On This Day - 19 October
- 1817
- The RN adopted the 9,000 item flag signalling system compiled by CAPT Frederick Marryat, RN. The system was adapted from the French Navy manual. It was first demonstrated in Australia by HMS WARSPITE, in 1826. CAPT Marryat achieved lasting fame as the author of Mr. Midshipman Easy.
- 1916
- HMAS MELBOURNE, (cruiser), accompanied by other warships, took part in a sweep in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway.
- 1919
- The Australian Naval Board approved the inclusion of 'Advance Australia Fair' in the repertoire of RAN bands.
- 1923
- HM Ships VAMPIRE and VENDETTA, (later HMA Ships of the same name), rescued the crew of the merchant ship IMPERIAL PRINCE in the Mediterranean.
- 1943
- The commando ship KRAIT arrived back at Exmouth Gulf, WA, after the raid on Singapore, (Operation Jaywick).
- 1944
- The Fremantle-based Dutch submarine ZWAARDFISCH sank the ITSUKUSHIMA, Japan's largest minelayer. The American tanker YORK landed survivors from HMAS GEELONG at Langemak, New Guinea.
- 1966
- HMAS QUEENBOROUGH, (frigate), made a high speed dash from Hobart to Macquarie Island, to rescue a seriously ill scientist of the Australian Antarctic Expedition.
- 1973
- The landing craft heavy HMAS SALAMAUA, was commissioned. SALAMAUA was laid down in Walker's Yard, Maryborough, Queensland.
- 1992
- The newly-commissioned HMAS ADELAIDE, (guided missile frigate), was home-ported on Fremantle, W.A.
- 2001
- A suspected illegal entry vessel, (SIEV), departs the Indonesian port of Lampung, Sumatra, bound for the Australian territory of Christmas Island, with 420 men, women and children onboard. Many of these were from the troubled Middle East countries of Iraq, Iran, Palestine, and Algeria, and were fleeing tyranny in those countries. The 19 metre vessel, given the identifier SIEV-X, was un-seaworthy and sank later that day in International waters, but still inside the Indonesian zone for search and rescue. Indonesian authorities were slow to react, and by the time Indonesian fishing boats arrived on the scene, some 353 people had drowned; many of them women and children. Despite the fact that the incident happened in the Indonesian search and rescue zone, and the Indonesian Government did not request any support, the Australian Government was criticized in some circles for failing to divert an RAN vessel, then on Operation Relex immigration patrols, near Christmas Island, to the scene. HMAS Brisbane decommissioned in front of approximately 1700 guests marking the end of the DDG era in the RAN
- 2024
- King Charles III was appointed to the honorary rank of Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Australian Navy
'On This Day' is based on the book "Navy Day by Day: Historic Naval Events in Australia and Abroad" written by the late Lew Lind. More information.