This talk was a preview of a book that Mr Harry Adlam was writing, to be called ‘Wallaby Destroyers’, about the 39 destroyers that had served up until that time ...
Before Federation in 1901 the colonies of Australia maintained their own mini-navies
Mr Harry Adlam gives an informed overview of the colonial navies that were supported by the ships of the Empire’s Royal Navy’s Australian Station, established in 1859. The separate colonies each ...
HMS Victorious had a proud record of service in World War 2. John Williams served aboard her and this presentation gives his personal recollections of this carrier in action
HMS Victorious was the third Illustrious-class aircraft carrier after Illustrious and Formidable. Her commissioning was delayed until 1941 due to the greater need for escort vessels for service in the Battle of the Atlantic but she soon saw plenty ...
Personal recollections of the pre-WW2 era of the Royal Australian Navy with Admiral Sir Victor Smith AC, KBE, DSC
Victor Alfred Trumper Smith, named after his uncle Victor Albert Trumper, the great Australian cricketer, entered the Royal Australian Naval College in 1927 as a Cadet Midshipman, and became a Midshipman ...
Lieutenant Commander WOC Roberts gives an account of HMAS Murchison in the Han River during the Korean War in 1951
The Han River Estuary does not merge into the sea, but loses itself in a spiderweb of narrow channel and mud flats: no place for ships to move or manoeuvre. ...
History of the South African Navy as presented 40 years ago by His Excellency John Oxley Ambassador for South Africa
This presentation by His Excellency John Oxley is informed and entertaining but is an example of these NHSA talks, recorded decades ago. South Africa and its armed services have changed ...
Captain B. Nobes provides an overview of the evolution of submarines and the development of the RAN’s submarine arm
This history of the submarine development is presented in this concise yet comprehensive overview from a RAN officer with a close association with such vessels, Captain B. Nobes, Commanding Officer ...
‘The Class of 1932’ as remembered by Rear Admiral Mussared as a ‘particular year’. He traces the careers of his ‘Jervis Year’ from their arrival at the Naval College through World War 2
Brynmor Wheatley Mussared entered the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay in 1932, as a young cadet. On passing out from the college in 1935 he was awarded ‘maximum time’ ...
When the German paratroopers invaded Crete, Lew Lind was taken prisoner, but escaped
In 1941, Australian, British, New Zealand, Greek and German soldiers fought a savage battle for possession of the island of Crete. The result was another evacuation by sea of defeated British soldiers, and the ...
One of the most challenging projects undertaken by the NHSA – salvaging the bow of HMAS Parramatta I.
Lew Lind, BEM, the man who was major force in creating the NHSA, and its first president, tells the story of one of the Society’s most challenging undertakings -the salvage ...
Captain. L. M. Hinchliffe gives an account of his experiences in World War 2 from receiving a signal announcing war with Germany until the Japanese surrender
Captain. L. M. Hinchliffe DSC, RAN, called this talk is entitled `Navy Odds and Ends’. It is the second part of his account of his experiences in World War 2, ...
Lieutenant Commander John Goodwin made a daring escape from a Japanese POW camp in Hong Kong
Lieutenant Commander John Goodwin OBE, RNZVR gave a first-hand account of his escape from Hong Kong in July 1944, after having been captured by the Japanese on Christmas Day, 25th ...
Cadet Midshipman JVP Goldrick speculates how the RAN could have developed over the thirty years since World War 2
‘If Only…A Slightly revised history of the RAN – 1946-1976.’ Cadet Midshipman JVP Goldrick speculates how the RAN could have developed over the thirty years since World War 2 if ...
Rex Gilroy discusses the possibility of other ships having visited Australia before the Dutch
Rex Gilroy, the controversial historian who in 1974 was the Archaeological Director, History Director and Director of the History Museum at Mount Victoria, discussed the possibility of other ships having ...
Captain A. Frauenfelder describes the early years of the RNAS, and the various aircraft of that time
Captain A. Frauenfelder was the first man to win an AFC with the Royal Naval Air Service. He describes the early years of that service, and the various aircraft of ...
Commander Len Forsyth – North America knows how to preserve its maritime history
Commander Len Forsyth toured the West Coast of North America and gives an entertaining account of some 18 preserved ships that he visited. Although this presentation does not have the ...
Commander Tim Duchesne gives a brief history of submarines in the RAN
Commander Tim Duchesne was commanding officer of HMAS Platypus in 1975. From that perspective, he gave a brief history of the development of the submarine arm in the RAN, and ...
Rear Admiral Davidson – One man’s view of naval operations in the Indian Ocean, World War II
Control of the Indian Ocean was paramount in World War II. It was an important maritime trade route between European nations and their colonial territories in East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, British India, Indochina, the East Indies, and Australia. ...
The unveiling ceremony of the British Pacific Force Memorial in 1973
In August 1944 the British Pacific Fleet did not exist but just six months later, consisting of ships of not only the Royal Navy but those of Australia, New Zealand, ...
A brief introduction to the unveiling of the British Pacific Fleet Memorial by the NHSA President Lew Lind
Recorded onboard HMAS Sydney on 7th September 1973. Duration is 7 minutes ...
Mrs Ruby Boye (Jones), Australia’s only female Coastwatcher during World War Two talks about her duties and life in the Solomon Islands.
Ruby Boye (Jones) was living on the island of Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz group of the then British Solomon Islands Protectorate when World War Two broke out. Changing circumstances ...
First Victory, Musical Composition by Petty Officer Musician Martyn Hancock
First Victory by Petty Officer Musician Martyn Hancock, honours the Sydney-Emden WW1 battle. It is performed performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band with narrative by Mr Mike Carlton. It was composed to ...
AE2 – Stoker’s Submarine, Musical Composition by Lieutenant Matthew Klohs RAN.
AE2 – Stoker’s Submarine, composed by Lieutenant Matthew Klohs RAN is performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band with narrative by Mr Mike Carlton. It was composed to commemorate the Centenary of the ...
AE1 – The Ship without a Name, Musical Composition by Lieutenant Matthew Klohs RAN.
AE1 – The Ship without a Name composed by Lieutenant Matthew Klohs RAN is performed performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band with narrative by Mr Mike Carlton. It was composed to ...
The Loss of HMAS Armidale by Dr Kevin Smith
Podcast of Dr Kevin Smith talking about the Loss of HMAS Armidale on 1 December 1942 . Recorded in Sydney on 18 April 2017 Duration 53 minutes ...