History of the Royal Australian Navy
Encyclopedia
The history of the Royal Australian Navy can be traced back to 1788 and the colonisation of Australia by the British
. During the period until 1859, vessels of the Royal Navy made frequent trips to the new colonies. In 1859, the Australia Squadron was formed as a separate squadron and remained in Australia until 1913. During the period before Federation
, each of the six Australian colonies operated their own colonial naval force; these amalgamated in 1901 as the Commonwealth Naval Forces. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was established in 1911, and in 1913 the fleet steamed through Sydney Heads
for the first time.
The Royal Australian Navy
has seen action in every ocean of the world during its short life. The RAN first saw action in World War I
, and distinguished itself in three oceans. Between the wars the RANs fortunes shifted with the financial situation of Australia: experiencing great growth during the 1920s, but forced to shrink in the 1930s. Entering World War II
the RAN was not in the situation it was in 1914. During the war the size of the RAN grew to over 300 vessels of virtually all classes. After World War II the RAN saw action in Korea
, Vietnam
, and other smaller conflicts. Today the RAN fields a small but modern force, widely regarded as one of the most powerful forces in the Asia Pacific Region.
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From the colonisation of Australia in 1788 until 1859, the blue water
defence of Australia was provided by detached units of the Royal Navy
's East Asia Squadron, based in Sydney. In 1859, Australia was established as a separate Royal Navy squadron; this marked the first occasion the Royal Navy ships had been permanently stationed in Australia. The Royal Navy's Australia Squadron remained the primary naval force in Australian waters until 1913, when the Royal Navy's Australia Station ceased and responsibility handed over to the Royal Australian Navy and its Sydney based depots, dockyards and structures were gifted to the Australian commonwealth.
Before Federation
, five of the six self-governing colonies in Australia operated their own Colonial navies. Western Australia did not have a Colonial Naval force. The colonial navies were expanded greatly in the mid-1880s and usually consisted of gunboats and torpedo-boats for coastal defence of harbours and rivers, and naval brigades to man vessels and forts. In 1856, Victoria received its own naval vessel, HMCSS Victoria
, which in 1860 was deployed to assist the New Zealand colonial government during the First Taranaki War
. When Victoria returned to Australia, the vessel had taken part in several minor actions, with the loss on one crewmember. The deployment of Victoria to New Zealand marked the first occasion that an Australian warship had been deployed overseas. In the years leading up to Federation, Colonial Victoria became the most powerful of all the colonial navies. Victoria had HMVS Cerberus
since 1870, as well as HMVS Nelson, three small gunboats and five torpedo-boats. NSW had two very small torpedo boats
, and the corvette Wolverine. After Federation all colonial vessels became part of the Commonwealth Naval Forces.
After the Federation of Australia
in 1901, the Commonwealth Naval Forces was formed on 1 March 1901 by amalgamating the six separate colonial navies. The Commonwealth government, however, paid for the Royal Navy to continue providing blue water defence.
A growing number of people, among them Captain William Rooke Creswell
, the director of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, demanded an autonomous Australian navy, financed and controlled by Australia. In 1909 Prime Minister
Alfred Deakin
and Creswell, while attending the Imperial Conference in London, sought the British Government's agreement to end the subsidy system and develop an Australian navy. The Admiralty
rejected and resented the challenge, but suggested diplomatically that a small fleet of destroyers and submarines would be sufficient. Deakin was not impressed with the Admiralty, and in 1908 invited the United States Great White Fleet
to visit Australia. The visit prompted public enthusiasm for a modern navy and led to the order of two 700-ton River class destroyers
, a purchase that angered the British. The surge in German naval construction in 1909 led the Admiralty to change their position on an Australian navy. For his work, Creswell's name lives on as the name of the naval base, , the site of the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay
.
The first Australian warship, the destroyer , was launched at Govan
in Scotland on Wednesday 9 February 1910. Sister ship was launched at Dumbarton in Scotland on Saturday 9 April 1910. Both ships were commissioned into the Royal Navy on 19 September 1910 and sailed for Australia, arriving at Port Phillip
on 10 December 1910. The event was marred by the death of Engineer Lieutenant W. Robertson, RN, who suffered a heart attack 8 miles (13 km) outside Port Phillip Heads whilst onboard HMAS Yarra, and drowned.
On 10 July 1911, King George V
fixed his signature to the approval for the Commonwealth Naval Forces to be renamed the Royal Australian Navy, and for RAN ships to carry the prefix "His Majesty's Australian Ship" (HMAS). The manpower of the fleet stood at four hundred officers and men and, for the next two years, ships were built for the fledgling navy. On Saturday 4 October 1913 the first Fleet Review
of the RAN took place, when the battlecruiser , the cruisers and , the protected cruiser , and the torpedo-boat destroyers Parramatta, Yarra and , entered Sydney Harbour. On the same day, responsibility for the protection of Australia and surrounding waters
was transferred from the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy to the RAN.
During the Imperial Conference of 1911, it was decided that if there was war the ships of the RAN would be transferred to British Admiralty control. Under the Naval Defence Act (1912) the power to make the transfer was conferred in the Governor General. The RAN would become the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy
with all ships and personnel under the direct control of the Admiralty, while the RAN remained responsible for the upkeep of the ships and training.
On 3 August 1914, as the prospect of war with the German Empire
loomed, the Australian Government sent the following message to the Admiralty.
The United Kingdom declared war on Germany the next day, and on 8 August, the Australian Government received a reply, requesting that the transfer be made immediately, if not already done. Two days later, On 10 August, the Governor General officially transferred control of the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) to the Admiralty, which would retain control until 19 August 1919.
At the outbreak of war, the RAN stood at 3,800 personnel and consisted of sixteen ships, including the battlecruiser Australia, the light cruisers Sydney and Melbourne, the destroyers Parramatta, Yarra, and Warrego, and the submarines and . The light cruiser and three destroyers were under construction, and a small fleet of auxiliary ships was also being maintained. As a consequence the Royal Australian Navy at the start of the war was a small but formidable force.
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Australian ships first saw action Asian and Pacific theatre
; assisting in the attack on German New Guinea
by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
(AN&MEF). Germany had colonised the northeastern part of New Guinea
and several nearby island groups in 1884, and the colony was currently used as a wireless radio base, Britain required the wireless installations to be destroyed because they were used by the German East Asia Squadron
which threatened merchant shipping in the region. The objectives of the force were the German stations at Yap
in the Caroline Islands
, Nauru
, and Rabaul
in New Britain
. On 30 August 1914, the AN&MEF left Sydney under the protection of Australia and Melbourne for Port Moresby
, where the force met the Queensland contingent, aboard the transport HMAHS Kanowna
. The force then sailed for German New Guinea on 7 September, leaving Kanowna behind when her stokers refused to work. Sydney and her escorting destroyers met the AN&MEF off the eastern tip of New Guinea. Melbourne was detached to destroy the wireless station on Nauru
, while on 14 September, Encounter bombarded a ridge near Rabaul, while half a battalion advanced towards the town. The only major loss of the campaign was the disappearance of the submarine AE1 during a patrol off Rabaul on 14 September 1914.
On 9 November 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden attacked the Allied radio and telegraph station at Direction Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
. The inhabitants of the island managed to transmit a distress signal, which was received by Sydney, only 50 miles (80.5 km) away. Sydney arrived within two hours, and was engaged by Emden. Sydney was the larger, faster and better armed of the two, and eventually overpowered Emden, with captain Karl von Müller
running the ship aground on North Keeling Island at 11:15 am. At first, Emden refused to strike its colours and surrender; Sydney fired on the stationary Emden until it eventually struck its colours. The Battle of Cocos
was the first ship-against-ship engagement for the Royal Australian Navy
.
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On 6 February 1915, the obsolescent light cruiser joined the East African campaign
. On 6 July, she engaged the German cruiser and German shore batteries, during the Battle of Rufiji Delta. Pioneer remained off East Africa and took part in many bombardments of German East Africa
, including Dar-es-Salaam on 13 June 1916. Pioneer then returned to Australia, to be decommissioned in October 1916.
During the Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
the Australian submarine became the first Allied warship to breach the Turkish defences of the Dardanelles
. AE2 spent five days in the area, was unsuccessfully attacked several times, but was unable to find any large enemy troop transports. On 29 April 1915, she was damaged in an attack by the Turkish torpedo-boat Sultan Hisar in Artaki Bay and was scuttled by her crew. The wreck of AE2 remained undiscovered until 2 July 1998, 83 years after she was scuttled.
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy also assisted the Royal Navy
in the blockade of the German High Seas Fleet. In February 1915, HMAS Australia joined the British Grand Fleet, and was made flagship of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron. Australia was not involved in the Battle of Jutland
; in April, the battlecruiser was damaged in a collision with sister ship , and she did not return to service until June. Three RAN ships were present during the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet; Australia, Sydney, and Melbourne, with Australia leading the port division of the Grand Fleet as it sailed out to meet the Germans.
Expansion during the war had been limited, with the RAN growing to include thirty-seven ships and more than 5,000 personnel by 1918. The RAN's losses had also been modest, only losing the two submarines AE1 and AE2, whilst casualties included 171 fatalities – 108 Australians and 63 officers and men on loan from the Royal Navy, with less than a third the result of enemy action.
killed approximately 25 million people worldwide, far more than had been killed in four years of war. A rigorous quarantine policy was implemented in Australia; although this reduced the immediate impact of the flu, the nation's death toll surpassed 11,500.
When the pandemic struck in 1918, the ships of the Royal Australian Navy were dispersed throughout the world. The speed at which the flu spread, coupled with the cramped mess decks and poorly ventilated living spaces on early 20th century warships, created a favorable environment for the disease. The pandemic swept through the British Grand Fleet
in 1918; the Australian cruisers assigned to the fleet suffered high casualties, with up to 157 casualties in one ship alone. Outbreaks in the Mediterranean fleets were more severe than those in the Atlantic. recorded 183 casualties between November and December 1918, of those casualties 2 men died of pneumonia
. The RAN lost a total of 26 men to the disease; further loss prevented primarily by the ready availability of professional medical treatment.
The disease arrived in the South Pacific
on the cargo vessel SS Talune
, which sailed from Auckland
on 30 October 1918 whilst knowingly carrying sick passengers. Talune stopped in Fiji
, Samoa
, Tonga
and Nauru
: the first outbreaks in these locations occurred within days of the ships visits. The local authorities were generally unprepared for the size of the outbreak, allowing the infection to spread uncontrollably. The German territory of Samoa
was the worst affected of the small islands, the New Zealand administration carried out no efforts to lessen the outbreak and rejected offers of assistance from nearby American Samoa
. The New Zealand government officially apologised to Samoa in 2002 for their reaction to the outbreak. On 29 November 1918 the military governor of Apia requested assistance from Wellington
; the request was turned down because all doctors were needed in New Zealand. Australia offered the only alternate source of aid.
The Commonwealth Naval Board was aware of the worsening situation in the region; the sloop reported its first case on 11 November 1918 while stationed in Fiji, with half her complement eventually affected. On 20 November 1918, the Naval Board began forming a joint relief expedition from available military medical personnel. The commanding officer of was then ordered to embark the expedition in Sydney and sail as soon as possible. Encounter departed Sydney on 24 November 1918, ten minutes after completing loading. As a precaution, all 450 members of Encounters crew were doubly inoculated; the ship had suffered 74 cases earlier in the year at Fremantle
and the captain did not want a repeat. Encounter arrived in Suva
on 30 November and took on half of the available coal and 39 tonnes of water. Spanish flu was rampant in Suva; Captain Thring implemented a strict quarantine, placed guards on the wharf, and ordered that coaling be carried out by the crew instead of native labour. Encounter departed Suva in the evening of the same day and arrived off Apia on 3 December. Within six hours, the medical landing party assigned to Apia and their stores were ashore. Encounter then departed for the Tongan capital of Nukualofa
, arriving on 5 December. The last of the medical staff and supplies were unloaded, and Encounter sailed for Suva on 7 December to re-coal. On arriving in Suva, Encounter received orders to return to Sydney, where reached on 17 December and was immediately placed into quarantine. The South Pacific aid mission is regarded as Australia's first overseas relief expedition, and set a precedent for future relief missions conducted by the RAN.
, the Australian Government believed that an immediate evaluation of the RAN was necessary. Australia had based its naval policy on the Henderson Recommendations of 1911, developed by Sir Reginald Henderson. The government sent an invitation to Admiral John Jellicoe
, he arrived in Australia in May 1919. Jellicoe remained in Australia for three months, before returning to England via New Zealand and Canada. Jellicoe submitted his findings in August 1919, titled the Report on the Naval Mission to the Commonwealth. The report outlined several policies designed to strengthen British naval strength in the Pacific Ocean. The report heavily stressed a close relationship between the RAN and the Royal Navy
. This would be achieved by strict adherence to the procedures and administration methods of the Royal Navy. The report also suggested constant officer exchange between the two forces. Jellicoe also called for the creation of a large Far East Imperial Fleet, which would be based in Singapore and include capital ships and aircraft carriers. The creation cost for this fleet was to be divided between Great Britain
, Australia and New Zealand: contributing 75%, 20%, and 5% respectively. The suggested makeup of the RAN would include; one aircraft carrier, two battlecruisers, eight light cruisers, one flotilla leader, twelve destroyers, a destroyer depot ship, eight submarines, one submarine depot ship, and a small number of additional auxiliary ships. The annual cost and depreciation of the fleet was estimated to be £4,024,600. Except for implementing closer tier with the Royal Navy, none of Jellicoe's major recommendations were carried out.
With the end of World War I
, the Australian Government began to worry about the threat Japan posed to Australia. Japan had extended its empire 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi) to the south, bringing it right to Australia's doorstep. Japan had continued to build up its naval force, and had reached the point where it outgunned the Royal Navy in the Pacific. The RAN and the government believed that the possibility of a Japanese invasion was highly likely. In his report, Admiral Jellicoe believed that the threat of a Japanese invasion of Australia would remain as long as the White Australia Policy
remained in place. Due to the perceived threat, and bilateral support in Australia for the White Australia Policy, the Australian Government became a vocal supporter of the continuance of the 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance
. Australia was joined in its support for the alliance by New Zealand but was heavily opposed by Canada, which believed that the alliance had hindered the British Empire's relationship with China and the United States. No decision on the alliance was agreed on, and the discussion was shelved pending the outcome of the Washington Naval Treaty
. The results of the treaty, which allowed the British to retain naval supremacy in the Pacific Ocean, created a sense of security in Australia. Many Australian saw the Four Powers Pact as replacing the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This sense of security became known as the Ten Year Rule. This led to defence retrenchments in Australia, following the international trend, and a £500,000 reduction in expenditure. The Governor General
Henry Forster
when opening parliament
on 22 June 1922 was quoted as saying:
Between World War I
and World War II
, the Royal Australian Navy underwent a severe reduction in ships and manpower. As a result of the Washington Naval Treaty
, the flagship HMAS Australia was scrapped with her main armaments and sunk outside Sydney Heads
in 1924. In the same year, the RAN began a five year program of obtaining new ships from Britain: the heavy cruisers and and the seaplane carrier . This purchase was partly paid for by scrapping Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and most of the destroyers. The Great Depression
of 1929 led to another reduction of manpower; although reduced in size, the available posts were easily filled as many men were unemployed and the offered pay was greater than most jobs. The RAN's personnel strength fell to 3,117 personnel, plus 131 members of the Naval Auxiliary Services. By 1932, the strength of the Reserves stood at 5,446. In the early 1930s, lack of funds forced the transfer of the Royal Australian Naval College from Jervis Bay to Flinders Naval Depot in Victoria. In 1933 the Australian Government ordered three light cruisers; HMA Ships , , and ; selling the seaplane carrier Albatross to fund Hobart. During this time, the RAN also purchased destroyers of the V and W destroyer classes
, the ships that would became known as the Scrap Iron Flotilla
. With the ever increasing threat of Germany and Japan in the late 1930s, the RAN was not in the position it was at the outbreak of World War I.
one hour after the United Kingdom's declaration of war on 3 September 1939. At the onset of war the Royal Australian Navy was relatively modest, even if it was arguably the most combat-ready of the three services. Major units included:
Following the call up of reserves in 1939 the permanent forces grew from 5,440 to 10,259.
During the war the men and vessels of the RAN served in every theatre of operations, from the tropical Pacific to the frigid Russian convoys and grew exponentially. The following table illustrates the growth of the RAN between the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 and 30 June 1945:
, began to deploy to the Mediterranean Sea
to take part in the Battle of the Mediterranean
against Nazi Germany
and Fascist Italy
. In September 1939, the Admiralty and the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board agreed to deploy the RAN Destroyer Flotilla outside the Australia Station
; the five ships of what was to become known as the Scrap Iron Flotilla
arrived at Malta in mid-December. HMAS Sydney deployed in May 1940 and was later joined by Hobart. When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940, the Australian warships made up five of the twenty-two Allied destroyers and one of the five modern light cruisers on station in the Mediterranean. The RAN then offered the services of Australia to the Admiralty, and was accepted. When Australia arrived in the Mediterranean, the RAN had sent nearly the entire combat fleet to the Northern Hemisphere
, leaving Australian open to possible attack.
The entry of Italy into the war also lead to a far more active role for the few remaining RAN vessels on the Australian Station. Indeed on 12 June 1940, after a prolonged chase, the Armed Merchant Cruiser (AMC) forced the Italian merchant ship Romolo (9,780 tons) to scuttle south-west of Nauru
.
On 27 June 1940, Admiral Cunningham
commander of the Mediterranean Fleet
ordered the 7th Cruiser Squadron, which included HMAS Sydney, to rendezvous with an Egypt
-bound convoy near Cape Matapan
. The cruiser squadron sighted three Italian destroyers at 18.00 on 28 June 1940 and immediately engaged them
. Within an hour, the Italian destroyer Espero was incapacitated and Sydney was signaled to sink her. As Sydney approached, Espero launched torpedoes, but failed to hit any targets. Sydney fired four salvos, scoring ten direct hits on Espero. Sydney remained at the scene for two hours picking up survivors.
Also on 27 June 1940, the Italian submarine Console Generale Liuzzi
was scuttled south of Crete
after being depth-charged by and the British destroyers , , , and . On 29 June 1940, another Italian submarine, the Uebi Scebeli, was sunk west of Crete by the same ships.
On 7 July 1940, a 25-ship fleet departed Alexandria
, intending to meet a convoy east of Malta
. The next day, a submarine sighted an Italian fleet 500 miles (804.7 km) away; the Allied fleet altered course to intercept. The two fleets sighted each other at 15.00 on 9 July 1940, and a battle that became known as the Battle of Calabria
began. Four vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships Sydney, , , and Voyager. Sydney was the first RAN vessel to engage the enemy, and at 15.20 opened fire on an Italian cruiser. When the Italian fleet began to withdraw, the Allied destroyer squadron was ordered forward. Stuart, leading the destroyer force, was the first to open fire; her opening salvo was a direct hit at a range of 12600 yards (11,521.4 m). Both fleets retired, with the Italians withdrawing under smoke, but Italian aircraft continued to attack Allied ships. Sydney, which came under heavy air attack, was believed to have sunk. The fleet arrived back in Alexandria on 13 July.
