HMAS Tingira, often called The Cradle of the R.A.N., lay in the middle of Rose Bay from 25th April 1912 until 1927 as a training ship for lower deck new entries. ...
Nelson’s coffin – Yet another version
Here is another version of the story of Nelson’s Coffin: Captain Hallowell sent a party to salvage wood from L’Orient. Months later, when he was afraid that the adulation being ...
The Greek Campaign 1941
The debate will never cease on the wisdom or otherwise of the decision by Churchilll’s war cabinet to send troops to assist the Greek Army in 1941. Field Marshal Earl ...
The raid on St Nazaire 1942
1942, and the British were clinging on while their convoys were only just getting enough supplies through to keep the people and the war effort going. But on the Biscay ...
Obituary: Admiral Sir Victor Smith AC, 1913-1998
Named for his uncle, the famous Australian cricketer Victor Trumper, Admiral Sir Victor Smith, who has died in Canberra at the age of 85, was the first RAN officer to ...
SS Queen Mary & the loss of HMS Curacoa 1942
Navy Square – Port Melbourne
The concept of a naval memorial in Port Melbourne arose in May 1997 when it was observed that following the 1994 decommissioning of HMAS Lonsdale, there was no feature in ...
How the USA Flexed its Industrial Muscle in 1941
From December 7, 1941 to August 15, 1945, American shipyards constructed 10 battleships, 13 heavy cruisers, 33 light cruisers, 27 aircraft carriers, 110 escort aircraft carriers, 352 destroyers, 498 destroyer ...
The Hammock
The issue hammock, the beloved pusser sack – one of man’s most endearing inventions – has vanished, alas, from Navy messdecks and establishments. It has been replaced by the impersonal ...
CDRE J G Goodenough (1830-1875) – Restoration of Grave
It all began with the monograph of an occasional paper delivered to the Naval Historical Society of Australia, Western Australia Chapter, by Lieutenant Commander G. L. W. Vickridge RFD RANR ...
Memorial Window – RAN destroyers
At the Chapel of Remembrance, Garden Island, Sydney on Sunday, 15th July 1997 a memorial window commemorating the fifteen RAN destroyers which served in World War II was dedicated and ...
S206 – Officer Competancy Reports
The form used for Britain’s Royal Navy and Marines officer competency reports is the S206. The following are apparently true excerpts taken from people’s 206s. In the RAN it was ...
The Legend of Arnold Green RAN – Follow-Up Stories
Further to the article on Arnold Green in the December 1996 edition, more Arnold Green stories: 1. On assumption of his duties as Resident Naval Officer, Hobart, Arnold Green ...
Obituary: Ian Hunter McDonald RAN (1915-1996)
On 25 November 1996, 55 years to the day of the sinking of HMS Barham, in which he was serving and when 862 of his shipmates lost their lives, Captain ...
Huon Class Minehunters – Launching of HMAS Norman
Harmony at Sea
A copy of an unidentified magazine article came to our notice some weeks ago. It was headed “The Royal Navy”, and dealt with many facets of that Service in a ...
Dumaresq awards and decorations donated to RAN
The awards and decorations of an Australian Rear Admiral who became one of the most innovative naval officers of his time have been donated to the Royal Australian Navy by ...
Prize Money Explained
Recently, in discussing Patrick O’Brian’s books, some of the younger members of the group were intrigued – if not incredulous – when I mentioned that I had received Prize Money ...
The Australian National Flag
Obituary: Rear Admiral Bryn Mussared (1917-1995)
Rear Admiral Bryn Mussared was born in 1917 in Semaphore SA, and entered the Navy in 1932. On passing out from the Naval College, he was awarded ‘maximum time’ and the ...
Report:HMAS Sydney II-Possible and probable causes of loss
The Department of Marine Archaeology, Western Australia has produced a Report No. 104, by W.J. Olsen, investigating the possible and probable causes of the loss of H.M.A.S. “SYDNEY”. It is ...
Nelson’s Signals on the Eve of Trafalgar
In this “Australia Remembers” year, it is fitting to reflect on the 190th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, and what “might have been” if Lord Nelson had been defeated ...
Sparrow Force – Timor 1942-1943 – Under false colours?
In February 1942 when the Japanese army invaded Timor a small band of Australians – the `Sparrow Force’ – took to the mountains and began a guerilla war against the ...
Obituary: Lieutenant C.L.M (Jack) Shepperd, MBE DSM
Anybody who served in HMAS NIRIMBA between 1956 and its closure in 1994 would have known Jack Shepperd. He died on Wednesday, 17th August, 1994 aged 86. Apart from family ...
HMAS ADELAIDE (1922-1945)
HMAS ADELAIDE – Light Cruiser HMAS Adelaide (1922 to 1945) Painting by John Bastock Displacement: 5,560 tons standard Length: 460 ft (140.20 m) overall Beam: 50 ft (15.24 m) Draught: 18½ ...
