On This Day

On This Day - 16 June

1916

HRH King George V, inspected HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), on the Tyne.

1925

Commonwealth Navy Order 137 of 1925 was promulgated establishing a Fleet Air Arm for the RAN and inviting applications from officers to undergo a four-year Long Air Course. The first iteration of the Fleet Air Arm was short-lived, however, and it was disbanded by Commonwealth Navy Order 1 of 1929, promulgated on 8 January 1929. That order stated that the RAAF was to provide all naval aircraft and the personnel to fly and maintain them while the RAN would provide observers and telegraphist air gunners. A dedicated Fleet Air Arm was reinstituted in the RAN in 1948

1926

101 Flight, RAAF, was re-formed to operate six Supermarine Seagull Mark II amphibian aircraft, for naval co-operation duties.

1942

Australian Coastwatcher SBLT Cornelius Lyons Page, RANVR, was captured by the Japanese on Tabar Island. Page was later executed. The tug HMAS ELWING was commissioned. ELWING was laid down in Rockhampton, QLD, in 1933. She was requisitioned for the RAN from her owners, the Rockhampton Harbour Board on 16 June 1942. HMS JAVELIN, (LCDR Alliston, RN), removed the crew from, and sank, HMAS NESTOR, (destroyer), which was crippled south of Crete the previous day.

1943

The Japanese submarine I-174 torpedoed the merchant vessel PORTMAR, and the landing ship LST 469, off Smoky Cape, NSW. PORTMAR sank, but LST 469 was towed to Byron Bay, NSW, by HMAS DELORAINE, (minesweeper).

1946

The diesel tug HMAS MOLLYMAWK, was commissioned. MOLLYMAWK was laid down in Poole & Steel Ltd, Sydney, and launched on 3 May 1946.

1948

A State of Emergency was declared in Malaya, as a result of action by Communist insurgents. The Malayan emergency lasted until 1960, and several RAN units were involved in patrols and naval gunfire support missions.

1956

HMAS GLADSTONE, (minesweeper), was sold to the Victorian Government, and renamed AKUNA.

1961

Fleet entry into Sydney Harbour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the RAN. Included were HMAS Melbourne, Voyager, Quickmatch, Parramatta, Swan, Warrego, Barcoo, Kimbla and HMS Tapir and Trump. At the same time FAA Sea Venoms, Sea Furys, Fireflys and Gannets flew over the harbour.

1961

HMAS MELBOURNE used the RAN-devised Bailey Bridge loading ramp for aircraft carriers at Garden Island, Sydney. The ramp greatly reduced the time required for loading.

1984

The former HMAS MELBOURNE was sold to a Korean consortium for $1.7 million. It was later resold before delivery to Chinese interests.

1993

HMAS Jervis Bay I arrived at Townsville after second mission to Mogadishu, Somalia as a part of Operation SOLACE, the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the US-led operation to bring peace and humanitarian relief to the war torn African nation

2004

The tanker MT DELOS, was purchased by the RAN as a replacement for HMAS WESTRALIA. MT DELOS is a 37,000 double-hulled tanker built in South Korea. The tanker was to be converted to an auxiliary oiler, and join the fleet in 2006.

2022

The Royal Australian Navy received its largest intake of new officers with 193 graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College completing their passing out parade

2023

HMA Ships Benalla II and Shepparton II decommissioned at Cairns