Fairmile Launches in the RAN

Overview –

Andrew will address a lesser-known aspect of Australia’s naval history during World War II: the short-lived story of the Fairmile ‘B’ Motor Launches that served in the RAN from 1942-47.  While battles in the Pacific conjure images of corvettes, destroyers and cruisers, the nimble and versatile Fairmiles played a key role in supporting operations around Australia’s vulnerable northern coastline, often into enemy-held territory.

He will cover the rationale for acquiring these boats, where and how they were built and the capabilities they provided, manned largely by RAN Volunteer Reserves.  Training at a dedicated Fairmile School in Sydney preceded their deployment to separate flotillas located at key Australian ports, as well as in hostile locations close to the enemy in New Guinea.  The boats were small, and the crews often had to deal with mechanical failures and the constant threat of attack.  Living conditions onboard these cramped little ships were tough and maintaining morale was challenging, yet their crews displayed remarkable resilience and dedication.  Some first-hand accounts from those who served in these ships will add to the unusual Fairmile story.

Presenter – Andrew Mackinnon

Andrew joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1963 and served in a variety of exciting Seaman Officer command and management roles and spent 38 varied and rewarding years in uniform at sea and ashore, including command of the patrol boat HMAS Wollongong and Navy’s shore establishments at HMAS Cairns and HMAS Coonawarra, and later as Defence Adviser in New Zealand.

He is a former Anti-Submarine Warfare specialist officer.  In 2001 he joined the Australian Public Service and served a further 17 years in Navy Headquarters, as the Director Navy Infrastructure Plans. For the next 16 years he worked as the Director of Navy Infrastructure Plans in Navy Headquarters in Canberra.  After settling in Melbourne in 2017, he took the opportunity to broaden his interest in naval history by joining the Naval Historical Society of Australia, and in early 2021 he became the President of the Victoria Chapter. He has helped articulate the naval community’s interests in preserving Osborne House (the site of the first RAN College in 1913-14) and the associated Maritime Museum Collection in Geelong and hopes to assist in rationalising the content and display of naval museum assets held in Victoria.

Detail

Date and Time:1100, Wednesday 22nd. October 2025 (Sydney time)

 Please Join