Commander Theodore Bernard (‘Ted’) Wynberg

A larger than life gregarious aviator. 

In the early 1980s it was proposed that a new Antarctic research and resupply ship should be manned by the RAN.   In Naval Plans, I arranged for two aircrew to undergo Antarctic helicopter operations familiarisation the USCG Polar Class icebreakers.  The two selected were Ted Wynberg and Geoff Ledger (later Commodore DSC AM). 

Later, Ted developed an illness that caused him to go bald.  When assessing the potential response to a planned, usually bold, course of action, Ted would surmise; “What can they do to me – shave my head and send me to Antactica?”. 

At the bar in RAAF Williamtown mess one afternoon, a young Flight Lieutenant was being vociferously anti RAN.   In his hearing, Ted asked the steward to ring the ambulance as the Flight Lieutenant had a broken nose.  The Flight Lieutenant protested that he did not, so Ted promptly corrected his status. 

In the mid 1990s, on ANZAC Day in Jindabyne, Ted decided to demonstrate to the uncomplicated mountain folk the spectacular technique of opening a champagne bottle with a naval officer’s sword.    Fourteen mutilated bottles later….