After a challenging year bringing HMAS Arunta out of the Anti-Ship Missile Defence Upgrade and a deployment around Australia including participating as lead ship in the Albany Convoy Commemorative Event, Arunta’s Commanding Officer, Commander David Tietzel handed over command of the ship to Commander David Landon in a ceremony on the flight deck.
The changing of command was marked with Commander Tietzel presenting the ship’s weight, a painting gifted to HMAS Arunta (I) by indigenous Australian artist Albert Namatjira, to Commander Landon.
Commander Tietzel assumed command on 21 January 2014, after commanding HMAS Warramunga. During the past 12 months, he has steered the ship and crew through Unit Readiness Workups and evaluation, Exercise KAKADU (out of Darwin), commemorative events in Albany. The ship also conducted port visits to Cairns, Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne and Adelaide.
In his first address to ship’s company, Commander Landon expressed his desire to continue building on the good reputation Arunta has within the fleet and living up to the ship’s motto of ‘Conquer or Die’.
Commander Tietzel said farewell to the crew before he was formally piped ashore for the final time prior to boarding a Stebber ride around King George Sound and conducting a final sail past of the ship.
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Press release, Image: Australian Navy