Ronald ‘Buck’ Taylor was born in Carlton, Victoria on 29 April 1918, one of ten children born to Elsie and George Taylor, and grew up in the Port Melbourne area. ...
WWII operations
New Clues to Fate of HMAS Sydney
Victims of the worst naval disaster in Australian history were not gunned down in their lifeboat by their German foes as was believed, claims a scientist who has analysed the ...
HMAS Australia – Atlantic 1940
Japanese Surrender Signals – USN/RN
Australia Remembers 1945-1995
Letters – First Australian life lost in a Naval action in WWII
I have been assisting author Dennis Newton (“A Few of the Few” about Australians involved in the Battle of Britain) with research for his next book,” First Impact”, and seek members advice.” First ...
Book Review: Krait the little fishing boat that went to war and The Heroes of Rimau
Title: “Krait” – The Little Fishing Boat that Went to War” Title: “The Heroes of Rimau” Author: Lynette Ramsay with research from Major Tom Hall The histories of “KRAIT” and her Jaywick operation, ...
Letters: Convoy to Suez – 1941
I am writing in connection with Mr Hilton’s enquiry in “Navy News” May number of the convoy to Suez which left the Clyde on 22nd May 1941. This was convoy WS ...
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 ...
Letters: HMAS Canberra Memorial
I was interested to see in the June 1994 edition a reproduction of a memorial plate for HMAS CANBERRA at Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Having served in this ship ...
Battle of Jutland and Leyte Gulf – A comparison
...
Operation Rimau 1944 – Search For Grave Sites 1984
Biography of Lieutenant Commander R.W. Rankin RAN, and the loss of HMAS Yarra
X-Craft: – X20 in the English Channel
HMAS Shropshire – WW2
HMAS SHROPSHIRE was a lucky ship! All drafts to the U.K. safely traversed the Atlantic at the height of U-Boat sinkings and not a man was lost through enemy action. ...
Book Review: The Shame of Savo Island
The Battle of Savo Island in which HMAS CANBERRA was lost has been the subject of many books, analyses and articles, but in his powerful and enthralling work the author ...
Book Review: Lost ships of Guadalcanal
THE LOST SHIPS OF GUADALCANAL By Robert D. Ballard, Published by Warner/Madison Press This is another book by one of the world’s foremost oceanographers and undersea explorers. Robert Ballard is already ...
Convoy System – WW1 and WW2 Comparisons
In World War I the convoy system was not instituted until May 1917, whilst in World War II convoys were quickly organised soon after war was declared in September 1939. ...
Letters: Loss of Lord Kitchener with HMS Hampshire
I was very interested in Mr Date’s article, Lord Kitchener Lost with HMS HAMPSHIRE, in the December 1993 “Review”. As many people have considered the sinking of HMS HAMPSHIRE an ...
Book Review: The Battle of the Wine Dark Sea
No other sea presents so many mysteries to the naval historian as the Aegean. Battles have been lost and won in this island-studded waterway since antiquity but none were more ...
Book Review: Blue Watch, All the Blue Watch
“Blue Watch, All the Blue Watch” By John Allerton I have not read the “1st Impression” of John Allerton’s book but this “2nd Impression” of this record of his service ...
Occasional Paper 187: HMAS Australia – the 1940 Dakar Debacle
HMAS Warramunga – Battle For The Philippines 1945
Battle Of The Bismarck Sea – 1943
Faces of the Past (early 1942)
Top Row (l-r) Captain Esdale, Paymaster Capt. Trivett, Lt Cmdr Lewis, Lt Cmdr Wilkinson, Engineer Capt. Doyle. Middle Row (l-r) Commander Clark, Commander Langford, Commodore Muirhead-Gould, Paymaster Cmdr E. Kinesford-Smith, Stubbs Chaplain Bottom ...