The boom working vessel HMAS KOALA, was commissioned. KOALA was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 21 June 1939, and launched on 21 November 1939. Mrs Custance, (Wife ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 5 February 1940
The auxiliary anti-submarine vessel HMAS BINGERA, was commissioned. BINGERA was laid down in Denny Bros Ltd, Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1935, for the Australian Steam Navigation Co Ltd, and requisitioned for ...
Australian Naval History on 30 January 1940
The troop convoy US1 reached Colombo. HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), joined the convoy as an escort, for part of the voyage. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 January 1940
The troop convoy US1, left Fremantle, escorted by HM Ships RAMILLES, (battleship), and KENT, (cruiser), and the French cruiser SUFFREN. Australia had refused a request to involve HMA Ships CANBERRA, ...
Australian Naval History on 19 January 1940
A rating in HMAS STUART, (destroyer), wrote: “I always count those early months in the Mediterranean before Italy came in as the worst period of the war. The Australian destroyers ...
Australian Naval History on 17 January 1940
HMAS Westralia commissioned after conversion to Armed Merchant Cruiser. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 January 1940
The auxiliary patrol vessel HMAS ST. GILES was commissioned. ST. GILES was built in 1919 at Ferguson Bros. Scotland. In 1922 ST. GILES was purchased by J. & A. Brown ...
Australian Naval History on 10 January 1940
The first Australian and New Zealand troop convoy of the Second World War, US 1, sailed from Sydney for the Middle East. The escort consisted of HMA Ships CANBERRA and ...
Australian Naval History on 3 January 1940
HMA Ships VENDETTA and WATERHEN departed Marseilles escorting convoy K.6 consisting of troopships ROHNA (8602grt), TAIREA (7933grt), DEVONSHIRE (11,275grt), DILWARA (11,080grt), RAJULA (8478grt) and TALAMBA (8018grt). ...
Australian Naval History on 2 January 1940
The 5 destroyers of the Scrap Iron flotilla were organised as the 19th Destroyer Division of the Mediterranean Fleet. They had arrived at Malta between the 17th and 24th of ...
Australian Naval History on 25 December 1939
HMAS STUART, (destroyer), was battling heavy seas off Corsica. Christmas fare was a piece of cake and a glass of beer. Christmas Day on HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), was heralded by ...
Australian Naval History on 22 December 1939
HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), attempted to tow the British merchant ship HOUSTON CITY off rocks, near Plum Point Lighthouse, Jamaica. The line parted and the tow was abandoned. The ship was ...
Australian Naval History on 21 December 1939
A cartoon in the Australian magazine, The Bulletin, depicted a cruiser with a badly crumpled stern passing the flagship, and the Admiral turning to the Flag Captain:- ‘Send for her ...
Australian Naval History on 19 December 1939
The cruiser HMAS PERTH, (CAPT H. B. Farncomb, RAN), was shadowed by the USS VINCENNES, (cruiser), while on the Yucatan Channel patrol in the West Indies. VINCENNES demanded PERTH’s identity, ...
Australian Naval History on 18 December 1939
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, ...
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 16 November 1939
CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN, was appointed in command of HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser). ...
Australian Naval History on 4 November 1939
HMAS KOALA, (boom defence vessel), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 November 1939
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS UKI, was commissioned. UKI was laid down in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in 1923. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the North Coast Steam ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1939
RADM John George Crace, CB, an Australian-born officer of the RN, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Squadron, taking over from CDRE W. Patterson, RN. His flagship was HMAS ...