By Desmond Woods OAM During a period when a vital waterway is dominating the headlines, we may with profit recall that the entire amphibious campaign on the Gallipoli Peninsula was ...
Occasional Paper 209: THE DARDANELLES – 1915 AND OPERATION EPIC FURY – 2026 (Why a Ship Is Still A Fool To Fight A Fort)
Occasional Paper 208: Sailors in the Sinai – Multi-National Force & Observers’ The Royal Australian Navy in the Sinai 1982 – 1986
By Greg Swinden Following the ceasefire that ended hostilities in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War the United Nations (UN) established a peace keeping force in the Sinai; the United Nations Emergency ...
Occasional Paper 207: HMAS Torrens to the Rescue
A first-hand account provided to the Sydney Morning Herald and published 17 years after the event. ...
Occasional Paper 206: Images of a Naval Career, Commander Peter Lawrence Poland, OAM, RN
By David Michael The majority of young men and women who join the Navy serve with great pride for careers of varying lengths and in their later years look back ...
Occasional Paper 205: Rear Admiral Rothesay Cathcart Swan AO CBE RAN (Ret’d)
The following eulogy for Rear Admiral Swan was delivered by Commander Stephen Moss CSC RAN (Ret’d) during the funeral service at the Naval Chapel Garden Island, Sydney on 22 January ...
Occasional Paper 204: THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY IN CAMBODIA 1992 – 1997
The United Nations Transitional Authority Cambodia (UNTAC) was established in 1992 and given the mandate to enforce a cease fire in the war-torn nation and deal with refugees and the ...
Obituary: Rear Admiral Rothesay Swan
On 24th December 2025 99 year old Rear Admiral Rothesay Swan AO CBE RAN peacefully passed away in Sydney. His 43-year naval career was a notable one and included active ...
Australian Naval History on 4 December 2025
The RAN decommissioned the last three remaining Armidale class patrol boats, HMA Ships Albany, Bathurst and Childers in a ceremony at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin. First introduced in 2005 with ...
RUM ISSUES
Information on naval rum issues to the sailors of naval forces in Australia can be confusing due to historical changes in the naval forces responsible for the defence of Australia ...
Occasional Paper 200: Captain Ralph Frank Marston Lowe DSC, ADC, RAN (RTD)
By Dr John Carroll PhD This story by Dr Carroll was first published by the Naval Association of Australia in the White Ensign Magazine in the Red Watch Issue 25/1, ...
Occasional Paper 203: Battle of Bita Paka – the captured German flag
For many years the Heritage and Learning Centre at HMAS Cerberus has proudly displayed what was believed to be the original German Imperial Flag flying over the German Telegraph Station ...
Occasional Paper 202: Mardsen Hordern – last of the Fairmile Motor Launch Commanders
By Walter Burroughs Recently we were saddened to hear of the death of Lieutenant Commander Marsden Hordern, OAM, VRD, RANR, Rtd who passed away peacefully in his sleep at home ...
Occasional Paper 201: ‘Trouble in the Balkans’ The Royal Australian Navy in Yugoslavia
By Greg Swinden During the period 1992-2011 an estimated 150 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel served in one of the most bitter and brutal conflicts of the late 20th Century.[1] ...
Occasional Paper 199: BRACE YOURSELF!
By Lorraine and Robert Fildes Braces on square rigged sailing vessels were used to trim (adjust the angle) of a particular square sail. Hence you would have a port mainsail ...
Naval Traditions, Toasts and Customs
There are many customs and traditions associated with the Royal Australian Navy, most of which were carried over from their Royal Navy origins. These include matters such as the ceremony ...
TITANIC in the OUTBACK – A literary observation
by Walter Burroughs In the far west of New South Wales, near its border with South Australia, lies the city of Broken Hill. Being much closer to Adelaide than Sydney, ...
Occasional Paper 197: The Countess of Hopetoun Incident, December 1915
By Greg Swinden This article was first published in the Naval Historical Review, June 2000 edition. HMAS Countess of Hopetoun (commanded by Boatswain Samuel Waugh, RN), a 23-year-old Torpedo Boat ...
Occasional Paper 198: OPERATION TAMAR – THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY IN RWANDA 1994 – 1995
By Greg Swinden The second United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR II) was named Operation TAMAR by the Australian Defence Force; commencing on 25 July 1994 and ending on ...
Australian Naval History on 5 August 2025
Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that the Govt had selected Japan’s upgraded Mogami frigate to replace the ANZAC clas frigates.The first three of the frigates are expected to be built ...
Occasional Paper 196: Rosa Angela Kirkcaldie, World War (I) Pioneer Nurse
Rosa Kirkcaldie (1887-1972) was a hospital matron and army nurse born at Homebush, Sydney and trained at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney between 1910 and 1914. She gained her ...
Occasional Paper 195: Finding the HMAS Melbourne(II) 10th February 1964 Bridge Communication Log Book
By Rob Everett One piece of critical evidence to the Royal Commission into the tragic collision between HMAS Voyager and HMAS Melbourne off Jervis Bay during the first watch of ...
Occasional Paper 194: Reflections on the First Gulf War 1990 – 1991
By CDRE Richard T. Menhinick, AM, CSC, RAN (Retd) The Naval Historical Society is grateful to Commodore Menhinick for allowing publication of this, his 2025 Anzac Day address to the ...
Australian Naval History on 28 June 2025
HMAS Arafura commisisoned at Fremantle WA. HMAS Arafura is the first Arafura class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) of the Navy’s surface fleet. ...
Vale John Christopher Jeremy AM – 4 July 1942 – 18 April 2025
John was much the same age as me entering this world as a wartime babe in 1942. He was the last of three sons born to Richmond and Joan Jeremy. ...
Book Review: The Secret Submarine
Book Review by ‘Subconscious’ The Secret Submarine by Tom Lewis is a paperback of 315-pages, published by Big Sky Publishing, of Sydney. It was released in early 2025. The book ...