On 17 July 1940, HMAS Sydney and the destroyer were ordered to support a Royal Navy
destroyer squadron on a sweep north of the island of Crete
. At 07.20 on 19 July, the Italian cruisers Giovanni dalle Bande Nere
and Bartolomeo Colleoni
, which opened fire seven minutes later. The four British destroyers retreated to the north-east, while Sydney and Havock, 40 miles (64.4 km) away, began to close in. Sydney sighted the cruisers at 08.29, and fired the first shots of the Battle of Cape Spada
at a range of 17360 metres (56,955.4 ft). Within minutes, Sydney had successfully damaged Bande Nere, and when the Italians withdrew to the south, the six Allied ships pursued. At 0848, with Bande Nere hiding behind a smoke screen, Sydney shifted her fire to Bartolomeo Colleoni, which was disabled by 0933. The Australian cruiser left to pursue Bande Nere, but broke off at 10.27 as the Italian warship was out of range, and Sydney was dangerously low on ammunition. The only damage to Sydney during the battle was caused by a shell at 09.21, which knocked a hole in the forward funnel, and wounded a sailor through splinter damage.
On 30 September 1940, HMAS Stuart destroyed the Italian 600-Serie Adua class submarine
Gondar, killing two of its crew. Twenty-eight survivors was subsequently rescued by Stuart, with a further nineteen picked up by other vessels.
On 27 March 1941, an Allied fleet under Admiral Cunningham
was ambushed by an Italian naval force off Cape Matapan
, Greece
. Three vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships Perth, Stuart, and Vampire. The victory at Cape Matapan
allowed the evacuation of thousands of Allied troops from Crete
.
was torpedoed and sunk on 27 November 1941 by U-559
whilst escorting transports resupplying the Allied garrison at Tobruk
. There were 24 survivors, but 138 men, including all officers, lost their lives.
The Australians experienced further success on 15 December 1941 when attacked and sank the German submarine U-127
off Cape St. Vincent
, Portugal
.
, Sierra Leone
to join Operation Menace
, the invasion of Vichy French
-controlled Dakar
in French West Africa
. On 19 September, Australia and the cruiser sighted three Vichy cruisers heading south and shadowed them. When the French cruiser Gloire
developed engine trouble, Australia escorted her towards Casablanca
and returned to the fleet two days later. On 23 September Australia came under heavy fire from shore batteries, then drove two Vichy destroyers back into port. Australia then engaged and sunk the destroyer L'Audacieux with eight salvos in sixteen minutes. Over the next two days French and Allied forces exchanged fire; Australia was struck twice and lost her Walrus
amphibian. Australia and the rest of the fleet retired on 25 September the battle became known as the Battle of Dakar
.
was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels
who described the fleet as a "consignment of junk" and "Australia’s Scrap-Iron Flotilla". The flotilla consisted of five vessels; Scott class destroyer , which acted as flotilla leader, and four V class destroyers
; , , , . The ships were all built to fight in World War I
, and were slow and poorly armed compared to newer ships. The five destroyers—the entirety of the RAN's destroyer force—departed Australia in November 1939 destined for Singapore
where they carried out anti-submarine exercises with the Royal Navy
submarine . On 13 November 1939, the flotilla left Singapore for the Mediterranean Sea, following a request from the Admiralty
for assistance. For a time the five Australian destroyers made up the entire Mediterranean Fleet destroyer force.
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The Australian destroyer flotilla took part in multiple actions while in the Mediterranean, including the Allied evacuation following the battle of Greece in April 1941, though the flotilla came to fame in the mission to resupply the besieged city of Tobruk
. The resupply routes from Alexandria
and Mersa Matruh
to Tobruk
became known as "Bomb Alley" and was subject to constant Axis air attacks. The flotilla, which by this time was in poor condition, managed to make 138 supply runs to Tobruk, carrying in ammunition and stores and taking out wounded soldiers. On 28 May 1941 Vampire became the first of the flotilla to leave the Mediterranean. Vendetta, the last to leave, sailed in October 1941.
Of the five destroyers, three were lost during the war; Waterhen was sunk in the Mediterranean on 30 June 1941, Vampire was sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Indian Ocean Raid
and Voyager ran aground at Betano, during the Timor campaign
and was abandoned.
, ships of the RAN also served in the Red Sea
. In August 1940, Italian
forces invaded British Somaliland
. After a fighting withdrawal, the small British garrison was evacuated from Berbera
, with assisting in the destruction of the port and its facilities. To aid in the delaying action, Hobart sent a 3-pounder gun ashore, operated by volunteers from the crew. The seamen were captured by the Italians, but were later liberated. Two RAN sloops joined the Red Sea force in 1940: Parramatta on 30 July and Yarra in September. In October, Yarra engaged and drove off two Italian destroyers attempting to raid a convoy. Although vessels of the RAN served in the Red Sea throughout the war, after 1941 the larger RAN ships were deployed to Australian waters in response to the threat from Japan.
On 19 November 1941, the Australian light cruiser and the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
engaged each other in the Indian Ocean, off Western Australia
. The two ships sank each other: Sydney was lost with all 645 hands, while the majority of the Kormoran’s crew were rescued and became prisoners of war. The location of both wreaks remained a mystery to many and subject to much controversy until 16–17 March 2008, when both ships were found
.
, the invasion of North Africa. On 28 November 1942 Quiberon assisted in sinking the Italian submarine Dessiè and three days later also took part in the destruction of a four-ship convoy and a destroyer.
were transferred to Egypt from the Indian Ocean, in preparation for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily
. They were part of a 3,000-ship Allied force. The corvettes arrived in the Mediterranean in May and were formed into the 21st and 22nd Minesweeping Flotillas. All eight ships survived the campaign without damage or casualties sustained in action, although experienced a near-miss from a German bomber. When the captain of enquired what damage had been sustained, the response from Maryborough read: "no damage except to my underpants".
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's attacks on the Allies in December 1941, the RAN redeployed its larger ships to home waters, to protect the Australian mainland from Japanese attack, while several smaller ships remained in the Mediterranean. From 1940 onwards, there was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters
first from German commerce raiders and submarines and later by the Imperial Japanese Navy
.
Initially, RAN ships served as part of the British-Australian component of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
(ABDACOM) naval forces or in the ANZAC Force
. ABDACOM was wound up following the fall of the Netherlands East Indies and was succeeded by the South West Pacific Area (command) (SWPA). The United States Seventh Fleet
was formed at Brisbane
on 15 March 1943, for service in the SWPA. RAN ships in the Pacific generally served at part of Seventh Fleet taskforces.
. Voyager was not the only loss during the campaign. On 1 December 1942, was attacked by thirteen Japanese aircraft while attempting to land Dutch soldiers
off Betano, Portuguese Timor
. Armidale sank with the loss of 40 of her crew and 60 Dutch personnel. During the engagement, Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean
operated an Oerlikon
anti-aircraft gun and was wounded by strafing Japanese planes, he went down with the ship, still strapped into the gun and still shooting at the attacking aircraft.
On 28 February 1942, a joint ABDA naval force met a Japanese invasion force in the Java Sea
. The Leander class cruiser
, and the American heavy cruiser fought in and survived the Battle of the Java Sea
.
On 1 March 1942, the Perth and Houston attempted to move through the Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap however they found their path blocked by the main Japanese invasion fleet from western Java. The Allied ships were engaged by at least three cruisers and several destroyers and in a ferocious night action, known as the Battle of Sunda Strait
, both Perth and Houston were torpedoed and sunk. Casualties aboard Perth included 350 crew and 3 civilians killed, while 324 survived the sinking and were taken prisoner by the Japanese (106 of whom later died in captivity). The loss of Perth so soon after the sinking of her sister Sydney, had a major psychological effect on the Australian people. Japanese losses included a minesweeper and a troop transport sunk by friendly fire, whilst three other transports were damaged and had to be beached.
; HMA Ships and as part of Task Force 44
. Both ships came under intense air attack, while part of a force guarding the approaches to Port Moresby
.
In late May and early June 1942, a group of five Imperial Japanese Navy
submarines made a series of attacks on Sydney and the nearby port of Newcastle
. On the night of 31 May-1 June, the submarines launched three Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine
s against Allied shipping in Sydney Harbour. A torpedo intended for the cruiser USS Chicago
exploded under the depot ship , killing 21. On 8 June, two of the submarines shelled Sydney and Newcastle, with little effect. In response to these attacks, the RAN instituted convoys between Brisbane and Adelaide. All ships of over 1,200 tons and with speeds of less than 12 knots (24 km/h) were required to sail in convoy when travelling between cities on the east coast.
The attack on Sydney and Newcastle marked the start of a sustained Japanese submarine campaign against Australia
. During 1942, Japanese submarines sank 17 ships in Australian waters, although none of these ships were sailing as part of a convoy. 16 ships were sunk in Australian waters during 1943, before the Japanese ended the campaign in July. Five of these ships were sunk while sailing in escorted convoys. The Australian naval authorities gradually dismantled the coastal convoy system between December 1943 and March 1944. By the end of the war, the RAAF and RAN had escorted over 1,100 convoys along the Australian coastline.
While the scale of the Japanese naval offensive directed against Australia was small compared to other naval campaigns of the war such as the Second Battle of the Atlantic
, these attacks were "the most comprehensive and widespread series of offensive operations ever conducted by an enemy against Australia". Although the RAN only sank a single full-sized Japanese submarine in Australian waters (I-124 in January 1942) convoy escorts may have successfully reduced the threat to shipping in Australian waters by making it harder for Japanese submarines to carry out attacks.
Whilst escorting convoys between Australia and New Guinea, attacked and sank the Japanese Kaichu type
submarine RO-33
off Port Moresby
on 24 August 1942, killing all 42 men aboard.
The loss of at the Battle of Savo Island
in August 1942 was the largest single ship loss the RAN experienced during World War II. In the early hours of the morning of 9 August 1942, Canberra was severely damaged off Guadalcanal
in a surprise attack by a powerful Japanese naval force. Canberra was hit by 24 shells in less than two minutes, with 84 of her crew killed, including Captain Frank Getting. Following an order to abandon ship, Canberra was sunk the next day by a torpedo from a US destroyer, to prevent it being captured.
The loss of Canberra, following the losses of Sydney and Perth, attracted unprecedented international attention and sympathy for the RAN. US President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
wished to commemorate the loss of Canberra and requested that a US heavy cruiser under construction be named Canberra. was launched on 19 April 1943. The British Government approved the transfer of to the RAN as a replacement, and the ship was commissioned as HMAS Shropshire on 20 April 1943.
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, one of the largest naval battles in history
. In the lead-up, on 21 October, Australia became the first Allied ship to be hit by a kamikaze
aircraft near Leyte Island. Gunners from Australia and Shropshire fired at, and reportedly hit, an unidentified Japanese aircraft. The plane then flew away from the ships, before turning and flying into Australia, striking the ship's superstructure above the bridge, and spewing burning fuel and debris over a large area, before falling into the sea. A 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) bomb carried by the plane failed to explode; if it had, the ship might have been effectively destroyed. At least 30 crew members died as a result of the attack, including the commanding officer, Captain Emile Dechaineux
; among the wounded was Commodore John Collins, the Australian force commander. Australia remained on duty, but on 25 October, was hit again and was forced to retire to the New Hebrides
for repairs.
Shropshire and Arunta remained at Leyte and were part of the United States Seventh Fleet
Support Force at the Battle of Surigao Strait on 25 October. During this action both ships contributed to the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamashiro
, with Shropshire firing thirty-two eight-gun broadsides into the battleship with her 8-inch guns in a period of 14 minutes.
HMAS Australia returned to combat at the Battle of Lingayen Gulf
in January 1945. During the battle Australia was repeatedly attacked between 5–9 January, suffering significant damage which forced it to retire once more. Australia is believed not only to have experienced the first kamikaze attack but the greatest number of attacks.
: HMA Ships , , , , , , and . These ships were predominantly crewed by RAN personnel, although they were often commanded by British officers and remained the property of the British government.
Following the Japanese raid on Ceylon
of March–April 1942, the Eastern Fleet was transferred from its base at Trincomalee
, to the other side of the Indian Ocean: Kilindi
in Kenya
. From there the fleet undertook local patrols, escorted convoys and occasionally despatched ships to operations in the Mediterranean. During Operation Vigorous
, a convoy to Malta
in June 1942, Nestor was serious damaged in an air raid and slowly sank.
On 11 February 1944 the corvettes HMA Ships Ipswich and Launceston, in conjunction with the Indian sloop Jumna, sank the Japanese submarine RO-110
in the Bay of Bengal after the later had torpedoed a ship in a Calcutta-bound convoy.
From late 1944, Nepal, Norman and Quiberon were transferred, along with many other Eastern Fleet ships, to the new British Pacific Fleet (BPF). Among other operations with the BPF, they took part in the Battle of Okinawa
.
In late 1945, following the end of hostilities, the RAN acquired three more Q-class destroyers: , , and .
Ten RAN vessels were present at the signing of the Japanese surrender
in Tokyo Bay
on 2 September 1945; HMA Ships , , , , , , , , , and . Following the surrender ceremony, the majority of the RAN vessels left Japanese waters for other duties. As part of the surrender agreement, Japan agreed to an Allied occupation and disarmament. On 17 August 1945, the Australian Government agreed to provide two cruisers and two destroyers for service with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
(BCOF). A total of 15 RAN ships served with the BCOF, the ships performed a variety of tasks but were mainly employed on the Kyushu Patrol, preventing Korean nationals from illegally entering Japan.
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The RAN also played a role in the disarmament of Japan, assisting in the scuttling of former Imperial Japanese Navy
ships, in one instance took part in the sinking of seven submarines of Kyushu as part of Operation Bottom. When Indian and New Zealand contingents began to withdraw from the BCOF, the operation became a predominantly Australian operation. In 1948, Kure
naval base was turned over to Australia, and became known as . When North Korea
invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, one RAN ship was on station as part of BCOF. The Australian Government immediately offered for United Nations
service. Eventually, all RAN ships in the area were transferred to the command of British Commonwealth Forces Korea
(BCFK).
Clearing mines from Australian and New Guinean waters was another focus for the RAN in the years after the war
. Minesweeping began in December 1945 and was conducted by HMAS Swan, eight Bathurst class corvettes and several smaller craft from a base at Cairns
. The work was arduous and dangerous, and was sunk with the loss of four men killed and another 25 wounded when she struck a mine off North Queensland
on 13 September 1947. The RAN completed this task in August 1948 after sweeping 1,816 mines.
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Following World War II, the RAN reduced its surface fleet but continued to expand in other ways, acquiring two Royal Navy Majestic class aircraft carriers then under construction (HMS Majestic and HMS Terrible) to build up a Fleet Air Arm
. In the 1960s, the RAN began to move away from British-designed ships; the last major British design used was the Type 12 frigate
, which formed the basis of the River class frigates
.
When it was decided that the RAN should commission a destroyer armed with guided missiles, the obvious British design was the County class
; however, the RAN had reservations regarding the gas turbine propulsion, the Seaslug
missile system, and the ability to adapt the design to Australian needs. Instead, the Australian government chose the United States-built, steam turbine-powered Charles F. Adams class destroyer
, armed with the Tartar missile as the basis for its Perth class, the first major US warship design chosen for the RAN.
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By the mid-late 1960s, the RAN was at the zenith of its operational capabilities; it was capable of dispatching a full carrier battle group
in support of major operations by having in service an aircraft carrier (HMAS Melbourne), three large area defence destroyers of the Perth class
, six modern River class frigates
and four Oberon class submarines
.
With the retreat of British forces west of the Suez Canal
in the 1960s, the RAN began to take a more defensive role, and in co-operation with the United States, allied though the ANZUS
treaty. The RAN saw service in many of the world's post war conflicts, including Korea
, Vietnam
, and the Indonesian Confrontation.
called on member nations to aid South Korea. On 29 June, Prime Minister
Robert Menzies
announced that the frigate , stationed in Japan, and the destroyer , in Hong Kong
, would be placed under UN command in Korea. On 1 July, one day after President
Truman
committed American ground forces to Korea, the first Australian operation in Korea took place; Shoalhaven escorted an American ammunition ship from Japan to Pusan.
The destroyer was deployed in July 1950, and provided gunfire support during the X Corps landing at Wonsan
in October. In December, Bataan and Warramunga assisted the mass evacuation of troops and refugees from Hungnam
. The aircraft carrier was deployed to Korea between September 1951 and January 1952—the first carrier owned by a Commonwealth
Dominion to see wartime service. During this time, 2,366 sorties were flown from Sydney, with only fifteen aircraft lost and three pilots killed.
Over the course of the Korean War, nine ships of the RAN participated in the naval blockade of North Korea
.
was declared on 18 June 1948, prompted by a rise in Malayan Communist
guerrillas in Malaya
(later Malaysia). Australia, as a member of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
, first deployed two RAAF squadrons to the region in 1950. In 1955, the Far East Strategic Reserve
was created as a concentration of Commonwealth military forces (primarily British, New Zealand, and Australian) in Malaya for the protection of that nation from communist threats. Australia's commitment included two destroyers or frigates on station at any time, plus an annual visit by an aircraft carrier, and additional ships as needed. Training for the potentiality of war was the main occurrence for ships deployed to the Strategic Reserve, with RAN personnel gaining experience in working as part of a larger naval organisation.
The first ships of the RAN to arrive in the area were the Tribal class
destroyers Warramunga and in June 1955. Between 1955 and 1960, eleven other ships of the RAN operated with the Strategic Reserve: , , , , , , Sydney ,, , and .
n invasion of Borneo
and Malaya in 1963, Australia increased its presence in the region. At the outbreak of hostilities, the RAN frigates and were on duty in the area. As tension mounted, Australia increased its presence by sending Sydney, Vampire, Vendetta, , and to the area. On 19 May 1964, the 16th Minesweeping Squadron
, comprising six Ton class minesweepers
, was also deployed.
On 13 December 1964, the minesweeper was fired upon with automatic weapons by an unlit vessel whilst operating as part of the Singapore Strait
patrol. The vessel was overpowered and arrested by Teal, following a further small arms engagement that resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian crew members. On 23 February 1965, Teal was again involved in another engagement, she detected an unlit vessel off Cape Rachado. The suspicious vessel was closed on and illuminated, and revealed nine armed men in uniform who surrendered immediately upon challenge. On 13 March 1964, became the second vessel of the 16th Minesweeping Squadron to see action, when she was fired on by an Indonesian shore battery while patrolling off Raffles Lighthouse
. Eleven high-explosive rounds were fired at the ship, some landing within 200 yards (182.9 m) of the vessel, and Hawk withdrew from the area at speed. The following morning, Hawk intercepted a sampan with five Indonesians on board who were promptly arrested.
