PETTY OFFICER MARINE TECHNICIAN PROPULSION WAYNE MAXWELL (MAX) COOMBES R94397 RAN
Max Coombes was born in Macksville in October 1948 and enlisted in the RAN in July 1964 for twelve years as a Junior Recruit at the Junior Recruit School HMAS Leeuwin in Fremantle. He was the son of Mervyn Coombes and at the time of his enlistment Max was working as a shop assistant.
His first sea posting was to the Battle Class Destroyer HMAS ANZAC in Sydney in July 1965 as an ordinary seaman. ANZAC was the RAN’s training ship and Max would serve on her until April 1966. Whilst he was onboard the ship it would conduct training cruises and exercise drills with other fleet units. Max was promoted to Ordinary Seaman Mechanic Engines on his 18th birthday.
In April 1966 he posted to HMAS Cerberus to undertake his engineering courses before returning to sea on the Daring Class Destroyer HMAS Vendetta in October of that year, where he would remain until October 1968. He was promoted to Mechanic Engines 2nd Class in September 1966 and to Mechanics Engines (Able Seaman) in March 1967. Whilst he was onboard Vendetta the ship assisted in the salvage of the submarine USS Tiru which had run aground on Frederick Reef off Queensland. He also served onboard Vendetta when the ship deployed to Southeast Asia.
Max’s first shore posting was to the newly commissioned submarine base HMAS Platypus in February 1969 as an Acting Leading Mechanic Engines, but within 12 months he would be back at sea on HMAS ANZAC. His service after that date is not known as records are not available post transition to NPEMS.
Petty Officer Max Coombes died on the 9th of March 1978, he was cremated and his ashes interred in Memorial Wall #1 at Lavertys’ Funeral Home Macksville NSW
Sources
Probate Notice 21 July 1978 New South Wales, Australia
Name: Wayne Maxwell Coombes, Death: Circa 1978, Notice type: Probate notice, Published: 21 July 1978, Published by: Guardian News (Nambucca Heads), Other details: late of ⚓️ HMAS Melbourne, Sydney, NSW.
