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You are here: Home / Archives for Article topics / Naval history / Biographies and personal histories

Biographies and personal histories

Rear-Admiral Lionel Lockwood CBE MVO DSC MD (Melb) BSc.FRACP FACMA RAN (1902 – 1987)

A.N. Other · Jun 1, 2012 ·

  By Commander Neil Westphalen, RAN LIONEL LOCKWOOD was born in Natimuk, Victoria on 13 January 1902, the eldest of four children to Alfred Wright Lockwood, a journalist and owner ...

Wardmaster Lieutenant Commander E. Mullins, DSM, RAN (1882-1960)

Swinden, Greg · Jun 1, 2012 ·

THOMAS EDWARD MULLINS was born in Leicester, England on 15 May 1882 and joined the RAN as a Sick Berth Steward 1st Class on 7 May 1912. He had six ...

A chip off the Old Rock

A.N. Other · Mar 13, 2012 ·

We recently received a visit from one of our overseas members David Lort-Phillips from Pembrokeshire in Wales. As one of David’s relatives John Lort Stokes was one time captain of ...

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The Career of Vice Admiral Mortimer L’Estrange Silver, CBE, RN.

A.N. Other · Mar 3, 2012 ·

By Midshipman D.M. Greenwood, RAN  Damian Greenwood was born in Hong Kong. After completing high school at Forbes in NSW he attended the University of Hong Kong where he gained ...

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The Sound of Musical Submarines

A.N. Other · Mar 3, 2012 ·

By Peter Judge The September 2011 edition of the Naval Historical Review contained an interesting summary on submarine warfare which brings into perspective some little known facts concerning Baron von ...

Submarine Duty 1918

A.N. Other · Sep 4, 2011 ·

By the late Captain W.J. Cowling, as told by his daughter Mrs C.M. Wood. At the beginning of WWI the Royal Navy (RN) had 70 submarines in commission, which was ...

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Obituary: Bob Nicholls – A Tribute

Pfennigwerth, Ian · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Only a few of us are fortunate enough to live a life as interesting and as varied as did Bob Nicholls, who died suddenly on 10 March 2011. Born in ...

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Bob Nicholls – A Tribute

Pfennigwerth, Ian · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Only a few of us are fortunate enough to live a life as interesting and as varied as did Bob Nicholls, who died suddenly on 10 March 2011. Born in ...

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Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules (3.3.1901 – 5.5.2011) – The last veteran of two World Wars

A.N. Other · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Claude Choules was the last known combat veteran living in Australia who had served in both world wars. When he died recently, in Western Australia, our last tangible link with ...

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Supply Chief Petty Officer Louis Nicholas Sampson (1907-1941)

Swinden, Greg · Jun 14, 2011 ·

Louis Nicholas ‘Sam’ Sampson born at St Peters, Adelaide on 30 September 1907 was the eldest child of Nicholas and Olive Sampson. In his early childhood he lived at Crystal ...

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They Also Served – Leading Cook Francis Bassett ‘Dick’ Emms

Swinden, Greg · Mar 10, 2011 ·

Francis Bassett ‘Dick’ Emms was born at Launceston, Tasmania on 28 November 1909, the eldest of four children of Henry Joseph Emms, a blacksmith’s assistant and tailor, and Stella Marion ...

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Gallipoli 1915

A.N. Other · Mar 10, 2011 ·

One of our long standing members, Norman Rivett, has recently unearthed a valuable original manuscript of a first hand account by a member of the Royal Naval Division which served ...

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Australian Sailors at Zeebrugge, 1918

Periodical, Semaphore · Sep 10, 2010 ·

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in the March, 2007 issue of Semaphore, the newsletter of the Sea Power Centre of Australia.  We are grateful for their ongoing permission to ...

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U-Boat Battle – Convoy ONS5

Downes, A.M., Captain · Sep 10, 2010 ·

This article is an edited version of a talk given by Captain A.M. Downes to the Company of Master Mariners, Sydney Branch, on 24th November 1993. Tonight I want to ...

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RMS Operations by the RAN in the Pacific – World War II

Turner, Mike · Jun 10, 2010 ·

RMS officers in the RAN conducted numerous Rendering Mines Safe (RMS) operations along the Australian coast and at islands to the north of Australia. Most of the RMS operations were ...

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RMS Operations by the RAN in Europe – World War II

Turner, Mike · Jun 7, 2010 ·

Bombs and mines were rendered safe by the RAN in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East during World War II. RAN personnel were highly decorated for their extraordinary ...

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Obituary: Captain John Frederick Bell, RAN, (Retired)

Wright, W Graham, Captain, RAN (Retired) · Mar 21, 2010 ·

William Shakespeare wrote: ‘The good men do is oft interred with their bones’. So that this will not happen here, I will tell you about John Bell, the boy, which ...

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Obituary: Commander H.K. Duncan, OAM, RAN

Fogarty, Michael · Mar 21, 2010 ·

The commanding officer attempted to light his cigarette. He had gathered his officers in the wardroom to brief them on a dramatic change to the ship’s 1967 program. HMAS Duchess ...

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Coastwatchers – Thank God Such Men Lived

Wright, Ken · Mar 21, 2010 ·

Their contribution was out of all proportion to their numbers. The Coastwatchers Memorial Lighthouse was erected in 1959 at Kalibobo Point in Madang, Papua New Guinea, by public subscription and ...

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Erle Alwin Greglach Boyd

Swinden, Greg · Mar 21, 2010 ·

Forgotten Hero of the RAN Amongst the thousands of men and women who have served in the RAN there have been heroes and rogues, scholars and scoundrels. In a career ...

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WW1 Losses || “Too Far Away Thy Grave to See…”

Wright, Ken · Dec 21, 2009 ·

From the beginning of recorded history until now, war has been the curse of mankind and by its very nature means the death of many of the combatants and the ...

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Louis Antoine de Bougainville and his Exploration of the Pacific

Dunstan, Timothy, SBLT, NEOC 39 RANC · Dec 21, 2009 ·

Introduction Usually in one’s lifetime, a person will witness or experience one event that will, or has the ability, to change the world. This event will stand out in history, ...

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Search for Bracegirdle Sundial

Dutton, Ken, Professor Emeritus · Dec 21, 2009 ·

Professor Dutton is a member of the Arts and Library Committee of the Newcastle Club One of Australia’s most distinguished naval officers was Rear Admiral Sir Leighton S. Bracegirdle, KCVO, ...

Address to Trafalgar Night Dinner

Goldrick, James, Commodore, RAN · Dec 21, 2009 ·

At HMAS Penguin on Friday, 17 October 2008 I am not here to talk about a battle but to reflect on just what it is that makes Nelson the ‘immortal ...

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The Australians at Jutland

Swinden, Greg · Sep 21, 2009 ·

The Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 was the major naval battle of World War I.  For a few short hours on that day the British Grand Fleet and ...

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