A small excerpt from John Andersons conversations with one of Australia’s most distinguished and decorated senior naval officers. Rear Admiral (Ret) Andrew Robertson AO, senior officer. Retired 1980 Royal Australian Navy. Talking about defending Australia.
Andrew John Robertson was born at Kings Norton, near Birmingham, England on 11 April 1925, his family later migrating to Perth, Western Australia. He joined the Royal Australian Naval College in early 1939 as a Cadet Midshipman, was made a Cadet Captain and awarded his colours for rugby. Upon graduating, in 1942, he was awarded ‘maximum time’ (three months early promotion to Lieutenant), the grand aggregate, history and mathematics prizes as well as the Otto Albert Memorial Prize for seamanship. Robertson was also awarded the prestigious King’s Medal as the Cadet Midshipmen for displaying the most exemplary conduct, performance of duty and good influence amongst his peers.
He first went to sea as a Cadet Midshipman in September 1942 when he joined the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia. During his time onboard the cruiser operated in the Coral Sea and off the east coast of Australia on patrol and convoy distant escort duties. He was promoted Midshipman in January 1943. Robertson spent four months in the destroyer HMAS Warramunga, during June-October 1943, conducting convoy escort duties to New Guinea before rejoining Australia. In March 1944 he travelled to England for his Sub Lieutenant's courses for which he was awarded a £10 prize for gaining seven first class certificates in seamanship, navigation, gunnery, torpedoes, signals, air operations and anti-submarine warfare. Robertson was promoted Sub Lieutenant in May 1944 and in November of that year went to the Mediterranean theatre where he served in the destroyer HMS Kimberley in the Aegean Sea, the waters off Greece and the Dodecanese Islands.
