THE HMAS AUSTRALIA II STORY

Overview

World War One had been the ‘war to end all wars’ and the Australian government in line with saving money and British influence began scrapping and scuttling the major ships of the Royal Australian Navy. By the 1930s the world was changing and the RAN needed new warships that were being built to face the challenge of NAZI Germany and Imperial Japan. A new flagship HMAS AUSTRALIA would end up seeing action in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and unlike its WW1 forbear of the same name would be in the thick of battle wherever it went! This presentation will highlight the action packed career of the ship they called ‘The Aussie’. The story of men who fought the enemy and survived the ‘divine wind’ attacks of the dreaded Kamikazes in WW2.

Presenter – Kez Hasanic

Kez has had a lifelong interest in History and in particular military and naval history. Before retirement in 2018 he served 40 years as a History teacher at Kogarah High School. During that time he taught a number of students who would win the NSW Premier’s Award for HSC History, was closely involved with the History Faculty at Sydney University for teacher training and was also involved in creating user scenarios for a number of historical military and naval computer simulations. Currently Kez is active as a volunteer guide at the Australian National Maritime Museum and recently joined the museum’s speaker’s group. In addition he is a musician and motoring enthusiast.

Please join us.
1100, Monday 21st June 2021 (Sydney time)
If Required:  Meeting ID: 821 5922 9561 / Passcode: 129532

Click to join the ZOOM meeting

IMAGE: HMAS Australia II at the Battle of the Coral Sea. Painting by Randall Wilson of NAVART, commissioned by Bruce Law, whose father served on The Aussie from 1939 to 1942.