THE chair of the Merchant Navy War Memorial Fund, David Field, has announced the board’s appointment of two new directors, namely Catherine Linley and Dan Crumlin.
Ms Linley is a senior port marine surveyor and examiner of master’s and mates at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Adelaide.
Mr Crumlin is ITF Inspector NSW for the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), Sydney.
Mr Field said both appointments bring a wealth of experience from their respective careers within the shipping and maritime sector.
Ms Linley and Mr Crumlin join fellow directors David Field, Sean Barrett, Captain Ted van Bronswijk, Rear Admiral (Red) Steve Gilmore, Stephen Westfield and secretary, Stan Moriarty.
Ms Linley started her life sailing in the UK on a boat her parents built. Her family graduated to a 36’ ketch and completed a four-year partial circumnavigation of the world in 1987. This experience set the course for a career at sea. The Royal Navy didn’t accept women navigators, so Ms Linley joined the Merchant Navy.
During this time, she qualified as a master mariner, completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree, and qualified as a private airplane pilot.
Finally settling in Australia in 2009 with her husband and a young son, Ms Linley moved to Adelaide. A keen sailor, she has competed in the Fastnet Yacht Race and two Sydney to Hobart races.
Mr Crumlin has worked in various roles within the Australian maritime industry, from working inshore in the tugboat industry and from there on barges and offshore crew transfer vessels.
He then went to sea as an integrated rating/able seamen in the offshore oil and gas industry and served on a wide range of vessels.
Coming ashore he worked on the wharves as a docker. Throughout his career Mr Crumlin has been a member of the Maritime Union of Australia where he has gained a thorough understanding of how important it is that every job site, is a safe site. Such knowledge has held him in good stead to be elected to represent maritime workers at all levels of the industry.
