There will be a Naval Commemoration Service at the Jonathan Rogers Memorial at Rogers Park, Woy Woy on Saturday, February 10, at 11am.
The memorial, which recognises Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers and the HMAS Voyager and was unveiled in Rogers Park on February 11 last year, will be re-dedicated during the service.
It replaced a previous memorial situated at the other side of Rogers Park.
The service will be attended by a Royal Australian Navy chaplain, a flag bearer party, a brass band quintet, naval officers and Naval Association of Australia members.
Invited guests will include politicians, RSL sub-branch and club representatives.
Members of the National Servicemen’s Association will join family members of Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers, for whom the memorial was named.
A service is held each year to remember those who lost their lives when the HMAS Voyager sank 60 years ago.
The collision of HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager remains the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) worst peacetime disaster.
The aircraft carrier Melbourne and destroyer Voyager were engaged in night flying exercises off the NSW coast in 1964.
Voyager inexplicably turned in front of Melbourne’s bow and the destroyer was cut in half and sank.
Of the 314 crew, 82 men perished in the incident.
For the navy’s flagship and its escort to collide in home waters in calm conditions with such heavy loss of life was a disaster leaving the RAN and the nation shocked.
One of the stories to emerge from the sinking was that of Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers.
Realising he was probably too large to fit through the escape hatch, he was heard saying “I can’t get out! Get all the young fellows out of the hatch”.
As Voyager’s coxswain, Rogers was the senior sailor on board and responsible for the good order and discipline of the ship’s company.
As the Voyager began to sink, he continued organising the escape of the younger sailors from the ship.
He was heard telling them not to panic and he led them in a prayer and a hymn.
For his actions on that fateful night, he was awarded a posthumous George Cross, the highest award for valour in peace time.
The last thing Jonathan Rogers was heard saying was “Well, the water’s beat us”.
He was not seen again.
Members of the public are invited to attend the service on February 10.