On This Day

1960-1975 > Vietnam era

March 11, 1963

The first Wessex helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) mission occurred when GPCAPT Mather ejected from his RAAF Sabre jet near Lake Bathurst in NSW, and was reported as having landed near ‘a red farmhouse’. Wessex N7-200 was dispatched with two doctors aboard.  The first red farmhouse they visited yielded only two dogs and a very scared cat. The second, however, produced a ute with a parachute in the back and the missing Air Force officer on the verandah sipping whiskey.  The first SAR by the Wessex was a complete success!

 

February 16, 1963

HMAS QUADRANT, (frigate),was sold for scrap to a Japanese ship breaking company.

February 15, 1963

HMAS QUADRANT, (frigate), was sold out of service for breaking up in Japan.

February 8, 1963

HMAS QUICKMATCH, (frigate), berthed at Manly Wharf, Sydney to participate in the beach resort’s 175th Anniversary.

February 4, 1963

HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), was rammed by the South Vietnamese escort ship KY-HOA, at Saigon. QUIBERON’S starboard side was opened to the sea and KY-HOA required docking.

January 22, 1963

The Australian Cabinet approved a contract with Scott’s Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd., of Greenock, Scotland, to build eight Oberon class submarines for the RAN. The order was later reduced to six.

January 21, 1963

The RAN School of Underwater Medicine was established at HMAS RUSHCUTTER, Sydney. It later moved to HMAS PENGUIN.

January 8, 1963

CDRE J. C. (Copper) Morrow, CBE, DSO, DSC, RAN, one of Australia’s most distinguished destroyer captains of the Second World War, died in Sydney.

December 17, 1962

The frigate HMAS QUIBERON, (CMDR V. A. Parker, RAN), rescued 31 Chinese seamen from the merchant ship TUSCANY, aground on a reef in the China Sea.

December 16, 1962

Australia promised naval support in the Indonesian-Malaysian confrontation crisis.

December 7, 1962

The newly formed 16th MCM Squadron arrived in Australia with the six Bird class minesweepers.

December 5, 1962

HMAS WATERHEN, (shore establishment in Sydney), was commissioned.

November 1, 1962

725 Squadron recommissioned flying the first two Westland Wessex 31A helicopters delivered to the RAN for ASW training and support to 817 Squadron, the Fleet Air Arm’s (FAA) front line Wessex Squadron

October 25, 1962

HMA Ships QUIBERON and QUEENBOROUGH, (destroyer escorts), carried out a search north of Singapore for the cargo vessel KAWI, which had signalled for assistance. A boat from the vessel, with survivors, was found by QUIBERON, and landed at Singapore on 27 October.

October 2, 1962

Two RAN Sea Venom aircraft collided in the air over Sydney Harbour. One aircraft crashed into the harbour after the pilot ejected, and the other reached its base at Nowra, NSW, and landed safely.

September 20, 1962

HMAS Swan paid off for disposal. On 5 June 1964 Swan was sold to Hurley and Dewhurst, of Sydney, to be broken up. She was delivered to the purchasers on 18 September 1964.

September 12, 1962

HMA Ships HAWKESBURY and MURCHISON, (frigates), left Sydney under tow for breaking up in Japan.

September 11, 1962

The Bird, (ex-RN Ton), class minesweeper HMAS SNIPE, (LEUT P. H. James, RAN), was commissioned. SNIPE, (as HMS ALCASTON), was laid down in John I Thornycroft & Co Ltd, Southampton, England, in July 1951, and launched on 5 January 1953.

September 7, 1962

HMAS Tide Austral was renamed HMAS Supply. The name Supply was selected to commemorate the ship of the same name that accompanied the First Fleet to Sydney in 1788.

The Bird, (ex-RN Ton), class minesweeper HMAS IBIS, (LCDR M.B. Rayment, RAN), was commissioned. IBIS, (as HMS SINGLETON), was laid down in Montrose Shipyard Ltd, Scotland, in October 1953, and launched on 18 November 1955.

September 6, 1962

The first flight of an RAN Wessex was by LCDR John Salthouse and took place in Yeovil, England (near the Westland Factory)

 

 

September 4, 1962

First Wessex helicopter delivered to the RAN FAA

August 30, 1962

The Bird, (ex-RN Ton), class minesweeper HMAS TEAL, (LCDR J. G. Stacey, RAN), was commissioned. TEAL, (as HMS JACKTON), was laid down in Philip & Son Ltd, Dartmouth, England, in January 1953, and launched on 28 February 1955. She was purchased for the RAN in 1962.

August 23, 1962

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), was paid off for disposal in Sydney.

August 17, 1962

HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), left Sydney under tow for Japan.

August 15, 1962

HMAS Tide Austral commissioned at Southampton. She was built for the RAN but loaned to the UK and served as RFA Tide Australia from completion in 1955 to 1962 when the RAN decided that it did not need an oiler in service. In 1962 the RAN decided to commission her into the RAN. She was renamed HMAS Supply in Sept 1962.