When Indonesian forces crossed the border into Sebatik Island
, Sabah
on 28 June 1965, HMAS Yarra was called on to carry out bombardments disrupting the withdrawal of the Indonesians. Yarra carried out two more bombardments of the border area on 5 and 10 July. During three runs, Yarra fired a total of 70 rounds on the enemy. On 13 August 1966, an agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia brought an end to the conflict.
During the night of 10 February 1964, the worst peacetime disaster in the RAN's history occurred when the destroyer was cut in two by the bow of the aircraft carrier , killing 82 of the 293 men on board Voyager. Melbourne was conducting air group exercises off Jervis Bay with Voyager acting as the plane guard
destroyer. After a series of manoeuvres to reverse the course of the ships, Voyager ended up to starboard of Melbourne, and was ordered to resume her position (behind the carrier and to port) at 20.52. Instead of turning away from Melbourne, Voyager unexpectedly turned towards the carrier, and did not alter course until it was too late. At 20.56, Melbournes bow hit the destroyer just behind the bridge, and cut her in half, with the bow sinking quickly. The search for survivors went on through the night; of the 314 aboard, 14 officers, 67 sailors, and 1 civilian dockyard worker were killed, including Captain Duncan Stevens.
Following the collision Prime Minister
Menzies
ordered a Royal Commission
to investigate the event. The Commissioner concluded that the collision was primarily the fault of Voyagers bridge crew not maintaining an effective lookout, but also placed blame on Melbournes Captain John Robertson (who resigned shortly after) and two other officers for failing to alert Voyager or take effective measures to avoid collision. The handing of the Royal Commission was seen as poor, and after a combination of public pressure and claims that Stevens had a drinking problem, a second Royal Commission was announced: the only time two Commissions have been held for the same incident. The second Royal Commission found that Stevens was likely medically unfit for command, that some of the first Commission's conclsions were therefore incorrect, and the Melbourne officers were not at fault. The two commissions caused great anguish in the hierarchy of the RAN, which was not accustomed to such tight scrutiny, and led to the eventual dismantling of the Naval Board's isolation from the civilian world.
personnel attached to a United States Army
helicopter company and No. 9 Squadron RAAF
, a Clearance Diving Team, and a logistical support force consisting of transport and escort ships. Other RAN personnel served ashore in medical teams or performed staff duties at the Australian Embassy in Saigon or the 1st Australian Task Force
Headquarters at Nui Dat.
The RAN did not deploy operationally until 1965, but in 1962 and made goodwill visits to Saigon. They were followed a year later by similar visits by and HMAS Queenborough]]. In 1967, became the first RAN destroyer to be operationally deployed to Vietnam
. Hobart served three tours in Vietnam from March to September in 1967, 1968, and 1970. During her operations, she fired 10,000 rounds at 1,000 shore targets and came under fire around 10 times, including on one occasion by a United States F-4 Phantom. Hobart was awarded the United States Navy Unit Commendation
in recognition of her service in Vietnam, while sister ship received both the United States Navy Unit Commendation and the Meritorious Unit Commendation
. In their five years of service in Vietnam, the four gunline destroyers; Perth, , Hobart and steamed over 397,000 miles and fired 102,546 rounds.
The aircraft carrier was converted for troopship duties in the early 1960s, and began her first voyage to Vietnam in May 1965, transporting the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
, from Sydney to Vung Tau
in southern Vietnam. Sydney became known as the Vung Tau Ferry and made 25 voyages to Vietnam: carrying 16,094 troops, 5,753 deadweight tons (5,845 t) of cargo and 2,375 vehicles.
In 1969, the aircraft carrier rammed and sank another destroyer. During the night of 2–3 June, was escorting the carrier during multinational wargames in the South China Sea
. Ordered to the planeguard station, Evans crosses the carrier's bows and was cut in two, killing 74 United States personnel. A Joint RAN-USN Board of Inquiry was established, which found Melbournes Captain John Stevenson and three officers from Evans at fault. Despite being cleared by a RAN court-martial, Stevenson resigned after receiving similar treatment to Robertson in the first collision. HMAS Melbourne is believed to be the only warship to sink two friendly vessels in peacetime.
In April 1971, Prime Minister
John Gorton
announced that Australian forces in Vietnam would be reduced. This led to the withdrawal of the clearance divers in May and the Fleet Air Arm
in June. The final RAN destroyer on the gunline, Brisbane, returned to Sydney on 15 October 1971. The Whitlam
government withdrew all Australian forces from and stopped military aid to South Vietnam
. returned to Sydney on 11 March 1972 and was followed the next day by HMAS Sydney. During the 10 years that the RAN was involved in the war, eight officers and sailors were killed, and another 46 were either wounded or suffered other injuries.
, killing 71 people and causing $4 billion of damage (1998 A$
). In response to the cyclone, the RAN embarked upon Operation Navy Help Darwin
; the largest peacetime disaster relief operation in its history, involving 13 ships, 11 aircraft and some 3,000 personnel.
When Tracy struck Darwin, the RAN had a total of 351 personnel based in the city, along with four Attack class patrol boats
; the small number of men limited the capability of the RAN to render immediate assistance to the citizens of Darwin. All four patrol boats were damaged in some way: and were able to weather the cyclone with minor damage, but was forced aground, and sank after colliding with Stokes Hill Wharf, killing two personnel. Land-based naval installations were also heavily damaged by the cyclone, Darwin Naval Headquarters was destroyed, as were large sections of the patrol boat base and the married quarters. The oil fuel supply installation and naval communications station at were also damaged. The initial RAN relief which was limited to search and rescue in the area of Darwin Harbour and Melville Island, which was hindered by the lack of reliable communications.
As the severity of the disaster was realised, a naval task force was established to render aid to the people of Darwin; Operation Navy Help Darwin
. A general recall was issued to all personnel; volunteers from shore bases and ships unable to sail were used to replace those who could not return to their ships in time. The first RAN assets arrived in Darwin on 26 December, a HS 748 aircraft carrying blood transfusion equipment and Red Cross
workers, followed shortly by another HS 748 carrying Clearance Diving Team 1
(CDT1). Ships also began departing for Darwin on 26 December: and departed from Brisbane, sailed from Cairns, while (with Rear Admiral Wells aboard), , and left Sydney. The next day, , , , and left Sydney, while and sailed from Brisbane. The last ship, , left Brisbane on 2 January.
The first vessels, HMA Ships Brisbane and Flinders, arrived in Darwin on 31 December. Flinders surveyed the approaches to Darwin, ensuring the safety of the taskforce, while Brisbane landed working parties and established communications. The entire 13-ship task force had arrived in Darwin by 13 January 1975, bringing over 3,000 personnel. RAN personnel was primarily assigned to clear the suburbs of Nightcliff
, Rapid Creek, Northern Territory
, and Casuarina
, while aircraft and helicopters were used to move evacuees and supplies, and CDT1 inspected ships in the harbour for damage and cleared several wharves. Vessels of the task force began to depart Darwin as early as 7 January, with HMA Ships Brisbane and Stalwart the last to depart on 31 January, after command of the relief operation was turned over to the Commandant of the Army's
7th Military District.
(UNCLOS) the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) of many coastal nations was increased from 12 to 200 Nmi. The sudden expansion of responsibility dramatically increased the area of ocean requiring surveillance, monitoring and policing by these nations, increasing the strain on existing maritime patrol resources, and highlighting the need for countries without a maritime patrol force to obtain one, especially in the South West Pacific
area.
In 1979, the Australian and New Zealand Governments, at the request of Pacific Island nations, sent defence representatives into the South-West Pacific region to assess surveillance and maritime patrol requirements. The governments of a number of the Pacific nations expressed their concern about the need for a suitable naval patrol force to meet their new surveillance requirements. The Australian government responded by creating the Defence Cooperation Project (DCP), to provide suitable patrol vessels, training and infrastructure to island nations in the region. The Pacific Patrol Boat Systems Program Office was created within the Minor War Vessels Branch of the RAN procurement organisation.
The tender for the vessels was released in August 1984, and was awarded to Australian Shipbuilding Industries Pty Ltd (now Tenix Western Australia) in September 1985. The first of ten vessels was to be delivered in early 1987. The first vessel, HMPNGS Tarangau, was officially handed over to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force on 16 May 1987. Over the course of the project the number of participating countries increased. By the end of the construction phase of the project, a total of 22 boats had been delivered to 12 countries, compared to the original order of 10 boats for 8 countries. In total, the project cost for 22 vessels and associated support was A$155.25 million.
The RAN never operated the Pacific class patrol boat
(PPB), although the project has given the RAN a number of advantages in the Pacific region. The introduction of self-reliant patrol forces throughout the region has eased the strain on Australia’s own maritime patrol force. Cooperation between Australia and its Pacific neighbours has allowed for a greater allocation of RAN patrol boats to protecting Australia’s maritime resources, patrolling the Sea Lines of Communication
(SLOC), and conducting border protection operations. The PPB's have recently undergone a mid life refit which could potentially see them operating in the region until at least 2027.
The main role of the Royal Australian Navy in the two decades following the end of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War was supporting Australian diplomatic initiatives. In line with this goal the RAN exercised with the navies of Australia's allies and provided support to civil authorities in Australia and the South Pacific. The RAN's main military concern from the 1970s was the activities of the Soviet Navy
in the Indian Ocean. These concerns lead to increased cooperation with the United States Navy and the development of the RAN's main base in Western Australia, .
During the late 1970s, the RAN replaced many of its aging ships with modern equivalents. While it planned to purchase the British aircraft carrier to replace Melbourne, Britain's offer of the carrier was withdrawn after the Falklands War
. As a result, Melbourne was decommissioned without replacement in 1982 and the Fleet Air Arm retired almost all of its fixed wing aircraft on 30 June 1983.
In 1987, the Hawke
Government's Defence White Paper called for the RAN to become a more self reliant two-ocean navy with major fleet bases in New South Wales
and Western Australia
. The plan called for the expansion of Stirling on Garden Island
and Jervis Bay
to accommodate an expanded RAN combat surface and submarine fleets. The plan originally called for the major combat units and submarines to be split between the two fleet bases, providing similar capabilities on both sides of the continent. The proposed Jervis Bay naval base never became a reality; Fleet Base East was built up around in Sydney while HMAS Stirling is home to half the surface fleet and the entire submarine fleet.
The rationale behind the policy included the possibility of savings in fuel and maintenance that would result from Indian Ocean
deployments beginning their journey from Western Australia
rather than New South Wales
. The report also classed the Indian Ocean as an area where contingencies might arise. The new facilities would increase Australia's worth to the United States, particularly to do with maintenance of submarines. Expansion at Jervis Bay would allow intensified east coast visits by the United States Pacific Fleet
, and its nuclear warship visits would not run into as much opposition as they do in Sydney and Melbourne.
The 1987 White Paper was seen by many as an attempt to strengthen Australia's relationship with the United States, which had been damaged by New Zealand's stance against nuclear weapons in its ports. In line with this policy, the RAN was structured to become more self-reliant and its activities during the late 1980s were focused on operating within Australia's local region.
The Two Ocean Policy remains in place today and is supported by the current Australian Government and the opposition. The success of the policy is especially evident at HMAS Stirling. The base is thriving and its location both in a global and local context gives it an advantage over Fleet Base East. It has been suggested that all 8 units of the Anzac class
be relocated to Stirling, this would create an easier training environment for sailors and would lead to significant cost savings.
Australia's contribution
to the 1991 Gulf War
centered on a Naval Task Group, initially Task Group 627.4, which formed part of the multi-national fleet in the Persian Gulf
and Gulf of Oman
. In addition, medical teams were deployed aboard a U.S. hospital ship and a naval clearance diving team
took part in de-mining Kuwait's port facilities at the end of the war. Over the period from 6 September 1990 to 4 September 1991 the RAN deployed a total of six ships to the area: HMA Ships , , , , , and . Clearance Diving Team 3 operated in the theatre from 27 January 1991 to 10 May 1991. It was involved in mine clearing operations in Kuwait
from 5 March to 19 April 1991.
After the end of the first Gulf War the Royal Australian Navy periodically deployed a ship to the Gulf
or Red Sea
to assist in maintaining sanctions against Iraq
. Until the outbreak of the Second Gulf War the Australian naval force in the Persian Gulf
continued to enforce the sanctions against Iraq. These operations were conducted by boarding parties from the RAN
warships.
Upon the outbreak of war, the RAN's focus
shifted to supporting the coalition land forces and clearing the approaches to Iraqi ports. provided gunfire support to Royal Marines
during fighting on the Al-Faw Peninsula
and the Clearance Diving Team took part in clearing the approaches to Umm Qasr
. Boarding operations continued during the war, and on 20 March, boarding parties from seized an Iraqi ship carrying 86 naval mine
s.
Since the end of the war the RAN has continuously maintained a frigate in the Persian Gulf to protect Iraq's oil infrastructure and participate in counter-smuggling operations. Twelve Australian sailors were deployed to Umm Qasr, Iraq
between January and October 2004 to join the multi-national training team working with the Iraqi Coastal Defense Force. The RAN has also assumed command of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf on two occasions; Combined Task Force 58 in 2005 and Combined Task Force 158
in 2006.
coast. The fire was caused by the rupture of a flexible fuel line (one of a number used to replace rigid hoses) on cylinder number nine, starboard engine. This sprayed diesel fuel onto a hot indicator cock, which ignited a spray fire, resulting in the deaths of four crew. Following the fire, the Australian Government and the RAN began a major investigation known as the Westralia Board of Inquiry. The enquiry found that the RAN and the contractor Australian Defence Industries
(ADI) did not critically examine their course of action and that key personnel in both the RAN and the contractor were insufficiently trained and qualified. The inquiry also found that the hoses were not properly designed and were unfit for the intended purpose. In 2005, ADI was fined $75,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace. Seven sailors who were apparently severely traumatised by the fire have also sued ADI and subcontractor Jetrock. In August 2006, the Australian Government decided to accept liability after it reached settlement with the ADI and Jetrock. The seven sailors stand to receive compensation totalling up to $10 million.
peacekeeping mission to East Timor
in 1999 known as INTERFET
, the RAN deployed a total of 16 ships to the mission: HMA Ships , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . The RAN played a vital role in transporting troops and providing protection to transports and were vital to the success of INTERFET.
The RAN returned to East Timor in 2006 under Operation Astute
the United Nations
-authorised, Australian-led military deployment to East Timor
to quell unrest and return stability during the 2006 East Timor crisis
. The Royal Australian Navy deployed the Amphibious Ready Group, including the ships; , , Tobruk (until approximately 8 June), Balikpapan, Tarakan and Success (until 28 May). The RAN also deployed the Adelaide class frigate
HMAS Adelaide (until 28 May). The Fleet Air Arm
contributed one S-70B-2 Seahawk
helicopter from 816 Squadron RAN
(until 28 May) and two Sea King
helicopters from 817 Squadron RAN
. The Royal Australian Navy
force committed to Operation Astute is apparently the largest amphibious task force in the Navy's history.
, marking the beginning of Operation Anode, Australia's contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
(RAMSI). The deployment of a 2,200 strong multinational force followed several years of unrest in the Solomon Islands
. Manoora was soon joined by HMA Ships , , and . Following the initial deployment, two vessels were generally kept on station in the area. By the time the RAN deployment ended, 19 Australian warships had taken part. The last ship to leave was , which sailed home in October 2004.
Operation Anode was not the first time units of the RAN had been deployed to the Solomon Islands; Anode was unique in that the navy's primary role was to support and facilitate the work of the Participating Police Force (PPF). Moreover, along with being the first time the RAN had supported a police-led mission, Operation Anode and RAMSI is one of the latest examples of the role Australia and specifically the RAN is playing in stabilising the Oceania
region.
the Fijian Government, the Australian government began Operation Quickstep
by deploying military resources to support Australian citizens in Fiji in the event of a coup d'état
. The contribution from the RAN was the deployment of three vessels; HMA Ships , , and to international waters south of Fiji. The three vessels were deployed to Fiji to evacuate the estimated 7,000 Australian citizens present in Fiji if the need arose. Along with the three vessels a detachment of the Special Air Service Regiment
, helicopters from the 171st Aviation Squadron
and an evacuation team were also deployed.
On 29 November 2006, an Australian Army
S-70A Black Hawk
helicopter operating from Kanimbla, and carrying ten Army personnel on board, crashed whilst attempting to land on the ship's deck, killing 1 person, injuring 7 more and leaving one missing (later confirmed dead). HMAS Melville arrived on task the morning of 15 December 2006, equipped with a Towed Pinger Locating Drone supplied from the United States Navy
set about locating the downed Black Hawk. Melville detected the locator beacon during its first pass over the crash site and pinpointed its exact location in subsequent passes. The helicopter is sitting in around 2900 metres of water.
The coup took place on 5 December, but was bloodless and almost completely without violence. The evacuation of Australians was deemed unnecessary, and vessels of the task force began arriving back in Australia on 17 December, with Kanimbla docking in Townsville, and both Newcastle and Success returning to Sydney. Melville returned to Australia in late December. The RAN has decided to attempt to recover the downed Black Hawk and has identified the United States Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV) as the preferred organisation. MV Seahorse Standard recovered the remains of Trooper Porter on 5 March and the Blackhawk helicopter on 9 March, with the assistance of specialist equipment provided by the SUPSALV team. Trooper Porters body was repatriated on 13 March, escorted by members of the Special Air Service Regiment. Seahorse Standard arrived in Australia with the aircraft wreckage at the end of March. The wreckage will become evidence in the Board of Inquiry into the crash.
("New Zealand
1860-61").
Prior to 1989, the battle honour system of the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) was linked to that of the Royal Navy
. The British Ministry of Defence
and the Admiralty
were responsible for approving and assigning battle honours, although from 1947, this was done on advice from the RAN Badges, Names and Honours Committee. The only uniquely Australian battle honour during this time was "Vietnam 1965-72" (and smaller date units thereof) for deployments to the Vietnam War
. Ships of the RAN inherited honours from British ships of the same name, in addition to Australian predecessors.
In 1989, the RAN Chief of Naval Staff
, Admiral Michael Hudson approved a decision to have Australian warships only carry battle honours earned by previous Australian vessels. The creation and awarding of battle honours came completely under RAN control.
