Last Thursday, 2 April, we were privileged to have Bridget Colliss as our guest speaker.
Bridget is one of three children of the Late Captain Joseph Burnett, who was the Captain of the HMAS Sydney that was sunk off the coast of Western Australia on 19th November 1941.
She spoke briefly about the Rotary HMAS Sydney Memorial in Geraldton. The memorial was opened was opened in 2001, to remember the HMAS Sydney and the 645 lost souls. This spectacular memorial is perched on the hillside overlooking the Port of Geraldton and out to sea. It is a very moving memorial and if visiting the West Coast, it is worthy of a visit.
Bridget recalled her father’s early days. In 1912 he joined the Navy at age 13, as one of the first Cadet Midshipman in Royal Australian Naval College, he graduated in January 1917.
He joined the HMAS Australia in England during World War 1 reaching the rank of Sub-Lieutenant in 1918. In April 1919 the HMAS Australia left England and arrived in Australia in May 1919. Captain Burnett left the HMAS Australia before it departed for Australia and remained on attachment to the RN. For the next 7 years he remained in England, where he met his wife Enid Ward. They were married in 1924. Bridget mentioned, that on her father's first meeting with the future father-in-Law, he told to him to go away and come back in a year if he was still serious. He was serious.
Holding several senior Naval appointments, her father was promoted to the role of Captain of the HMAS Sydney on 14th May of 1941.
She recalled that the days following the disappearance of HMAS Sydney, there was confusion and speculation as to what had happened to the ship. Several days after the disappearance a large crate arrived on their doorstep address to Bridget. This crate contained a 6 room, 2 storey dolls house, made by the ship's carpenter, sent just days before the HMAS Sydney’s departure from Freemantle. This doll house bought her so much joy and has remained in her family until recently, where it has been donated to the Perth Maritime Museum.
After the death of her father the family was left to struggle financially, there was no income or payment of any kind from the Government. With the help of some Naval friends her mother decided to return to England and start her life again.
On the boat trip to England the family befriended a lovely gentleman who went on to marry her mother. They eventually moved back to Australia, to the Bathurst/Mudgee area. Living on farms in the area Bridget gained her interest in agriculture and a desire to study in this field. She later studied at the Women’s College in Sydney, where she met her husband Jim. Due to career conflicts, she became a schoolteacher at a high school and eventually became a primary school teacher until she retired.
Ross Brown (who also kindly provided the photos)
