December 9, 2016 is the 75th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Tobruk, the port on the north coast of Libya, that proved such a thorn in Rommel’s ...
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Occasional Paper 2: Operation DAMASK – HMA Ships BRISBANE and SYDNEY
The following story was contributed by Hugh Hyland. Hugh worked for the variously named Defence departments for over 50 years until retiring in December 2015. He held numerous positions in ...
Occasional Paper 1: Battle of Australia Day Commemoration – Sydney 7 Sep 16
By Commander Rebecca Jeffcoat RAN Distinguished Guests, Ladies andGentlemen First I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people, the Traditional Custodians of this Land on which we are gathered, and ...
Occasional Paper 193: The First Naval Dockyard of the Royal Australian Navy Cockatoo Island, Shipbuilding, 1870 to 1986
Cockatoo Island is the largest Island in Sydney Harbour and is located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, about 3.7 km west of the Sydney Harbour ...
Occasional Paper 192: Exploring a Diorama: The RAN Bridging Train at Suvla Bay during the Gallipoli Campaign
By Geoff Barnes The following story by Geoff Barnes who created a diorama of the RAN Bridging Team at Suvla Bay in 1915 was first published as a blog by ...
Occasional Paper 191: Aviation in the Royal Australian Navy, the first 65 Years, 1917 to 1982
The following story is based on a Royal Australian Navy News story first published on Friday 23 April 1982, page 4. Australian Naval aviation this month celebrated the 65th anniversary ...
Occasional Paper 190: Captain Cook Graving Dock 80th Anniversary: Engineering and Art
By Lorraine Fildes and Colin Randall This paper was compiled to mark the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island in Sydney Harbour ...
Cadet Midshipmen at Flinders Naval Depot, Victoria, 1939
The photo shows a group portrait of Cadet Midshipmen at Flinders Naval Depot, Victoria, 1939. The Cadets who were the third year class in 1939 and who originally joined the ...
The RAN and Cyclone Tracy 1974
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. ...
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 ...
Book Review: Admiral VAT Smith: The extraordinary life of the father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm
Hardback by Graeme Lunn, fully illustrated with colour plates, published by Avonmore Books, 2024. RRP $49.95. While few of Australia’s naval leaders have attracted full biographies, Admiral Sir Victor Alfred ...
Sandakan: From Hell to Eternity
The December 2023 edition of this magazine contained an article titled Newcastle Reminiscences, compiled from the recollections of 97-year-old Mrs Thelma Tame. Her uncle was the late Major William Sticpewich ...
A Non-Combatant at War: Palestine, Greece and Crete 1941 – Pt III
Dr. Richmond Jeremy OBE MB ChM FRCP FRACP 1899 – 1995 Parts I and II of this series are contained in the March and June 2024 editions of this magazine. ...
Lord Brassey, The Naval Annual, the Naval Artillery Volunteers and his Steam Yacht Sunbeam
By Dr J.K. Haken Thomas Brassey, later Lord Brassey, was a lawyer and Member of Parliament, and on a number of occasions between 1865 and 1895, a Civil Lord of ...
On the Australia Station
A tribute to the memories of Signalman Frederick Randall RN and Able Seaman John Reardon RN and RAN, who as young men contributed to the establishment of the Australia Station. ...
Two Naval Dogs of the 1930s
By Robert Curran Everyone loves a dog, particularly sailors. In the Australian War Memorial’s collection there are many photos of ships’ mascots of the canine variety to testify to this. ...
Queens at War
Birth of the Queens The great ocean liners and sister ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary feature as two of the most important troop carriers in the annals of Australian ...
Troubled Guardians
By Zuhal Sharifee Overview The Guardian-class Patrol Boats are a class of small patrol vessels developed by the Australian shipbuilding company Austal. The patrol boats are delivered under the Pacific ...
Captain William Cromarty: Mariner and Pioneer
By Leslie Kilmartin ‘What’s an Orkney lad, whatever, if he’s not to have a taste o’ the dangers of the sea? Robert Leighton (2004) William Cromarty arrived to settle in ...
The Properties, Office and Duetie of a Gunner
Introduction While searching for another reference this small story from the September 2003 edition of this magazine came to attention. It was written by Cyprian Lucar (1544-1611) and is from ...