A complete overhaul of the RAN battle honours system was unvelied on 1 March 2010, to celebrate the navy's 109th anniversary of creation. New honours were created for operations during the 1990s and 2000s—the last approved honour prior to this was "Kuwait 1991", for Gulf War
service—and the service history of previous vessels was updated to include 'due recognition' of previous actions.
placed on personnel and resources led to a change of policy. On 21 April 1941, the Australian Naval Board sent a letter authorising the entry of women into the RAN to the Commodore-in-Charge, Sydney. The letter led to the formation of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
(WRANS) and the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
(RANNS). The two separate women's services existed until 1984, when they were incorporated into the permanent force. Today, female members of the RAN have a wide variety of roles open to them; women serve on submarines, command ships and shore postings and are expected to play an increasingly important role in the future of the RAN.
The Royal Australian Navy today is a medium sized modern navy in world terms but is one of the strongest navies in the Asia Pacific Region. Today, the combat fleet of the RAN is made up of eight Anzac class frigates
, four Adelaide class frigates
, fourteen patrol boats of the Armidale class
, and six Collins class submarines
. The RAN also comprises a large amphibious and supply force to transport the Australian Army
and to resupply the combat arm of the navy. The RAN is divided into seven Force Element Group
s (FEGs): Surface Combatants, Amphibious Warfare Forces and Afloat Support Force, Naval Aviation
, Submarine Force
, Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving
, Patrol Boat Force
and the Hydrographic Force
. The FEG's were formed to manage the operations of the separate sections of the RAN in a more efficient way.
The modern RAN began to form during the late 1970s when the Fraser
Government announced the purchase of four Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates
, all to be built in America; in 1980 they announced an additional two vessels both to be built in Australia. The fifteen Australian-built vessels of the Fremantle class
made up Australia's patrol boat from 1979 to 2007; they have now been replaced by the fourteen Armidale class patrol boats
.
The Collins class
is the newest class of Australian submarines, built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy. They were constructed by the Australian Submarine Corporation
in Adelaide, South Australia, and replace the six Oberon class submarines
in the Australian fleet. The first vessel, , was laid down in 1990 and commissioned in 1996, with all six vessels of the class in service and based at in Western Australia
.
The Anzac class
is the current main fleet unit of the Royal Australian Navy; the class has eight vessels. The lead vessel of the class, , was commissioned in 1996 and the final vessel, , was commissioned on 26 August 2006. Along with the eight Australian vessels, two Anzacs were also constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy
. The Anzac class were jointly constructed in New Zealand and Australia with the final fitout in Williamstown, Victoria
.
The amphibious and supply arm of the RAN is made up of; one Kanimbla class landing platform
, one heavy landing ship , six Balikpapan class landing craft, two Leeuwin class survey ships
, four Paluma class motor launches, the fleet oiler , and the Dual Stores Replenishment Vessel . The RAN also has six Huon class minehunters
.
The Royal Australian Navy maintains several bases around Australia. Under the RAN's Two-Ocean Policy, (Fleet Base West) and (Fleet Base East) are the primary bases for all major fleet unit of the RAN. The majority of the patrol boat and amphibious forces are located at and , while all Fleet Air Arm
squadrons are based at .
was produced by the Australian Government, which set out a program of defence spending that will see significant improvements to the RAN's fleet and capabilities.
The most significant current project is Sea4000 the procurement of three Hobart class destroyers
, which will replace the Adelaide class. These ships will be fitted with the AEGIS combat system
, and will be based on the Spanish F100 design
. The class has a planned in service date of 2013, with the three units to be named Hobart, Brisbane, and Sydney.
In August 2005 the Australian Government passed approval for the acquisition of two Canberra class large amphibious ships
; these will displace over 20,000 tonnes, can carry over 1,000 troops, and will potentially be able to operate fixed wing aircraft. The project is expected to cost between A$1.5 and A$2 billion, and be completed by around 2014. The new ships will be named Canberra and Adelaide.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. During the period until 1859, vessels of the Royal Navy made frequent trips to the new colonies. In 1859, the Australia Squadron was formed as a separate squadron and remained in Australia until 1913. During the period before Federation
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
, each of the six Australian colonies operated their own colonial naval force; these amalgamated in 1901 as the Commonwealth Naval Forces. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was established in 1911, and in 1913 the fleet steamed through Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads , is the entrance to Port Jackson in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.North Head and Quarantine Head are to the north, South Head and Dunbar Head are to the south. Middle Head, Georges Head and Chowder Head are to the west and within the bay...
for the first time.
The Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
has seen action in every ocean of the world during its short life. The RAN first saw action in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and distinguished itself in three oceans. Between the wars the RANs fortunes shifted with the financial situation of Australia: experiencing great growth during the 1920s, but forced to shrink in the 1930s. Entering World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the RAN was not in the situation it was in 1914. During the war the size of the RAN grew to over 300 vessels of virtually all classes. After World War II the RAN saw action in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and other smaller conflicts. Today the RAN fields a small but modern force, widely regarded as one of the most powerful forces in the Asia Pacific Region.
Pre-Federation navies
From the colonisation of Australia in 1788 until 1859, the blue water
Maritime geography
Maritime geography is often discussed in terms of four loosely-defined regions: Riverine, brown water, green water, and blue water.-Brown water:...
defence of Australia was provided by detached units of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's East Asia Squadron, based in Sydney. In 1859, Australia was established as a separate Royal Navy squadron; this marked the first occasion the Royal Navy ships had been permanently stationed in Australia. The Royal Navy's Australia Squadron remained the primary naval force in Australian waters until 1913, when the Royal Navy's Australia Station ceased and responsibility handed over to the Royal Australian Navy and its Sydney based depots, dockyards and structures were gifted to the Australian commonwealth.
Before Federation
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
, five of the six self-governing colonies in Australia operated their own Colonial navies. Western Australia did not have a Colonial Naval force. The colonial navies were expanded greatly in the mid-1880s and usually consisted of gunboats and torpedo-boats for coastal defence of harbours and rivers, and naval brigades to man vessels and forts. In 1856, Victoria received its own naval vessel, HMCSS Victoria
HMS Victoria (1855)
HMVS Victoria was a 580-ton combined steam/sail sloop-of-war built in England in the 1850s for the colony of Victoria, Australia....
, which in 1860 was deployed to assist the New Zealand colonial government during the First Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
. When Victoria returned to Australia, the vessel had taken part in several minor actions, with the loss on one crewmember. The deployment of Victoria to New Zealand marked the first occasion that an Australian warship had been deployed overseas. In the years leading up to Federation, Colonial Victoria became the most powerful of all the colonial navies. Victoria had HMVS Cerberus
HMVS Cerberus
HMVS Cerberus is a breastwork monitor that served in the Victoria Naval Forces, the Commonwealth Naval Forces , and the Royal Australian Navy between 1871 and 1924....
since 1870, as well as HMVS Nelson, three small gunboats and five torpedo-boats. NSW had two very small torpedo boats
Acheron class torpedo boat
The colonial service Acheron-class torpedo boats were built by the Atlas Engineering Company at Sydney in 1879 for the New South Wales naval service. They were originally armed with a single spar torpedo, but this was replaced in 1887 with two 14-inch torpedoes. They were sold in 1902.-Design:The...
, and the corvette Wolverine. After Federation all colonial vessels became part of the Commonwealth Naval Forces.
Formation
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
in 1901, the Commonwealth Naval Forces was formed on 1 March 1901 by amalgamating the six separate colonial navies. The Commonwealth government, however, paid for the Royal Navy to continue providing blue water defence.
A growing number of people, among them Captain William Rooke Creswell
William Rooke Creswell
Vice Admiral Sir William Rooke Creswell KCMG, KBE was an Australian naval officer, commonly considered to be the 'father' of the Royal Australian Navy.-Early life:...
, the director of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, demanded an autonomous Australian navy, financed and controlled by Australia. In 1909 Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin , Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later the second Prime Minister of Australia. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Deakin was a major contributor to the establishment of liberal reforms in the colony of Victoria, including the...
and Creswell, while attending the Imperial Conference in London, sought the British Government's agreement to end the subsidy system and develop an Australian navy. The Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
rejected and resented the challenge, but suggested diplomatically that a small fleet of destroyers and submarines would be sufficient. Deakin was not impressed with the Admiralty, and in 1908 invited the United States Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
to visit Australia. The visit prompted public enthusiasm for a modern navy and led to the order of two 700-ton River class destroyers
River class torpedo boat destroyer
The River class was a class of six torpedo-boat destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy. Three were ordered for the Commonwealth Naval Forces in 1909; two were built in the United Kingdom, while a third was partially built, disassembled, then transported to Australia for reassembly...
, a purchase that angered the British. The surge in German naval construction in 1909 led the Admiralty to change their position on an Australian navy. For his work, Creswell's name lives on as the name of the naval base, , the site of the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay is a large bay bounded by the state of New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, and a detached enclave of the Australian Capital Territory. HMAS Creswell is located between Jervis Bay Village and Greenpatch in the Jervis Bay Territory.-History:...
.
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
in Scotland on Wednesday 9 February 1910. Sister ship was launched at Dumbarton in Scotland on Saturday 9 April 1910. Both ships were commissioned into the Royal Navy on 19 September 1910 and sailed for Australia, arriving at Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
on 10 December 1910. The event was marred by the death of Engineer Lieutenant W. Robertson, RN, who suffered a heart attack 8 miles (13 km) outside Port Phillip Heads whilst onboard HMAS Yarra, and drowned.
On 10 July 1911, King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
fixed his signature to the approval for the Commonwealth Naval Forces to be renamed the Royal Australian Navy, and for RAN ships to carry the prefix "His Majesty's Australian Ship" (HMAS). The manpower of the fleet stood at four hundred officers and men and, for the next two years, ships were built for the fledgling navy. On Saturday 4 October 1913 the first Fleet Review
Fleet Review, Royal Navy
A fleet review is a traditional gathering of ships from a particular navy to be observed by the reigning monarch or his or her viceroy, a practice allegedly dating back to the 15th century. Such an event is not held at regular intervals and originally only occurred when the fleet was mobilised for...
of the RAN took place, when the battlecruiser , the cruisers and , the protected cruiser , and the torpedo-boat destroyers Parramatta, Yarra and , entered Sydney Harbour. On the same day, responsibility for the protection of Australia and surrounding waters
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
was transferred from the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy to the RAN.
During the Imperial Conference of 1911, it was decided that if there was war the ships of the RAN would be transferred to British Admiralty control. Under the Naval Defence Act (1912) the power to make the transfer was conferred in the Governor General. The RAN would become the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
with all ships and personnel under the direct control of the Admiralty, while the RAN remained responsible for the upkeep of the ships and training.
World War I
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
loomed, the Australian Government sent the following message to the Admiralty.
The United Kingdom declared war on Germany the next day, and on 8 August, the Australian Government received a reply, requesting that the transfer be made immediately, if not already done. Two days later, On 10 August, the Governor General officially transferred control of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) to the Admiralty, which would retain control until 19 August 1919.
At the outbreak of war, the RAN stood at 3,800 personnel and consisted of sixteen ships, including the battlecruiser Australia, the light cruisers Sydney and Melbourne, the destroyers Parramatta, Yarra, and Warrego, and the submarines and . The light cruiser and three destroyers were under construction, and a small fleet of auxiliary ships was also being maintained. As a consequence the Royal Australian Navy at the start of the war was a small but formidable force.
Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I
The Asian and Pacific Theatre of World War I was a largely bloodless conquest of German colonial possession in the Pacific Ocean and China. The most significant military action was the careful and well-executed Siege of Tsingtao in what is now China, but smaller actions were also fought at Bita...
; assisting in the attack on German New Guinea
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific...
(AN&MEF). Germany had colonised the northeastern part of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and several nearby island groups in 1884, and the colony was currently used as a wireless radio base, Britain required the wireless installations to be destroyed because they were used by the German East Asia Squadron
German East Asia Squadron
The German East Asia Squadron was a German Navy cruiser squadron which operated mainly in the Pacific Ocean between the 1870s and 1914...
which threatened merchant shipping in the region. The objectives of the force were the German stations at Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
in the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
, Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, and Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
in New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
. On 30 August 1914, the AN&MEF left Sydney under the protection of Australia and Melbourne for Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, where the force met the Queensland contingent, aboard the transport HMAHS Kanowna
TSS Kanowna
TSS Kanowna, was an Australian steamer built during 1902. The 6,993-ton, long Kanowna was constructed by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton, Scotland, and had a twin screw design.-Operational history:...
. The force then sailed for German New Guinea on 7 September, leaving Kanowna behind when her stokers refused to work. Sydney and her escorting destroyers met the AN&MEF off the eastern tip of New Guinea. Melbourne was detached to destroy the wireless station on Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, while on 14 September, Encounter bombarded a ridge near Rabaul, while half a battalion advanced towards the town. The only major loss of the campaign was the disappearance of the submarine AE1 during a patrol off Rabaul on 14 September 1914.
On 9 November 1914, the German light cruiser SMS Emden attacked the Allied radio and telegraph station at Direction Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....
. The inhabitants of the island managed to transmit a distress signal, which was received by Sydney, only 50 miles (80.5 km) away. Sydney arrived within two hours, and was engaged by Emden. Sydney was the larger, faster and better armed of the two, and eventually overpowered Emden, with captain Karl von Müller
Karl von Müller
Karl Friedrich Max von Müller was Captain of the famous German commerce raider, the light cruiser SMS Emden during World War I.- Early life and career :The son of a cracking Colonel, he was born in Hanover...
running the ship aground on North Keeling Island at 11:15 am. At first, Emden refused to strike its colours and surrender; Sydney fired on the stationary Emden until it eventually struck its colours. The Battle of Cocos
Battle of Cocos
The Battle of Cocos took place on 9 November 1914 during the First World War off the Cocos Islands, in the north east Indian Ocean. The German light cruiser attacked the British cable station on Direction Island and was engaged several hours later by the Australian light cruiser...
was the first ship-against-ship engagement for the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
.
East African Campaign (World War I)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
. On 6 July, she engaged the German cruiser and German shore batteries, during the Battle of Rufiji Delta. Pioneer remained off East Africa and took part in many bombardments of German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
, including Dar-es-Salaam on 13 June 1916. Pioneer then returned to Australia, to be decommissioned in October 1916.
During the Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
the Australian submarine became the first Allied warship to breach the Turkish defences of the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
. AE2 spent five days in the area, was unsuccessfully attacked several times, but was unable to find any large enemy troop transports. On 29 April 1915, she was damaged in an attack by the Turkish torpedo-boat Sultan Hisar in Artaki Bay and was scuttled by her crew. The wreck of AE2 remained undiscovered until 2 July 1998, 83 years after she was scuttled.
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy also assisted the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in the blockade of the German High Seas Fleet. In February 1915, HMAS Australia joined the British Grand Fleet, and was made flagship of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron. Australia was not involved in the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
; in April, the battlecruiser was damaged in a collision with sister ship , and she did not return to service until June. Three RAN ships were present during the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet; Australia, Sydney, and Melbourne, with Australia leading the port division of the Grand Fleet as it sailed out to meet the Germans.
Expansion during the war had been limited, with the RAN growing to include thirty-seven ships and more than 5,000 personnel by 1918. The RAN's losses had also been modest, only losing the two submarines AE1 and AE2, whilst casualties included 171 fatalities – 108 Australians and 63 officers and men on loan from the Royal Navy, with less than a third the result of enemy action.
The 1918–19 influenza pandemic
Between April 1918 and May 1919, the Spanish FluSpanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
killed approximately 25 million people worldwide, far more than had been killed in four years of war. A rigorous quarantine policy was implemented in Australia; although this reduced the immediate impact of the flu, the nation's death toll surpassed 11,500.
When the pandemic struck in 1918, the ships of the Royal Australian Navy were dispersed throughout the world. The speed at which the flu spread, coupled with the cramped mess decks and poorly ventilated living spaces on early 20th century warships, created a favorable environment for the disease. The pandemic swept through the British Grand Fleet
British Grand Fleet
The Grand Fleet was the main fleet of the British Royal Navy during the First World War.-History:It was formed in 1914 by the British Atlantic Fleet combined with the Home Fleet and it included 35-40 state-of-the-art capital ships. It was initially commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe...
in 1918; the Australian cruisers assigned to the fleet suffered high casualties, with up to 157 casualties in one ship alone. Outbreaks in the Mediterranean fleets were more severe than those in the Atlantic. recorded 183 casualties between November and December 1918, of those casualties 2 men died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. The RAN lost a total of 26 men to the disease; further loss prevented primarily by the ready availability of professional medical treatment.
South Pacific aid mission
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
on the cargo vessel SS Talune
SS Talune
Three vessels have been named Talune. This article refers to the first SS Talune, built in 1890 and scuttled in 1925.A second SS Talune was built in 1930 for the Union Steamship company of New Zealand, and sold in 1959 to Transporte de Minerales, Panama, who renamed it the ‘Amos’...
, which sailed from Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
on 30 October 1918 whilst knowingly carrying sick passengers. Talune stopped in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
: the first outbreaks in these locations occurred within days of the ships visits. The local authorities were generally unprepared for the size of the outbreak, allowing the infection to spread uncontrollably. The German territory of Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
was the worst affected of the small islands, the New Zealand administration carried out no efforts to lessen the outbreak and rejected offers of assistance from nearby American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
. The New Zealand government officially apologised to Samoa in 2002 for their reaction to the outbreak. On 29 November 1918 the military governor of Apia requested assistance from Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
; the request was turned down because all doctors were needed in New Zealand. Australia offered the only alternate source of aid.
The Commonwealth Naval Board was aware of the worsening situation in the region; the sloop reported its first case on 11 November 1918 while stationed in Fiji, with half her complement eventually affected. On 20 November 1918, the Naval Board began forming a joint relief expedition from available military medical personnel. The commanding officer of was then ordered to embark the expedition in Sydney and sail as soon as possible. Encounter departed Sydney on 24 November 1918, ten minutes after completing loading. As a precaution, all 450 members of Encounters crew were doubly inoculated; the ship had suffered 74 cases earlier in the year at Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
and the captain did not want a repeat. Encounter arrived in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
on 30 November and took on half of the available coal and 39 tonnes of water. Spanish flu was rampant in Suva; Captain Thring implemented a strict quarantine, placed guards on the wharf, and ordered that coaling be carried out by the crew instead of native labour. Encounter departed Suva in the evening of the same day and arrived off Apia on 3 December. Within six hours, the medical landing party assigned to Apia and their stores were ashore. Encounter then departed for the Tongan capital of Nukualofa
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
, arriving on 5 December. The last of the medical staff and supplies were unloaded, and Encounter sailed for Suva on 7 December to re-coal. On arriving in Suva, Encounter received orders to return to Sydney, where reached on 17 December and was immediately placed into quarantine. The South Pacific aid mission is regarded as Australia's first overseas relief expedition, and set a precedent for future relief missions conducted by the RAN.
