Commodore Peter Grant Verlaine Dechaineaux Royal Australian Navy

OFFICIAL

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

CN’s message follows:

1. I AM SADDENED TO ADVISE THE PASSING OF CDRE PETER DECHAINEUX AM RAN RTD ON TUE 26 MAY 26.

2. CDRE DECHAINEUX WAS BORN IN ENGLAND ON 29 SEP 39. HE JOINED THE RAN IN 1953, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS LATE FATHER, CAPT EMILE DECHAINEUX DSC RAN WHO WAS CO OF HMAS AUSTRALIA II AND KILLED IN ACTION ON 21 OCT 44 IN THE BATTLE OF LEYTE – WHEN PETER WAS JUST 5 YEARS OLD.

3. IN THAT ENORMOUS SHADOW, PETER HAD THE COURAGE TO JOIN THE RAN AS A 13-YEAR OLD CADET MIDSHIPMAN. MIDN DECHAINEUX GRADUATED IN 1956 FROM THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL COLLEGE, AT FLINDERS NAVAL DEPOT, IN VICTORIA.

4. AFTER INITIAL FLEET TRAINING IN HMAS SWAN II, THEN ASLT DECHAINEUX RETURNED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ATTENDED BRITTANIA ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE IN DARTMOUTH. RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA, HE SERVED IN HMAS TOBRUK I FOR BRIDGE WATCHKEEPING AND ENGINEERING TRAINING BEFORE AGAIN TRAVELLING TO THE UK TO ATTEND THE ROYAL NAVAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE IN PLYMOUTH.

5. AS A JUNIOR ENGINEERING OFFICER, LEUT DECHAINEUX SERVED IN HMAS MELBOURNE II AND AS A DIVISIONAL OFFICER AT THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVAL COLLEGE, WHICH HAD RETURNED TO HMAS CRESWELL. AS A DEPUTY MARINE ENGINEERING OFFICER, LCDR DECHAINEUX SERVED IN HMAS VAMPIRE BEFORE BECOMING THE MARINE ENGINEERING OFFICER OF HMA SHIPS DUCHESS IN 1970 AND PERTH II FROM 1973 TO 1975, HAVING BEEN PROMOTED TO CMDR IN 1973.

6. POSTINGS IN NAVY OFFICE IN CANBERRA INCLUDED THE ROLE OF PROJECT OFFICER IN THE DESTROYER ESCORT MODERNISATION PROGRAM AND AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FLEET MAINTENANCE. CMDR DECHAINEUX ALSO SPENT ONE YEAR IN SYDNEY ESTABLISHING THE MAINTENANCE POLICY AND REPAIR ORGANISATION FOR MARINE GAS TURBINES IN THE RAN.

7. IN 1980 HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPT AND SERVED AS THE MINEHUNTER PROJECT DIRECTOR.

8. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS SEVICE TO THE MATERIEL DIVISION OF THE RAN, CAPT DECHAINEUX WAS AWARDED A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM) IN THE 1984 AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS LIST.

9. IN 1985 CAPT DECHAINEUX BECAME THE FIRST ENGINEERING OFFICER TO BE APPOINTED AS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF HMAS CRESWELL. THIS WAS AT A TIME OF IMMENSE CHANGE IN OFFICER TRAINING, BEING THE FINAL YEAR OF NAVY SINGLE SERVICE OFFICER TRAINING BEFORE THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE ACADEMY COMMENCED IN 1986.

10. IN 1986, CAPT DECHAINEUX WAS PROMOTED TO CDRE AND RETURNED TO CANBERRA. HIS FINAL POSTING WAS AS DIRECTOR GENERAL ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS IN 1991, UNTIL HE RETIRED FROM THE PERMANENT NAVY IN 1993, REMAINING ON THE RESERVE LIST TO 1999.

11. WE CAN BE PROUD THAT THE LEGACY OF CAPT EMILE DECHAINEUX, AND CDRE PETER DECHAINEUX, LIVE ON THROUGH HMAS DECHAINEUX – A FORMIDABLE REMINDER OF ONE FAMILY’S SERVICE TO OUR NATION AND OUR NAVY.

12. A FUNERAL SERVICE FOR CDRE DECHAINEUX IS TO BE HELD AT 0900 ON 16 JUN 26 AT THE ANZAC MEMORIAL CHAPEL, DUNTROON, ACT. THE CANBERRA BASED SERVING AND VETERAN SUBMARINE AND ENGINEERING COMMUNITIES ARE ESPECIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND.

13. DRESS W2, WITH OFFICIAL MOURNERS TO WEAR MOURNING BANDS.

14. CN SENDS

Regards,

Chris Churcher

CJ Churcher, CSM

Captain, RAN

Director Navy Senior Officer Management – Plans

Office of the Chief of Navy