On This Day

On This Day - 15 October

1897

The NSW Naval Brigade, commanded by CAPT Hixson, carried out gunfiring exercises at Port Macquarie, NSW.

1942

The war diary of HMS CARADOC, (cruiser), reported on the shortage of meat. 'Some meatless days are inevitable in the Persian Gulf. On one or two occasions HMS ALAUNIA was able to come to our rescue. Once, a bullock, slaughtered on board by an RANVR officer in the absence of a butcher, provided a supply of meat and a good profit to the Crown'.

1944

The destroyer HMAS VENDETTA, (LEUT W. F. Cook, RAN), sloop, HMAS SWAN, (LCDR D. W. Hodges, RANR), frigate, HMAS BARCOO, (LCDR C. G. Hill, RANR), and ML802, (LEUT V. T. Shortus, RANVR), were designated to halt Japanese barge traffic, and provide bombardment support, in the Jacquinot Bay area.

1968

The guided missile destroyer HMAS PERTH, (CAPT D. W. Leach, RAN), with two Skyhawk aircraft from USS INTREPID, (aircraft carrier), destroyed the Dac Nguyen highway bridge in Vietnam.

1971

HMAS Brisbane arrived back in Sydney after having left the Vietnam gunline for the last time on 5 September marking the end of the RAN's combat role in the Vietnam War. Over the course of her two deployments to Vietnam, Brisbane had steamed nearly 70,000nm and fired over 15,000 rounds of 5-inch ammunition

1984

The Australian Government approved the expenditure of $51 million for the purchase of eight Sikorsky Seahawk helicopters for the RAN.

1999

The guided missile destroyer HMAS PERTH, (CAPT L. Rago, RAN), was decommissioned at Sydney after a career spanning 34 years. She was the first of the three DDG's to be paid off, and was eventually sunk as a dive wreck near Seal Rock, Albany, WA.

2004

The ANZAC class guided missile frigate HMAS ARUNTA, (CMDR W. J. Bairstow, CSC, RAN), visited the Russian port of Vladivostok. ARUNTA became only the second RAN warship to visit this Russian port, the first visit being by HMAS SYDNEY, (guided missile frigate), in 1995).