An insight into the lighter moments in the life of Stores Assistant Gordon Hill who served in HMAS Vendetta from September 1938 until May 1941. ...
Occasional Paper 112: The Hollywood Fleet in Sydney Harbour
How four luxurious gin palaces became hard-working heroines of the Battle of Sydney Harbour. By Neale Philip ...
Occasional Paper 111: HMAS Australia I – Post WWI and Scuttling
After returning home to Australia on 15 June 1919 after an absence of 1775 days HMAS Australia I resumed the role of RAN flagship. A year later she played the ...
Occasional Paper 110: Charles Killick, RAN Bandsman, 1918-1925
Correspondence relating to the 99th birthday of veteran bandsman, Charles Killick who served in HMAS Australia during World War 1. ...
Occasional Paper 109: First Command
A recollection of a first submarine command experience by Captain Goodwin Felton Gower of the South African Navy was provided by his son Allen Gower who lives in Sydney. ...
Occasional Paper 108: Royal Navy Brig HMS Sappho
By Angus Britts Angus Britts is a member and volunteer with the NHSA. He is a qualified historian and has authored two published books: ‘Neglected Skies: The Demise of British ...
The 50th Anniversary of the Naval Historical Society of Australia: The Story So Far
This year, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Naval Historical Society of Australia. Following the Melbourne/Voyager/Frank E. Evans collisions and sentiment turning against an unpopular Vietnamese ...
Occasional Paper 106: RAN Clearance Divers: Records set in 1961
The Clearance Diving Branch of the Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1951 with the primary role of “location, identification and disposal of mines underwater”. Its secondary roles included “underwater ...
Occasional Paper 103: Brisbane rejoices as the US Navy comes to town (March 1941)
On 25 March 1941, a US Naval squadron visited Brisbane on a three-day goodwill visit. The United States had not yet entered the Second World War – Rear-Admiral Newton ...
Occasional Paper 104: Changi and the HMAS Perth Survivors
By Max Thomson HMAS PERTH survivors were the subject of a special request tabled to authorities when Changi prisoners of war were released in Singapore following Japan’s surrender in 1945. ...
Occasional Paper 101: RAN Torpedo Factory, Neutral Bay
By Midshipman Lloyd Skinner, RAN In 1942, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Torpedo Factory, located at Neutral Bay, Sydney commenced operations. Previously, the Torpedo Depot at Garden Island across the ...
Occasional Paper 100: Operation Estes
By Midshipman Lloyd Skinner, RAN Beginning in 1980, Operation Estes saw the government call upon the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to conduct regular surface patrols around Bass Strait. Aerial and ...
The Solomon Islands Part 2: from WWII to Present
This article forms part of a trilogy covering the history of the Solomon Islands and Bougainville Island. Part 1, discussing the Solomon Islands from European discovery to the Second World War, ...
The HMAS Parramatta Memorials
In this our 50th year it is well to reflect on some of the more important projects undertaken by the Society and none is perhaps more worthy than conceiving a ...
A Tribute to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean VC RANR
After many years of failure to gain recognition for the heroic deeds performed by Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, the posthumous award of his Victoria Cross came as a sudden but ...
Occasional Paper 96: RAN Encounters with Papua New Guinea’s Big Rivers
By David Michael The passing of Commodore Sam Bateman RAN, (Rtd) in October 2020 reminded many people of his Command of the PNG based patrol boat, HMAS Aitape and its ...
Occasional Paper 95: Grandfather was a cableman
By Fairlie Clifton Fairlie Clifton is a long-term member of the Naval Historical Society and foundation member of the Australian National Maritime Museum where she volunteers as a guide. Her ...
Occasional Paper 94: Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie (Mac) Jesse Gregory RAN (Ret): 9 February 1922-27 August 2014
By Rex Williams, President Victorian Chapter of the NHSA As President since 2003 and active member during the period Mackenzie (Mac) Gregory was at the helm, Rex grew to love ...
Occasional Paper 93: Boxing in the Navy
By John Smith John Smith, our senior researcher, joined the RAN College in 1946 and retired as a Commander having specialised in gunnery. He served in many RAN ships and ...
Dr Frederick Wheatley, Headmaster and Cryptographer
A new book, Australian Code Breakers by James Phelps, has recently been published on the fascinating topic of wartime code breaking. As the front cover tells us this is the ...
Chief of Navy grants permission for the Australian White Ensign to fly over the HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial at Geraldton, WA
By LCDR Desmond Woods The HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial at Geraldton in WA has become a place of pilgrimage for 65,000 visitors each year. Some 20,000 arrive by sea on ...
Occasional Paper 90: A fascinating piece of history
By Sheila Tolley This paper was published on a Blog entitled Tolley’s Topics 18 June 2019. Although Ms Tolley does not cite her sources, the psychology applied to setting the ...
Occasional Paper 89: Operation Bursa, Use of Naval Air Support in Protection of Australian Oil Rigs 1980-1989
The following is a summary of a paper by Captain Marcus Peake RAN Ret’d, Webmaster of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia (FAAAA). The full story, published in August ...
Occasional Paper 88: Gulf War: Logistics Support for RAN Ships Operation Damask: 1990-1991
By David Michael This paper addresses the key aspects of; preparation, deployment and support for RAN units deployed for Operation Damask between August 1990 and March 1991. During this period ...
Occasional Paper 85: A Curious Spectacle
By Brooke Twyford This paper was provided courtesy of Australian National Maritime Museum volunteers. It was published in the June 2020 edition of ‘All Hands’, the Australian National Maritime Museum ...