Captain Garvon Kable RAN navigator in Lancasters and environmentalist

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This was published 7 years ago

Captain Garvon Kable RAN navigator in Lancasters and environmentalist

Updated

Garvon Kable flew numerous operations over Germany as a Lancaster navigator and after the war flew POW repatriation flights. In retirement he was an active campaigner and environmentalist safeguarding the Northern Beaches from development.

Garvon, who has died aged 93, was born in Chatswood, Sydney in 1923, the son of Colin and Eileen Kable originally of Tamworth. He was educated at Parramatta Intermediate then Fort Street Boys' High. He joined the Australian Army at age 18 in 1941 but after three months training transferred to the RAAF as an aircraftman and commenced flying training at Narrandera, NSW.

Garvon Kable, for HMAS Sydney's Commissioning, back row on right.

Garvon Kable, for HMAS Sydney's Commissioning, back row on right.

After further training in Wales and England he joined 49 Squadron, flying operational missions over Germany in Lancasters based at Syerston in Nottinghamshire and Fulbeck in Lincolnshire. By this time he was a Flight Sergeant Navigator; missions included Wurzberg, Hamburg, Wesel, Nordhausen and Berchtesgaden. In 1945 he flew POW repatriation flights to England. On one occasion he had a narrow escape while riding a motorbike to visit the local pub. In trying to avoid a collision he took the soft option of choosing a hedge, which, as is so often the case in England, was growing over a dry stone wall; luckily he somersaulted over the wall. He later made all his children promise never to ride a motorbike.

He had married Brenda Walster from Newark in June 1945. She followed him to Australia with their baby in the war bride ship Atlantis. Garvon left the RAAF in 1946 to commence teacher training at the University of Sydney before joining the RAN as a Lieutenant (Observer) in August 1949.

Garvon Kable, when he was Executive Officer HMAS Stalwart, spent about 30 years in the RAAF and RAN.

Garvon Kable, when he was Executive Officer HMAS Stalwart, spent about 30 years in the RAAF and RAN.

After initial courses at HMAS Cerberus, Garvon was back in England to commence training in preparation for the commissioning of HMAS Sydney in 1951 as part of 817 Squadron flying Fairey Firefly aircraft. He was embarked in HMAS Sydney on deployment to the Korean War flying 134 hours of bombing, strafing and patrol missions.

Garvon at one time held two very different records. The first was to set an international city to city record navigating a Sea Venom from Rome to Malta in 47 minutes 24 seconds. The second was also a time record being diving out of the officers' mess into the sea whilst HMAS Melbourne was at anchor, swimming around the stern of the ship and making it back to the mess. The time is not recorded neither is the punishment.

He was promoted Commander in 1959 and Acting Captain in 1970 and made Honorary Captain on retirement in 1973. He was a proud great-great-great-grandson of First Fleet convicts Henry and Susannah Kable.

With Brenda he retired to t Avalon Beach in 1973 and he spent the next 37 years leading environmental protection action around Pittwater and the Northern Beaches with amazing success. Significant wins included preventing sand mining of the Broken Bay seabed, saving the mangroves of Careel Bay and stopping a proposal to build a straight road over Bilgola Beach.

Garvon is survived by his four children Paul, Yarrow, Meredith and Anthony; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

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