On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

April 1, 1948

HMAS WYATT EARP, (Antarctic supply vessel), returned to Melbourne from Antarctica.

March 30, 1948

HMAS Lae paid off.

February 29, 1948

Group Captain S. Campbell, (RAAF), Dr P. Law, and AB Wallace of HMAS WYATT EARP landed briefly on Ballerys Island in Antarctica.

February 24, 1948

VADM Sir John Collins was appointed as Chief of Naval Staff, thus becoming the first RANC graduate to reach the Navy’s highest position.

February 8, 1948

The Antarctic Research Vessel, HMAS WYATT EARP, (CMDR K.E. Oom, OBE, RAN), sailed from Melbourne for Macquarie Island and Antarctica.

January 20, 1948

HMAS MILDURA, (corvette), was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Careening Bay, WA. She was later re- commissioned in 1951 as a training ship for National Servicemen, and undertook this task until 11 September 1953, when she was paid off again into reserve. MILDURA was finally sold for scrap in 1956.

December 20, 1947

HMAS Hobart paid off. From 1953 to 1956 Hobart underwent an extensive refit and modernisation at Newcastle State Dockyard to convert her to a training ship, but was not again brought into seagoing service. On 5 February 1960 it was officially announced that Hobart had been added to the list of obsolete RAN ships for sale as scrap. On 22 February 1962 Hobart was sold for breaking up to the Japanese firm of Mitsui & Co (Aust) Pty Ltd for £186,886, comprising £170,876 for the ship and £16,010 for spares. The ship left Sydney under tow on 3 March 1962 and arrived at Miyachi Shipyard, Saki, Osaka, on 2 April 1962.

December 15, 1947

The RN Air Station at Nowra, NSW, was transferred to the RAN.

December 6, 1947

HMAS Manoora paid off. She was returned to the Adelaide Steam Ship Company on 31 August 1949

November 23, 1947

HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), returned to Sydney after a cruise to Tasmania, and moored at No.2 buoy in Sydney Harbour. That night the merchant ship KING STEPHEN lost steerage way while entering the harbour, and rammed QUIBERON in the vicinity of the engine room, and caused significant damage. Next day the ship was docked in the King George V Dry Dock at Garden Island for repairs, and was not fit for sea again until early February 1948.

November 21, 1947

Nine members of the crew of HMAS TARAKAN, (landing ship tank), were injured, when a box of fuses in a cargo of obsolete ammunition, being dumped off Sydney Heads, exploded.

November 17, 1947

The Antarctic Research Vessel HMAS WYATT EARP, (CMDR K. E. Oom, OBE, RAN), was commissioned. As FANEFJORD, (wooden steamer), she was laid down in Norway in 1919. Purchased, and re-named WYATT EARP by US millionaire Lincoln Ellsworth in 1933, she made several runs to the Antarctic. In 1939 the Australian Government purchased her for Antarctic exploration, then re-named HMAS WONGALA for WWII service. WYATT EARP made seven voyages to the Antarctic for ANARE, 1947-1948.

November 14, 1947

HMAS WHYALLA, (minesweeper), was transferred to the Melbourne Harbour Board and renamed RIP. The previous vessel of this name was the Queensland gunboat PALUMA.

November 10, 1947

HMA Ships Arunta (I) and Warramunga (I) left Sydney for a second tour of post war duty in Japan.

October 31, 1947

LST 3501, (renamed HMAS LABUAN on 16 December, 1948), LCDR G. M. Dixon, RANVR, in command, sailed from Sydney on the first of seven voyages to Antarctica.

September 13, 1947

HMAS WARRNAMBOOL, (minesweeper), sank after striking an Allied laid mine near Cockburn Reef, QLD. Two of the ship’s complement were killed in the initial explosion, and a third was drowned. Twenty-six sailors were injured. Survivors were picked up by HMAS SWAN, (sloop). WARRNAMBOOL was listed as a war loss because Australia was still technically at war with Japan.

August 15, 1947

The Australia Government approved the creation of the Naval (later Fleet) Air Arm.

July 24, 1947

Units of the First Aircraft Carrier Squadron of the Royal Navy led a formation of nine warships into Sydney Harbor. They came through in-close order led by the aircraft carrier HMS Theseus flying the flag of Rear Admiral G. E. Creasy. The squadron also includes the aircraft carrier HMS Glory. In spite of the early arrival of the squadron, vantage points along the harbor front were, lined by cheering spectators. HMAS Australia, which escorted the carriers through the Heads, fired a courtesy salute of 13 guns.

July 20, 1947

During RN flying off Melbourne 5 were killed and others injured in several crashes of aircraft flying from HM Ships Theseus and Glory. The aircraft were doing flying to demonstrate the capabilities of carriers as a part of discussions for the RAN to acquire an aircraft carrier. Four were killed when two fireflies collided in the air while another died during a crash landing.

July 10, 1947

HMAS BALLARAT, (minesweeper), was sold out of service and renamed CARMENCITA.

July 3, 1947

The Australian Government approved the establishment of the RAN Fleet Air Arm.

May 20, 1947

HMAS QUICKMATCH, (destroyer), arrived at Nanking with Professor Copeland, the newly appointed Australian Ambassador to China and his staff. QUICKMATCH was the first ship of the RAN to visit the port.

May 9, 1947

HMAS Maryborough was sold to the Australian General Trading and Shipping Syndicate, who renamed her Isobel Queen. She had paid off from the RAN in December 1945. For years she was berthed near Victoria Bridge, Brisbane but never sailed under her own power after sale by the navy in 1947. She was later sold for scrap to Carr Enterprises in Brisbane, in 1953

April 11, 1947

HMAS Ararat (I) paid off into the Reserve Fleet at Sydney. She had steamed 109,000 miles

April 3, 1947

HMAS STUART was sold out of service for breaking up. The keel of the ship is now buried in Kissing Point Bay, Sydney. A plaque put in place by Ryde Council marks the place.