On This Day
2000-present-day
On This Day - 2000-2019
- June 23, 2005
HMAS Tobruk (II) returned to Sydney after operations in the Middle East region under Operation CATALYST. HMAS Tobruk transported 20 Australian Army ASLAV vehicles for operations in Iraq. HMAS Cessnock II decommissioned
- May 23, 2005
HMAS Newcastle departed for the Middle East region on Operation CATALYST. Newcastle’s deployment was the Navy’s 34th individual ship deployment to the Middle East region since 1990
- April 4, 2005
HMAS TOBRUK, (CMDR N. Bramwell, RAN), departed Sydney en-route to the Persian Gulf. The ship’s task was to transport equipment and personnel from the Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment to Iraq, where they would be deployed to the Al Muthanna Task Group in Southern Iraq.
- April 2, 2005
A Sea King helicopter from HMAS KANIMBLA, (landing platform amphibious, CMDR G. A. McGuire, RAN), crashed and burst into flames at Nias Island, off the west coast of Sumatra, while providing medical support following a devastating earthquake, (Operation Sumatra Assist II). Of the eleven ADF personnel onboard nine were killed. The two badly injured survivors were dragged clear of the wreckage by Indonesian civilians who were waiting for the helicopter to land. Those killed were:RAN; LEUT Mathew Davey, RANR, (Medical Officer) LEUT Matthew Goodall, RAN, (Aircrew) LEUT Paul Kimlin, RAN (Aircrew) LEUT Jonathon King, RAN, (Aircrew) POMED Stephen Slattery, (Medic) LSA Scott Bennett, (Aircrew) RAAF; SQNLDR Paul McCarthy, (Medical Officer) FLTLT Lyn Rowbottom, (Medical Officer) SGT Wendy Jones, (Medic)
- March 29, 2005
An earthquake hit the west coast of Sumatra, (which had been recently devastated by a Tsunami in December 2004). Operation Sumatra Assist II was launched, and HMAS KANIMBLA, (CMDR G. A. McGuire, RAN), which had taken part in the first assistance operation, was diverted to Nias Island to provide support. KANIMBLA had been on her way back to Australia and was alongside in Singapore when directed to return to Sumatra.
- March 12, 2005
The frigate HMAS ANZAC, (CAPT Richard Menhenick, CSC, RAN), departed Australia on a six month world cruise, (Operation Northern Trident). During the cruise the ship was destined to take part in the Gallipoli 90th Anniversary commemorations at ANZAC Cove, and also the Battle of Trafalgar 200th Anniversary celebrations in the United Kingdom.
- February 27, 2005
ADML M.W. Hudson, AC, RAN(Rtd), died in Sydney. He was born in 1933 and entered the RAN College in 1947. During his 44 year career he was commanding officer of HMA Ships VENDETTA, BRISBANE, STALWART, and MELBOURNE. He was also the Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Fleet, (FOCAF), and Assistant Chief of Defence Force (Policy). In 1985 he was appointed as Chief of Naval Staff and held the position until he retired in March 1991. He was promoted to four-star Admiral shortly before his retirement. Following his retirement he served on the Navy League Advisory Council and was President of the Naval Association.
- February 24, 2005
HMAS ARUNTA, (CMDR W. Bairstow, CSC, RAN), provided assistance to the Panama registered container ship MV MSC DENISSE that was drifting southeast of Christmas Island with a flooded engine room. ARUNTA provided engineers to pump out the engine room. HMAS STUART, (CMDR P. Spedding, OAM, RAN), was also en-route to provide assistance. Both ships were employed on Operation Reflex II immigration patrols.
- January 22, 2005
The Anzac class frigate, HMAS BALLARAT, (CMDR S. Hunter, CSC, RAN), ran aground at Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island, while conducting Operation Reflex border protection patrols. BALLARAT was able to return to HMAS STIRLING, under her own steam for repairs to her propellers and rudder.
- January 13, 2005
HMAS KANIMBLA, (CMDR Steve Woodall, RAN), arrived at Banda Aceh, (Northern Sumatra), to provide support as part of Operation Sumatra Assist, following the devastation wreaked on the area by a Tsunami on 26 December 2004. Large portions of the coastal areas of Northern Sumatra, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India were destroyed, and nearly 400,000 people killed, and millions made homeless. KANIMBLA carried Sea King helicopters which were used to support the distribution of food and water, and heavy engineering equipment for use by the Australian Army’s 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, (which flew to Aceh by RAAF C-130 aircraft). The Primary Casualty Receiving Facility onboard KANIMBLA was also used to treat many injured Indonesian civilians.