Between the Wars
Following the end of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Australian Government believed that an immediate evaluation of the RAN was necessary. Australia had based its naval policy on the Henderson Recommendations of 1911, developed by Sir Reginald Henderson. The government sent an invitation to Admiral John Jellicoe
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British Royal Navy admiral who commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in World War I...
, he arrived in Australia in May 1919. Jellicoe remained in Australia for three months, before returning to England via New Zealand and Canada. Jellicoe submitted his findings in August 1919, titled the Report on the Naval Mission to the Commonwealth. The report outlined several policies designed to strengthen British naval strength in the Pacific Ocean. The report heavily stressed a close relationship between the RAN and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. This would be achieved by strict adherence to the procedures and administration methods of the Royal Navy. The report also suggested constant officer exchange between the two forces. Jellicoe also called for the creation of a large Far East Imperial Fleet, which would be based in Singapore and include capital ships and aircraft carriers. The creation cost for this fleet was to be divided between Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Australia and New Zealand: contributing 75%, 20%, and 5% respectively. The suggested makeup of the RAN would include; one aircraft carrier, two battlecruisers, eight light cruisers, one flotilla leader, twelve destroyers, a destroyer depot ship, eight submarines, one submarine depot ship, and a small number of additional auxiliary ships. The annual cost and depreciation of the fleet was estimated to be £4,024,600. Except for implementing closer tier with the Royal Navy, none of Jellicoe's major recommendations were carried out.
With the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Australian Government began to worry about the threat Japan posed to Australia. Japan had extended its empire 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi) to the south, bringing it right to Australia's doorstep. Japan had continued to build up its naval force, and had reached the point where it outgunned the Royal Navy in the Pacific. The RAN and the government believed that the possibility of a Japanese invasion was highly likely. In his report, Admiral Jellicoe believed that the threat of a Japanese invasion of Australia would remain as long as the White Australia Policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
remained in place. Due to the perceived threat, and bilateral support in Australia for the White Australia Policy, the Australian Government became a vocal supporter of the continuance of the 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
The first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
. Australia was joined in its support for the alliance by New Zealand but was heavily opposed by Canada, which believed that the alliance had hindered the British Empire's relationship with China and the United States. No decision on the alliance was agreed on, and the discussion was shelved pending the outcome of the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
. The results of the treaty, which allowed the British to retain naval supremacy in the Pacific Ocean, created a sense of security in Australia. Many Australian saw the Four Powers Pact as replacing the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This sense of security became known as the Ten Year Rule. This led to defence retrenchments in Australia, following the international trend, and a £500,000 reduction in expenditure. The Governor General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Henry Forster
Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster
Henry William Forster, 1st Baron Forster, GCMG, PC, DL , was a British Conservative Party politician who became the seventh Governor-General of Australia-Background and education:...
when opening parliament
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
on 22 June 1922 was quoted as saying:
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Royal Australian Navy underwent a severe reduction in ships and manpower. As a result of the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
, the flagship HMAS Australia was scrapped with her main armaments and sunk outside Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads
Sydney Heads , is the entrance to Port Jackson in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.North Head and Quarantine Head are to the north, South Head and Dunbar Head are to the south. Middle Head, Georges Head and Chowder Head are to the west and within the bay...
in 1924. In the same year, the RAN began a five year program of obtaining new ships from Britain: the heavy cruisers and and the seaplane carrier . This purchase was partly paid for by scrapping Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and most of the destroyers. The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of 1929 led to another reduction of manpower; although reduced in size, the available posts were easily filled as many men were unemployed and the offered pay was greater than most jobs. The RAN's personnel strength fell to 3,117 personnel, plus 131 members of the Naval Auxiliary Services. By 1932, the strength of the Reserves stood at 5,446. In the early 1930s, lack of funds forced the transfer of the Royal Australian Naval College from Jervis Bay to Flinders Naval Depot in Victoria. In 1933 the Australian Government ordered three light cruisers; HMA Ships , , and ; selling the seaplane carrier Albatross to fund Hobart. During this time, the RAN also purchased destroyers of the V and W destroyer classes
V and W class destroyer
The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
, the ships that would became known as the Scrap Iron Flotilla
Scrap Iron Flotilla
The Scrap Iron Flotilla was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name scrap iron flotilla was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels....
. With the ever increasing threat of Germany and Japan in the late 1930s, the RAN was not in the position it was at the outbreak of World War I.
World War II
Australia declared war on Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
one hour after the United Kingdom's declaration of war on 3 September 1939. At the onset of war the Royal Australian Navy was relatively modest, even if it was arguably the most combat-ready of the three services. Major units included:
- two heavy cruisers; and , both carried 8 inches (203 mm) guns and had entered service in the 1920s
- three modern light cruisers; , , and , which mounted 6 inches (152 mm) guns
- the older cruiser
- four sloops, , , , and ; although only Swan and Yarra were in commission
- five obsolete V class destroyersV and W class destroyerThe V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
- a variety of support and ancillary craft
Following the call up of reserves in 1939 the permanent forces grew from 5,440 to 10,259.
During the war the men and vessels of the RAN served in every theatre of operations, from the tropical Pacific to the frigid Russian convoys and grew exponentially. The following table illustrates the growth of the RAN between the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 and 30 June 1945:
| Ship type | Sept. 1939 |
June 1945 |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy cruisers | 2 | 2 |
| Light cruisers | 4 | 2 |
| Destroyers | 5 | 11 |
| Frigates | 0 | 6 |
| Sloops | 2 | 2 |
| Corvettes | 0 | 53 |
| Landing ship infantry | 0 | 3 |
| Anti-submarine auxiliaries | 0 | 3 |
| Auxiliary Minesweepers | 0 | 6 |
| Minelayers | 0 | 1 |
| Fleet Oilers | 0 | 1 |
| Store ships | 0 | 12 |
| Repair ships | 0 | 3 |
| Boom defence vessels HMAS Kangaroo HMAS Kangaroo was a Bar-class boom defence vessel of the Royal Australian Navy . Although originally ordered as a boom vessel, Kangaroo was as one point to be built as the prototype for what became the Bathurst class corvettes, but reverted back to the boom defence design before construction started... |
0 | 4 |
| Boom gate vessels | 0 | 6 |
| Tugs | 0(?) | 6 |
| Cable repair ships | 0 | 2 |
| Survey ships | 0(?) | 9 |
| Motor Launches | 0 | 33 |
| Harbour defence launches Harbour Defence Motor Launch The Harbour Defence Motor Launch was a British small motor vessel of the Second World War.The HDML was designed by W J Holt at the Admiralty in early 1939. During the war, 486 HDMLs were constructed, mainly by yacht builders, in the United Kingdom and a number of other allied countries... |
0 | 28 |
| Air sea rescue vessels British Power Boat Company Type Two 63 ft HSL The 63 foot long Type 2 High Speed Launch, known as the Whaleback from the distinctive curve to its deck, was a high speed launch class ship used in air-sea rescue to save Allied aircrew from the sea after they were shot down during the Second World War.... |
0 | 20 |
| Naval auxiliary patrol vessels | 0 | 75 |
| Services reconnaissance | 0 | 8 |
| Miscellaneous vessels | 0(?) | 41 |
| Total | 13(?) | 337 |
Operations against Italy, Vichy France and Germany
From mid-1940, ships of the RAN, at the request of the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, began to deploy to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
to take part in the Battle of the Mediterranean
Battle of the Mediterranean
The Battle of the Mediterranean was the name given to the naval campaign fought in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II, from 10 June 1940-2 May 1945....
against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Fascist Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
. In September 1939, the Admiralty and the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board agreed to deploy the RAN Destroyer Flotilla outside the Australia Station
Australia Station
The Australia Station was the British—and later Australian—naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent.-History:In the early years following the establishment of the colony of New South Wales, ships based in Australian waters came under the control of the East Indies...
; the five ships of what was to become known as the Scrap Iron Flotilla
Scrap Iron Flotilla
The Scrap Iron Flotilla was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name scrap iron flotilla was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels....
arrived at Malta in mid-December. HMAS Sydney deployed in May 1940 and was later joined by Hobart. When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940, the Australian warships made up five of the twenty-two Allied destroyers and one of the five modern light cruisers on station in the Mediterranean. The RAN then offered the services of Australia to the Admiralty, and was accepted. When Australia arrived in the Mediterranean, the RAN had sent nearly the entire combat fleet to the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, leaving Australian open to possible attack.
The entry of Italy into the war also lead to a far more active role for the few remaining RAN vessels on the Australian Station. Indeed on 12 June 1940, after a prolonged chase, the Armed Merchant Cruiser (AMC) forced the Italian merchant ship Romolo (9,780 tons) to scuttle south-west of Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
.
On 27 June 1940, Admiral Cunningham
Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
commander of the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet (Royal Navy)
The British Mediterranean Fleet was part of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between the United Kingdom and the majority of the British Empire in the Eastern Hemisphere...
ordered the 7th Cruiser Squadron, which included HMAS Sydney, to rendezvous with an Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
-bound convoy near Cape Matapan
Cape Matapan
Cape Tainaron , also known as Cape Matapan , is situated at the end of the Mani, Laconia, Greece. Cape Matapan is the southernmost point of mainland Greece. It separates the Messenian Gulf in the west from the Laconian Gulf in the east.-History:...
. The cruiser squadron sighted three Italian destroyers at 18.00 on 28 June 1940 and immediately engaged them
Battle of the Espero Convoy
The Battle of the Espero Convoy was the first Second World War surface engagement between Italian and Allied warships. It took place southwest of Crete on 28 June 1940, after a force of seven cruisers and 16 destroyers, preparing to escort three Allied convoys to Alexandria, were informed of the...
. Within an hour, the Italian destroyer Espero was incapacitated and Sydney was signaled to sink her. As Sydney approached, Espero launched torpedoes, but failed to hit any targets. Sydney fired four salvos, scoring ten direct hits on Espero. Sydney remained at the scene for two hours picking up survivors.
Also on 27 June 1940, the Italian submarine Console Generale Liuzzi
Italian submarine Console Generale Liuzzi
Console Generale Liuzzi was an Italian Liuzzi-class ocean-going submarine of the Regia Marina, launched in 1939 and sunk in 1940 by Royal Navy destroyers.-Construction:Liuzzi was built at the Tosi Shipyard in Taranto...
was scuttled south of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
after being depth-charged by and the British destroyers , , , and . On 29 June 1940, another Italian submarine, the Uebi Scebeli, was sunk west of Crete by the same ships.
On 7 July 1940, a 25-ship fleet departed Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, intending to meet a convoy east of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The next day, a submarine sighted an Italian fleet 500 miles (804.7 km) away; the Allied fleet altered course to intercept. The two fleets sighted each other at 15.00 on 9 July 1940, and a battle that became known as the Battle of Calabria
Battle of Calabria
The Battle of Calabria, was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in World War II. It was fought between the Italian Royal Navy and the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The battle occurred 30 miles to the east of Punta Stilo, the "toe" of Italy , on 9 July 1940...
began. Four vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships Sydney, , , and Voyager. Sydney was the first RAN vessel to engage the enemy, and at 15.20 opened fire on an Italian cruiser. When the Italian fleet began to withdraw, the Allied destroyer squadron was ordered forward. Stuart, leading the destroyer force, was the first to open fire; her opening salvo was a direct hit at a range of 12600 yards (11,521.4 m). Both fleets retired, with the Italians withdrawing under smoke, but Italian aircraft continued to attack Allied ships. Sydney, which came under heavy air attack, was believed to have sunk. The fleet arrived back in Alexandria on 13 July.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
destroyer squadron on a sweep north of the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. At 07.20 on 19 July, the Italian cruisers Giovanni dalle Bande Nere
Italian cruiser Giovanni dalle Bande Nere
Giovanni delle Bande Nere was an Italian light cruiser of the first group of the Condottieri class, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. She was named after the eponymous 16th century condottiero and member of the Medici family...
and Bartolomeo Colleoni
Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni
Bartolomeo Colleoni was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. It was named after Bartolomeo Colleoni, an Italian military leader of the 15th century....
, which opened fire seven minutes later. The four British destroyers retreated to the north-east, while Sydney and Havock, 40 miles (64.4 km) away, began to close in. Sydney sighted the cruisers at 08.29, and fired the first shots of the Battle of Cape Spada
Battle of Cape Spada
The Battle of Cape Spada was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in Second World War. It took place on 19 July 1940 in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Spada, the north-western extremity of Crete.-Prelude:...
at a range of 17360 metres (56,955.4 ft). Within minutes, Sydney had successfully damaged Bande Nere, and when the Italians withdrew to the south, the six Allied ships pursued. At 0848, with Bande Nere hiding behind a smoke screen, Sydney shifted her fire to Bartolomeo Colleoni, which was disabled by 0933. The Australian cruiser left to pursue Bande Nere, but broke off at 10.27 as the Italian warship was out of range, and Sydney was dangerously low on ammunition. The only damage to Sydney during the battle was caused by a shell at 09.21, which knocked a hole in the forward funnel, and wounded a sailor through splinter damage.
On 30 September 1940, HMAS Stuart destroyed the Italian 600-Serie Adua class submarine
600-Serie Adua class submarine
The Italian Adua-class submarine was the fourth subclass of the 600 Series of coastal submarines of the Regia Marina that served during World War II....
Gondar, killing two of its crew. Twenty-eight survivors was subsequently rescued by Stuart, with a further nineteen picked up by other vessels.
On 27 March 1941, an Allied fleet under Admiral Cunningham
Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
was ambushed by an Italian naval force off Cape Matapan
Cape Matapan
Cape Tainaron , also known as Cape Matapan , is situated at the end of the Mani, Laconia, Greece. Cape Matapan is the southernmost point of mainland Greece. It separates the Messenian Gulf in the west from the Laconian Gulf in the east.-History:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Three vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships Perth, Stuart, and Vampire. The victory at Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
allowed the evacuation of thousands of Allied troops from Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
was torpedoed and sunk on 27 November 1941 by U-559
Unterseeboot 559
German submarine U-559 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.Built in 1941 at the Blohm & Voss shipyards in Hamburg, she was most famous for an incident during her sinking in the Mediterranean Sea in 1942, in which British sailors seized...
whilst escorting transports resupplying the Allied garrison at Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
. There were 24 survivors, but 138 men, including all officers, lost their lives.
The Australians experienced further success on 15 December 1941 when attacked and sank the German submarine U-127
German Type Mittel U submarine
Mittel U was a class of U-boats built during World War I by the Kaiserliche Marine.Mittel U U-boats carried 16 torpedoes and had various arrangements of deck guns. Some had only one 88mm gun while others had a single 105mm gun - but most had both originally...
off Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent , next to the Sagres Point, on the so-called Costa Vicentina , is a headland in the municipality of Sagres, in the Algarve, southern Portugal.- Description :This cape is the southwesternmost point in Portugal...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
West Africa
On 6 September 1940, HMAS Australia was ordered to sail to FreetownFreetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to join Operation Menace
Battle of Dakar
The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa , which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there.-Background:At...
, the invasion of Vichy French
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
-controlled Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
in French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
. On 19 September, Australia and the cruiser sighted three Vichy cruisers heading south and shadowed them. When the French cruiser Gloire
French cruiser Gloire
The Gloire was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class.After completing trials, Gloire arrived in Brest on 18 November 1937, then left for French Indochina on 1 December, returning to Brest on 16 April 1938. Gloire joined the 4th Cruiser Division in January 1939, with which she visited...
developed engine trouble, Australia escorted her towards Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and returned to the fleet two days later. On 23 September Australia came under heavy fire from shore batteries, then drove two Vichy destroyers back into port. Australia then engaged and sunk the destroyer L'Audacieux with eight salvos in sixteen minutes. Over the next two days French and Allied forces exchanged fire; Australia was struck twice and lost her Walrus
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
amphibian. Australia and the rest of the fleet retired on 25 September the battle became known as the Battle of Dakar
Battle of Dakar
The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa , which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there.-Background:At...
.
The "Scrap-Iron Flotilla"
The Scrap Iron FlotillaScrap Iron Flotilla
The Scrap Iron Flotilla was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name scrap iron flotilla was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels....
was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
who described the fleet as a "consignment of junk" and "Australia’s Scrap-Iron Flotilla". The flotilla consisted of five vessels; Scott class destroyer , which acted as flotilla leader, and four V class destroyers
V and W class destroyer
The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
; , , , . The ships were all built to fight in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and were slow and poorly armed compared to newer ships. The five destroyers—the entirety of the RAN's destroyer force—departed Australia in November 1939 destined for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
where they carried out anti-submarine exercises with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarine . On 13 November 1939, the flotilla left Singapore for the Mediterranean Sea, following a request from the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
for assistance. For a time the five Australian destroyers made up the entire Mediterranean Fleet destroyer force.
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
. The resupply routes from Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and Mersa Matruh
Marsa Matruh
Marsa Matrouh is a Mediterranean seaport and the capital of the Matrouh Governorate in Egypt. It is west of Alexandria and 222 km from Sallum, on the main highway from the Nile Delta to the Libyan border. Another highway leads south from the town, toward the Western Desert and the oases of...
to Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
became known as "Bomb Alley" and was subject to constant Axis air attacks. The flotilla, which by this time was in poor condition, managed to make 138 supply runs to Tobruk, carrying in ammunition and stores and taking out wounded soldiers. On 28 May 1941 Vampire became the first of the flotilla to leave the Mediterranean. Vendetta, the last to leave, sailed in October 1941.
Of the five destroyers, three were lost during the war; Waterhen was sunk in the Mediterranean on 30 June 1941, Vampire was sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Indian Ocean Raid
Indian Ocean raid
The Indian Ocean raid was a naval sortie by the Fast Carrier Strike Force of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 31 March-10 April 1942 against Allied shipping and bases in the Indian Ocean. It was an early engagement of the Pacific campaign of World War II...
and Voyager ran aground at Betano, during the Timor campaign
Battle of Timor (1942-43)
The Battle of Timor occurred in Portuguese Timor and Dutch Timor during the Second World War. Japanese forces invaded the island on 20 February 1942 and were resisted by a small, under-equipped force of Allied military personnel—known as Sparrow Force—predominantly from Australia and the...
and was abandoned.
Red Sea
As well as serving in the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, ships of the RAN also served in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. In August 1940, Italian
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
forces invaded British Somaliland
Italian conquest of British Somaliland
The Italian conquest of British Somaliland was a military campaign in the Horn of Africa, which took place in August 1940 between forces of Italy and those of Great Britain and its Commonwealth...
. After a fighting withdrawal, the small British garrison was evacuated from Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
, with assisting in the destruction of the port and its facilities. To aid in the delaying action, Hobart sent a 3-pounder gun ashore, operated by volunteers from the crew. The seamen were captured by the Italians, but were later liberated. Two RAN sloops joined the Red Sea force in 1940: Parramatta on 30 July and Yarra in September. In October, Yarra engaged and drove off two Italian destroyers attempting to raid a convoy. Although vessels of the RAN served in the Red Sea throughout the war, after 1941 the larger RAN ships were deployed to Australian waters in response to the threat from Japan.
