Diaries, particularly those kept by seamen, are not only an important primary historical source but are first-class reading entertainment. The following extracts from the diary of AB J Marsland describe ...
Naval Historical Review
HMAS Quickmatch – A Personal Account Of Construction
For Valour- Naval Victoria Crosses of World War II
A Century of Japanese Intelligence – Part II
The Epic of HMS Calliope
Banjo Paterson, the Australian poet, once deserted his dusty sunlit plains to write a poem of the navy. The subject he chose was the saga of HMS Calliope at Apia ...
The Pusser’s Bus
The Seagull V amphibian or Walrus or Pusser’s Bus was the best known aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy in World War Two. Carried by all cruisers this ubiquitous aircraft ...
Canberra’s fate
It was 1.45 in the morning, Serene and quiet the sea; The Canberra had steamed into Tulagi, With Guadalcanal on the lee. The Aussie patrol was with us With Yankee ...
The 1929 Cruise of Albatross
With the Ns in Japanese Waters
HMAS Quickmatch Takes a Prize
This article, which was originally published in 1944 in the ship’s magazine, tells the story of the destroyer’s first operation in the Atlantic in late 1942. QUICKMATCH ENTERED THE WAR ...
Action in the Solomons
A Century of Japanese Intelligence – Part 1
HMAS Parramatta: First Born of The Commonwealth Navy
The Ship’s Bugler – Ordinary Seaman A. Gee
Navy’s First Ship to Become City’s Hovermarine Terminal
Parramatta was being stripped before being towed to sea as a gunnery target when the State Government conceived the idea of using her and her sister ship Swan as accommodation ...
The Blazing Trail – poem
‘Twas on the gallant Quickmatch With crew two hundred bold, To “Dusty” Rhodes the Captain, They were like sheep in fold. The men comprised of fighters, Their homes the Empire ...
Perth Died Bravely
Australian Naval Aviation – Part 4
HMAS Encounter finds the Raider Seeadler
The story of the raider Seeadler has been told many times yet still thrills all who read of her audacity. In this article the disarming of the raider’s gutted hulk ...
Antique Cannon at Garden Island
THE 12 CANNON in the Garden Island Collection cover a period of almost four centuries. The earliest, two brass Portuguese pieces believed to have been cast in Spain in the ...
The Loss of HMS Auckland
‘At 6.28 p.m. she rolled over and sank.’ L J. Brien was serving in HMAS Vendetta at the time of the loss of this fine ship. The Vs and Ws ...
Book Review: Australian Naval Administration 1900-1939
Author – Robert Hyslop It is fitting that the two most important works on the organisation and administration of the Royal Australian Navy should be written by a Secretary and ...
Au revoir – poem
A poetical tribute to Lieutenant Commander R. (Dusty) Rhodes DSC, RAN, on his relinquishing command of HMAS Quickmatch in 1944. Now Cobbers, fellow shipmates, The time is drawing near When we shall lose that gallant man, ...
