Political Intrigues For centuries there was natural rivalry between Britain and Spain in the fields of colonial expansion, maritime trade and commerce. Relationships, at least from the time of the ...
Outsourcing in the Australian Defence Forces
Sooner or later, everything old is new again From The Colorado Kid by Stephen King Outsourcing Outsourcing is a practice used to reduce costs by transferring portions of work to ...
A Communications Mystery
Of what avail the loaded tube, The cannon or the shell; If flags or W/T default The Fleet will go to hell. WWI – author unknown A few months ...
AK 121 Aroetta
A previous edition of this magazine (March 2017) outlined the exploits of HDML 1321 and favourably mentioned her commanding officer, Lieutenant Ambrose Palmer, RANR. This article explores an earlier career of ...
The Gospel of St John and LCDR Donald Mckenzie RAN
Recently one of our members and cherished chaplains, the Reverend Dr Gareth Clayton, presented the Society with a copy of the Gospel of St John which had been given into ...
HMAS Patricia Cam
Graeme Andrews, one of our long serving members with a sharp wit and fine pen, wrote an excellent article Cam’s Trawlers first published in the May 2006 edition of Afloat magazine. After ...
Harbour Defence Motor Launches, Seaward Defence Motor Launches & Seaward Defence Boats
Wooden Ships and Iron Men – unofficial motto of RAN HDMLs1 The March 2017 edition of this magazine contained an article HDML 1321 and what she represents which states that after ...
Meet the Artist: Ian Hansen
The Naval Historical Society was recently privileged to receive a presentation by the renowned maritime artist Ian Hansen. We journeyed far and wide as Ian outlined a remarkable career and, ...
Submarines: The History and Future Underwater Warfare
The following article is taken from a feature first broadcast on ABC National Radio on 25 June 2016. It is reproduced with the kind permission of the author Keri Phillips ...
Breaking Up is Hard to do
The title of the 1960s worldwide hit song recorded by Neil Sedaka seems appropriate to our next story concerning the disposal of warships. Living in an age of global consumerism ...
Chief Petty Officer WILLIAM HENRY NYE
As related by his grandson William Douglas Nye We were recently contacted by William Douglas (Doug) Nye regarding some family papers which his grandmother had kept but were no longer ...
Bill Boas and the Waree
Cyril Maurice (Bill) Boas was born on 10 December 1899 at Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, in southern India. He was the first of four children born to Captain John and ...
The New Guinea Diary of LCDR Clarence Hansby Read, RANR 1914-1915
The manuscript of Read’s diary was acquired by the Mitchell Library in 1919 for the sum of £30. It lay undisturbed for nearly a century until transcribed into digital format ...
Steam Picket Boats: Some Reminiscences
In the last (September 2015) edition of this magazine we asked Leyland Wilkinson, the author of a Letter to the Editor on Picket Boats if he might favour us with ...
The Witu Islands – were these the Wolf’s Lair?
P & O’s Pacific Dawn recently completed a two week cruise to Papua New Guinea (PNG) with calls at Alotau (Milne Bay), Madang and Wewak. Unfortunately a low on-shore swell precluded ...
Winston Churchill and the Navy
As fifty years have now elapsed since his passing this article may serve as a small tribute to the memory of this great wartime leader. A meteoritic rise upon the ...
A Tailored Solution: Chief Petty Officer Alfred Lyall Glendinning
Most members of the RAN past and present will have set foot in a Glendinning store but where does the name come from? This small tribute has been compiled with ...
Letter from HMAS Yarra II survivor
After lying dormant for many years a 73 year old letter written by a survivor from HMAS Yarra II has recently surfaced.The original recipient of the letter, George Vooles died in ...
Cry Havoc
Brian Luttrell entered the RANVR in September 1939; a short while later he was off to war as an Ordinary Signalman in HMS Kanimbla. More than two years elapsed before ...
Letter: A Postcard from Afghanistan
Most postcards gratefully received at the Boatshed are of the colourful glossy variety of well known landmarks sent to us from globetrotting members. Recently your Editor received one of a ...
Obituary: LCDR Eric Charles Talbot-Booth, RNR
The March 2013 edition of the NHR contained an article A Paymaster and a Master of Ship Recognition on LCDR Talbot-Booth who gained world fame for his books on ship ...
Milne Bay Revisited
The Naval Historical Society is not here to promote the travel industry, but in this instance it may be warranted, as some members may be interested. A recent initiative by ...
First Day Covers
An eagle eyed reader recently sent us a copy of a postal first day cover which appears quite remarkable for the number of errors it contains. The errors are numerous ...
HMAS Hobart – The Skilful Survivor
As told to our Editor by Cyril Rayner The Australian Navy started the war with three relatively modern Modified Leander Class light cruisers. Of these fine ships much has been ...
Our Most Welcome Spanish Guest
Spanish guests are only infrequently welcomed to our shores, in fact this seems to occur about every 200 years. The famous navigator Luis Vaz de Torres visited in 1606 and ...