‘AND THE DAWN CAME UP LIKE THUNDER out of Java across the Bay’. These few words echoing an amended version of the famous song ‘On the Road to Mandalay’, seemed ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 3 August 1987
Two crewmen from the Oberon class submarine HMAS OTAMA, (LCDR R. Taubman, RAN), lost their lives, in heavy seas off the east coast of Australia, when OTAMA dived while they ...
Australian Naval History on 30 June 1987
As safety and supportability issues caught up with the ageing Wessex’s, National Task duties were transferred to 817 Squadron and 816 Squadron decommissioned ...
Lost Letter Throws New Light on Sydney-Emden Action
Sydney – Emden Action: a short history
IN OCTOBER 1914, Sydney and her sister ship Melbourne detached from the Flagship (Australia) and returned to Australia to form a unit of the escort of the first Anzac convoy ...
HMAS Platypus & The Darwin Raid – 1942
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1987
HMA Ships ADELAIDE and SYDNEY, (guided missile frigates), were placed on standby to assist with the potential evacuation of Australian nationals from Fiji, following a military coup. ...
Wartime Submarine Service
HMAS Perth POW – Moji Maru Incident
Camouflage in the Royal Australian Navy
(This short account of camouflage in the Royal Australian Navy was written by Ray Parkin some years ago and throws a little light on the devious art.) I DID NOT ...
Australian Naval History on 4 March 1987
HMAS OVENS, (Oberon class submarine), sank the stripped hulk of the navy tank cleaning vessel, ex-HMAS COLAC, off Sydney, with a Mk.48 torpedo. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 February 1987
The Minister for Defence, Mr. Kim Beazley, announced the Government plan for a two ocean navy. Half of the RAN would ultimately be based at HMAS STIRLING, WA. ...
HMAS Parramatta Silver Jubilee
RAN Formation – A Personal Memory
Australian Naval History on 5 December 1986
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, approved the posthumous award of the Australian Bravery Medal to AB. Michael George Oliver, RAN for bravery during a gas alarm in HMAS STALWART, on ...
Australian Naval History on 1 December 1986
The Bay class mine hunter HMAS RUSHCUTTER, (LCDR G. Mapson, RAN), was commissioned. RUSHCUTTER was laid down in Carrington Shipyards, Newcastle, NSW, and launched on 3 May 1986. Lady Bennet, ...
Australian Naval History on 23 November 1986
The memorial to HMAS PARRAMATTA, (sloop),which was sunk in 1941, was relocated to the Queens Wharf Reserve in Parramatta. The original memorial had been set up in June 1973 at ...
Australian Naval History on 11 November 1986
The Shore Establishment HMAS LEEUWIN, (Fremantle, WA), was decommissioned. The base had begun life as a drill hall in Croke Lane, Fremantle, in 1926, and was commissioned on 1 August ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1986
The mine hunter inshore HMAS RUSHCUTTER, (LCDR G. Mapson, RAN), was commissioned at Sydney. Her sister-ship HMAS SHOALWATER, was commissioned a year later. A plan to bring into service six ...
Royal Australian Naval Operations 1914
I FEEL THAT THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY of the Royal Australian Navy should not be allowed to slip away without brief mention of the operations carried out by the Navy in ...
HMAS Condamine in Korea 1952-1953
CONDAMINE, one of four modified river class frigates (the others being Shoalhaven, Murchison and Culgoa) was built by the State Dockyard at Newcastle, NSW. Laid down on the 3rd of ...
Australian Naval History on 15 September 1986
The first Cabinet Meeting of the Australian Government held at sea was convened by the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Hawke, in the flagship of the RAN, HMAS STALWART. ...
When it all Began – the Arrival of the First Royal Australian Naval Fleet
Williamstown Naval Dockyard – Part 1
Australian Naval History on 14 August 1986
The helicopter from HMAS Moresby II while approaching the ship after assisting with the calibration of hydrographic equipment at Gibson Point in the Admiralty Gulf, Western Australia lost power at ...