When war looked imminent after the Munich crisis in 1938, the Royal Australian Navy realised it needed a fleet of escort ships to guard convoys and keep the sea lanes ...
Obituary – Graeme Andrews OAM 1938–2024
GRAEME ANDREWS: 1938–2024 Graeme Andrews developed a passion for the sea early in life and became one of the country’s foremost authorities on maritime heritage. Through his writing, research, and ...
Auster shootdown over Sydney in 1955
FOR more than three hours on a fine, calm August morning in 1955, the eyes of Sydney’s suburbia were fixed skyward, anxiously watching the flight of a pilotless Auster aeroplane ...
Royal Australian Navy – the first 75 years
The history of the Royal Australian Navy from creation in 1911 to 1986. This history was developed through historic footage and interviews, as well as ships and people filmed in ...
The bizarre story of HMAS STALWART and 300 tons of rotten onions
In 1939 Sydney had a shortage of onions. A period of drought had affected the Victorian crop, and in order to fulfil the demand for the 20, 000 tonnes of ...
Occasional Paper 141 : The tradition of Colours and Sunset
This short account of the May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea focuses on the strategically significant outcomes of the battle and how they related to the future of World War 2 and Australians in particular. ...
Occasional Paper 140 : The Factors that Led to the Formation of the RAN in 1911
This short account of the May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea focuses on the strategically significant outcomes of the battle and how they related to the future of World War 2 and Australians in particular. ...
Ultra and the Battle of the Atlantic – The True Story
Ultra and the Battle of the Atlantic – The True Story By Tim D. Lyon “The Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all throughout the war. Battles might ...
Occasional Paper 139 : Robert John Dowey
This short account of the May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea focuses on the strategically significant outcomes of the battle and how they related to the future of World War 2 and Australians in particular. ...
NHSA Youtube Channel
The Naval Historical Society of Australia now has a Youtube Channel where we will be posting videos and creating playlist of other interesting videos Click here for the NHSA Youtube ...
Australians at War Film Archive
11,000 hours 2,000 interviews 1,000,000 stories Told by the people who lived them In over 2000 interviews, this Archive encompasses our wartime history from World War One to Afghanistan. It includes the battlefront, the home ...
Lieutenant Commander Michael T Hickie R.N, R.A.N, Ret’d. D.S.C, Arctic Star, Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy
Michael Timothy Hickie was born on 17th October 1922, in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, North West India. His parents were both from distinguished British Raj families. Mike was then educated in UK, ...
Navy Birds Return to their Nest – Navy News Paper article August 1958.
After a glamorous six months’ cruise in H.M A.S. Melbourne, the Air Group returned to its nest at Albatross on July 20. At 7.30 in perfect weather, 11 Sea Venoms, ...
Navy Chopper Rescues RAAF Sabre Jet Pilot
Navy Chopper Rescues RAAF Sabre Jet Pilot Navy News March 1963 Another Royal Australian Navy “first” was recorded last week when one of the Navy’s new Westland Wessex helicopters went ...
1986 RAN Fleet Review Programme
The programme is available via the following link 1986 RAN Fleet Review Programme.pdf ...
VADM Sir Victor Smith – From Sea to Chair in Colourful Career
In 1970 Sir Victor Smith spoke on personal recollections of his career in the RAN when he accepted an invitation to address the newly formed Naval Historical Society of Australia, ...
Action of Cape Spada – 19 July 1940
Plan for operations against enemy submarines and shipping in the Aegean. On 18 July 1940, four destroyers departed Alexandria for an anti-submarine hunt towards the Kaso Strait and then along ...
Bombardment of Bardia, 21 June 1940.
Operation MD 3 Bombardment of Bardia, 21 June 1940. An Allied force sailed on 20 June 1940 to carry out operation MD 3, the object was to destroy military objectives ...
Rear Admiral Herbert James Buchanan
Herbert James Buchanan was born in North Fitzroy in Melbourne on 10 March 1902 and briefly attended Scotch College before joining the Royal Australian Naval College as a thirteen year old ...
News reel of the surrender ceremony on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945.
Produced by United News, it features the speech made by General Douglas McArthur. The background music is “With Honour Crowned”. ...
Reunion for Rescue of Vietnamese Refugees (MG99) by HMAS Melbourne, 21 June 1981
On Sunday 21 June 1981 HMA Ships Melbourne and Torrens were participating in Exercise Starfish 81 in the South China Sea when they rescued 99 Vietnamese refugees, now known as ...
The HMAS Australia II Story by Kez Hasanic
Online presentation about HMAS Australia II by Kez Hasanic. The HMAS Australia II Story ...
Derek Holyoake and the torpedoing of HMAS Hobart in 1943
Derek Holyoake enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on July 8, 1940 at the age of 16 and was serving onboard HMAS Hobart when she was torpedoed on July 20, ...
Badges Issued to service personnel or family members
OFFICIAL BADGE DESIGN Silver War Badge The Silver War Badge was an Imperial award issued to those who had been honourably discharged as a result of wounds or injuries received ...
The Creer Brothers in the RAN
Reginald Charles (Ferrers) Creer (1881-1958), and Herbert Victor Creer (1881-1969) ...