Diaries, particularly those kept by seamen, are not only an important primary historical source but are first-class reading entertainment. The following extracts from the diary of AB J Marsland describe ...
Australian Units
HMAS Quickmatch – A Personal Account Of Construction
Australian Naval History on 31 December 1974
HMA Ships BRISBANE and FLINDERS were the first ships to arrive in Darwin, to commence work as part of Operation Navy Help, the cleanup and rebuilding of Darwin following the ...
Australian Naval History on 26 December 1974
Operation Navy Help, to assist with the clean up and re-establishment of services in the shattered city of Darwin, commenced. The first RAN asset to arrive was an HS748 aircraft, ...
Australian Naval History on 25 December 1974
Cyclone Tracy struck and leveled the city of Darwin. The Naval Headquarters building was destroyed, and the Naval Officer Commanding Northern Australia, (CAPT E. E. Johnston, OBE, RAN), and two ...
The Pusser’s Bus
The Seagull V amphibian or Walrus or Pusser’s Bus was the best known aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy in World War Two. Carried by all cruisers this ubiquitous aircraft ...
Canberra’s fate
It was 1.45 in the morning, Serene and quiet the sea; The Canberra had steamed into Tulagi, With Guadalcanal on the lee. The Aussie patrol was with us With Yankee ...
Australian Naval History on 26 November 1974
HMAS Salamaua was decommissioned and recommissioned into the Papua New Guinea Defence Force as HMPNGS Salamaua ...
Australian Naval History on 14 November 1974
HMA Ships Aitape, Ladava, Lae, Madang, Samarai and Tarangau decommissioned as units of the RAN and recommissioned flying the new White Ensign of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) ...
Australian Naval History on 12 October 1974
HMA Ships Brisbane, Melbourne, Stuart, Supply, Vendetta (II),Torrens (II) and Derwent, and the submarine Onslow conducted a fleet entry into Sydney Harbour. The ships were dressed overall as part of ...
Australian Naval History on 4 October 1974
HMAS ANZAC was paid off at Sydney. She had steamed 693,582.1 miles since commissioning. On 24 November 1975 Anzac (II) was sold to Hifirm Corporation Ltd of Hong Kong. She ...
The 1929 Cruise of Albatross
With the Ns in Japanese Waters
HMAS Quickmatch Takes a Prize
This article, which was originally published in 1944 in the ship’s magazine, tells the story of the destroyer’s first operation in the Atlantic in late 1942. QUICKMATCH ENTERED THE WAR ...
HMAS Parramatta: First Born of The Commonwealth Navy
Australian Naval History on 27 September 1974
The landing craft heavy HMAS BALIKPAPAN, (LEUT M. D. Otter, RAN), was commissioned. BALIKPAPAN was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, and completed in 1972. Mrs Peacock, (Wife of ...
Navy’s First Ship to Become City’s Hovermarine Terminal
Parramatta was being stripped before being towed to sea as a gunnery target when the State Government conceived the idea of using her and her sister ship Swan as accommodation ...
Australian Naval History on 7 September 1974
HMAS BOMBARD, (LEUT R. Cook, RAN), completed the first circumnavigation of Australia by a patrol boat. ...
The Blazing Trail – poem
‘Twas on the gallant Quickmatch With crew two hundred bold, To “Dusty” Rhodes the Captain, They were like sheep in fold. The men comprised of fighters, Their homes the Empire ...
Australian Naval History on 14 August 1974
HMAS Duchess recommissioned and replaced HMAS Anzac (II), which had decommissioned just three days before, as the Fleet Training Ship ...
Australian Naval History on 11 August 1974
HMAS ANZAC, (Battle class destroyer), was paid off for disposal at Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 11 July 1974
Damage was minimal when the Greek cruise liner AUSTRALIS, collided with HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), off Garden Island, Sydney. MELBOURNE was berthed at the time, and AUSTRALIS was approaching her ...
Perth Died Bravely
Australian Naval Aviation – Part 4
HMAS Encounter finds the Raider Seeadler
The story of the raider Seeadler has been told many times yet still thrills all who read of her audacity. In this article the disarming of the raider’s gutted hulk ...