On This Day

On This Day - 17 August

1940

The Port of Sydney was closed, when objects suspected of being mines were sighted, off Botany Bay. HMA Ships STUART, VENDETTA, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), were on the screen of HM Ships WARSPITE, MALAYA, and RAMMILLIES, (battleships), during the bombardment of Italian military positions near Bardia, Libya.

1945

The corvette, HMAS STAWELL, (LCDR W. H. Burke, RANR), sank a Japanese armed barge in a night engagement north of the eastern tip of the Celebes. This was the last sinking by an Australian ship in WWII. The RAN destroyed RAAF Vultee Vengeance A27-627 by explosives after it crash landed on 30/07/45. The aircraft had suffered an explosion in flight, followed by engine failure causing the pilot to force land on the mud bank near the western passage opposite of Fairhaven, Western Port Bay. The RAN agreed to contribute two cruisers and two destroyers to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. Over the next 5 years a total of 15 Australian warships served as a part of the BCOF.

1962

HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), left Sydney under tow for Japan.

1968

The Attack class patrol boat HMAS ADROIT, (LCDR J. E. A. Toulouse, RANVR), was commissioned. ADROIT was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, in August 1967, and launched on 3 February 1968.

1977

Legislation for the proclamation of a 200 mile Australian fishing zone was examined by the Australian Government.

1979

The Australian designed and manufactured Mulloka Sonar System, was accepted for service in the RAN

1984

HMAS IPSWICH, (patrol boat), intercepted and detained the Taiwanese fishing vessel YUAN JAAN, for illegally fishing off Mermaid Reef, west of Broome, WA. A court later ordered the forfeiture of the ship and her equipment. The keel of the RAN's first catamaran minesweeper, HMAS RUSHCUTTER, was laid at Tomago, NSW.

1990

Australia and the world paid their last respects to the late RADM Sir David Martin, RAN, Governor of New South Wales, at a State Funeral held in Sydney. The Prime Minister, Hon. R. G. Hawke, announced his Government had committed three ships of the RAN to the Gulf War.

1993

The 19.5 metre diving boats SEAL and PORPOISE were taken over by the RAN at Geraldton, WA after completion by Geraldton Boat Builders. They joined SHARK, which is already in service with CDT4. Seal was allocated to CDT1 and Porpoise to CDT2 both based in Sydney. A RAN press release announced the name change of the second Anzac class guided missile frigate from Arrente, to the original ARUNTA, as used by her predecessor.

2002

The Anzac class guided missile frigate HMAS STUART, was commissioned. STUART was laid down in Tenix Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and launched on 17 April 1999.