The existence of the new Australian Navy was formally advised when the Naval Board issued an historic order promulgating the designation ‘Royal Australian Navy’. The order also directed that the ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 31 July 1911
The Imperial Conference defined: ‘The Australia Station includes waters between 95E and 160E as far south as the Antarctic Circle: but the northern boundary is drawn so as to exclude ...
Australian Naval History on 10 July 1911
HRH King George V granted the title of “Royal” for the Royal Australian Navy and it’s Permanent Commonwealth Naval Forces and the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. RADM Sir William Rooke Creswell CNF, ...
Australian Naval History on 4 April 1911
HMAS WARREGO’s re-launching ceremony was conducted by Mrs. G. F. Pearce, wife of the Minister for Defence at Cockatoo Island. The ship built at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan, Scotland had ...
Australian Naval History on 31 December 1910
VADM Sir George F. King-Hall, KCB, CVO, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Australia Station. His flagships were HM Ships POWERFUL, DRAKE, and CAMBRIAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 December 1910
Commonwealth ships HMAS PARRAMATTA and HMAS YARRA, (torpedo boat destroyers), the first warships built for the Australian navy since Federation, arrived in Port Phillip, Melbourne, Victoria, the Federal Capital of Australia. ...
Australian Naval History on 19 September 1910
HMAS PARRAMATTA and HMAS YARRA, (River class destroyers), having been commissioned into the Australian Navy’s Commonwealth Naval Forces left Portsmouth, England, for Australia, escorted by HMS GIBRALTAR ...
Australian Naval History on 10 September 1910
The River class destroyer HMAS YARRA was commissioned, Commanding Officer LEUT Thomas. W. Biddlecombe, CNF, (ex RNR), from South Australia. HMAS YARRA was laid down in Denny & Co, Dumbarton, Scotland, ...
Australian Naval History on 25 July 1910
The Australian Government authorised the building of two light cruisers for the Australian Navy. The cruisers were named HMAS SYDNEY and HMAS MELBOURNE. ...
Australian Naval History on 31 May 1910
The Reserve Decoration, RD, was gazetted. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 April 1910
The second Australian torpedo boat destroyer, HMAS YARRA, was launched at Dumbarton, Scotland. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 March 1910
Hospital charges for naval patients in civil hospitals were:- Seamen; 3 shillings per day. Officers; 12 shillings per day. Mental patients at Callan Park and Gladesville Asylums; 3 shillings per ...
Australian Naval History on 9 February 1910
HMAS PARRAMATTA, (torpedo boat destroyer), was the first warship ordered by the Government to be built for the Australian Navy since Federation in 1901. It was launched at Govan, Scotland, by Mrs. Asquith, wife ...
Australian Naval History on 27 January 1910
The Minister for Defence announced the third torpedo boat destroyer would be built in NSW, but Victoria would receive a fair share of the future work authorised by the Federal Government. ...
Australian Naval History on 19 August 1909
Detailed discussions were held between representatives of the British Admiralty and the Australian Government that resulted in a decision to proceed with the establishment of an Australian Fleet Unit ...
Australian Naval History on 3 August 1909
British Admiralty’s hard-nosed opposition to the idea of Dominion navies suddenly changed. Admiralty now expressed the opinion that each Dominion should have ‘a distinct fleet unit’ comprising a battle-cruiser, three light cruisers, ...
Australian Naval History on 28 February 1909
Extract from Instructions to the Professional Officers of His Majesty’s Dockyards: “When gangs or companies are working by candlelight, such candles only as are necessary are to be demanded, and ...
Australian Naval History on 5 February 1909
The Fisher Government in Australia adopted the 24 destroyer plan. Without consulting British Admiralty, the Australian Government ordered three River class torpedo boat destroyers, later named HMAS PARRAMATTA, YARRA, and WARREGO, ...
Australian Naval History on 5 January 1909
15 sailors from HMS ENCOUNTER, (cruiser), were drowned when the ship’s pinnace was rammed by SS DUNSMORE off Garden Island, Sydney. The men were on their way ashore to conduct ...
Australian Naval History on 11 September 1908
The ‘Great White Fleet’ arrived in Albany, WA, and remained until 18 September. Albany was an important coaling stop for the Fleet. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 August 1908
The ‘Great White Fleet’ arrived in Melbourne, and remained there until 5 September, when it sailed for Albany, WA. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 August 1908
The American ‘Great White Fleet’, 16 warships plus auxiliaries, under the command of ADML Charles Sperry, USN, arrived in Sydney, and remained there until 27 August, when they sailed for ...
Australian Naval History on 31 December 1907
VADM Sir Richard Poore, Bt, KCB, CVO, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Australia Station. His flagship was HMS POWERFUL. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 December 1907
The Prime Minister of Australia, Alfred Deakin, announced that Australia would purchase 9 C-class submarines, and 6 torpedo boat destroyers, over three years, to be built, manned and maintained by ...
Australian Naval History on 27 March 1907
CMDR William Clarkson, ANF, and CMDR W. J. Colquhoun, DSO, ANF, departed Australia for Japan to conduct an in depth study of the Imperial Japanese Navy methods of ship construction, ...