lot of lambs when such a short time ago they were so proud and ready to sink anything they saw. Anyhow they are here, lying at anchor, just to the east of a small island in the Firth of Forth, called Inchkeith, and, of course, we are here too, surrounding them. Tomorrow they are to be inspected. Each ship in the Grand Fleet examines a ship in the High Sea Fleet, and it falls on the Australia to have a look over the flagship of their battle cruisers, the Hindenburg. I have seen a lot of sights in the North Sea, but none like this.
 
On the 28th May 1919 HMAS Australia visited Fremantle for four days. George would have been able to see his parents and his brother Percy who had returned home after losing a leg in France.
Controversy surrounded HMAS Australia's visit to Fremantle as around 80 sailors protested that they had been promised a longer visit. 12 sailors were charged with mutiny but there was no mention of George being involved in the event.
 
George remained serving on HMAS Australia as a Leading Signalman. On the 22nd September 1920 George transferred to HMAS Melbourne. He served on the ship in Australian waters till 1923. George was then discharged from the Royal Australian navy but was retained in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.
 
In 1931 George married Gladys May Gill at St John's Church in Fremantle and after their marriage they moved to Jolimont.
 
In World War Two George returned to full time service in the Navy. He was given the rank of Yeoman of Signals and helped train recruits at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria in 1940-41, and was then transferred to HMAS Lonsdale, which was a Naval Base at Port Melbourne.
 
In February 1942 George was transferred for service to HMAS Rushcutter, a base in Sydney Harbour which specialised in anti submarine warfare and radar operations. On the 1st July 1942 he was based at the base HMAS Penguin II at Balmoral in Sydney Harbour.
 
A notation in George's record also states that he was used on convoy duties during this time period but unfortunately no further information on this part of the service is given.
 
In August 1943 he was transferred back to Western Australia for service at HMAS Leeuwin. However he appears to have been serving on HMAS Kings Bay, which served primarily as a port security examination vessel at Fremantle, inspecting incoming ships for threats and contraband. The ship later served with Army Water Transport in north-western Australia before returning to the RAN at the end of the war.
 
It appears that this was George's last posting before his discharge in 1945.
 
George Heedes died on the 11th May 1958 aged 59. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

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