On This Day

1900-1913 > Federation, RAN and pre-WW1

January 3, 1901

The Imperial Squadron based in Sydney consisted of HM Ships ROYAL ARTHUR, (1st class cruiser); PORPOISE and ARCHER, (torpedo cruisers); PYLADES, (composite steam corvette); RINGDOVE, (composite steam gunboat), and TORCH, (sloop). The Australian Auxiliary Squadron, also based in Sydney, consisted of HM Ships KATOOMBA, RINGAROOMA, TAURANGA, WALLAROO, and MILDURA, (Phoebe 3rd class protected cruisers); KARRAKATTA and BOOMERANG,(Sharpshooter class torpedo gunboats); DART, (screw schooner); LIZARD, (1st class gunboat), and PENGUIN, (composite screw sloop).

January 1, 1901

The effective strength of the NSW Naval Brigade was 416 officers and men.

November 24, 1900

The former South Australian gun boat HMS PROTECTOR, was decommissioned at Hong Kong, and adopted her former prefix HMSAS.

November 6, 1900

AB J. Hamilton, of the New South Wales Marine Light Infantry, died at Tung Chao in China. He was the first sailor to die in an Australian expeditionary force overseas.

November 1, 1900

RADM Sir Lewis A. Beaumont, KCMG, RN, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding the Australia Station. His flagship was HMS ROYAL ARTHUR.

October 30, 1900

The Naval Brigade of HMS POWERFUL, (a previous flagship of the Australia Station), attacked Boer positions at Lombards Kop, Ladysmith, South Africa.

September 19, 1900

The 600-strong Australian Naval Brigade Contingent, advanced by lighter and road to attack the Chinese Boxer fortifications at Peking. They arrived to find the fort had been taken by Russian troops.

September 18, 1900

A force of 600, drawn from the Australian Naval contingents, assembled at Tientsin for the attack on Chinese Boxer fortifications at Peking.

September 11, 1900

HMCS PROTECTOR was commissioned as HMS PROTECTOR at Hong Kong

August 15, 1900

The Victorian Naval Brigade contingent to the Boxer Rebellion landed at Taku. They advanced to Tientsin next day, but fighting had ended and they were employed as police and firemen.