Loss of HMAS Sydney
German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
The German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran was a Kriegsmarine merchant raider of World War II. Originally the merchant vessel Steiermark, the ship was acquired by the Kriegsmarine following the outbreak of war for conversion into a raider...
engaged each other in the Indian Ocean, off Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The two ships sank each other: Sydney was lost with all 645 hands, while the majority of the Kormoran’s crew were rescued and became prisoners of war. The location of both wreaks remained a mystery to many and subject to much controversy until 16–17 March 2008, when both ships were found
Search for HMAS Sydney and German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran
A search for the wrecks of the Australian warship HMAS Sydney and the German merchant raider Kormoran, that sank each other during World War II, ended successfully in March 2008. On 19 November 1941, the two ships fought a battle in the Indian Ocean, off Western Australia...
.
North Africa
RAN units continued to serve in the Mediterranean campaign, with , taking part in Operation TorchOperation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, the invasion of North Africa. On 28 November 1942 Quiberon assisted in sinking the Italian submarine Dessiè and three days later also took part in the destruction of a four-ship convoy and a destroyer.
Sicily 1943
During early 1943, eight Australian-designed and built Bathurst class corvettesBathurst class corvette
The Bathurst class corvettes were a class of general purpose vessels produced in Australia during World War II. Originally classified as minesweepers, but widely referred to as corvettes, the Bathurst class vessels fulfilled a broad anti-submarine, anti-mine, and convoy escort role.Sixty Bathurst...
were transferred to Egypt from the Indian Ocean, in preparation for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
. They were part of a 3,000-ship Allied force. The corvettes arrived in the Mediterranean in May and were formed into the 21st and 22nd Minesweeping Flotillas. All eight ships survived the campaign without damage or casualties sustained in action, although experienced a near-miss from a German bomber. When the captain of enquired what damage had been sustained, the response from Maryborough read: "no damage except to my underpants".
War with Japan
After the Imperial Japanese NavyImperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
's attacks on the Allies in December 1941, the RAN redeployed its larger ships to home waters, to protect the Australian mainland from Japanese attack, while several smaller ships remained in the Mediterranean. From 1940 onwards, there was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters
Axis naval activity in Australian waters
Although Australia was remote from the main battlefronts, there was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters during the Second World War. A total of 54 German and Japanese warships and submarines entered Australian waters between 1940 and 1945 and attacked ships, ports and other targets...
first from German commerce raiders and submarines and later by the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
.
Initially, RAN ships served as part of the British-Australian component of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, or ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War in World War II...
(ABDACOM) naval forces or in the ANZAC Force
ANZAC Force
The ANZAC Force, also called the ANZAC Command, was a short-lived naval military command for Allied forces defending northeast Australia and the surrounding area in early 1942 during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The command was created on 27 January 1942. United States Navy Vice Admiral...
. ABDACOM was wound up following the fall of the Netherlands East Indies and was succeeded by the South West Pacific Area (command) (SWPA). The United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
was formed at Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 15 March 1943, for service in the SWPA. RAN ships in the Pacific generally served at part of Seventh Fleet taskforces.
Timor
From February 1942, the RAN played a critical role in resupplying Australian and Dutch commandos on TimorBattle of Timor (1942-43)
The Battle of Timor occurred in Portuguese Timor and Dutch Timor during the Second World War. Japanese forces invaded the island on 20 February 1942 and were resisted by a small, under-equipped force of Allied military personnel—known as Sparrow Force—predominantly from Australia and the...
. Voyager was not the only loss during the campaign. On 1 December 1942, was attacked by thirteen Japanese aircraft while attempting to land Dutch soldiers
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies . The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force...
off Betano, Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
. Armidale sank with the loss of 40 of her crew and 60 Dutch personnel. During the engagement, Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean
Teddy Sheean
Edward "Teddy" Sheean was a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War. Born in Tasmania, Sheean was employed as a farm labourer when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in April 1941...
operated an Oerlikon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
anti-aircraft gun and was wounded by strafing Japanese planes, he went down with the ship, still strapped into the gun and still shooting at the attacking aircraft.
Java Sea
Java Sea
The Java Sea is a large shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. The Java Sea lies between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south; Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east...
. The Leander class cruiser
Leander class cruiser (1931)
The Leander class was a class of eight light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s that saw service in World War II. They were named after mythological figures, and all ships were commissioned between 1933 and 1936...
, and the American heavy cruiser fought in and survived the Battle of the Java Sea
Battle of the Java Sea
The Battle of the Java Sea was a decisive naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, that sealed the fate of the Netherlands East Indies....
.
On 1 March 1942, the Perth and Houston attempted to move through the Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap however they found their path blocked by the main Japanese invasion fleet from western Java. The Allied ships were engaged by at least three cruisers and several destroyers and in a ferocious night action, known as the Battle of Sunda Strait
Battle of Sunda Strait
The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War II. On the night of 28 February – 1 March 1942, the Australian light cruiser and the American heavy cruiser faced a major Imperial Japanese Navy task force. After a fierce battle of several hours duration, both Allied...
, both Perth and Houston were torpedoed and sunk. Casualties aboard Perth included 350 crew and 3 civilians killed, while 324 survived the sinking and were taken prisoner by the Japanese (106 of whom later died in captivity). The loss of Perth so soon after the sinking of her sister Sydney, had a major psychological effect on the Australian people. Japanese losses included a minesweeper and a troop transport sunk by friendly fire, whilst three other transports were damaged and had to be beached.
Coral Sea
On 2 May 1942, two ships of the RAN were part of the Allied force in the Battle of the Coral SeaBattle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
; HMA Ships and as part of Task Force 44
Task Force 44
Task Force 44 was an Allied naval task force during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The task force consisted of warships from the Royal Australian Navy and United States Navy and was generally assigned as a striking force to defend northeast Australia and the surrounding area from any...
. Both ships came under intense air attack, while part of a force guarding the approaches to Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
.
The defence of Australian shipping
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
submarines made a series of attacks on Sydney and the nearby port of Newcastle
Attack on Sydney Harbour
In late May and early June 1942, during World War II, submarines belonging to the Imperial Japanese Navy made a series of attacks on the cities of Sydney and Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia...
. On the night of 31 May-1 June, the submarines launched three Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine
Ko-hyoteki class submarine
The class was a class of Japanese midget submarines used during World War II. They had hull numbers but no names. For simplicity, they are most often referred to by the hull number of the mother submarine...
s against Allied shipping in Sydney Harbour. A torpedo intended for the cruiser USS Chicago
USS Chicago (CA-29)
USS Chicago was a Northampton-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy that served in the Pacific Theater in the early years of World War II. She was the second US Navy ship to be named after the city of Chicago, Illinois...
exploded under the depot ship , killing 21. On 8 June, two of the submarines shelled Sydney and Newcastle, with little effect. In response to these attacks, the RAN instituted convoys between Brisbane and Adelaide. All ships of over 1,200 tons and with speeds of less than 12 knots (24 km/h) were required to sail in convoy when travelling between cities on the east coast.
The attack on Sydney and Newcastle marked the start of a sustained Japanese submarine campaign against Australia
Axis naval activity in Australian waters
Although Australia was remote from the main battlefronts, there was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters during the Second World War. A total of 54 German and Japanese warships and submarines entered Australian waters between 1940 and 1945 and attacked ships, ports and other targets...
. During 1942, Japanese submarines sank 17 ships in Australian waters, although none of these ships were sailing as part of a convoy. 16 ships were sunk in Australian waters during 1943, before the Japanese ended the campaign in July. Five of these ships were sunk while sailing in escorted convoys. The Australian naval authorities gradually dismantled the coastal convoy system between December 1943 and March 1944. By the end of the war, the RAAF and RAN had escorted over 1,100 convoys along the Australian coastline.
While the scale of the Japanese naval offensive directed against Australia was small compared to other naval campaigns of the war such as the Second Battle of the Atlantic
Second Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, running from 1939 to the defeat of Germany in 1945. At its core was the Allied naval blockade of Germany, announced the day after the declaration of war, and Germany's subsequent counter-blockade. It was at its...
, these attacks were "the most comprehensive and widespread series of offensive operations ever conducted by an enemy against Australia". Although the RAN only sank a single full-sized Japanese submarine in Australian waters (I-124 in January 1942) convoy escorts may have successfully reduced the threat to shipping in Australian waters by making it harder for Japanese submarines to carry out attacks.
Whilst escorting convoys between Australia and New Guinea, attacked and sank the Japanese Kaichu type
Kaichu type submarine
The submarines were double-hulled medium sized submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. They were derived from the .Several variants existed. From 1934 to 1944, the K6 type and the K7 type were built...
submarine RO-33
Japanese submarine Ro-33
Ro-33 was a Ro-33-class submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Commissioned on October 7, 1935 the submarine saw action for Imperial Japanese forces during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The submarine was sunk near Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea with all hands by the Royal Australian...
off Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
on 24 August 1942, killing all 42 men aboard.
Loss of HMAS Canberra
Battle of Savo Island
The Battle of Savo Island, also known as the First Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces...
in August 1942 was the largest single ship loss the RAN experienced during World War II. In the early hours of the morning of 9 August 1942, Canberra was severely damaged off Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
in a surprise attack by a powerful Japanese naval force. Canberra was hit by 24 shells in less than two minutes, with 84 of her crew killed, including Captain Frank Getting. Following an order to abandon ship, Canberra was sunk the next day by a torpedo from a US destroyer, to prevent it being captured.
The loss of Canberra, following the losses of Sydney and Perth, attracted unprecedented international attention and sympathy for the RAN. US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
wished to commemorate the loss of Canberra and requested that a US heavy cruiser under construction be named Canberra. was launched on 19 April 1943. The British Government approved the transfer of to the RAN as a replacement, and the ship was commissioned as HMAS Shropshire on 20 April 1943.
Leyte Gulf & Lingayen Gulf
Between 23–25 October 1944 four RAN warships – HMA Ships Australia, Shropshire, , and – took part in the Battle of Leyte GulfBattle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, one of the largest naval battles in history
Largest naval battle in history
The title of "largest naval battle in history" is disputed between adherents of criteria which include the numbers of personnel and/or vessels involved in the battle, and the total tonnage of the vessels involved...
. In the lead-up, on 21 October, Australia became the first Allied ship to be hit by a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
aircraft near Leyte Island. Gunners from Australia and Shropshire fired at, and reportedly hit, an unidentified Japanese aircraft. The plane then flew away from the ships, before turning and flying into Australia, striking the ship's superstructure above the bridge, and spewing burning fuel and debris over a large area, before falling into the sea. A 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) bomb carried by the plane failed to explode; if it had, the ship might have been effectively destroyed. At least 30 crew members died as a result of the attack, including the commanding officer, Captain Emile Dechaineux
Emile Dechaineux
Emile Frank Verlaine Dechaineux, DSC was an Australian mariner who achieved the rank of Captain in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. He was killed by a Japanese aircraft in what is believed to be the first ever kamikaze attack, in the lead-up to the Battle of Leyte...
; among the wounded was Commodore John Collins, the Australian force commander. Australia remained on duty, but on 25 October, was hit again and was forced to retire to the New Hebrides
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
for repairs.
Shropshire and Arunta remained at Leyte and were part of the United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
Support Force at the Battle of Surigao Strait on 25 October. During this action both ships contributed to the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamashiro
Japanese battleship Yamashiro
Yamashiro was the Imperial Japanese Navy's second Fusō-class battleship, and was laid down at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on November 20, 1913, launched on November 3, 1915, and commissioned on March 31, 1917. She was the first Japanese vessel equipped with aircraft catapults...
, with Shropshire firing thirty-two eight-gun broadsides into the battleship with her 8-inch guns in a period of 14 minutes.
HMAS Australia returned to combat at the Battle of Lingayen Gulf
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Liberation of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 9 January 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S...
in January 1945. During the battle Australia was repeatedly attacked between 5–9 January, suffering significant damage which forced it to retire once more. Australia is believed not only to have experienced the first kamikaze attack but the greatest number of attacks.
Ships with British fleets 1942–45
In 1940–42, five N class and two Q class destroyers were built in the UK and commissioned into the RAN for service with the British Eastern FleetBritish Eastern Fleet
The British Eastern Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed from 1941 to 1971...
: HMA Ships , , , , , , and . These ships were predominantly crewed by RAN personnel, although they were often commanded by British officers and remained the property of the British government.
Following the Japanese raid on Ceylon
Indian Ocean raid
The Indian Ocean raid was a naval sortie by the Fast Carrier Strike Force of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 31 March-10 April 1942 against Allied shipping and bases in the Indian Ocean. It was an early engagement of the Pacific campaign of World War II...
of March–April 1942, the Eastern Fleet was transferred from its base at Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
, to the other side of the Indian Ocean: Kilindi
Kilindi
Kilindi is one of the eight districts of Tanga Region in Tanzania. It is bordered to the east by the Handeni District, to the north and west by the Kilimanjaro Region and to the south by the Morogoro Region...
in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. From there the fleet undertook local patrols, escorted convoys and occasionally despatched ships to operations in the Mediterranean. During Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous was a World War II Allied operation to deliver a supply convoy that sailed from Haifa and Port Said on 12 June 1942 to Malta. The convoy encountered heavy Axis air and sea opposition and returned to Alexandria on 16 June....
, a convoy to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
in June 1942, Nestor was serious damaged in an air raid and slowly sank.
On 11 February 1944 the corvettes HMA Ships Ipswich and Launceston, in conjunction with the Indian sloop Jumna, sank the Japanese submarine RO-110
Ro-100 class submarine
The was a medium size submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy , serving during World War II. The IJN official designation for this class was or .-Construction:...
in the Bay of Bengal after the later had torpedoed a ship in a Calcutta-bound convoy.
From late 1944, Nepal, Norman and Quiberon were transferred, along with many other Eastern Fleet ships, to the new British Pacific Fleet (BPF). Among other operations with the BPF, they took part in the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
.
In late 1945, following the end of hostilities, the RAN acquired three more Q-class destroyers: , , and .
The End of the War 1945
By the end of World War II, the RAN's combat strength numbered 150 ships with an additional 200 auxiliary craft with the service reaching its peak in June 1945, when it ranks swelled to 39,650 personnel. During the six years of war the RAN lost three cruisers, four destroyers, two sloops, a corvette, and an auxiliary minesweeper to enemy action. Casualties included 1,740 personnel from the 19 ships sunk, and another 436 personnel were killed aboard other ships or at other posts. By most measures such losses were heavy for such a small service, representing over half its pre-war strength in ships and one-fifth in men. Against this the RAN destroyed one cruiser, an armed merchant raider, three destroyers or torpedo boats, a minewsweeper, many light craft and seven submarines. It also destroyed or captured more than 150,000 of Axis merchant shipping and shot down more than a hundred aircraft. Although difficult to quantify the RAN also played a role in numerous other successes.Surrender and occupation of Japan
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
on 2 September 1945; HMA Ships , , , , , , , , , and . Following the surrender ceremony, the majority of the RAN vessels left Japanese waters for other duties. As part of the surrender agreement, Japan agreed to an Allied occupation and disarmament. On 17 August 1945, the Australian Government agreed to provide two cruisers and two destroyers for service with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
(BCOF). A total of 15 RAN ships served with the BCOF, the ships performed a variety of tasks but were mainly employed on the Kyushu Patrol, preventing Korean nationals from illegally entering Japan.
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
ships, in one instance took part in the sinking of seven submarines of Kyushu as part of Operation Bottom. When Indian and New Zealand contingents began to withdraw from the BCOF, the operation became a predominantly Australian operation. In 1948, Kure
Kure, Hiroshima
is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
naval base was turned over to Australia, and became known as . When North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, one RAN ship was on station as part of BCOF. The Australian Government immediately offered for United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
service. Eventually, all RAN ships in the area were transferred to the command of British Commonwealth Forces Korea
British Commonwealth Forces Korea
British Commonwealth Forces Korea was the formal name, from 1952, of the Commonwealth army, naval and air units serving with the United Nations in the Korean War. Australian, British, Canadian, Indian and New Zealand units were part of BCFK...
(BCFK).
Clearing mines from Australian and New Guinean waters was another focus for the RAN in the years after the war
Royal Australian Navy minesweeping after World War II
Following World War II the Royal Australian Navy was required to clear naval mines from the waters around Australia and New Guinea. Minesweeping in these areas began in December 1945 and was completed in August 1948...
. Minesweeping began in December 1945 and was conducted by HMAS Swan, eight Bathurst class corvettes and several smaller craft from a base at Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
. The work was arduous and dangerous, and was sunk with the loss of four men killed and another 25 wounded when she struck a mine off North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
on 13 September 1947. The RAN completed this task in August 1948 after sweeping 1,816 mines.
Cold War
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
. In the 1960s, the RAN began to move away from British-designed ships; the last major British design used was the Type 12 frigate
Type 12 frigate
Type 12 frigate can refer to several ship classes. It most commonly describes the common design of three ship classes of the Royal Navy designed during the 1950s and constructed during the 1960s....
, which formed the basis of the River class frigates
River class destroyer escort
The River class was a class of six destroyer escorts operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Plans to acquire four vessels, based on the British Type 12M frigate, began in the 1950s. The first two vessels had some slight modifications to the design, while the next two underwent further changes...
.
When it was decided that the RAN should commission a destroyer armed with guided missiles, the obvious British design was the County class
County class destroyer
The County class was a class of guided missile destroyers, the first such vessels built by the Royal Navy. Designed specifically around the Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system, the primary role of these ships was area air-defence around the aircraft carrier task force in the nuclear-war...
; however, the RAN had reservations regarding the gas turbine propulsion, the Seaslug
Sea Slug missile
Sea Slug was a first generation surface-to-air missile designed by Armstrong Whitworth for use by the Royal Navy...
missile system, and the ability to adapt the design to Australian needs. Instead, the Australian government chose the United States-built, steam turbine-powered Charles F. Adams class destroyer
Charles F. Adams class destroyer
The Charles F. Adams class is a ship class of 29 guided missile destroyers built between 1958 and 1967. Twenty three ships were built for the United States Navy, 3 for the Royal Australian Navy, and 3 for the West German Bundesmarine. The ships were based on the existing Forrest Sherman class, but...
, armed with the Tartar missile as the basis for its Perth class, the first major US warship design chosen for the RAN.
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
in support of major operations by having in service an aircraft carrier (HMAS Melbourne), three large area defence destroyers of the Perth class
Perth class destroyer
The Perth class destroyers were three modified Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Ordered from Defoe Shipbuilding Company during 1962 and 1963, HMA Ships , , and were the first guided missiled-armed warships, and the first naval ships of United...
