On This Day
2000-present-day
On This Day - 2000-2019
- June 12, 2004
The Iraqi Coastal Defence Force was officially formed at the Umm Qasr Naval Base, Iraq. Personnel from the RAN, RN, USN, and Polish Navy, had been instrumental in the training of Iraqi sailors over a seven month period, since late 2003. The RAN team of 12 personnel was lead by LCDR A. R. Powell, RAN.
- June 6, 2004
60 years after the D-Day landings, a significant commemorative service was held at Arromanches, France. Four Australian ex-servicemen, including CDRE Dacre Smyth, (RAN, Retired), were presented with the French Legion of Honour.
- June 3, 2004
The Minister of Defence, Mr Robert Hill, announced the purchase of a new tanker to replace the aging HMAS WESTRALIA. The tanker DELOS, which had been built in South Korea and launched in April 2004, had been selected, and following modification in 2005 was planned for delivery to the RAN in 2006. It was later announced that the ship would be commissioned as HMAS SIRIUS, as a tribute to HMS SIRIUS, which was one of the two warships to escort the First Fleet to NSW in 1788.
- June 2, 2004
During a two week ‘blitz’ on illegal fishing vessels in Northern Australian waters, more then 15 Indonesian fishing vessels were detained. HMA Ships BUNBURY, WARRNAMBOOL, and WHYALLA, (patrol boats), assisted Australian Customs vessels to apprehend the illegal fishing boats.
- June 1, 2004
The damaged yacht ELIZABETH II was towed into Darwin, after being rescued by the patrol boat HMAS GAWLER, (LCDR R. Donnelly, RAN), near Bathurst Island.
- May 28, 2004
The Minister of Defence, Mr Robert Hill, announced that an RAN Heritage Centre would be built at the northern end of Garden Island, Sydney, to display RAN artifacts. The idea of such an RAN museum was first proposed in the 1920’s, and for many years items were housed in the RAN Historical Collection on Spectacle Island, in Sydney Harbour.
- May 20, 2004
The ADF ceased to formally provide security forces in Timor Leste, (formerly East Timor), when security for the nation was handed over to the country’s own Defence Force and Police. Approximately 100 ADF and Australian Federal Police personnel remained behind in Timor Leste as advisors.The ADF had first entered the country in 1999, to restore law and order following the violence that had erupted following the pro-independence elections.
The survey vessel HMAS MELVILLE, (CMDR A. J. Withers, RAN), rescued five people from the stranded catamaran BAGATELLE, which had run aground on Scott Reef, (off Russell Heads, QLD). The catamaran had left Dunk Island earlier that day, and was bound for Fitzroy Island, when she struck the reef late in the day and was severely damaged
- May 5, 2004
A ceremonial plate-cutting, of the first aluminum for the RAN’s new Armidale class patrol boats, was conducted at the Austal Shipyard near Fremantle, WA. Under the $550 million contract, Austal/Defence Maritime Services was directed to provide 12 aluminum patrol boats over a 42 month period. These vessels will replace the Fremantle class patrol boats, which commenced service in the early 1980’s.
- April 25, 2004
Prime Minister, John Howard, accompanied by the CDF, (General Peter Cosgrove), make a surprise ANZAC Day visit to Australian personnel serving in Baghdad. A planned visit to HMAS STUART, then serving in the Northern Arabian Gulf, was cancelled due to the ship’s commitment to security actions following the suicide bombings of oil terminals near the port cities of Basra and Al Faw, the day before.
- April 24, 2004
The ANZAC class frigate HMAS STUART, (CMDR Phillip Spedding, RAN), took part in the rescue of US personnel following a suicide attack by three boats on oil terminals at Basra and Al Faw, in southern Iraq. An 8-man coalition boarding party had spotted the suspicious vessels, and while attempting to board one of the dhows the explosives onboard were detonated. At least two coalition personnel were killed, and several wounded. STUART’s Seahawk helicopter and RHIB were used to rescue coalition personnel, and bring them back to the ship for medical attention. The bodies of the two slain personnel were also recovered by STUART’s RHIB.