On This Day

1919-1938 > Depresssion and between the wars

February 7, 1920

Major S. J. Goble, the RAN’s representative on the Commonwealth Air Board, recommended the adoption of Admiral Jellicoe’s proposals for an Australian Naval Air Service. The proposals allowed for one squadron of ship-borne seaplanes, a squadron of fighters, a squadron of torpedo bombers and 11.5 squadrons of flying boats.

January 28, 1920

The S class destroyer, HMAS TASMANIA, (LCDR H. O. Joyce, RN), was commissioned. TASMANIA was laid down in William Breadmore Yard, UK, on 23 November 1918.

January 27, 1920

The Marksman class destroyer, (flotilla leader), HMAS ANZAC, (CMDR S. H. Simpson, RN), was commissioned. ANZAC was laid down in Denny Bros. Yard, UK, on 11 January 1917. In 1919 ANZAC was gifted to the RAN along with five S class destroyers.

The S class destroyer, HMAS TASMANIA, (LCDR H. O. Joyce, RN), was commissioned. TASMANIA was laid down in William Breadmore Yard on 23 November 1918.

The S class destroyer, HMAS TATTOO, (LCDR A. M. Roberts, DSO, RN), was commissioned. TATTOO was laid down in William Breadmore Yard, UK, on 21 December 1918.

The S class destroyer, HMAS SWORDSMAN, (LCDR C. E. Hughes-White, DSC, RN), was commissioned. SWORDSMAN was laid down in Scotts Yard, UK, on 28 December 1918.

The S class destroyer, HMAS SUCCESS, (LEUT O. R. Wace, RN), was commissioned. SUCCESS was laid down in Doxford Yard, UK, on 29 June 1918.

The S class destroyer, HMAS STALWART, was commissioned. STALWART was laid down in Swan Hunter Yard, UK, on 23 October 1918.

January 14, 1920

The Australian Government constituted a temporary Air Board to advise the Minister for Defence on military aviation. Two naval officers were members of the Board.

December 20, 1919

After an exchange of messages between the Australian Government and the British Admiralty, it was announced that the balance of the sentences, handed down as a result of the mutiny on 1 June 1919 on board HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), would be remitted.

This action led to the two most senior officers in the RAN, RADM Sir Edmund Grant, (First Naval Member of the Naval Board), and CDRE Dumaresq, (Commander of the Fleet), tendering their resignations.

Both officers withdrew their resignations and the matter ended there.

December 10, 1919

HMAS SYDNEY, (light cruiser), patrolled the Timor Sea as beacon ship for Ross and Keith Smith’s flight from England to Australia.

The aviators recorded the cruiser was sighted exactly on station.

December 5, 1919

HMAS Encounter permanently transferred from the RN to the RAN

November 6, 1919

RADM P. E. F. P. Grant, First Naval Member, tendered his resignation. His resignation was in protest to the Australian Government demanding the Admiralty release five sailors gaoled for participation in a mutiny aboard HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), at Fremantle, WA. Nine days later the Commodore Commanding His Majesty’s Australian Squadron, (CDRE J. S. Dumaresq), joined the Admiral. The Government stood firm on its demand, and the sailors were released on 20 December. Both officers withdrew their resignations on 13 February, after receiving conciliatory letters from the Prime Minister, Mr. W. M. Hughes.

October 21, 1919

Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Jellicoe, presented his report on the future development of the RAN, to the Australian Government.

October 19, 1919

The Australian Naval Board approved the inclusion of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ in the repertoire of RAN bands.

October 10, 1919

The Treaty of Versailles is signed and formally ends WWI.

September 8, 1919

HM Ships MARGUERITE, GERANIUM, and MALLOW, (sloops), swept for wartime mines off Cape Everard, VIC. One mine was swept and destroyed

August 12, 1919

Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Jellicoe, reported to the Admiralty on Australian naval defence:- ‘One of the earliest requirements of the Commonwealth is the acquisition on loan of an aircraft carrier’.

July 22, 1919

The River class torpedo boat destroyer, HMAS Parramatta (I) decommissioned in Sydney.

July 18, 1919

HMAS Sydney arrived in Sydney after sailing from Portsmouth on 9 April 1919 for the return passage to Australia calling at Gibaltar, Malta, Port Said, Port Suez, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Penang, and Thursday Island

June 23, 1919

HMAS SUVA, (special service vessel), was commissioned for the visit of Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Jellicoe, to the Australia Station and Pacific Islands. The ship was paid off on 12 August, and returned to her owners.

June 20, 1919

SBLT F. L. Larkins, RAN, was washed overboard and drowned from HMA Submarine J2, in the Karimata Strait, (between Borneo and Sumatra), while the vessel was returning to Australia. Larkins was one of the original entry to the RAN College in 1913.

June 19, 1919

HMAS Sydney, while escorting HMAS Platypus and the 6 J class submarines from England to Australia, was asked by the civilian authorities to assist in quelling civil disturbances. Capt Cayley promptly supplied landing parties at Singapore and Penang, and as an additional means of quietening unrest, is said to have ridden by rickshaw, in full uniform, through the streets of Penang.

June 8, 1919

HM Ships GERANIUM, MARGUERITE, and MALLOW, (sloops), arrived in Australia to sweep for mines. They were later gifted to Australia.

June 4, 1919

The British Government offered Australia 100 aircraft as a gift, to establish an Air Force and a RAN Air Service. The gift was not accepted at this time, however, when the Royal Australian Air Force, (RAAF), was formed in March 1921, many of its aircraft were gifts from Britain.

June 3, 1919

The first AFC was awarded to Flight Lieutenant A. Frauenfelder of No. 2 Flying School. Frauenfelder was an Australian serving with the RNAS, and trained pilots in aerial combat tactics.

June 2, 1919

HM destroyers Voyager (later HMAS) and Vivacious attacked the Russian Bolshevik destroyers Azard and Gavril at the entrance to Petrograd Bay.

June 1, 1919

The ‘HMAS AUSTRALIA Mutiny’ occurred on the battle-cruiser while berthed at Fremantle. AUSTRALIA had returned to Fremantle on 28 May, after an absence of over four and half years from Australia. The ship spent four days alongside, and when she was due to depart about 80 ratings gathered on the quarterdeck and requested that the ship stay longer in port, in order to entertain civilian friends and repay their generous hospitality. The Commanding Officer, CAPT C. Cumberlege, RN, advised that this was not possible, and directed the men to disperse, which they did. However, when Cumberlege tried to take the ship to sea the stokers walked out of the boiler room. A scratch crew managed to get the ship to sea, and Cumberlege ordered the arrest of five sailors considered to be ringleaders in the ‘Mutiny’. The ensuing courts martial, on board HMAS ENCOUNTER in Sydney Harbour, up to 2 year prison sentences, and intervention by the Australian Government, were to have a dramatic and long lasting effect upon the RAN.

May 28, 1919

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), arrived in Fremantle, WA, from Portsmouth, England.

April 23, 1919

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), sailed for Australia from Portsmouth, England, after a farewell inspection by the Prince of Wales and the First Sea Lord, ADML Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, RN.