, six modern River class frigates
River class destroyer escort
The River class was a class of six destroyer escorts operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Plans to acquire four vessels, based on the British Type 12M frigate, began in the 1950s. The first two vessels had some slight modifications to the design, while the next two underwent further changes...
and four Oberon class submarines
Oberon class submarine
The Oberon class was a 27-boat class of British-built diesel-electric submarines based on the successful British Porpoise-class submarine....
.
With the retreat of British forces west of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in the 1960s, the RAN began to take a more defensive role, and in co-operation with the United States, allied though the ANZUS
ANZUS
The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty is the military alliance which binds Australia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia and the United States to cooperate on defence matters in the Pacific Ocean area, though today the treaty is understood to relate to attacks...
treaty. The RAN saw service in many of the world's post war conflicts, including Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and the Indonesian Confrontation.
Korea
On 27 June 1950, the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
called on member nations to aid South Korea. On 29 June, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
announced that the frigate , stationed in Japan, and the destroyer , in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, would be placed under UN command in Korea. On 1 July, one day after President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
committed American ground forces to Korea, the first Australian operation in Korea took place; Shoalhaven escorted an American ammunition ship from Japan to Pusan.
The destroyer was deployed in July 1950, and provided gunfire support during the X Corps landing at Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
in October. In December, Bataan and Warramunga assisted the mass evacuation of troops and refugees from Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
. The aircraft carrier was deployed to Korea between September 1951 and January 1952—the first carrier owned by a Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
Dominion to see wartime service. During this time, 2,366 sorties were flown from Sydney, with only fifteen aircraft lost and three pilots killed.
Over the course of the Korean War, nine ships of the RAN participated in the naval blockade of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
.
Malaya
The Malayan EmergencyMalayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
was declared on 18 June 1948, prompted by a rise in Malayan Communist
Malayan Races Liberation Army
The Malayan Races Liberation Army was the name given by British security forces to a combatant in the Malayan Emergency, an insurrection and guerrilla war against the British and Malayan administration from 1948-1960 in what is now Malaysia....
guerrillas in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
(later Malaysia). Australia, as a member of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February...
, first deployed two RAAF squadrons to the region in 1950. In 1955, the Far East Strategic Reserve
Far East Strategic Reserve
The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve was a joint military force of the British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces...
was created as a concentration of Commonwealth military forces (primarily British, New Zealand, and Australian) in Malaya for the protection of that nation from communist threats. Australia's commitment included two destroyers or frigates on station at any time, plus an annual visit by an aircraft carrier, and additional ships as needed. Training for the potentiality of war was the main occurrence for ships deployed to the Strategic Reserve, with RAN personnel gaining experience in working as part of a larger naval organisation.
The first ships of the RAN to arrive in the area were the Tribal class
Tribal class destroyer (1936)
The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II...
destroyers Warramunga and in June 1955. Between 1955 and 1960, eleven other ships of the RAN operated with the Strategic Reserve: , , , , , , Sydney ,, , and .
Indonesia
In response to the IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n invasion of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and Malaya in 1963, Australia increased its presence in the region. At the outbreak of hostilities, the RAN frigates and were on duty in the area. As tension mounted, Australia increased its presence by sending Sydney, Vampire, Vendetta, , and to the area. On 19 May 1964, the 16th Minesweeping Squadron
16th Minesweeping Squadron (Australia)
The 16th Minesweeping Squadron was a Royal Australian Navy minesweeping squadron. It was formed with the purchase of six Ton class minesweepers from the Royal Navy in 1962....
, comprising six Ton class minesweepers
Ton class minesweeper
The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy...
, was also deployed.
On 13 December 1964, the minesweeper was fired upon with automatic weapons by an unlit vessel whilst operating as part of the Singapore Strait
Singapore Strait
The Singapore Strait is a 105-kilometer long, 16-kilometer wide strait between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the South China Sea in the east. Singapore is on the north of the channel and the Riau Islands are on the south...
patrol. The vessel was overpowered and arrested by Teal, following a further small arms engagement that resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian crew members. On 23 February 1965, Teal was again involved in another engagement, she detected an unlit vessel off Cape Rachado. The suspicious vessel was closed on and illuminated, and revealed nine armed men in uniform who surrendered immediately upon challenge. On 13 March 1964, became the second vessel of the 16th Minesweeping Squadron to see action, when she was fired on by an Indonesian shore battery while patrolling off Raffles Lighthouse
Raffles Lighthouse
Raffles Lighthouse is a lighthouse located in the Straits of Singapore, about 14 kilometres south of the main island of Singapore....
. Eleven high-explosive rounds were fired at the ship, some landing within 200 yards (182.9 m) of the vessel, and Hawk withdrew from the area at speed. The following morning, Hawk intercepted a sampan with five Indonesians on board who were promptly arrested.
When Indonesian forces crossed the border into Sebatik Island
Sebatik Island
Sebatik Island is an island off the eastern coast of Borneo, partly within Indonesia and partly within Malaysia. It has an area of approximately 452.2 square kilometres...
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
on 28 June 1965, HMAS Yarra was called on to carry out bombardments disrupting the withdrawal of the Indonesians. Yarra carried out two more bombardments of the border area on 5 and 10 July. During three runs, Yarra fired a total of 70 rounds on the enemy. On 13 August 1966, an agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia brought an end to the conflict.
Melbourne-Voyager collision
Plane guard
A plane guard is a warship or helicopter tasked to recover the aircrew of planes or helicopters which ditch or crash in the water during aircraft carrier flight operations.-Ships:...
destroyer. After a series of manoeuvres to reverse the course of the ships, Voyager ended up to starboard of Melbourne, and was ordered to resume her position (behind the carrier and to port) at 20.52. Instead of turning away from Melbourne, Voyager unexpectedly turned towards the carrier, and did not alter course until it was too late. At 20.56, Melbournes bow hit the destroyer just behind the bridge, and cut her in half, with the bow sinking quickly. The search for survivors went on through the night; of the 314 aboard, 14 officers, 67 sailors, and 1 civilian dockyard worker were killed, including Captain Duncan Stevens.
Following the collision Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
ordered a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
to investigate the event. The Commissioner concluded that the collision was primarily the fault of Voyagers bridge crew not maintaining an effective lookout, but also placed blame on Melbournes Captain John Robertson (who resigned shortly after) and two other officers for failing to alert Voyager or take effective measures to avoid collision. The handing of the Royal Commission was seen as poor, and after a combination of public pressure and claims that Stevens had a drinking problem, a second Royal Commission was announced: the only time two Commissions have been held for the same incident. The second Royal Commission found that Stevens was likely medically unfit for command, that some of the first Commission's conclsions were therefore incorrect, and the Melbourne officers were not at fault. The two commissions caused great anguish in the hierarchy of the RAN, which was not accustomed to such tight scrutiny, and led to the eventual dismantling of the Naval Board's isolation from the civilian world.
Vietnam War
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy were stationed on continuous operational service in Vietnam between 1965 and 1972; a total 18 ships served in Vietnam waters during the war. During this period, the Navy performed a wide variety of operational tasks at sea, ashore, and in the air. The RAN's primary contribution consisted of destroyers, Fleet Air ArmFleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
personnel attached to a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
helicopter company and No. 9 Squadron RAAF
No. 9 Squadron RAAF
No. 9 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. The Squadron saw active service in World War II and the Vietnam War before being disbanded in 1989.-Fleet co-operation:...
, a Clearance Diving Team, and a logistical support force consisting of transport and escort ships. Other RAN personnel served ashore in medical teams or performed staff duties at the Australian Embassy in Saigon or the 1st Australian Task Force
1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
Headquarters at Nui Dat.
The RAN did not deploy operationally until 1965, but in 1962 and made goodwill visits to Saigon. They were followed a year later by similar visits by and HMAS Queenborough]]. In 1967, became the first RAN destroyer to be operationally deployed to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Hobart served three tours in Vietnam from March to September in 1967, 1968, and 1970. During her operations, she fired 10,000 rounds at 1,000 shore targets and came under fire around 10 times, including on one occasion by a United States F-4 Phantom. Hobart was awarded the United States Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
in recognition of her service in Vietnam, while sister ship received both the United States Navy Unit Commendation and the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
. In their five years of service in Vietnam, the four gunline destroyers; Perth, , Hobart and steamed over 397,000 miles and fired 102,546 rounds.
The aircraft carrier was converted for troopship duties in the early 1960s, and began her first voyage to Vietnam in May 1965, transporting the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
, from Sydney to Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
in southern Vietnam. Sydney became known as the Vung Tau Ferry and made 25 voyages to Vietnam: carrying 16,094 troops, 5,753 deadweight tons (5,845 t) of cargo and 2,375 vehicles.
In 1969, the aircraft carrier rammed and sank another destroyer. During the night of 2–3 June, was escorting the carrier during multinational wargames in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. Ordered to the planeguard station, Evans crosses the carrier's bows and was cut in two, killing 74 United States personnel. A Joint RAN-USN Board of Inquiry was established, which found Melbournes Captain John Stevenson and three officers from Evans at fault. Despite being cleared by a RAN court-martial, Stevenson resigned after receiving similar treatment to Robertson in the first collision. HMAS Melbourne is believed to be the only warship to sink two friendly vessels in peacetime.
In April 1971, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Gorton
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:...
announced that Australian forces in Vietnam would be reduced. This led to the withdrawal of the clearance divers in May and the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
in June. The final RAN destroyer on the gunline, Brisbane, returned to Sydney on 15 October 1971. The Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
government withdrew all Australian forces from and stopped military aid to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. returned to Sydney on 11 March 1972 and was followed the next day by HMAS Sydney. During the 10 years that the RAN was involved in the war, eight officers and sailors were killed, and another 46 were either wounded or suffered other injuries.
Cyclone Tracy
During the morning of 25 December 1974, Tropical Cyclone Tracy struck the city of DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, killing 71 people and causing $4 billion of damage (1998 A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
). In response to the cyclone, the RAN embarked upon Operation Navy Help Darwin
Operation Navy Help Darwin
Operation Navy Help Darwin was a disaster relief operation initiated by the Royal Australian Navy following the destruction of Darwin, Northern Territory by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24-25 December 1974. 13 ships, 11 aircraft, and 3,000 personnel were sent to Darwin in the largest disaster...
; the largest peacetime disaster relief operation in its history, involving 13 ships, 11 aircraft and some 3,000 personnel.
When Tracy struck Darwin, the RAN had a total of 351 personnel based in the city, along with four Attack class patrol boats
Attack class patrol boat
The Attack class patrol boats were small coastal defence vessels built for the Royal Australian Navy and operated between 1967 and 1985...
; the small number of men limited the capability of the RAN to render immediate assistance to the citizens of Darwin. All four patrol boats were damaged in some way: and were able to weather the cyclone with minor damage, but was forced aground, and sank after colliding with Stokes Hill Wharf, killing two personnel. Land-based naval installations were also heavily damaged by the cyclone, Darwin Naval Headquarters was destroyed, as were large sections of the patrol boat base and the married quarters. The oil fuel supply installation and naval communications station at were also damaged. The initial RAN relief which was limited to search and rescue in the area of Darwin Harbour and Melville Island, which was hindered by the lack of reliable communications.
As the severity of the disaster was realised, a naval task force was established to render aid to the people of Darwin; Operation Navy Help Darwin
Operation Navy Help Darwin
Operation Navy Help Darwin was a disaster relief operation initiated by the Royal Australian Navy following the destruction of Darwin, Northern Territory by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24-25 December 1974. 13 ships, 11 aircraft, and 3,000 personnel were sent to Darwin in the largest disaster...
. A general recall was issued to all personnel; volunteers from shore bases and ships unable to sail were used to replace those who could not return to their ships in time. The first RAN assets arrived in Darwin on 26 December, a HS 748 aircraft carrying blood transfusion equipment and Red Cross
Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross is one of the many national Red Cross societies around the world. The Australian organisation was established in 1914, nine days after the commencement of World War I, by Karen Tenenbaum, when she formed a branch of the British Red Cross.the organisation grew at a rapid rate...
workers, followed shortly by another HS 748 carrying Clearance Diving Team 1
Clearance Diving Team (RAN)
The Clearance Diving Teams of the Royal Australian Navy also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in diving, demolitions, underwater repairs, and reconnaissance...
(CDT1). Ships also began departing for Darwin on 26 December: and departed from Brisbane, sailed from Cairns, while (with Rear Admiral Wells aboard), , and left Sydney. The next day, , , , and left Sydney, while and sailed from Brisbane. The last ship, , left Brisbane on 2 January.
The first vessels, HMA Ships Brisbane and Flinders, arrived in Darwin on 31 December. Flinders surveyed the approaches to Darwin, ensuring the safety of the taskforce, while Brisbane landed working parties and established communications. The entire 13-ship task force had arrived in Darwin by 13 January 1975, bringing over 3,000 personnel. RAN personnel was primarily assigned to clear the suburbs of Nightcliff
Nightcliff, Northern Territory
Nightcliff is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.-History:Although the origin of the name Nightcliff has always been surrounded by conjecture and controversy, the naming can be tracked back to 8 September 1839...
, Rapid Creek, Northern Territory
Rapid Creek, Northern Territory
Rapid Creek is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.- History :Although the precise circumstances of the naming of Rapid Creek remain obscure, the name must have been applied by Surveyor-General George W. Goyder's surveyors not long after the arrival of the 1869...
, and Casuarina
Casuarina, Northern Territory
Casuarina is one of the northern suburbs of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.It is home to the largest shopping centre in the Northern Territory, called Casuarina Square...
, while aircraft and helicopters were used to move evacuees and supplies, and CDT1 inspected ships in the harbour for damage and cleared several wharves. Vessels of the task force began to depart Darwin as early as 7 January, with HMA Ships Brisbane and Stalwart the last to depart on 31 January, after command of the relief operation was turned over to the Commandant of the Army's
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
7th Military District.
Pacific patrol boat program
Following the introduction of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the SeaUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea , which took place from 1973 through 1982...
(UNCLOS) the exclusive economic zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
(EEZ) of many coastal nations was increased from 12 to 200 Nmi. The sudden expansion of responsibility dramatically increased the area of ocean requiring surveillance, monitoring and policing by these nations, increasing the strain on existing maritime patrol resources, and highlighting the need for countries without a maritime patrol force to obtain one, especially in the South West Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
area.
In 1979, the Australian and New Zealand Governments, at the request of Pacific Island nations, sent defence representatives into the South-West Pacific region to assess surveillance and maritime patrol requirements. The governments of a number of the Pacific nations expressed their concern about the need for a suitable naval patrol force to meet their new surveillance requirements. The Australian government responded by creating the Defence Cooperation Project (DCP), to provide suitable patrol vessels, training and infrastructure to island nations in the region. The Pacific Patrol Boat Systems Program Office was created within the Minor War Vessels Branch of the RAN procurement organisation.
The tender for the vessels was released in August 1984, and was awarded to Australian Shipbuilding Industries Pty Ltd (now Tenix Western Australia) in September 1985. The first of ten vessels was to be delivered in early 1987. The first vessel, HMPNGS Tarangau, was officially handed over to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force on 16 May 1987. Over the course of the project the number of participating countries increased. By the end of the construction phase of the project, a total of 22 boats had been delivered to 12 countries, compared to the original order of 10 boats for 8 countries. In total, the project cost for 22 vessels and associated support was A$155.25 million.
The RAN never operated the Pacific class patrol boat
Pacific class patrol boat
The Pacific class is a class of 22 patrol boats built by Australia and donated to twelve South Pacific countries. Constructed from 1985 to 1997 and operated by militaries, coast guards or police forces of the twelve island nations, these boats are supported by the Pacific Patrol Boat Program...
(PPB), although the project has given the RAN a number of advantages in the Pacific region. The introduction of self-reliant patrol forces throughout the region has eased the strain on Australia’s own maritime patrol force. Cooperation between Australia and its Pacific neighbours has allowed for a greater allocation of RAN patrol boats to protecting Australia’s maritime resources, patrolling the Sea Lines of Communication
Sea lines of communication
Sea lines of communication is a term describing the primary maritime routes between ports, used for trade, logistics and naval forces...
(SLOC), and conducting border protection operations. The PPB's have recently undergone a mid life refit which could potentially see them operating in the region until at least 2027.
Two-Ocean Policy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
in the Indian Ocean. These concerns lead to increased cooperation with the United States Navy and the development of the RAN's main base in Western Australia, .
During the late 1970s, the RAN replaced many of its aging ships with modern equivalents. While it planned to purchase the British aircraft carrier to replace Melbourne, Britain's offer of the carrier was withdrawn after the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. As a result, Melbourne was decommissioned without replacement in 1982 and the Fleet Air Arm retired almost all of its fixed wing aircraft on 30 June 1983.
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
Government's Defence White Paper called for the RAN to become a more self reliant two-ocean navy with major fleet bases in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The plan called for the expansion of Stirling on Garden Island
Garden Island (Western Australia)
Garden Island is a slender island about ten kilometres long and one and a half kilometres wide, lying about off the Western Australian coast, to which it is now linked by a man-made causeway....
and Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay Territory
The Jervis Bay Territory is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. It was surrendered by the state of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government in 1915 so that the Federal capital at Canberra would have "access to the sea"....
to accommodate an expanded RAN combat surface and submarine fleets. The plan originally called for the major combat units and submarines to be split between the two fleet bases, providing similar capabilities on both sides of the continent. The proposed Jervis Bay naval base never became a reality; Fleet Base East was built up around in Sydney while HMAS Stirling is home to half the surface fleet and the entire submarine fleet.
The rationale behind the policy included the possibility of savings in fuel and maintenance that would result from Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
deployments beginning their journey from Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
rather than New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. The report also classed the Indian Ocean as an area where contingencies might arise. The new facilities would increase Australia's worth to the United States, particularly to do with maintenance of submarines. Expansion at Jervis Bay would allow intensified east coast visits by the United States Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, and its nuclear warship visits would not run into as much opposition as they do in Sydney and Melbourne.
The 1987 White Paper was seen by many as an attempt to strengthen Australia's relationship with the United States, which had been damaged by New Zealand's stance against nuclear weapons in its ports. In line with this policy, the RAN was structured to become more self-reliant and its activities during the late 1980s were focused on operating within Australia's local region.
The Two Ocean Policy remains in place today and is supported by the current Australian Government and the opposition. The success of the policy is especially evident at HMAS Stirling. The base is thriving and its location both in a global and local context gives it an advantage over Fleet Base East. It has been suggested that all 8 units of the Anzac class
Anzac class frigate
The Anzac class is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy...
be relocated to Stirling, this would create an easier training environment for sailors and would lead to significant cost savings.
