Introduction

Patrol Boat is an Australian television drama series that screened on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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Outline

Patrol Boat was created by James Davern and two series were produced, in 1979 and 1983, with a total of 26 episodes.

Patrol Boat was about the activities of the crew of a Royal Australian Navy patrol boat which patrolled Australia’s coastline. The series was produced with the co-operation of the Royal Australian Navy.

Two fictional RAN patrol boats were depicted in the series:

• Attack class patrol boat HMAS Ambush (portrayed by HMA Ships Advance and Bombard) was used in the first season, with filming taking place during 1978 and 1979 around Sydney Harbour, Pittwater, Ku-ring-gai Chase, and the Hawkesbury River.
• For the second season, the crew transferred to the newer Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS Defiance (portrayed by HMA Ships Launceston, Townsville, Warrnambool, Whyalla, and Wollongong).

The series is similar to the BBC series Warship, screened by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1976, before Patrol Boat. Although the 2007 drama Sea Patrol is based on the same subject, it is not intended to be a follow on to Patrol Boat (HMAS Wollongong was decommission in 2006 and portrayed HMAS Hammersly in Sea Patrol).

Cast

• Andrew McFarlane … Lieutenant David Keating – C.O.
• Robert Coleby … Lieutenant Charles Fisher – X.O.
• Robert Baxter … Petty Officer ‘Swain’ Reynolds.
• Danny Adcock … Petty Officer ‘Buffer’ Johnston.
• Tim Burns … Able Seaman ‘Chef’ McKinnon.
• Nick Magasic … Bruno.

Patrol Boat Series

• Series 01 (1979):
  • Episode 01: We Lie in Wait.
  • Episode 02: Rouge Mine.
  • Episode 03: Fish-Heads and Birdies.
  • Episode 04: Another Bunch of Reffos.
  • Episode 05: Follow the Leader.
  • Episode 06: My Dad’s a Sailor.
  • Episode 07: Conduct Prejudicial.
  • Episode 08: Don’t Call Me Borgia.
  • Episode 09: Incident at Mencken Bay.
  • Episode 10: Which Way’s Mecca?.
  • Episode 11: The Enemy You Know.
  • Episode 12: Man Overboard.
  • Episode 13: Never Under the White Ensign.

• Series 02 (1983):
  • Episode 01: Something Old, Something New.
  • Episode 02: Tango Victor.
  • Episode 03: Nice Day For a Cruise.
  • Episode 04: Hands to Bathe.
  • Episode 05: Cold Turkey.
  • Episode 06: Spoils of War.
  • Episode 07: All the Nice Girls.
  • Episode 08: Make and Mend.
  • Episode 09: Operation Christmas.
  • Episode 10: The Albatross.
  • Episode 11: Par for the Course.
  • Episode 12: A Skunk on the Radar.
  • Episode 13: Beggarman Thief.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Rob Stewart … (7 episodes, 1979-1983).
  • Frank Arnold … (3 episodes, 1979).
  • Russell Webb … (3 episodes, 1983).
  • Brian McDuffie … (1 episode, 1979).
  • Ray Alchin … (unknown episodes).
• Producer(s):
  • Ray Alchin … producer (14 episodes, 1979-1983).
  • James Davern … producer (unknown episodes).
• Writer(s):
  • Ted Roberts … (writer) (6 episodes, 1979-1983).
  • James Davern … (creator) (4 episodes, 1979).
  • Peter Schreck … (2 episodes, 1979).
  • Barry Donnelly … (1 episode, 1979).
  • Robert Caswell … (writer) (1 episode, 1983).
  • Gordon Graham … (writer) (unknown episodes).
  • Laura Jones … (writer) (unknown episodes).
  • Tony Morphett … (writer) (unknown episodes).
• Music:
  • Bruce Smeaton.
• Cinematography:
  • Peter Hendry.
• Editor(s):
  • Richard Francis-Bruce.
  • Helena Harris.
  • John Hollands.
  • Tony Kavanagh.
  • Neil Thumpston.
• Production:
  • Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC).
• Distributor(s):
  • ABC TV.
• Release Date:
  • Series 01: 28 June 1979 to 27 September 1979.
  • Series 02: 19 May 1983 to 11 August 1983.
• Running Time: 55 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: Australia.
• Language: English.

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