Divers from Clearance Diving Team 1 raised a Japanese aerial bomb from the seabed under Darwin’s new Fort Hill Road. ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 2 January 1985
Chaplain G. Mayne, RAN, was appointed Catholic Military Chaplain of Australia. The equivalent naval rank to this office was Admiral. He later became Bishop Mayne. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 January 1985
Position of Director WRANS abolished ...
Australian Naval History on 15 December 1984
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS BUNBURY, was commissioned. BUNBURY was laid down in Cairns, QLD, and was the last of fifteen Fremantle class patrol boats built for the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 December 1984
The Department of Defence Support, responsible for the management of naval dockyards and new ship building, was abolished. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 November 1984
The last of the Australian-built Fremantle class patrol boats, HMAS BUNBURY, was launched at Cairns, QLD. ...
Australian Naval History on 31 October 1984
The Australian Government announced that HMA Ships ATTACK, BARBETTE, and BUCCANEER, (patrol boats), would be transferred as a gift to the Indonesian Navy. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 October 1984
The Australian Government approved the expenditure of $51 million for the purchase of eight Sikorsky Seahawk helicopters for the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 October 1984
The Australian Government decided to equip the RAN with Sikorsky S70B helicopters. The initial order for eight Seahawks cost $360 million. ...
Australian Naval History on 24 September 1984
HMAS ONSLOW became the world’s first conventionally powered submarine to be upgraded to guided missile capacity, on completion of a $39 million conversion at Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney, when Harpoon sub-surface ...
Australian Naval History on 8 September 1984
The Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS GLADSTONE, was commissioned. ...
Australian Naval History on 31 August 1984
The first male nursing officer, (SBLT G. Villiani, RAN), joined the Navy. He was unable to join the RANNS as it was a ‘womens’ service,’ so he joined the RAN ...
Australian Naval History on 26 August 1984
HMAS GERALDTON, (patrol boat), was stranded, and damaged both propellers when she run aground on a reef northwest of Broome, WA. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 August 1984
HMAS TOBRUK, (amphibious heavy lift ship), was used as floating accommodation for delegates attending the South Pacific Forum Conference held at Tuvalu, (formerly Ellice Islands), north-west of Fiji. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 August 1984
HMAS IPSWICH, (patrol boat), intercepted and detained the Taiwanese fishing vessel YUAN JAAN, for illegally fishing off Mermaid Reef, west of Broome, WA. A court later ordered the forfeiture of ...
Australian Naval History on 5 August 1984
The RAN’s first female Chief Bosun’s Mate, PO Janet Wicks, was appointed to HMAS CERBERUS, VIC. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 August 1984
All women joining the RAN became liable for sea service ...
Australian Naval History on 27 July 1984
HMAS BUCCANEER, (Attack class patrol boat), was paid off at Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 23 July 1984
RAN Clearance Divers completed a survey of islands between Townsville and Bowen, QLD, to establish the concentration of reef-destroying Crown of Thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef. A previous ...
Australian Naval History on 21 July 1984
The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS DARWIN, (CMDR R. Bayley, RAN,), was commissioned at Seattle, USA. DARWIN was laid down in Todd Shipyard, Seattle, USA, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 16 July 1984
RADM Nigel Berlyn was the last naval commander of Garden Island, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 8 July 1984
The personnel strength of the RAN was 16,696 officers and ratings. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 July 1984
HMAS COOK, (survey ship), located the wreck of the Japanese submarine I-24, some 37 miles off Darwin. I-24 was the first Japanese vessel sunk by the RAN. She was sunk ...
Australian Naval History on 30 June 1984
724 Squadron decommissioned at NAS Nowra ...
Australian Naval History on 28 June 1984
The remaining ten serviceable Skyhawk fighter-bombers of the RAN Fleet Air Arm, were sold to New Zealand for $50.5 million. ...