Historical information

A gift to Ron Cochrane, a member of the Navy commissioning team of HMAS Voyager. The box was handmade by two brothers CLARK/E (?) from Benalla. The signatures done in ball point pen belonged to the crew attached to the portside Forward Mess. They presented the box to Cochrane who was responsible for the Mess as a token of appreciation.
Ron Cochrane R46195 served as a Leading Hand with the Royal Australian Navy between 1951 and 1957 and served on numerous ships including HMAS Voyager between 6/2 - 6/10/1957. He was born on 20/3/1933 at Ballarat East.

Significance

Daring class destroyer, Voyager, was the first ship of her class to enter Australian service, and the first all-welded ship to be built in Australia.
During the night of 10 February 1964, Voyager and the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided off Jervis Bay, when the destroyer passed in front of the carrier during post-refit sea trials. Voyager was cut in two by the collision, sinking with the loss of 82 of the 314 people aboard. This was the largest loss of Australian military personnel in peacetime, and the subsequent investigations resulted in the holding of two Royal Commissions—the only time in Australian history this has occurred.

Physical description

Cream painted wooden box with metal hinges. There is an inscription and ship on the lid and autographs written in ink on the underside of the lid.

Inscriptions & markings

On top of lid - HMAS Voyager 1957
On bottom: Bills, bills and more bills !!!!!! Dotted line R Cochrane