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

Biographies and personal histories

A Visit to Piraeus, Greece 1941

Bracegirdle, Warwick, DSC, Commander, RAN (Rtd) · Jun 21, 1990 ·

After the naval battle of Matapan most of the fleet returned to Alexandria to replenish supplies. Two cruisers of the 7th Cruiser Squadron HMS Ajax and HMAS Perth did not ...

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Ruby Boyes – Woman Coastwatcher turns 98

A.N. Other · Mar 30, 1990 ·

Hundreds of well wishers contacted Australia’s only woman coast watcher, Ruby Boyes BEM, on her 98th birthday. Ruby operated on Vanikoro in the Solomons and saved thousands of Allied locals ...

I’ve Been To Bali Too

Colthorpe, P.D., Lieutenant, RAN · Mar 19, 1990 ·

In my case I went before it was fashionable and the hospitality was less than the travel agents would have you believe. Not that the natives could be held to ...

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Cedric Ashton

Date, John C., RANVR (Rtd) · Mar 1, 1990 ·

At the meeting of The Naval Historical Society of Australia, members have enjoyed the magical effervescence of fine art, music and naval jottings by esteemed member Cedric Ashton. In the ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Rear Admiral Farncomb 1899-1971

Zammitt, Alan · Dec 22, 1989 ·

On September 29, 1989, Major General Peter Day, A.O., Commandant at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) at Canberra invited Mrs J. R. Farncomb, OBE, to officially open Farncomb House ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Vice Admiral Sir John Collins, KBE, CB

Newspaper, London Daily Telegraph · Dec 19, 1989 ·

Vice-Admiral Sir John Collins, who has died in Sydney aged 90, was Australia’s most celebrated sailor of the 1939-45 War.  His destruction of the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni at the ...

HMAS Sydney-SMS Emden Action at Cocos Islands 1914 – A German Survivor’s Account

Clark, Bryan · Sep 18, 1989 ·

Republished from the “Clarion” newspaper, Cocos Island, (in 1964), and now to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the original HMAS Sydney’s battle with the German light cruiser, Emden, at North ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

Diary of John Ernest James – Part 2

James, John Ernest, RAN (Rtd) · Jun 19, 1989 ·

Written whilst serving in HMAS Sydney II This is the second instalment of the diaries of John Ernest James. He was in the Mediterranean Sea in HMAS Sydney and took ...

Armstrong, J M – Naval Wartime Hero (Part 2)

Zammitt, Alan · Jun 3, 1989 ·

In 1945, Mr William McKell, the Premier of New South Wales (and later to become Sir William McKell, Governor-General of Australia) crossed the Atlantic in Australia when on a wartime tour of ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Diary of John Ernest James – Part 1

James, John Ernest, RAN (Rtd) · Mar 19, 1989 ·

Written whilst serving in HMAS Sydney II John Ernest James was born at Gateshead England, and came to Australia with his family in 1928. He joined the RAN when he ...

Armstrong, J M – Naval Wartime Hero (Part 1)

Zammitt, Alan · Mar 12, 1989 ·

Since the publication of Professor David Armstrong’s eulogy of his father, there have been a number of inquiries about some of the highlights of Jamie Armstrong’s Naval career particularly the ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Commodore J.M. Armstrong, CBE, DSO, RAN 1900-1988

Armstrong, David, Professor · Dec 27, 1988 ·

Read at the funeral service at St. Brelade’s Church, Jersey, January 6th, 1989 by Michael Marett- Crosby. JOHN MALET ARMSTRONG, Jamie to his wife and friends, was born in Sydney, ...

Rear Admiral Farncomb

Zammitt, Alan · Sep 27, 1988 ·

BETWEEN MAY 4 AND MAY 8 1942 the battle of the Coral Sea took place. The Coral Sea Battle was just one of the many highlights of the Naval career ...

The Cruiser Choir

A.N. Other · Jun 27, 1988 ·

Anon AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR I was organist and choir master at St Andrews Church, Wahroonga. I mention this fact because it has a bearing on the short story ...

Sons of the Sea – 1947 RAN College Entry

Zammitt, Alan · Jun 27, 1988 ·

PRIOR TO 1956 Cadet-Midshipmen entered the RAN College in January after reaching thirteen years of age. Late in 1946 six hundred thirteen year old candidates went before a Naval Selection ...

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Man Overboard! Warramunga Saga

Whyte,Sam · Dec 13, 1987 ·

A DREADED CRY, which all sailors hope and trust that they never hear. However it does happen and when it does, all crew members try their hardest to help and ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

HMAS Swan (Sloop) 1937-38

Mesley, Rear Admiral J.S., CBE, MVO, DSC · Sep 13, 1987 ·

I HAVE BEEN ASKED to prepare a short history of HMAS Swan during the period in which I served in her during her first commission from 21st January 1937, until ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

Perth Survivor story

Bee, W.A. ("Buzzer") · Sep 11, 1987 ·

‘AND THE DAWN CAME UP LIKE THUNDER out of Java across the Bay’. These few words echoing an amended version of the famous song ‘On the Road to Mandalay’, seemed ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Lost Letter Throws New Light on Sydney-Emden Action

Bywater, G (Naval Archives) · Jun 11, 1987 ·

Locating the Letter: As part of a general clean up and rationalisation of cabinets belonging to the Naval Historian, the Navy Archives staff dug through a number of filing cabinets ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Wartime Submarine Service

Piggott, Lieut. Cdr. F.M., RD, MNI, RNR. Rtd., · Mar 11, 1987 ·

Recollections of Lieut. Cdr. Piggott of his wartime service in submarines. PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II and general hostilities I had been serving as an officer in the Merchant Service ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

HMAS Perth POW – Moji Maru Incident

Bee, W.A. ("Buzzer") · Mar 11, 1987 ·

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TWO MONTHS since our group arrived in Singapore from Java when the news was received that we were on the move again. Although rumours were strong ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Perth and the Aftermath

Noble, SBA A.M. · Jun 9, 1986 ·

SBA Noble joined HMAS Perth three months before she sunk. His story is simple and frank but reflects the hardships suffered by her survivors. For his work in attending the ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Turkish Treatment of British Naval Prisoners

Trimmer, L.S. Henry · Dec 9, 1984 ·

Little has been written on the treatment of naval prisoners in Turkish prisoner of war camps in World War I. Although this report was written by a Royal Navy sailor ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Ruby Boye – Coastwatcher Heroine

Zammitt, Alan · Sep 9, 1984 ·

MRS. RUBY BOYE-JONES lived with her husband, Mr. Skov Boye, at Vanikoro, a small tropical island in the Santa Cruz group of the then British Solomon Islands Protectorate at the ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

HMAS Manoora Enters the Pacific War

Chatto, A.K. · Jun 23, 1984 ·

Extracts from the War Diary of former member, the late A.K. Chatto HMAS MANOORA sailed from Sydney at 1800 Saturday, November 22 1941. After clearing the swept channel we took ...

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