The Gulf Wars
Australian contribution to the 1991 Gulf War
Australia was a member of the international coalition which contributed military forces to the 1991 Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. While the Australian forces did not see combat, they did play a significant role in enforcing the sanctions put in place against Iraq following the...
to the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
centered on a Naval Task Group, initially Task Group 627.4, which formed part of the multi-national fleet in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
. In addition, medical teams were deployed aboard a U.S. hospital ship and a naval clearance diving team
Clearance Diving Team (RAN)
The Clearance Diving Teams of the Royal Australian Navy also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in diving, demolitions, underwater repairs, and reconnaissance...
took part in de-mining Kuwait's port facilities at the end of the war. Over the period from 6 September 1990 to 4 September 1991 the RAN deployed a total of six ships to the area: HMA Ships , , , , , and . Clearance Diving Team 3 operated in the theatre from 27 January 1991 to 10 May 1991. It was involved in mine clearing operations in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
from 5 March to 19 April 1991.
After the end of the first Gulf War the Royal Australian Navy periodically deployed a ship to the Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
or Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
to assist in maintaining sanctions against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Until the outbreak of the Second Gulf War the Australian naval force in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
continued to enforce the sanctions against Iraq. These operations were conducted by boarding parties from the RAN
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
warships.
Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
The Howard Government supported the disarmament of Iraq during the Iraq disarmament crisis. Australia later provided one of the four most substantial combat force contingents during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, under the operational codename Operation Falconer. Part of its contingent were among the...
shifted to supporting the coalition land forces and clearing the approaches to Iraqi ports. provided gunfire support to Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
during fighting on the Al-Faw Peninsula
Al-Faw Peninsula
The Faw peninsula is a marshy region adjoining the Persian Gulf in the extreme south-east of Iraq, between and to the south-east of the cities of Basra and Abadan ....
and the Clearance Diving Team took part in clearing the approaches to Umm Qasr
Umm Qasr
Umm Qasr , is a port city in southern Iraq. It stands on the canalised Khawr az-Zubayr, part of the Khawr Abd Allah estuary which leads to the Persian Gulf. It is separated from the border of Kuwait by a small inlet...
. Boarding operations continued during the war, and on 20 March, boarding parties from seized an Iraqi ship carrying 86 naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s.
Since the end of the war the RAN has continuously maintained a frigate in the Persian Gulf to protect Iraq's oil infrastructure and participate in counter-smuggling operations. Twelve Australian sailors were deployed to Umm Qasr, Iraq
Umm Qasr
Umm Qasr , is a port city in southern Iraq. It stands on the canalised Khawr az-Zubayr, part of the Khawr Abd Allah estuary which leads to the Persian Gulf. It is separated from the border of Kuwait by a small inlet...
between January and October 2004 to join the multi-national training team working with the Iraqi Coastal Defense Force. The RAN has also assumed command of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf on two occasions; Combined Task Force 58 in 2005 and Combined Task Force 158
Combined Task Force 158
Combined Task Force Iraqi Maritime or CTF IM is an international naval task group, established as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It consists of naval assets from the United States Navy and Coast Guard, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Navy, working alongside elements of the Iraqi...
in 2006.
HMAS Westralia fire
On 5 May 1998, a fire broke out onboard while off the Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
coast. The fire was caused by the rupture of a flexible fuel line (one of a number used to replace rigid hoses) on cylinder number nine, starboard engine. This sprayed diesel fuel onto a hot indicator cock, which ignited a spray fire, resulting in the deaths of four crew. Following the fire, the Australian Government and the RAN began a major investigation known as the Westralia Board of Inquiry. The enquiry found that the RAN and the contractor Australian Defence Industries
Australian Defence Industries
Thales Australia is a primary defence contractor for the Australian Defence Force. Thales Australia is best known for its naval ship repair operations, and currently leases the Captain Cook graving dock at Garden Island Naval Base in Sydney, New South Wales and also leases and occupies many of the...
(ADI) did not critically examine their course of action and that key personnel in both the RAN and the contractor were insufficiently trained and qualified. The inquiry also found that the hoses were not properly designed and were unfit for the intended purpose. In 2005, ADI was fined $75,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace. Seven sailors who were apparently severely traumatised by the fire have also sued ADI and subcontractor Jetrock. In August 2006, the Australian Government decided to accept liability after it reached settlement with the ADI and Jetrock. The seven sailors stand to receive compensation totalling up to $10 million.
East Timor
During the Australian-led United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peacekeeping mission to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
in 1999 known as INTERFET
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
, the RAN deployed a total of 16 ships to the mission: HMA Ships , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . The RAN played a vital role in transporting troops and providing protection to transports and were vital to the success of INTERFET.
The RAN returned to East Timor in 2006 under Operation Astute
Operation Astute
Operation Astute is an Australian-led military deployment to East Timor to quell unrest and return stability in the 2006 East Timor crisis. It is currently headed by Brigadier Bill Sowry, and commenced on 25 May 2006 under the command of Brigadier Michael Slater...
the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-authorised, Australian-led military deployment to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
to quell unrest and return stability during the 2006 East Timor crisis
2006 East Timor crisis
The 2006 East Timorese crisis began as a conflict between elements of the military of East Timor over discrimination within the military, and expanded to a coup attempt and general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili...
. The Royal Australian Navy deployed the Amphibious Ready Group, including the ships; , , Tobruk (until approximately 8 June), Balikpapan, Tarakan and Success (until 28 May). The RAN also deployed the Adelaide class frigate
Adelaide class frigate
The Adelaide class is a ship class of six guided missile frigates constructed in Australia and the United States of America for service in the Royal Australian Navy. The class is based on the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates, but modified for Australian requirements...
HMAS Adelaide (until 28 May). The Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
contributed one S-70B-2 Seahawk
Sikorsky S-70
The Sikorsky S-70 is a medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the U.S. Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Blackhawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service...
helicopter from 816 Squadron RAN
816 Squadron RAN
816 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron that started out as a Royal Navy unit 816 Naval Air Squadron.-Current roles:816 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters...
(until 28 May) and two Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
helicopters from 817 Squadron RAN
817 Squadron RAN
817 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron.-Current Roles:817 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with Westland Sea King Mk 50 helicopters. 817 Squadron is a land based squadron operating the Sea King helicopter in Fleet Utility Support roles, including Search...
. The Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
force committed to Operation Astute is apparently the largest amphibious task force in the Navy's history.
Solomon Islands
On 24 July 2003, arrived off HoniaraHoniara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
, marking the beginning of Operation Anode, Australia's contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands , also known as Operation Helpem Fren, was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands...
(RAMSI). The deployment of a 2,200 strong multinational force followed several years of unrest in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. Manoora was soon joined by HMA Ships , , and . Following the initial deployment, two vessels were generally kept on station in the area. By the time the RAN deployment ended, 19 Australian warships had taken part. The last ship to leave was , which sailed home in October 2004.
Operation Anode was not the first time units of the RAN had been deployed to the Solomon Islands; Anode was unique in that the navy's primary role was to support and facilitate the work of the Participating Police Force (PPF). Moreover, along with being the first time the RAN had supported a police-led mission, Operation Anode and RAMSI is one of the latest examples of the role Australia and specifically the RAN is playing in stabilising the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
region.
Fiji
On 2 November 2006, in response to the Fijian military threats to overthrow2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
the Fijian Government, the Australian government began Operation Quickstep
Operation Quickstep
Operation Quickstep was the name given to the deployment of military resources by the Australian Defence Force during the leadup to the 2006 Fijian coup d'état on 4-5 December 2006, during which the Fijian military took control of the Fijian government which, at the time, was led by Prime Minister...
by deploying military resources to support Australian citizens in Fiji in the event of a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. The contribution from the RAN was the deployment of three vessels; HMA Ships , , and to international waters south of Fiji. The three vessels were deployed to Fiji to evacuate the estimated 7,000 Australian citizens present in Fiji if the need arose. Along with the three vessels a detachment of the Special Air Service Regiment
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
, helicopters from the 171st Aviation Squadron
Australian 171st Aviation Squadron
The 171st Aviation Squadron is an Australian Army helicopter squadron. The 171st Aviation Squadron is equipped with S70A Blackhawk helicopters and provides support to Special Operations Command...
and an evacuation team were also deployed.
On 29 November 2006, an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
S-70A Black Hawk
Sikorsky S-70
The Sikorsky S-70 is a medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the U.S. Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Blackhawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service...
helicopter operating from Kanimbla, and carrying ten Army personnel on board, crashed whilst attempting to land on the ship's deck, killing 1 person, injuring 7 more and leaving one missing (later confirmed dead). HMAS Melville arrived on task the morning of 15 December 2006, equipped with a Towed Pinger Locating Drone supplied from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
set about locating the downed Black Hawk. Melville detected the locator beacon during its first pass over the crash site and pinpointed its exact location in subsequent passes. The helicopter is sitting in around 2900 metres of water.
The coup took place on 5 December, but was bloodless and almost completely without violence. The evacuation of Australians was deemed unnecessary, and vessels of the task force began arriving back in Australia on 17 December, with Kanimbla docking in Townsville, and both Newcastle and Success returning to Sydney. Melville returned to Australia in late December. The RAN has decided to attempt to recover the downed Black Hawk and has identified the United States Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV) as the preferred organisation. MV Seahorse Standard recovered the remains of Trooper Porter on 5 March and the Blackhawk helicopter on 9 March, with the assistance of specialist equipment provided by the SUPSALV team. Trooper Porters body was repatriated on 13 March, escorted by members of the Special Air Service Regiment. Seahorse Standard arrived in Australia with the aircraft wreckage at the end of March. The wreckage will become evidence in the Board of Inquiry into the crash.
Battle honours
The first battle honours for an Australian ship was for the Victorian Naval Forces sloop HMVS VictoriaHMS Victoria (1855)
HMVS Victoria was a 580-ton combined steam/sail sloop-of-war built in England in the 1850s for the colony of Victoria, Australia....
("New Zealand
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
1860-61").
Prior to 1989, the battle honour system of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) was linked to that of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The British Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
were responsible for approving and assigning battle honours, although from 1947, this was done on advice from the RAN Badges, Names and Honours Committee. The only uniquely Australian battle honour during this time was "Vietnam 1965-72" (and smaller date units thereof) for deployments to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Ships of the RAN inherited honours from British ships of the same name, in addition to Australian predecessors.
In 1989, the RAN Chief of Naval Staff
Chief of Navy (Australia)
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...
, Admiral Michael Hudson approved a decision to have Australian warships only carry battle honours earned by previous Australian vessels. The creation and awarding of battle honours came completely under RAN control.
A complete overhaul of the RAN battle honours system was unvelied on 1 March 2010, to celebrate the navy's 109th anniversary of creation. New honours were created for operations during the 1990s and 2000s—the last approved honour prior to this was "Kuwait 1991", for Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
service—and the service history of previous vessels was updated to include 'due recognition' of previous actions.
Women in the RAN
From 1911 to 1941 women were forbidden from serving in the RAN; the demands World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
placed on personnel and resources led to a change of policy. On 21 April 1941, the Australian Naval Board sent a letter authorising the entry of women into the RAN to the Commodore-in-Charge, Sydney. The letter led to the formation of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
The Service was established in April 1941 when the Royal Australian Navy enrolled 14 women at HMAS Harman, the wireless telegraphy station near Canberra. Two women were stewards, and 12 trained as telegraphists...
(WRANS) and the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
The Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service was a former female branch of the Royal Australian Navy. The RAANS was formed in October 1942, wartime demands lead to a need to recruit women directly into the RAN. At its wartime peak the RAANS was made up of 56 nursing sisters with at least 12 months...
(RANNS). The two separate women's services existed until 1984, when they were incorporated into the permanent force. Today, female members of the RAN have a wide variety of roles open to them; women serve on submarines, command ships and shore postings and are expected to play an increasingly important role in the future of the RAN.
The current navy
Anzac class frigate
The Anzac class is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy...
, four Adelaide class frigates
Adelaide class frigate
The Adelaide class is a ship class of six guided missile frigates constructed in Australia and the United States of America for service in the Royal Australian Navy. The class is based on the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates, but modified for Australian requirements...
, fourteen patrol boats of the Armidale class
Armidale class patrol boat
The Armidale class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy . Planning for a class of twelve vessels to replace the fifteen Fremantle class patrol boats began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malaysia pulled out of the process...
, and six Collins class submarines
Collins class submarine
The Collins class is a class of six Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The Collins class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; all six submarines are named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in...
. The RAN also comprises a large amphibious and supply force to transport the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and to resupply the combat arm of the navy. The RAN is divided into seven Force Element Group
Force Element Group
The Force Element Groups of the Australian Defence Force are the operational capabilities.Each of the component commands has a set of FEGs. The FEG operational commanders report to the component commanders , who in turn report to the operation's Task Force commander...
s (FEGs): Surface Combatants, Amphibious Warfare Forces and Afloat Support Force, Naval Aviation
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
, Submarine Force
Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service
The Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service is the collective name of the submarine element of the Royal Australian Navy. The service currently forms the Navy's Submarine Force Element Group and consists of six Collins class submarines....
, Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving
Clearance Diving Team (RAN)
The Clearance Diving Teams of the Royal Australian Navy also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in diving, demolitions, underwater repairs, and reconnaissance...
, Patrol Boat Force
Australian Patrol Boat Group
The Australian Patrol Boat Group is a Force Element Group of the Royal Australian Navy. The group's mission is to provide patrol boat capability for the protection of Australia's national interests....
and the Hydrographic Force
Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service
The Australian Hydrographic Service is the Australian Commonwealth Government agency responsible for providing hydrographic services that meet Australia's obligations under the SOLAS convention and the national interest; enabling safe navigation, maritime trade and supporting protection of the...
. The FEG's were formed to manage the operations of the separate sections of the RAN in a more efficient way.
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
Government announced the purchase of four Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate
The Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of frigates named after the American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie...
, all to be built in America; in 1980 they announced an additional two vessels both to be built in Australia. The fifteen Australian-built vessels of the Fremantle class
Fremantle class patrol boat
The Fremantle-class patrol boats were coastal patrol vessels operated by the Royal Australian Navy from 1979 to 2007. Designed by British shipbuilder Brooke Marine and constructed in Australia by North Queensland Engineers and Agents, the Fremantle class were larger, more powerful, and more...
made up Australia's patrol boat from 1979 to 2007; they have now been replaced by the fourteen Armidale class patrol boats
Armidale class patrol boat
The Armidale class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy . Planning for a class of twelve vessels to replace the fifteen Fremantle class patrol boats began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malaysia pulled out of the process...
.
The Collins class
Collins class submarine
The Collins class is a class of six Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The Collins class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; all six submarines are named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in...
is the newest class of Australian submarines, built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy. They were constructed by the Australian Submarine Corporation
Australian Submarine Corporation
The ASC, formerly Australian Submarine Corporation, is a wholly government-owned Australian naval defence company headquartered at Osborne in Adelaide, South Australia.-History:...
in Adelaide, South Australia, and replace the six Oberon class submarines
Oberon class submarine
The Oberon class was a 27-boat class of British-built diesel-electric submarines based on the successful British Porpoise-class submarine....
in the Australian fleet. The first vessel, , was laid down in 1990 and commissioned in 1996, with all six vessels of the class in service and based at in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The Anzac class
Anzac class frigate
The Anzac class is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy...
is the current main fleet unit of the Royal Australian Navy; the class has eight vessels. The lead vessel of the class, , was commissioned in 1996 and the final vessel, , was commissioned on 26 August 2006. Along with the eight Australian vessels, two Anzacs were also constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. The Anzac class were jointly constructed in New Zealand and Australia with the final fitout in Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
.
The amphibious and supply arm of the RAN is made up of; one Kanimbla class landing platform
Kanimbla class landing platform amphibious
The Kanimbla class is a class of amphibious transport ships operated by the Royal Australian Navy . Two ships were purchased by Australia in 1994 and modified...
, one heavy landing ship , six Balikpapan class landing craft, two Leeuwin class survey ships
Leeuwin class survey vessel
The Leeuwin class is a class of two hydrographic survey vessels in the Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Leeuwin and HMAS Melville. Both ships were built by NQEA in Cairns, Queensland, and entered service in 2000....
, four Paluma class motor launches, the fleet oiler , and the Dual Stores Replenishment Vessel . The RAN also has six Huon class minehunters
Huon class minehunter
The Huon class Minehunter Coastal ships are a group of minehunters built for the Royal Australian Navy . Following problems with the Bay class minehunters, a request for tender was issued in 1993 for a class of six coastal minehunters under the project designation SEA 1555...
.
The Royal Australian Navy maintains several bases around Australia. Under the RAN's Two-Ocean Policy, (Fleet Base West) and (Fleet Base East) are the primary bases for all major fleet unit of the RAN. The majority of the patrol boat and amphibious forces are located at and , while all Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
squadrons are based at .
The future of the RAN
In 2000, a major white paperWhite paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
was produced by the Australian Government, which set out a program of defence spending that will see significant improvements to the RAN's fleet and capabilities.
The most significant current project is Sea4000 the procurement of three Hobart class destroyers
Australian air warfare destroyer
The Hobart class of destroyers, known during their planning phase as the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer or SEA 4000, is a class of three ships scheduled to begin entering service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2013....
, which will replace the Adelaide class. These ships will be fitted with the AEGIS combat system
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
, and will be based on the Spanish F100 design
Álvaro de Bazán class frigate
The Álvaro de Bazán class are a new class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defense frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy...
. The class has a planned in service date of 2013, with the three units to be named Hobart, Brisbane, and Sydney.
In August 2005 the Australian Government passed approval for the acquisition of two Canberra class large amphibious ships
Canberra class large amphibious ship
The Canberra class is a ship class of two Landing Helicopter Dock ships being built for the Royal Australian Navy . Planning to upgrade the navy's amphibious fleet began in 2000, based on Australian experiences leading the International Force for East Timor peacekeeping operation...
; these will displace over 20,000 tonnes, can carry over 1,000 troops, and will potentially be able to operate fixed wing aircraft. The project is expected to cost between A$1.5 and A$2 billion, and be completed by around 2014. The new ships will be named Canberra and Adelaide.
See also
- Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia)Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia)The Australian Fleet Air Arm Museum, formerly known as Australia's Museum of Flight, is a military aerospace museum located at the naval air station , near Nowra, New South Wales. The museum was opened in 1990, although efforts to preserve artifacts related to Australia's naval aviation history...
- Royal Australian Navy Heritage CentreRoyal Australian Navy Heritage CentreThe Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is the maritime museum of the Royal Australian Navy. The centre opened on 4 October 2005 and is located within the Public Access Area on the northern end of Garden Island Naval base....
- Military history of AustraliaMilitary history of AustraliaThe military history of Australia spans the nation's 220-year modern history, from the early Australian frontier wars between Aborigines and Europeans to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 21st century...
External links
- Royal Australian Navy Articles from ADF-History.com