The banner of the Scrap Iron Flotilla Association, was laid up at HMAS WATERHEN, (mine-countermeasures shore-base, Sydney), for safe keeping. The date of the loss of HMAS WATERHEN, (destroyer), during ...
Australian Naval History on 30 June 2004
Action off Endau
After the tragic loss of Force Z (HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse) the previous month, HMAS Vampire experienced a short, defiant action against the invading Japanese off the Malayan ...
A Short History of HMAS Albatross
Reprinted from a Welcome Aboard pamphlet (date unknown) The decision to build an airfield on the land now occupied by the Naval Air Station was taken soon after WWII was ...
HMAS Perth Part2 – Outbreak of war
This is part 2 of an hitherto unpublished personal account was given to the Editor shortly before the death of the author, together with several other brief accounts of his ...
Australians in Midget Submarines
A short account of British midget submarine operations during WW2 in which Australians participated with considerable success. Previously published in ANWM Wartime Issue 19 and the Naval Officers’ Club Newsletter ...
Australian Naval History on 29 June 2004
Exercise RIMPAC 04, (the 19th in the series which commenced in the early 1970’s), began in Hawaii. RAN units involved included HMA Ships NEWCASTLE, (guided missile frigate), SUCCESS, (fleet oiler ...
Australian Naval History on 28 June 2004
RADM R. C. Moffitt, AM, RAN, was appointed as Maritime Commander Australia. He had previously served as the Deputy Chief of Navy from 2002-04. ...
Australian Naval History on 26 June 2004
The ANZAC class guided missile frigate, HMAS BALLARAT, (CMDR D. J. Hunter, CSC, RAN), was commissioned. BALLARAT was laid down in Tenix Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and launched on 22 May ...
Australian Naval History on 18 June 2004
The frigate HMAS NEWCASTLE, (CAPT T. N. Jones, CSC, RAN), was en-route to Hawaii for Exercise Rimpac 04, when she was diverted to rescue three Danish sailors from the yacht ...
Book Review: Royal Navy Escort Carriers
Royal Navy Escort Carriers By Commander David Hobbs, MBE, Royal Navy Published by Maritime Books in UK Available at the Australian Maritime Museum bookshop at Darling Harbour. £19.95 (approx A$50 ...
Australian Naval History on 16 June 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 ...
Australian Naval History on 12 June 2004
The Iraqi Coastal Defence Force was officially formed at the Umm Qasr Naval Base, Iraq. Personnel from the RAN, RN, USN, and Polish Navy, had been instrumental in the training ...
The Amethyst Incident Recalled
Visit To HMAS Sheean – Garden Island 2003
The Editor managed to score an unexpected conducted tour of one of the RAN’s latest Collins Class submarines, HMAS Sheean, alongside the dedicated submarine berth in Fleet Base East. ON ...
By Dawn’s Early Light
Middle East Patrol (HMS Mermaid)
The Origin Of Port (Side To . .)
IN 1844 THE ADMIRALTY issued an order, stating: ‘The word ‘Port‘ is frequently substituted for the word ‘Larboard‘, and as the distinction between ‘Starboard‘ and ‘Port‘ is so much more ...
HMAS Hawkesbury and Singapore POWs return
With the unveiling by CDF General Cosgrove at Ballarat on 6 February 2004 of the memorial dedicated to 35,000 Australians who became prisoners-of-war in all conflicts, journalist and Navy veteran ...
HMS Vanessa North Atlantic 1941
HMS Viscount 1940
Australian Naval History on 6 June 2004
60 years after the D-Day landings, a significant commemorative service was held at Arromanches, France. Four Australian ex-servicemen, including CDRE Dacre Smyth, (RAN, Retired), were presented with the French Legion ...
Australian Naval History on 3 June 2004
The Minister of Defence, Mr Robert Hill, announced the purchase of a new tanker to replace the aging HMAS WESTRALIA. The tanker DELOS, which had been built in South Korea ...
Australian Naval History on 2 June 2004
During a two week ‘blitz’ on illegal fishing vessels in Northern Australian waters, more then 15 Indonesian fishing vessels were detained. HMA Ships BUNBURY, WARRNAMBOOL, and WHYALLA, (patrol boats), assisted ...
Australian Naval History on 1 June 2004
The damaged yacht ELIZABETH II was towed into Darwin, after being rescued by the patrol boat HMAS GAWLER, (LCDR R. Donnelly, RAN), near Bathurst Island. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 May 2004
The Minister of Defence, Mr Robert Hill, announced that an RAN Heritage Centre would be built at the northern end of Garden Island, Sydney, to display RAN artifacts. The idea ...