Biographies and personal histories

The Midshipman – A Corvette Wartime Experience

Ward, Kirwan · Mar 5, 2008 ·

This article first appeared in As You Were, a compilation of articles by ex-Navy men and women writing about their wartime experiences, and published by the Australian War Memorial in ...

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Book Review: Cochrane the Dauntless

Book reviewer · Mar 5, 2008 ·

Cochrane the Dauntless. The Life and Adventures of Thomas Cochrane. By David Cordingly. Published by Bloomsbury and available from Allen and Unwin Book Publishers This is yet another biography of ...

Obituary: Rear Admiral W. J. Dovers, CBE, DSC (RAN, Ret’d)

Howland, Tony · Dec 4, 2007 ·

The death occurred on 4 October 2007 of Rear Admiral Bill Dovers. His contribution across so many areas of the Royal Australian Navy marked him out as not only a ...

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Leadership: Vice Admiral Sir John Augustine Collins

Dennard, Luke, Midshipman, RAN · Dec 4, 2007 ·

This essay will discuss the role of Sir John Collins in reference to his career in the Mediterranean and Pacific theatres of World War II as captain and commodore in ...

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The Story of Ordnance Artificer Gordon Robertson

Swinden, Greg · Sep 12, 2007 ·

In the quiet Presbyterian Section of GoreHill Cemetery (Sydney), only 50 metres or so from the busy Pacific Highway upon which the people of the city travel to and from ...

RAN Heritage Management: The Long Memory

Periodical, Semaphore · Sep 10, 2007 ·

This article was first published in Semaphore, the newsletter of the Sea Power Centre – Australia, Issue 20, November 2006. The Naval Historical Society is grateful for their permission to ...

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Leadership: Admiral Bruce Fraser, RN

Plater, Robert, Midshipman, RAN · Sep 4, 2007 ·

The aim of this essay is to examine the circumstances and life experiences which contributed to leadership qualities seen in Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser that allowed him to rise to ...

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Book Review: RN Navy List 1943

Book reviewer · Sep 4, 2007 ·

O.U. 5513 (10) 43 The Navy List, containing list of ships, establishments and officers of the Fleet, October, 1943. Published by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for ...

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Leadership: Admiral of the Fleet Isoroku Yamamoto

NHSA Webmaster · Jun 4, 2007 ·

Editor’s Note: This essay was submitted as a graduation essay in History at the RANC, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of Lieutenant Desmond Woods, RAN, History Co-ordinator, ...

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Book Review: The Indomitable Captain Matthew Flinders, RN

Book reviewer · Mar 4, 2007 ·

The Indomitable Captain Matthew Flinders, Royal Navy. By Peter Ashley. Published by Pierhead Press, England. rrp A$22.00. Reviewed by Dave Rickard The author, Peter Ashley, has spent nearly four decades ...

Georgetown, Guiana – The Riots of February 1962

Pfennigwerth, Ian · Mar 4, 2007 ·

The four Type 15 frigates of the Dartmouth Training Squadron were berthed in Bridgetown, Barbados as part of their West Indies cruise, and the RN cadets and RAN and RN ...

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A Naval Career in Clearance Diving – Jake Linton

Linton, E.W. (Jake), BEM, MCD, Commander, RAN (Rtd) · Mar 4, 2007 ·

It was late 1954, I was 19 years old, married, an Able Seaman employed as a Main Gate Sentry at Naval Headquarters at Potts Point, not making enough money to ...

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Leadership: Vice Admiral Nagumo & the Third Wave Decision

Thomas, Mitchell, Midshipman, RAN · Dec 3, 2006 ·

Royal Australian Naval College New Entry Officers’ Course History Essay – Prizewinner INTRODUCTION: ‘But for chance and a critical loss of nerve by the Japanese commander (author’s emphasis), the attack on ...

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Reflections on the Sydney/Kormoran Battle 1941

Captain Peter Hore, RN · Dec 3, 2006 ·

Ninety two year old Baron Reinhold von Malapert is today the senior surviving officer of the German raider Kormoran and as Radio Officer he had a grandstand view of the ...

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Book Review: The Rattlesnake

Book reviewer · Sep 3, 2006 ·

The Rattlesnake by Jordan Goodman. Published by Faber and Faber 358 pages, illustrated.ISBN 1 5712 1973 2 Reviewed by Graeme Andrews. Who was Owen Stanley that he could get a ...

The Moresbys and Norfolk Island

Doyle, J.J., A.M, Captain, RAN (Rtd) · Sep 3, 2006 ·

HMAS Moresby was named for Admiral John Moresby, RN. It was the third ship to carry that name; the first, HMS Moresby, a World War I destroyer, had the distinction ...

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Captain Francis Hixson VD RN and the NSW Naval Forces

Haken, J.K., Dr · Sep 3, 2006 ·

Francis Hixson served for fifteen years in the Royal Navy, rising to ship’s Captain and taking part in many surveys in the Pacific. He resigned to become Superintendent of Pilots, ...

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HMS Byron and the Captain’s Appendix

Whitehouse, John · Sep 3, 2006 ·

HMS Byron was one of the 78 American-built Destroyer Escorts (DEs) acquired by the Royal Navy as welcome additional convoy escort vessels under Lend-Lease arrangements, and immediately employed in the ...

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A Reminiscence – Bombers and MTBs in the Med

A.N. Other · Sep 3, 2006 ·

By Telegraphist L.M.D., HMAS Townsville. (Obviously he has moved on to quieter times since this article was written). Editor’s note: I’m sure many of you will recall the series of ...

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Book Review: Captain Eric Nave, Australian Codebreaker

Book reviewer · Jun 18, 2006 ·

A Man of Intelligence – The Life of Captain Eric Nave, Australian Codebreaker Extraordinary By Dr Ian Pfennigwerth, Captain, RAN (Rtd) Reviewed by LCDR Ron Robb, RAN (Rtd) This book ...

Letters: Followup on Admiral Karl Doenitz

Letter Writer · Jun 3, 2006 ·

Dear Editor Re: Admiral Karl Doenitz and his Leadership, Naval Historical Review, March, 2006 I realise that the opinions and judgements expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the views ...

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Book Review: A Man of Intelligence -The Life of Eric Nave

Book reviewer · Jun 3, 2006 ·

A Man of Intelligence – The Life of Captain Eric Nave, Australian Codebreaker Extraordinary. By Dr Ian Pfennigwerth, Captain, RAN (Rtd). Publisher Rosenberg Publishing P/L, Dural, 2006. Reviewed by LCDR ...

Reuben Mitchell DSM, RAN – Survivor of HMS E14

Smith, Peter · Jun 3, 2006 ·

The following story is of an Australian Able Seaman whom some military historians believe should have been awarded the Victoria Cross for his courage and compassion while under enemy fire ...

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HMS Belfast – The Missing Spadrem

Whitehouse, John · Jun 3, 2006 ·

Come the end of the War, someone in the Supply Department, doubtless with an eye to promotion, decided to hold a massive Stores Audit throughout the Fleet, presumably to discover ...

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HMAS Bass: The Thin White (and Buff-coloured) Line

Howland, Tony · Jun 3, 2006 ·

It was early 1964. I recall it was a Sunday. Darwin dozed through a typical Wet Season day – humidity ‘off the clock high’, stinking hot, ‘suicide weather’ the locals ...

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