The first memorial service for the crew lost when HMAS GOORANGAI was sunk in collision with coaster DUNTROON, on 20 November 1940, was held at a memorial erected on the ...
Australian Naval History on 30 October 1987
Principal Chaplain A. W. (Bill) Rosier retired from the RAN after 22 years service. Chaplain Rosier joined the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney as Hospital Chaplain. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 October 1987
A plaque to commemorate Canonbury Hospital at Darling Point, Sydney, was unveiled by Sir Kempson Maddox, senior medical officer of the hospital in WWII. Canonbury was commissioned as a naval ...
Australian Naval History on 14 October 1987
The Minister for Defence, Mr. Kim Beazley, announced a $50 million upgrade for the RAN’s Hydrographic Branch, following the introduction of LADS, (Laser Airborne Depth Sounding). ...
Australian Naval History on 11 October 1987
VADM Sir Alan McNicoll. KBE, CBE, GM, Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau, former Australian Ambassador to Turkey, Chief of the Australian Naval Staff, died in Canberra. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 October 1987
The Bay class mine hunter inshore HMAS SHOALWATER, (LEUT J. R. Griffith, RAN), was commissioned. SHOALWATER was laid down in Carrington Shipyards, Newcastle, New South Wales, and launched on 20 ...
Australian Naval History on 3 October 1987
The eight members of the RAN who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, were honoured with a welcome home parade for all Australian Vietnam veterans, through the streets of ...
Australian Naval History on 24 September 1987
The RAN’s three surviving Bell UH1B Iroquois helicopters flew their farewell flight over Canberra on withdrawal from service. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 August 1987
Two crewmen from the Oberon class submarine HMAS OTAMA, (LCDR R. Taubman, RAN), lost their lives, in heavy seas off the east coast of Australia, when OTAMA dived while they ...
Australian Naval History on 30 June 1987
As safety and supportability issues caught up with the ageing Wessex’s, National Task duties were transferred to 817 Squadron and 816 Squadron decommissioned ...
Australian Naval History on 18 May 1987
A $3.9 billion contract to build six Kockum Type 471 submarines for the RAN, (later designated Collins class), was awarded by the Australian Government to the Australian Submarine Corporation, Adelaide. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1987
HMA Ships ADELAIDE and SYDNEY, (guided missile frigates), were placed on standby to assist with the potential evacuation of Australian nationals from Fiji, following a military coup. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 April 1987
An RAN survey team led by LCDR. D. Bryce, RAN, returned from the Australian Antarctic Territory with data which enabled charts held by the Hydrographic Branch to be corrected and ...
Australian Naval History on 4 March 1987
HMAS OVENS, (Oberon class submarine), sank the stripped hulk of the navy tank cleaning vessel, ex-HMAS COLAC, off Sydney, with a Mk.48 torpedo. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 February 1987
The Minister for Defence, Mr. Kim Beazley, announced the Government plan for a two ocean navy. Half of the RAN would ultimately be based at HMAS STIRLING, WA. ...
Australian Naval History on 6 January 1987
RADM Peter Sinclair relieved RADM Ian Knox as RAN Fleet Commander. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 December 1986
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, approved the posthumous award of the Australian Bravery Medal to AB. Michael George Oliver, RAN for bravery during a gas alarm in HMAS STALWART, on ...
Australian Naval History on 1 December 1986
The Bay class mine hunter HMAS RUSHCUTTER, (LCDR G. Mapson, RAN), was commissioned. RUSHCUTTER was laid down in Carrington Shipyards, Newcastle, NSW, and launched on 3 May 1986. Lady Bennet, ...
Australian Naval History on 23 November 1986
The memorial to HMAS PARRAMATTA, (sloop),which was sunk in 1941, was relocated to the Queens Wharf Reserve in Parramatta. The original memorial had been set up in June 1973 at ...
Australian Naval History on 11 November 1986
The Shore Establishment HMAS LEEUWIN, (Fremantle, WA), was decommissioned. The base had begun life as a drill hall in Croke Lane, Fremantle, in 1926, and was commissioned on 1 August ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1986
The mine hunter inshore HMAS RUSHCUTTER, (LCDR G. Mapson, RAN), was commissioned at Sydney. Her sister-ship HMAS SHOALWATER, was commissioned a year later. A plan to bring into service six ...
Australian Naval History on 24 October 1986
The Royal Australian Navy opened its 75th Year Anniversary celebrations with a ceremonial fleet entry into Sydney Harbour. A giant White Ensign towed by a Sea King helicopter led the ...
Australian Naval History on 5 October 1986
Garden Island Naval Museum was officially opened by ADML Sir Victor Smith, AC, KBE, CB, DSC. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 September 1986
The first Cabinet Meeting of the Australian Government held at sea was convened by the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Hawke, in the flagship of the RAN, HMAS STALWART. ...
Australian Naval History on 14 August 1986
The helicopter from HMAS Moresby II while approaching the ship after assisting with the calibration of hydrographic equipment at Gibson Point in the Admiralty Gulf, Western Australia lost power at ...