During the early hours of Christmas Day 1974, devastated the city of Darwin with winds in excess of 160 knots, killing 49 people ashore and a further 16 at sea. ...
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Naval Art: Well Worth the Visit
This story was first published in the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) Volunteers’ quarterly magazine, ‘All Hands’, Issue 129 in December 2024. The author, Geoff Barnes is a volunteer with ...
History of Australian Defence Landing Craft and the Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) 1971 – 2014
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 200) by Bjarne Kristensen was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in December 2024. This paper discusses the history of Australian Defence Amphibious vessels ...
Australian Submarines in the Cold War — A force Multiplier in the West
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 199) by Dr Tom Lewis was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in September 2024. This paper discusses the role of the Royal Australian ...
Occasional Paper 188: Highlights of RAN History: Two Busy Decades 1950 to 1970
The following is adapted from the Royal Australian Navy News, 17 April 1970 edition, page 4. 1950 to 1960 From1950 onwards the post-war tempo Naval growth quickened. The outbreak of ...
Bathurst Class Corvettes
When war looked imminent after the Munich crisis in 1938, the Royal Australian Navy realised it needed a fleet of escort ships to guard convoys and keep the sea lanes ...
Obituary – Graeme Andrews OAM 1938–2024
GRAEME ANDREWS: 1938–2024 Graeme Andrews developed a passion for the sea early in life and became one of the country’s foremost authorities on maritime heritage. Through his writing, research, and ...
Occasional Paper 186: Cyclone Tracy and the sinking of HMAS Arrow – 50 years on
It’s 50 years this Christmas since Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin, killing 66 people and destroying 90% of the city’s houses. In this extract from his new book Cyclone Warriors – ...
Book Review: Salt Horse
Salt Horse – Memoir of a Maverick Admiral, Claude Lionel Cumberlege. Published by Whittles Publishing Ltd, Dunbeath, Caithness KW6 6EG, Scotland. Admiral Claude Cumberlege RN wrote his memoirs in 1936-38, ...
The Naval Graves Project
By Kingsley Perry In the December 2023 edition of this journal there was an article titled Rookwood. It described the location and extent of this large cemetery in Sydney and ...
Occasional Paper 185: Fiji Coup 1987 – RAN on the ground
By Commander David Jordan CSC RANR On 14 May 1987 the Military of Fiji took control of the country in a bloodless coup d’état. In response to the coup, the ...
Occasional Paper 184: History of HMA Naval Dockyard, Williamstown.
With the discovery of gold in Victoria in the decade 1851-1861, the population increased sevenfold. The large fleet of vessels that brought these people into the Port of Melbourne overwhelmed ...
Occasional Paper 183: The RAN Bridging Train – Dry Land Sailors
The Bridging Train which existed as a small but highly effective unit of the RAN operated essentially on dry land as field engineers between 1915 and 1917. They served with ...
Book Review: Abide With Me – The HMAS Voyager Tragedy
Abide With Me – The HMAS Voyager Tragedy by Elizabeth McCarthy This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the collision between HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager off the New South ...
Book Review: Gordon’s Nuggets: The Principles of War and How They Help in Love, Life & Work.
Gordon’s Nuggets: The Principles of War and How They Help in Love, Life & Work by Gordon Ramsay.The book is now available through the Society’s website shop and all good booksellers. ...
HMS Hood and the Special Service Squadron in Australia 20 February 1924 to 20 April 1924
By Graeme Lunn John Brown and Company laid down the keel for a battlecruiser in September 1916 that would become the Royal Navy’s epitome of firepower, speed and grace during ...
A Naval Family: The Hixsons
By Dr J.K. Haken While the Hixson family is well recorded in colonial naval history, that of one member, Edward Manwell Hixson who went to Queensland, has only recently come ...
The Secret of the Battle of Sunda Strait: Secret Japanese Ship Sunk by Friendly Fire
By Rohan Goyne The Battle of Sunda Strait is remembered for the loss of the allied cruisers USS Houston and HMAS Perth in a confused night action in the Sunda ...
A Non-Combatant at War: Palestine, Greece and Crete 1941 – Pt 1
Dr. Richmond Jeremy, OBE MB ChM FRCP FRACP 1899 – 1995 Notes made by Dr. Jeremy were transcribed and published in 1998 by his son Richmond Jeremy. With permission of ...
Captain Jack Bolton Newman RAN – The Grandfather of Information Warfare Officers and RAN Communications
By SBLT Cináed Finall RAN We are pleased to publish this essay, which was written in 2023 in support of the inaugural Information Warfare Officer Course dux award. Cináed joined ...
The Last National Serviceman – Part 3
Part II of this series appeared in the December 2023 edition of this magazine. By Robert Stephenson In 1952, after the acquisition of HMAS Sydney III, the Royal Navy lent ...
The Army’s Defence of Merchant Shipping 1939-45
By Adrian Rose In 1644 the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot was raised to protect the crews of Royal Navy warships from attack by French sharpshooters. ...
HMS Devonshire and King Haakon VII
By James (JO) Morrice It is with great sadness that we hear of the recent passing of our friend and comrade Captain JO Morrice RAN and trust this short article ...
The United States Navy Yangtze Patrol
An historically symbolic commissioning of USS Canberra in Sydney, New South Wales on 22 July 2023 was recorded in the September 2023 edition of this magazine. The article went on ...
Occasional Paper 182: Scriven Battery
By Vic Jeffery This paper was first published in the West Coast Bulletin- August September, October 2001 edition. Garden Island in Western Australia enjoys a rich military history and during ...