HMAS Otway (1) commissioning crew & HMAS Oxley (1)
As if submarine service was not exciting enough, while in the depot ship Vulcan awaiting a command he qualified as a pilot in July 1930. Then commanded submarine H-49 from August 1930 to April 1931 and RTA. G. Lunn
Yes, unfortunately for Barwood and Jack Donovan they would be sent to do Perisher just as the decision was made to gift Otway and Oxley to the Royal Navy. It was standard practice for Perisher Graduates to post to a H Boat on completion of course for a short posting in command before moving to a newer submarine. Both Norman Read and Frank Getting had brief commands before joining Otway and Oxley in build as the XO. I wrote a paper a few years ago on Norman Read who has been largely over shadowed by Getting despite being appointed to command ahead of him. Tony Vine
https://navyhistory.au/first-to-command/
