German Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, described the arrival of the Australian Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean as ‘a consignment of junk’, and ‘Australia’s Scrap Iron Flotilla’. The five WWI destroyers, ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 13 December 1939
HMAS SYDNEY, escorting liner STRATHALLAN (23,722grt) with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force to the Middle East, was relieved by HMAS ADELAIDE which continued the escort round the Leeuwin Promontory ...
Australian Naval History on 12 December 1939
The armed merchant cruiser/landing ship HMAS MANOORA, (CMDR A. H. Spurgeon, RAN), was commissioned. MANOORA was laid down in Alex Stephen & Sons Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1935, for the ...
Australian Naval History on 11 December 1939
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS BERMAGUI was commissioned. BERMAGUI was laid down in Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon, Scotland, in 1912. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the ...
Australian Naval History on 9 December 1939
HMAS Swan became leader of the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla, formed that day and comprising initially HMA Ships Swan, Yarra (II), Doomba and Orara ...
Australian Naval History on 7 December 1939
The Australian War Cabinet considered a memorandum from VADM Sir Ragnar Colvin, RN, the British First Naval Member and Chief of Naval Staff, which advocated that HMA Ships CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, ...
Australian Naval History on 4 December 1939
The 20th Minesweeping Flotilla, HMA Ships SWAN, YARRA, ORARA, and DOOMBA, commenced operations on the east coast of Australia. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 December 1939
The German pocket battleship GRAF SPEE took the first Australian naval POW’s of WWII, after sinking the merchant ships DORIC STAR and TAIROA, in the South Atlantic. The Australians were ...
Australian Naval History on 30 November 1939
Mr A. R. Nankervis is appointed as the Permanent Head of the Naval Board. He was previously Finance and Civil Member of the Board. Mr G. L. Macandie continued as ...
Australian Naval History on 16 November 1939
CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN, was appointed in command of HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser). ...