Submarines

Association

Australia

Vale

Crest

In Memory of

ABRP DARRYL “SQUEAK” GEORGE ROWAN R109514

The Submarines Association of Australia is saddened to advise of the passing of member Darryl Rowan on the 10 th of August after a long battle with cancer.

Darry enlisted in the RAN in July 1971 as a Junior Recruit at HMAS Leeuwin. His first sea posting was to the Destroyer Escort HMAS Swan in July 1972 before undertaking Radar Plotter Category Training at HMAS Watson in early 1973. On completion of his training, he was rated as a Able Seaman Radar Plotter and he joined the Darring Class Destroyer HMAS Vendetta. Whilst on Vendetta Darryl volunteered for submarines and in October 1974 he travelled to the United Kingdom.

He completed his submarine shore training at HMS Dolphin at Gosport in Hampshire before returning to Australia in December 1974 joining HMS Odin where he qualified as a submariner and was awarded his Dolphins. HMS Odin was a near sister to the Australian O Boats and it served on loan as part of the Australian Submarine Squadron from 1972-75 because of the delays in the construction of HMAS Orion and HMAS Otama.
On qualifying Darryl posted to HMAS Ovens where he served until his discharge from the RAN in August 1977. Highlights of his time on Ovens was to be part of the Control Room Attack Team that famously “sunk” the USS Enterprise during Exercise Kangaroo 75.

On discharging from the RAN Darryl Trained as an Electrician eventually running his own electrical contracting business in Sydney. In retirement he lived in Harrington on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Darryl joined the SAA in 2006 and was a member at the time of his death. His funeral was conducted in Sydney in late August.