Commodore, Malcolm Baird, AM, RAN Rtd

FROM CN AUSTRALIA 1. IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS I INFORM YOU OF THE DEATH OF COMMODORE RICHARD MALCOLM BAIRD AM, RAN, RETD, ON 24 NOV 22. 2. COMMODORE BAIRD WAS BORN IN 1931 AND ENTERED THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL COLLEGE (FLINDERS NAVAL DEPOT) IN 1948 AS A CADET MIDSHIPMAN. ON GRADUATION HE WAS AWARDED THE KINGS GOLD MEDAL AS THE DUX OF HIS YEAR. 3. MIDSHIPMAN BAIRD THEN TRAINED IN THE ROYAL NAVY CRUISER HMS DEVONSHIRE AND RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA IN THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER HMS VENGEANCE WHERE HE GAINED HIS BRIDGE WATCH KEEPING CERTIFICATE. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY POSTED TO HMA SHIPS AUSTRALIA, CONDAMINE, MELBOURNE, ANZAC, YARRA AND WARRAMUNGA. IN 1957 LIEUTENANT BAIRD SERVED FOR SEVEN MONTHS IN HMY BRITANNIA. 4. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BAIRD SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF HMAS SYDNEY ON DEPLOYMENT TO VIETNAM IN 1968 AND ON PROMOTION, COMMANDED HMAS YARRA (III) BETWEEN 1971-72. HE WAS CAPTAIN OF THE RANC AT JERVIS BAY FROM 1977-78, AFTER WHICH HE RETURNED TO SEA IN COMMAND OF HMAS BRISBANE (II) AND THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN DESTROYER SQUADRON FROM 1979-80. 5. CAPTAIN BAIRD WAS THE NAVAL ADVISER TO THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LONDON IN 1981-82, AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF NAVAL MANPOWER AND TRAINING FROM 1982-85. FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THESE ROLES HE WAS APPOINTED AS A MEMBER IN THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM) IN 1985. 6. ON PROMOTION TO COMMODORE, BAIRD SERVED AS NAVAL OFFICER COMMANDING WESTERN AUSTRALIA AREA FROM 1985 UNTIL 1989. HE THEN RETIRED TO TASMANIA AFTER 41 YEARS SERVICE TO THE NATION AND THE NAVY. 7. ON BEHALF OF THE NAVY I EXTEND MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO COMMODORE BAIRD’S FAMILY. A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE COMMODORE BAIRD WILL BE HELD AT FINNEY’S FUNERALS, 502 HOBART ROAD, YOUNGTOWN TASMANIA AT 1030 ON SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER.