On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

February 18, 1957

723 Squadron recommissioned with five Sycamore helicopters, two Austers and two Firefly target tugs.

February 12, 1957

The Daring class destroyer HMAS VOYAGER, (CAPT G. J. B. Crabb, DSC, RAN), was commissioned. VOYAGER was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, and launched on 1 March 1952. Mrs Menzies, (Wife of the Prime Minister Mr. R. G. Menzies), performed the launching ceremony. VOYAGER was tragically sunk on 10 February 1964, when rammed by HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), whilst on exercise south-east of Jervis Bay, NSW.

December 21, 1956

HMAS Arunta (I) passed to dockyard control for refitting for Operational Reserve. She had steamed 95,221 miles during her second commission bringing her total mileage to 357,273 since commissioning in 1942. Arunta (I) remained in Operational Reserve at Sydney from 1957 to 1968. She was sold for scrap to the China Steel Corporation of Taipei, Formosa, on 1 November 1968

November 27, 1956

Firefly VX381 was involved in a midair collision over Jervis Bay, NSW. The pilot, SBLT(P) David Eagles RN, was able to successfully ditch the aircraft in Hare Bay and he and his pupil observer, MIDN Donald Debus RAN were rescued.  The other firefly,WD887, struck the water at high speed, breaking apart and killing pilot Acting Sub Lieutenant Arthur Arundel and trainee observer Midshipman Noel Fogarty. The wreck of VX381 was found in Jervis Bay in 1983 and the wreck of WD887 in 2016.

November 8, 1956

HMAS Koala paid off having steamed 79,183.9 nautical miles. On 18 April 1957 she was placed in Reserve Commission at Waverton Boom Depot. Koala was eventually sold late in 1969 and was later used as a gravel barge in Brisbane

October 27, 1956

HMAS VAMPIRE, (Daring class destroyer), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.

October 25, 1956

723 Squadron decommissioned after having grown considerably, taking on a number of new aircraft to meet its training and support responsibilities. Most of the Squadron’s aircraft were transferred to 724 Squadron except for the Sea Furies and Fireflies which were transferred to 805 and 851 Squadrons respectively.

October 9, 1956

De Havilland Sea Vampire Trainer A79-841 crashed into the sea off Greenwell Point near Nowra, NSW. The pilot, Commander Daniel Buchanan, RAN was declared missing, presumed dead. The wreckage was eventually recovered in April 1974 when it became entangled in a fisherman’s nets.

 

September 29, 1956

In the first of the only two offensive actions undertaken by Royal Australian Navy ships during the Malayan Emergency (1948-60), HMA Ships Anzac (II) and Tobruk (I) bombarded terrorist positions south of Jason Bay in Johore State

August 8, 1956

HMA Ships DELORAINE and LITHGOW were sold out of service for breaking up at Hong Kong.

Lieutenants Barry Thompson and Keith Potts of 808 Squadron were both killed when their Sea Venom crashed into the sea off Hervey Bay shortly after take off from HMAS Melbourne. The aircraft was seen to take off normally but quickly veered to the right and down into the water. The cause of the accident was never discovered although insufficient wind speed over the deck appears to be the most likely reason.

July 16, 1956

HMAS Gladstone paid off at Melbourne. She was not to be idle for long however, as she was sold to the Port Phillip Pilots’ Association. She served as a pilot relief ship for seventeen years under the name Akuna. In November 1973 press reports stated that Akuna had been bought by a Melbourne businessman, Mr Scot Bevan-Davies, for use as a private yacht. In February 1981 a report was received that Akuna II, as the ship had been renamed, was owned by ‘Food for the Hungry International’ and was based at Singapore. It was stated that she was engaged in picking up Vietnamese boat people in the Gulf of Thailand and had been doing so for about 18 months.

June 16, 1956

HMAS GLADSTONE, (minesweeper), was sold to the Victorian Government, and renamed AKUNA.

May 18, 1956

HMA Ships BOWEN and LATROBE, (minesweepers), were sold out of service for breaking up in Hong Kong.

May 9, 1956

The aircraft carrier HMAS MELBOURNE, (CAPT G. G. O Gatacre, RAN), arrived at her home port of Sydney, on completion of her maiden voyage from the United Kingdom

May 8, 1956

First Gannets delivered to RAN FAA after travelling from the UK to Australia on HMAS Melbourne II. They were offloaded at Jervis Bay by lighter

April 24, 1956

The aircraft carrier HMAS MELBOURNE, (CAPT G. G. O. Gatacre, RAN), arrived at Fremantle on her maiden voyage to Australia.

March 26, 1956

The boom defence vessel HMAS KIMBLA, was commissioned. KIMBLA was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 4 November 1953, and launched on 23 March 1955. She was later converted to a trials and oceanographic research vessel in 1958-59. Nicknamed “The Snail”, due to her maximum speed of 11 knots, she was decommissioned in

March 12, 1956

HMAS Melbourne sailed from Glasgow for Australia with 808 Squadron (Sea Venom all weather fighters) and 816 and 817 Squadrons (Gannet anti-submarine aircraft) embarked.

March 8, 1956

HMAS Melbourne arrived at Glasgow, Scotland where the two squadrons of Gannets (24 aircraft in all) were loaded on board (along with two squadrons of Sea Venoms and two Bristol Sycamore helicopters for RAN use). Melbourne sailed for Australia on the 11th and in early May 1956 arrived in Jervis Bay where the aircraft were disembarked and transported by road to the Naval Air Station at Nowra.

 

February 27, 1956

Sea Venoms where were formally accepted into RAN service. 808 Squadron had reformed in the United Kingdom on 23 August 1955 and was the first RAN Squadron to be equipped with Sea Venoms.   The Squadron embarked in HMAS Melbourne, which had recently commissioned and completed her work up in British waters, in March 1956 and arrived in Australia in April.

 

February 10, 1956

HMAS Swan recommissioned for service as a Cadet Training Ship. She was reclassified as a frigate and also fitted to operate as a survey ship.

January 31, 1956

HMAS Murchison paid off into Reserve. Since commissioning the ship had steamed 175,712 miles. Without being again brought into seagoing service, Murchison was sold for breaking up to the Tolo Mining & Smelting Co Ltd of Hong Kong on 21 September 1961. However the vessel was resold to the Japanese firm Amakasu Sangyo Kisen Co Ltd. She remained at a Navy mooring in Sydney Harbour until 7 September 1962. During that month Murchison and her sister ship Hawkesbury (I), also purchased by the same Japanese firm, were towed out of Sydney Harbour on their way to be scrapped

January 17, 1956

HMS NAPIER, (destroyer), formerly HMAS NAPIER, was paid off for disposal.

January 16, 1956

HMS NEPAL, formerly HMAS NEPAL, (destroyer), was paid off for disposal.

January 14, 1956

HMAS Glenelg paid off into Reserve at Fremantle. On 2 May 1957 Glenelg was sold for breaking up to Hong Kong Rolling Mills Ltd of Hong Kong