By John Ingram ‘Oh, hear us when we cry to thee, For those in peril on the sea’. Some of the immortal words of the Naval Hymn composed by ...
Australian Units
Two wrecks linked by one Family
By John McGrath Given that the front cover of this magazine depicts a recent postage stamp with a magnificent image of HMVS Cerberus, this story by one of our contributors ...
Able Seaman Russel Caro RAN: A Survivor’s Story
By Tony Caro The December 2020 edition of this magazine contained a tribute to Teddy Sheean, our Victoria Cross recipient. Also mentioned were survivors rescued by HMAS Kalgoorlie, and amongst ...
Memories of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
News of the death of Prince Philip was received with great sadness when he recently crossed the bar just short of his century. Not only was he a magnificent consort ...
Occasional Paper 111: HMAS Australia I – Post WWI and Scuttling
After returning home to Australia on 15 June 1919 after an absence of 1775 days HMAS Australia I resumed the role of RAN flagship. A year later she played the ...
Occasional Paper 110: Charles Killick, RAN Bandsman, 1918-1925
Correspondence relating to the 99th birthday of veteran bandsman, Charles Killick who served in HMAS Australia during World War 1. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 April 2021
HMAS Supply II was commissioned in Sydney ...
Australian Naval History on 26 March 2021
HMAS Pirie II was decommissioned at Darwin . ...
Occasional Paper 104: Changi and the HMAS Perth Survivors
By Max Thomson HMAS PERTH survivors were the subject of a special request tabled to authorities when Changi prisoners of war were released in Singapore following Japan’s surrender in 1945. ...
Occasional Paper 99: HMAS Tarakan fire 71 years ago
With Australian’s focussed on celebrating Australia day and long weekends the anniversary of the tragic explosion and fire in HMAS Tarakan (I) on 25 January 1950 passes relatively unnoticed most ...
Australian Naval History on 15 January 2021
NUSHIP Supply II arrived in Sydney Harbour ahead of her commissioning in 2021. Navy’s Fleet Air Arm was recognised for its contribution to Operation Bursa with the awarding of the ...
Commander Guy Alexander Beange DSC RAN
By Hector Donohue Commander Guy Alexander Beange DSC RAN served with the Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War and trained as a Fleet Air Arm ...
The HMAS Parramatta Memorials
In this our 50th year it is well to reflect on some of the more important projects undertaken by the Society and none is perhaps more worthy than conceiving a ...
A Tribute to Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean VC RANR
After many years of failure to gain recognition for the heroic deeds performed by Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, the posthumous award of his Victoria Cross came as a sudden but ...
Occasional Paper 98: Life Line- the Rescue of Tony Bullimore
The rescue of yachtsmen in the Southern Ocean has been headline news on several occasions in recent decades. Of particular interest was the rescue of Tony Bullimore in January 1997. ...
Occasional Paper 97: The Lost Patrol
By Eric Deshon The following story was first published in the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) Volunteers’ Quarterly newsletter ‘All Hands’, Issue 103 in June 2018. It is based on ...
Occasional Paper 96: RAN Encounters with Papua New Guinea’s Big Rivers
By David Michael The passing of Commodore Sam Bateman RAN, (Rtd) in October 2020 reminded many people of his Command of the PNG based patrol boat, HMAS Aitape and its ...
Occasional Paper 93: Boxing in the Navy
By John Smith John Smith, our senior researcher, joined the RAN College in 1946 and retired as a Commander having specialised in gunnery. He served in many RAN ships and ...
Occasional Paper 92: First Royal Australian Navy Victoria Cross: Ordinary Seaman Edward “Teddy” Sheean.
By Dr John K Haken The Victoria Cross for Australia continues the traditions of the Imperial Victoria Cross as our highest award for bravery. Like several other Commonwealth countries, Australia ...
Occasional Paper 91: Invidious Choices – The German East Asia Squadron and the RAN in the Pacific, August to December 1914
By Lieutenant Commander Desmond Woods RAN This paper was first published by the Australian Naval Institute online and in an abbreviated form the by the UK Naval Review and by ...
Book Review: Wyatt Earp – The Little Ship with Many Names
Wyatt Earp: The Little Ship with Many Names. By Trish Burgess. Connorcourt Publishing, Cleveland, Queensland. Paperback, 124 pages. rrp $29.95 This book review follows closely in the wake of the ...
Dr Frederick Wheatley, Headmaster and Cryptographer
A new book, Australian Code Breakers by James Phelps, has recently been published on the fascinating topic of wartime code breaking. As the front cover tells us this is the ...
Mine warfare roles for Australian Women during the Second World War
By Mike Turner During WWII many Australian women worked in new defence support roles. The mine warfare roles were manning Mine Watching Posts, manufacturing moored mines and manning the RAN ...
MV Ramses – Blockade Runner
By Alan Bourne This paper was prepared by Alan Bourne, son of Herbert (Bill) Thomas Bourne. Herbert was christened Hubert, which he disliked, and he enlisted in the RAN under ...
Chief of Navy grants permission for the Australian White Ensign to fly over the HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial at Geraldton, WA
By LCDR Desmond Woods The HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial at Geraldton in WA has become a place of pilgrimage for 65,000 visitors each year. Some 20,000 arrive by sea on ...