- Author
- Zammitt, Alan
- Subjects
- Biographies and personal histories
- Tags
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Sydney III
- Publication
- June 1981 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Victor followed the OOW back to the quarterdeck and found the six trays of cakes and pies he had ordered had been carried a mile from the cake shop to the Hobart by teenage girls, who were paid about sixpence a day. This was England in 1938.
Hobart sailed to Australia via the Mediterranean, calling at Gibraltar, Malta, through the Suez and then Aden, before reaching Sydney a few days before Christmas 1938.
After Christmas leave, Hobart sailed to show the flag in Tasmania and visited places that Australia had been too large to berth at. The city of Hobart gave its namesake a great welcome, the cruiser being selected as flagship for the 101st Annual Hobart Regatta in February 1939.
The Australian Squadron annual pulling regatta held at North West Bay, Tasmania, between Canberra, Sydney, Hobart and Voyager was the last regatta held before the war, and Victor Zammit gained three points for Hobart by winning the canteen staff’s skiff race.
Victor had had a great deal of experience in boat pulling, as during the Great War Encounter had its own canteen boat. However, winning the 1939 regatta was made a certainty on account of only Hobart’s skiff turning up for the race.
Victor left Hobart on 28th August 1939, and commissioned his old ship, Australia. During her refit she had been fitted with additional armour plating, four new twin four-inch guns and other major alterations which made her ready for the war that commenced five days after Aussie commissioned.
During the opening months of hostilities the ship was engaged on patrol and escort duties on the Australian station. She was westbound across the Indian Ocean with a convoy when Italy made her entry into the war, and France signed the Armistice with Germany.
In July 1940 Australia entered the Atlantic with a convoy bound for Freetown and then joined RN ships patrolling off Dakar in an endeavour to prevent French ships in that port falling into German hands.
On leaving Freetown Australia proceeded to England and joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron based on Scapa Flow. Whilst she was there she took part in sweeps up the Norwegian Coast with the main Battle Fleet, and in isolated patrols as far afield as Bear Island and Iceland, in company with HMS Norfolk, searching for German trawlers.
In September 1940 the ship was back again off Dakar, where British and De Gaullist forces were trying to persuade the local troops to join in with the Free French, and fight the Germans.
Between 14th and 25th September, Australia was several times in action with Vichy ships and shore forts.
Off Dakar Australia was ordered to attack the Vichy destroyer L’Audacieux. Eight 8- inch salvos from Australia reduced the destroyer to a blazing wreck. Australia also found the French cruiser Gloire stopped with engine trouble, and could have sunk her, but Gloire’s captain gave his word to proceed to Casablanca, so Australia’s captain allowed the French ship to proceed.
On the last day of the Dakar operation Australia was hit by enemy gunfire. The damage was slight and no casualties were suffered, but the ship’s Seagull was shot down with the loss of its aircrew.
After Dakar Australia escorted a convoy to the United Kingdom, followed by a search for a German raider. During the raider search Aussie was ordered to search for a Sunderland flying boat which had been forced down at sea. Australia made towards the weak radio signals she received, but could not see the flying boat in the huge seas. The Sunderland began to break up, but, with darkness coming down, the crew kept signalling ‘Hurry’ with an Aldis lamp. At last Australia saw the lamp, but a few minutes after Australia got close the flying boat turned over. Scrambling nets and lines were dropped over the side and the executive officer, Commander ‘Black Jack’ Armstrong, led a rescue team of sailors who were good swimmers over the ship’s side, and rescued nine out of the thirteen airmen from the stricken aircraft.
In December 1940 Australia entered Liverpool Dockyard for a refit, and to have radar fitted for the first time.
During the refit, Liverpool was heavily bombed. Australia was in drydock, but with some water still in the bottom of the dock, when a land mine of about 3,500 pounds fell into the water alongside the ship, but failed to explode. The next night a 500-pound bomb fell near the ship and did some damage. Australia was also hit by some incendiary bombs.