The Australian Naval Board signalled VADM Turner Joy, USN Commander in the Far East; ‘Her Majesty’s Australian ships in Japan are placed unreservedly at your disposal as you may wish’. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 June 1950
Australian Naval History on 23 June 1950
RAN Trainee Pilot Garth Eldering was on an ocean navigation exercise off the coast of Scotland when his Seafire aircraft is believed to have crashed into the sea. RAN Trainee ...
Australian Naval History on 19 June 1950
The Chinese merchant vessel SANTOS, ex-HMAS ORARA, (minesweeper), struck a mine and sank with a heavy loss of life in the mouth of the Yang Tse River, China. ORARA was ...
Australian Naval History on 18 June 1950
The decision was announced to reestablish the WRANS due to pressure on naval manpower from Cold War commitments. Initial categories were Telegraphist, Writer, Sick Berth Attendant, Stores Assistant, Cook, Steward ...
Australian Naval History on 4 June 1950
HMA LST 3008 was sold for scrap and was scrapped in Sydney in the 1950s. She had been in reserve since 1948. HMA LST 3022 was sold to R.R. Coote ...
Australian Naval History on 8 May 1950
The Battle class destroyer HMAS TOBRUK, (CMDR T. K. Morrison, RAN), was commissioned. TOBRUK was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 5 August 1946, and launched on 20 ...
Australian Naval History on 25 April 1950
808 Squadron commissioned as a RAN squadron at St Merryn in Cornwall, England, flying Hawker Sea Fury FB IIs and 817 squadron was commissioned at RNAS St Merryn, UK, as ...
Australian Naval History on 6 April 1950
HMNS AMBON, (minesweeper), formerly HMAS CAIRNS, was transferred to the Indonesian Navy and renamed BANTENG. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 March 1950
T. J. Hawkin is appointed as the Secretary of the Department of the Navy. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 February 1950
A Naval Board of Inquiry reported that the fire in HMAS TARAKAN, which resulted in the loss of eight lives, was caused by a spark from a ventilating fan igniting ...
Australian Naval History on 25 January 1950
HMAS Tarakan was berthed alongside Garden Island, Sydney, making good defects prior to departure for New Guinea, when an explosion occurred aft under the mess decks, resulting in the deaths ...
Australian Naval History on 1 January 1950
The shore establishment, HMAS SEEADLER, was commissioned at Manus Island, New Guinea. The base was re- commissioned as HMAS TARANGAU three months later when it was realised that SEEADLER was ...
Australian Naval History on 28 December 1949
The Netherlands Navy minesweepers MOROTAI and TIDORE were transferred to the Indonesian Navy, and renamed HANG TUAN and PALI UNIS. The ships originally served in the RAN as HMAS IPSWICH ...
Australian Naval History on 18 November 1949
The RN Fourth Submarine Flotilla was commissioned at Sydney to provide a submarine training facility for personnel of the RAN and the RNZN. The first submarines to join the flotilla ...
Australian Naval History on 14 November 1949
The liner GEORGIC entered the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island, Sydney, for repairs. GEORGIC was the 100th ship to be docked at Garden Island. In 1941 HMAS HOBART, ...
Australian Naval History on 10 November 1949
HMAS Shropshire paid off into Special Reserve after a number of periods in different Reserve categories.After several years lying in Sydney Harbour, Shropshire was sold as scrap on 16 July ...
Australian Naval History on 10 October 1949
RADM J. W. M. Eaton, DSO, DSC, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding His Majesty’s Australian Fleet. His flagship was HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser). ...
Australian Naval History on 5 October 1949
HMAS Lachlan paid off at Fremantle, having steamed 32,737.7 miles since commissioning in the Royal Australian Navy. She commissioned the same day as HMNZS Lachlan under the command of Lieutenant ...
Australian Naval History on 27 September 1949
HMAS KARANGI, (boom defence vessel), lifted the sunken wreck of the merchant vessel EASR RIVER in Newcastle Harbour, NSW. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 August 1949
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser, ex-HMS TERRIBLE), became flagship of the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 23 August 1949
The original of the Official Badge of the RAN was designed and adopted for the Cenotaph, in Hobart, TAS. The Design derived from emblems used on a Navy Office booklet, ...
Australian Naval History on 25 May 1949
HMAS Sydney (III) arrived in Jervis Bay with the Fleet Air Arm’s first Naval Air Squadrons, 805 and 816 Squadrons, embarked. Two Supermarine Type 309 Sea Otters were lowered into ...
Australian Naval History on 11 May 1949
RADM H. B. Farncomb hoisted his flag in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser). ...
Australian Naval History on 25 April 1949
HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), departed Shanghai on completion of her duties during the ‘AMETHYST incident’. The ship was at action stations for the passage from Whangpoo to Woosung, due to rumours ...
Australian Naval History on 23 April 1949
HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), provided a firing party at the funeral service for 23 British sailors from HM Ships CONSORT and LONDON, who had been killed during the abortive attempt to ...