By Kate Reid-Smith In February 1912, a group of ex-Royal Navy (RN) men arrived in the northern West Australian town of Broome. They had left Britain on 23 December 1911 ...
Pearls of Controversy: Broome’s British White Divers 1912-1913
A Tribute to Norman Rivett
Norman (Norm) Rivett, an esteemed founding father of the Naval Historical Society, passed over the bar on 8 March 2021 just shy of his 96th birthday. He will be ...
Memories of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
News of the death of Prince Philip was received with great sadness when he recently crossed the bar just short of his century. Not only was he a magnificent consort ...
Occasional Paper 113: A Sailor’s Life in the Mediterranean, 1940/41: Pictorial Record
An insight into the lighter moments in the life of Stores Assistant Gordon Hill who served in HMAS Vendetta from September 1938 until May 1941. ...
Occasional Paper 112: The Hollywood Fleet in Sydney Harbour
How four luxurious gin palaces became hard-working heroines of the Battle of Sydney Harbour. By Neale Philip ...
Badges Issued to service personnel or family members
OFFICIAL BADGE DESIGN Silver War Badge The Silver War Badge was an Imperial award issued to those who had been honourably discharged as a result of wounds or injuries received ...
The Creer Brothers in the RAN
Reginald Charles (Ferrers) Creer (1881-1958), and Herbert Victor Creer (1881-1969) ...
Occasional Paper 111: HMAS Australia I – Post WWI and Scuttling
After returning home to Australia on 15 June 1919 after an absence of 1775 days HMAS Australia I resumed the role of RAN flagship. A year later she played the ...
Occasional Paper 110: Charles Killick, RAN Bandsman, 1918-1925
Correspondence relating to the 99th birthday of veteran bandsman, Charles Killick who served in HMAS Australia during World War 1. ...
Occasional Paper 109: First Command
A recollection of a first submarine command experience by Captain Goodwin Felton Gower of the South African Navy was provided by his son Allen Gower who lives in Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 April 2021
HMAS Supply II was commissioned in Sydney ...
Occasional Paper 105: Naval History – Does it Matter?
What is the point of naval history? Is it to provide a rich framework through which contemporary Naval debates can be viewed or is there something more there? Must it always say something about the World we live in today while also addressing the one we hope to inhabit in the future? ...
Occasional Paper 108: Royal Navy Brig HMS Sappho
By Angus Britts Angus Britts is a member and volunteer with the NHSA. He is a qualified historian and has authored two published books: ‘Neglected Skies: The Demise of British ...
The Navy’s Secret War in the Pacific
This article was the first to appear in the very first issue of the Australian Naval Historical Review in 1971. It retains its historical interest, and is very much in ...
The 50th Anniversary of the Naval Historical Society of Australia: The Story So Far
This year, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Naval Historical Society of Australia. Following the Melbourne/Voyager/Frank E. Evans collisions and sentiment turning against an unpopular Vietnamese ...
Occasional Paper 107: Dutch Submarine K IX, Netherlands East Indies Naval Forces, Under US Navy Operational Control, then RAN Control as HMAS K9 In SWPA During WWII
By Peter Dunn OAM The Dutch submarine K IX is known to many who are familiar with the Japanese midget submarine attack in Sydney Harbour on the night of 31 ...
Occasional Paper 106: RAN Clearance Divers: Records set in 1961
The Clearance Diving Branch of the Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1951 with the primary role of “location, identification and disposal of mines underwater”. Its secondary roles included “underwater ...
Australian Naval History on 26 March 2021
HMAS Pirie II was decommissioned at Darwin . ...
Occasional Paper 103: Brisbane rejoices as the US Navy comes to town (March 1941)
On 25 March 1941, a US Naval squadron visited Brisbane on a three-day goodwill visit. The United States had not yet entered the Second World War – Rear-Admiral Newton ...
Occasional Paper 104: Changi and the HMAS Perth Survivors
By Max Thomson HMAS PERTH survivors were the subject of a special request tabled to authorities when Changi prisoners of war were released in Singapore following Japan’s surrender in 1945. ...
Occassional Paper 102: Cliff House and South Head: Early History
A pictorial history of the Defence site established on Sydney’s South Head in 1877. Now known as HMAS Watson the site is located above Camp Cove. The notes were prepared after a research request for more information on the history of Cliff House. Cliff House, located in the heritage precinct of HMAS Watson is today the residence of the Commander Australian Fleet. ...
Occasional Paper 101: RAN Torpedo Factory, Neutral Bay
By Midshipman Lloyd Skinner, RAN In 1942, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Torpedo Factory, located at Neutral Bay, Sydney commenced operations. Previously, the Torpedo Depot at Garden Island across the ...
Occasional Paper 100: Operation Estes
By Midshipman Lloyd Skinner, RAN Beginning in 1980, Operation Estes saw the government call upon the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to conduct regular surface patrols around Bass Strait. Aerial and ...
Occasional Paper 99: HMAS Tarakan fire 71 years ago
With Australian’s focussed on celebrating Australia day and long weekends the anniversary of the tragic explosion and fire in HMAS Tarakan (I) on 25 January 1950 passes relatively unnoticed most ...
Australian Naval History on 15 January 2021
NUSHIP Supply II arrived in Sydney Harbour ahead of her commissioning in 2021. Navy’s Fleet Air Arm was recognised for its contribution to Operation Bursa with the awarding of the ...