Artists statement

From his obituary published in Optometry Australia: Born in 1925 in Swan Hill, his parents were soldier settlers in the Mallee before moving to Melbourne. After obtaining his leaving certificate from Melbourne Grammar, he worked as a laboratory assistant in an explosives factory but later completed a chemistry diploma.

He enlisted in the Navy in 1943 aged 17 years and due to a colour vision deficiency, served in the supply branch on HMAS Rockhampton, being discharged aged 21. His deuteranomaly steered him to learn adaptive behaviours while studying optometry, ensuring his clinical practice remained unaffected.

Historical information

According to wikipedia 2017 : Rockhampton began her career as a convoy escort along the east coast of Australia.[1] Following a series of Japanese submarine attacks along the east coast of Australia, a convoy system was established.[1] Rockhampton and USS Selfridge escorted the first Sydney to Brisbane convoy.[1] The corvette remained in this role until January 1944, when she began escorting convoys to and from New Guinea.[1] She underwent refit in Sydney over April and May 1944, before returning to escort duties in New Guinea waters.[1] Rockhampton operated in both Australian and New Guinea waters up until the end of World War II.[1]

Following the end of the war, Rockhampton was involved in the rescue of Dutch and Indonesian prisoners-of-war and the occupation of Ambon.[1] On 8 October 1945, the corvette carried the Sultan of Ternate on his return home.[1] Rockhampton returned to Sydney in November 1945, where she was assigned to minesweeping duties off the east coast of Australia.[1] She later participated in survey duties off the coast of South Australia, before returning to Sydney on 29 April 1946.[1]

The corvette received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–45" and "New Guinea 1944"HMAS Rockhampton launched 1941 and de-commissioned 1946. Operated in the Pacific and New Guinea theatres of WW2 see supplementary files for details

Physical description

Acrylic painting on composition board of a military or armed corvette at sea. Framed with a speckled pale blue painted moulded pine ? frame. The painting is signed on lower right corner and inscribed with both blue and black fibre tipped pen.

Inscriptions & markings

Front: lwr right corner: "D Cockburn" in pale blue paint ; Verso "WW2 AMS (Corvette): HMAS Rockhampton / PAINTED BY DAVID M COCKBURN FORMER CREW MEMBER / PH DAVE ..."