The following story is based on a Royal Australian Navy News story first published on Friday 23 April 1982, page 4. Australian Naval aviation this month celebrated the 65th anniversary ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 12 December 2024
Four of the Evolved Cape class patrol boats were commissioned into the RAN. Formerly ADV vessels they became HMA Ships Cape Pillar, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Woolamai and Cape Capricorn ...
History of Australian Defence Landing Craft and the Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) 1971 – 2014
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 200) by Bjarne Kristensen was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in December 2024. This paper discusses the history of Australian Defence Amphibious vessels ...
Australian Naval History on 5 December 2024
HMAS Gascoyne II was decommissioned at HMAS Waterhen, Sydney ...
Australian Submarines in the Cold War — A force Multiplier in the West
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 199) by Dr Tom Lewis was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in September 2024. This paper discusses the role of the Royal Australian ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 2024
The Evolved Cape class patrol boat ADV Cape Schanck was officially accepted by the RAN ...
Australian Naval History on 22 October 2024
Fleet Review held In Sydney during visit of King Charles II. Ships involved included HMAS Hobart III (guided missile destroyer), HMAS Warramunga II (helicopter frigate), HMAS Arunta II (helicopter frigate), ...
Book Review: Admiral VAT Smith: The extraordinary life of the father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm
Hardback by Graeme Lunn, fully illustrated with colour plates, published by Avonmore Books, 2024. RRP $49.95. While few of Australia’s naval leaders have attracted full biographies, Admiral Sir Victor Alfred ...
On the Australia Station
A tribute to the memories of Signalman Frederick Randall RN and Able Seaman John Reardon RN and RAN, who as young men contributed to the establishment of the Australia Station. ...
Two Naval Dogs of the 1930s
By Robert Curran Everyone loves a dog, particularly sailors. In the Australian War Memorial’s collection there are many photos of ships’ mascots of the canine variety to testify to this. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 August 2024
HMAS Broome II was decommissioned at Darwin ...
Australian Naval History on 8 August 2024
HMAS Melville decommissioned at Cairns ...
Australian Naval History on 1 August 2024
The Evolved Cape class patrol boat ADV Cape Solander was officially accepted by the RAN ...
Book Review: Salt Horse
Salt Horse – Memoir of a Maverick Admiral, Claude Lionel Cumberlege. Published by Whittles Publishing Ltd, Dunbeath, Caithness KW6 6EG, Scotland. Admiral Claude Cumberlege RN wrote his memoirs in 1936-38, ...
The Naval Graves Project
By Kingsley Perry In the December 2023 edition of this journal there was an article titled Rookwood. It described the location and extent of this large cemetery in Sydney and ...
100 Years ago: HMAS Australia and Gerald Muddyman
Observing that 15 April marks the centenary of the intentional sinking of the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, the following article taken from the Newington Magazine website, carefully curated by Robert Curran, ...
First NAAFI Store on board RFA Ship opens
This small article from the UK Forces Network is of some interest to us as there were originally four Bay-class RFA landing ship docks. One of these was RFA Largs ...
HMAS Maryborough escapes from Java
An email was received recently from Ian Gotts of St Albans in England about the wartime exploits of his cousin Able Seaman James Gotts who was rescued from HMS Electra, ...
The Blackwoods of Huon Park
By Walter Burroughs In the northern Sydney suburb of Turramurra lies St James’ Church and adjacent is a War Memorial Hall with its honour board containing the names of those ...
Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial
Many stories are received of autonomous craft but these are mostly small prototypes, possibly of limited capability in an offshore environment. The trials now being conducted by Austal Australia using ...
Australian Naval History on 30 May 2024
HMAS Huon II decommissioned at HMAS Waterhen ...
Australian Naval History on 18 May 2024
HMAS Anzac III decommissioned at Fleet Base West ...
Occasional Paper 183: The RAN Bridging Train – Dry Land Sailors
The Bridging Train which existed as a small but highly effective unit of the RAN operated essentially on dry land as field engineers between 1915 and 1917. They served with ...
Book Review: Abide With Me – The HMAS Voyager Tragedy
Abide With Me – The HMAS Voyager Tragedy by Elizabeth McCarthy This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the collision between HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager off the New South ...
The Last National Serviceman – Part 3
Part II of this series appeared in the December 2023 edition of this magazine. By Robert Stephenson In 1952, after the acquisition of HMAS Sydney III, the Royal Navy lent ...