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

Biographies and personal histories

Memories of HMS Renown

Rettie, Alexander · Jun 21, 1984 ·

I actually joined the ship at the age of 16 years, as a boy rating. My early experience with the RENOWN was during the 1914-18 war. Much of our time ...

Queer Jobs

Oliver, Cdr (E) H.G.D. , RAN · Mar 9, 1984 ·

The last story I wrote for a magazine was about a punitive expedition in HMAS Adelaide to Malaita in 1927, after a bold, bad black, blighter called Bassiana had murdered Mr ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Gunboats on the Yangtse: 1920 to 1937

Taylor, R.A. CPO, RN · Mar 6, 1984 ·

A transcript of an address presented to The Naval Historical Society of Australia by CPO R.A. Taylor, RN. TO DESCRIBE CHINA in any form of speech, with all its complexities ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

Obituary: Harry Adlam

Zammitt, Alan · Jun 20, 1983 ·

HAROLD CHARLES (HARRY) ADLAM grew up in Penshurst, Sydney. Economics dictated that he leave school at the age of 14. However, he educated himself and ended up with a better ...

The Loss of HMS Dorsetshire

Creasy,John · Jun 6, 1983 ·

This vivid eyewitness account of the sinking of the 8-inch cruiser, HMS Dorsetshire by Japanese bombers in 1942 was extracted from a war-time booklet published to raise funds for building ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

We Did It Better In My Day

Collins, Vice Admiral Sir John · Dec 5, 1982 ·

Old timers are quite critical of the modern generation, and particularly in service matters. Whenever we see a parade or a ceremonial, we always seem to compare the show with ...

Bastock, John – Naval Artist & Writer

A.N. Other · Dec 3, 1982 ·

WHEN ONE ENTERS THE WARDROOM of the FFG HMAS Adelaide the first object to catch one’s eye is a fine painting of the cruiser Adelaide in 1944 in her wartime ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 6-Conclusion )

Zammitt, Alan · Oct 25, 1982 ·

ON 21ST OCTOBER, six Sea Furies attacked the suspected invasion junks, sinking 7 and damaging 15. Two Sea Furies were detailed to assist HMAS Murchison negotiate shallow water hazards which ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Family Saga -The Westons & The Johnstons – 1764 Onwards

Weston, Bert E. · Jun 30, 1982 ·

FROM TIME TO TIME the Naval Historical Review has featured the biography of some officer, living or dead, who had reached high rank and was noted for his service in ...

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

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 5)

Zammitt, Alan · Jun 25, 1982 ·

CROSSING THE BAY OF BISCAY Sydney ran into bad weather, losing the starboard lower boom, and the canopies of the starboard motor boats being stove in. In the Mediterranean we ...

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

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 4)

Zammitt, Alan · Mar 25, 1982 ·

THE KANIMBLA SAILED from Devonport on September 9th, called at Gibraltar, and arrived at Genoa, Italy, to embark displaced persons who were being brought to Australia to make a new ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 3)

Zammitt, Alan · Dec 25, 1981 ·

THE AUSTRALIA CONTINUED HER REFIT at Garden Island until May 1947. The ship’s company was greatly reduced, but there was always a reasonable number living on board. Harry Adlam left ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 2)

Zammitt, Alan · Sep 25, 1981 ·

BY 1943 THE TIDE HAD TURNED against the Japanese and Australia was in action supporting landings at Arawe and Cape Gloucester in December of that year. In February 1944 Australia ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9

I’m Jesus, the Canteen Manager (Part 1)

Zammitt, Alan · Jun 25, 1981 ·

IN JUNE 1955 the ship’s company of HMAS Sydney fell in on the flight deck, and Captain George Oldham, DSC, RAN, presented to Vie Zammit, the ship’s canteen manager, a ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7

Garden Island Dockyard 1943-46

Mackay, I. · Mar 23, 1981 ·

A View from the Accounts Branch IT WAS IN 1933 that I first became acquainted with the Royal Australian Navy and HMA Naval Establishments at Garden Island. At that time ...

The Will of an Old Sea Dog

A.N. Other · Dec 20, 1980 ·

Mr. John Harding was a member of the China Naval Contingent of 1900 and served in the Boxer Rebellion with the Victorian Section. He had been a member of the ...

Bomb Alley, 1942

Max Darling, RANVR · Jun 23, 1980 ·

IN 1942 THE BOMB ALLEY of this story extended 400 miles along the central Mediterranean with every mile within 30 minutes of enemy airfields. At the eastern end the strategically ...

Anti Submarine Warfare – June 1944, English Channel

Darling, Stanley, OBE, DSC and 2 bars, Captain, RANR (Rtd) · Mar 31, 1980 ·

In command of HMS Loch Killin, one of the first of a new class of frigate, Lieutenant Commander Darling joined the Second Escort Group under the legendary Captain Walker in ...

The RAN – 1918-1919

Vennell, C W Lt RAN Retired · Jun 30, 1979 ·

FROM A WESTERN DISTRICT FARM, far from sight or sound of the sea, to the gunroom of a battle-cruiser in the Grand Fleet within the space of four months – ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Admiral Sir Victor Smith, AC, KBE, CB, DSC

Birch, Albert · Mar 5, 1979 ·

INASMUCH AS THE NAME VICTOR TRUMPER remains immortal among the followers of cricket, so will the name Sir Victor Smith serve as a reminder, to all those connected in any ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

HMAS Wyatt Earp and the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition 1947-1948

William F. Cook, MVO, Captain, RAN (Rtd) · Dec 29, 1978 ·

Space will not allow me to dwell significantly on the history of Antarctic exploration, nor the reasons which led to this voyage. The reason, primarily, for the Wyatt Earp mission, ...

Captain Steve Arliss RN and HMAS Napier

Becher, O.H., CBE, DSO, DSC, Rear Admiral · Jun 7, 1978 ·

This thumbnail sketch of Captain Steve Arliss, Captain (D), 7th Destroyer Flotilla was prepared by the late Rear-Admiral Becher as a helpful guidance for the Society’s history of the N ...

Captain James Bradshaw RN Extracts from his Journals 1801-1811

Bassett, R.J., Commander, RAN (Rtd) · Jun 7, 1978 ·

IN JULY 1948 whilst I was standing by HMAS Sydney at Devonport Dockyard, I bought a collection of manuscript volumes which had belonged to James Bradshaw and which covered his ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

James Goodenough, Sailor and Humanitarian 1830 – 1875

Vickridge, G.L.W., Lieutenant, RANR · Mar 25, 1978 ·

‘I HAVE KEPT THE POSSIBILITY STEADILY BEFORE ME, so as to be prepared; it is very good to be brought to look upon a near death as more than usually ...

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Two Years in HMS Renown 1943-45

Churchill, J., Lieutenant Commander · Dec 25, 1977 ·

I JOINED RENOWN IN MAY 1943, at Rosyth, as a brand-new Lieutenant (E), straight from Keyham; it was my first time in Scotland, and I well remember the difficulty that ...

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