During the early hours of Christmas Day 1974, devastated the city of Darwin with winds in excess of 160 knots, killing 49 people ashore and a further 16 at sea. ...
The RAN and Cyclone Tracy 1974
Australian Naval History on 12 December 2024
Four of the Evolved Cape class patrol boats were commissioned into the RAN. Formerly ADV vessels they became HMA Ships Cape Pillar, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Woolamai and Cape Capricorn ...
Naval Art: Well Worth the Visit
This story was first published in the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) Volunteers’ quarterly magazine, ‘All Hands’, Issue 129 in December 2024. The author, Geoff Barnes is a volunteer with ...
History of Australian Defence Landing Craft and the Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) 1971 – 2014
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 200) by Bjarne Kristensen was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in December 2024. This paper discusses the history of Australian Defence Amphibious vessels ...
Australian Naval History on 5 December 2024
HMAS Gascoyne II was decommissioned at HMAS Waterhen, Sydney ...
Australian Submarines in the Cold War — A force Multiplier in the West
This Historical Booklet (Monograph 199) by Dr Tom Lewis was published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in September 2024. This paper discusses the role of the Royal Australian ...
Occasional Paper 188: Highlights of RAN History: Two Busy Decades 1950 to 1970
The following is adapted from the Royal Australian Navy News, 17 April 1970 edition, page 4. 1950 to 1960 From1950 onwards the post-war tempo Naval growth quickened. The outbreak of ...
Bathurst Class Corvettes
When war looked imminent after the Munich crisis in 1938, the Royal Australian Navy realised it needed a fleet of escort ships to guard convoys and keep the sea lanes ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 2024
The Evolved Cape class patrol boat ADV Cape Schanck was officially accepted by the RAN ...
Australian Naval History on 22 October 2024
Fleet Review held In Sydney during visit of King Charles II. Ships involved included HMAS Hobart III (guided missile destroyer), HMAS Warramunga II (helicopter frigate), HMAS Arunta II (helicopter frigate), ...
Australian Naval History on 19 October 2024
King Charles III was appointed to the honorary rank of Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal Australian Navy ...
Obituary – Graeme Andrews OAM 1938–2024
GRAEME ANDREWS: 1938–2024 Graeme Andrews developed a passion for the sea early in life and became one of the country’s foremost authorities on maritime heritage. Through his writing, research, and ...
Occasional Paper 186: Cyclone Tracy and the sinking of HMAS Arrow – 50 years on
It’s 50 years this Christmas since Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin, killing 66 people and destroying 90% of the city’s houses. In this extract from his new book Cyclone Warriors – ...
Australian Naval History on 29 August 2024
HMAS Broome II was decommissioned at Darwin ...
Australian Naval History on 8 August 2024
HMAS Melville decommissioned at Cairns ...
Australian Naval History on 1 August 2024
The Evolved Cape class patrol boat ADV Cape Solander was officially accepted by the RAN ...
Australian Naval History on 11 July 2024
Following their completion of the Officers Nuclear Operator Course and Engineering Administration Course Lieutenant Commander James, Lieutenant Stephen and Lieutenant Isabella were the first Australian Navy officers assigned to UK ...
Book Review: Salt Horse
Salt Horse – Memoir of a Maverick Admiral, Claude Lionel Cumberlege. Published by Whittles Publishing Ltd, Dunbeath, Caithness KW6 6EG, Scotland. Admiral Claude Cumberlege RN wrote his memoirs in 1936-38, ...
Letter: HMS Hood
I have just received my ever welcome and informative copy of the Review. The article by Graeme Lunn, detailing HMS Hood’s cruise to Australia, reminded me of my father’s visit ...
The Naval Graves Project
By Kingsley Perry In the December 2023 edition of this journal there was an article titled Rookwood. It described the location and extent of this large cemetery in Sydney and ...
100 Years ago: HMAS Australia and Gerald Muddyman
Observing that 15 April marks the centenary of the intentional sinking of the battlecruiser HMAS Australia, the following article taken from the Newington Magazine website, carefully curated by Robert Curran, ...
First NAAFI Store on board RFA Ship opens
This small article from the UK Forces Network is of some interest to us as there were originally four Bay-class RFA landing ship docks. One of these was RFA Largs ...
LCDR Walter Brooksbank MM RANVR at the Admiralty
The December 2023 issue of this magazine introduced LCDR Walter Brooksbank RANVR and the start of his involvement with Naval Intelligence. His grandson Tim Proust provided this article which continues ...
HMAS Maryborough escapes from Java
An email was received recently from Ian Gotts of St Albans in England about the wartime exploits of his cousin Able Seaman James Gotts who was rescued from HMS Electra, ...
Daniel Solander: a Linnaean disciple on HMS Endeavour
By Emily Osterloff This article, which is available on the Natural History Museum website, is reproduced by kind permission of the Trustees of the Natural History Museum in London as ...