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You are here: Home / Archives for Article topics / Naval history / History - WW2

History - WW2

Occasional Paper 176: A Ship is Burning

Ken Wright · Dec 4, 2023 ·

By Ken Wright As the attractive blonde seventeen-year-old rode her push bike to work on the cold morning of 22 July 1942, the Japanese submarine I-11 had already torpedoed the American ...

Occasional Paper 174: The Queensland Fraser Coast and Royal Australian Navy Historical Ties

Lorraine Fildes · Nov 6, 2023 ·

The Queensland Fraser Coast and Royal Australian Navy Historical Ties The Queensland Fraser Coast has a rich maritime history and a long and entwined history, first with the Queensland Maritime ...

Occasional Paper 173: HMAS Magnetic

Lorraine Fildes · Nov 5, 2023 ·

When in Townsville, a stroll along The Strand is a must. A walkway starts at historic Jezzine Barracks and ends at the current ferry terminal. The path follows the line ...

A Bar of Soap

A.N. Other · Sep 5, 2023 ·

By Walter Burroughs That fine old Aussie expression ‘I don’t know you from a bar of soap’ has now fallen out of favour as we move from the utilitarian bar ...

Occasional Paper 168: The Royal Australian Navy in the Pacific War: 1943

Editorial Staff · Jul 31, 2023 ·

Eighty years ago, in 1943 the tide of the war in the Pacific was at last turning for the better. After four long years of war and significant RAN ship ...

Letter: The Big Guns of Tarawa

Letter Writer · Jun 30, 2023 ·

I’m reading the latest NHR after having read the latest CTH and Buzz, and the Occasional Papers/articles, and they’re all excellent – of a high standard and an enjoyable read, ...

Occasional Paper 163: Able Seaman Frank McGovern OAM 1919 – 2023

A.N. Other · Jun 2, 2023 ·

By Commander Steve Youll OAM RAN (Retd) Frank McGovern, at 19 years of age joined the Royal Australian Navy on the 30 August 1939. After initial training he was posted ...

Book Review: The Scrap Iron Flotilla

Book reviewer · Mar 8, 2023 ·

The Scrap Iron Flotilla by Mike Carlton. William Heinemann Australia. Paperback of 448 pages. rrp $34.99 On Sunday September 3rd 1939, history was tumbling over itself. In the mess decks ...

The Big Guns of Tarawa

Editorial Staff · Mar 8, 2023 ·

By Walter Burroughs The December 2022 edition of this magazine contained an article A Lonely and Dangerous Vigil regarding New Zealand Coastwatching operations in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Comments ...

Letter: A Christmas Story

Letter Writer · Dec 7, 2022 ·

In the December 2019 edition of this magazine we ran a ‘Christmas Story’ relating to the naval service of Temporary Lieutenant Ernest Joseph Huson Christmas RANVR. Lieutenant Christmas was in ...

Book Review: Australia’s Secret Army.

Book reviewer · Dec 7, 2022 ·

Australia’s Secret Army. A story of the Coastwatchers, the unsung heroes of Australia’s Armed Forces during World War II is told by Michael Veitch, published by Hachette, Sydney, 2022. Soft ...

A Lonely and Dangerous Vigil: New Zealand and Coastwatching in the Second World War and RNZN Involvement 1939-1945

A.N. Other · Dec 7, 2022 ·

By Michael Wynd  In Australia we possess a plethora of material on Coastwatchers but know very little of a similar operation on the other side of the Tasman. This fine ...

The NSW Department of Main Roads (DMR) at War

A.N. Other · Dec 7, 2022 ·

By Rohan Goyne  This story complements an article in the June 2022 edition of the Naval Historical Review concerning the wartime construction of airfields on Norfolk Island and New Caledonia. ...

Occasional Paper 153: County Class ships of the Royal Navy: A photographic review

A.N. Other · Dec 1, 2022 ·

By Conrad Waters The following feature was first published in the Ships Monthly magazine and subsequently by the Heritage Machines website on 19th October 2022. The Royal Navy’s series of ...

Occasional Paper 150: Palm Island – World War Connections

David Michael · Nov 3, 2022 ·

By David Michael As experience continues to demonstrate, major conflict and wars not only affect those living in the immediate area of operations but regionally and often globally. These conflicts ...

Book Review: The Scrap Iron Flotilla – Five valiant destroyers and the Australian war in the Mediterranean.

Book reviewer · Sep 16, 2022 ·

By Mike Carlton, published by Random House Australia. A 448-page illustrated paperback with photographs. Available at all good booksellers from about $30.00. Some chroniclers are ideal authors for their subject ...

The British Centre: from Hyde Park to Hornsby Hospital

Editorial Staff · Sep 16, 2022 ·

With thanks to Councillor Nathan Tilbury of the Hornsby Council, the Vice President of the Hornsby Historical Society, and a local paper The Bush Telegraph (February 2022) we are pleased ...

Third Officer Ruby Boye BEM WRANS

Editorial Staff · Sep 16, 2022 ·

The remarkable story of Mrs. Ruby Boye has recently received considerable media attention. This version, dictated later in her life by Mrs. Boye to her friend and neighbour Mrs. Joy ...

HMAS Bombo and Able Seaman Robert Klippel RANR

A.N. Other · Sep 16, 2022 ·

By Colin Randall Less than two hours south from Sydney lies the picturesque coastal town of Kiama. On the outskirts sits Bombo Heads with a huge bite taken out of ...

Occasional Paper 144: HMAS Nizam – Typhoon 1945

William F. Cook, MVO, Captain, RAN (Rtd) · Aug 31, 2022 ·

First published in the December 1994 edition of the Naval Historical Review On 12 September, 1945, HMAS Nizam, a fleet destroyer of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla, sailed from Tokyo Bay, ...

Occasional Paper 143: HMAS Adelaide: The Final Years in Neutral Bay

John Jeremy, AM Vice President NHSA · Aug 31, 2022 ·

By John C. Jeremy, AM Vice President NHSA The archives of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron are extensive and contain a priceless collection of material relating to sailing and the ...

Corvette Memorial Booklet – A Tribute to Those Who Served

Dave Lardner · Jul 25, 2022 ·

The Corvettes of the Royal Australian Navy were built in Australia and crewed by Australians. These ships served with distinction in all theatres of World War 2. This booklet is ...

The Arthur Lunan Story: Part III

Editorial Staff · Jun 25, 2022 ·

The late Arthur Lunan maintained a diary of his service in the RAN from 1941 to 1946. His brother-in-law William Moody digitised this and added some family photographs. William and ...

The Tobruk Run – The Loss of HMS Auckland

A.N. Other · Jun 25, 2022 ·

By Andreas Biermann A 1200-ton general purpose sloop about to enter the building program was assigned the name HMS Heron, but was renamed and commissioned as HMS Auckland on 16 ...

Ultra and the Battle of the Atlantic – The True Story

David Stratton · May 30, 2022 ·

Ultra and the Battle of the Atlantic – The True Story By Tim D. Lyon “The Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all throughout the war. Battles might ...

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