Wednesday 15 February 2012

February 16th - On This Date - Royal Australian Navy

1863
The Admiralty offered the NSW Government the 3rd Rate Ship of the Line, HMS BRUNSWICK, as a training ship for the New South Wales Naval Brigade. The offer was conditional on the Government paying the cost of iron cladding the vessel. The offer was declined.
1882
The Melbourne Age claimed the visit of ADML Aslanbegoff's squadron to Australia was directly associated with the threatened war between Britain and Russia and their presence was for the purpose of raiding British commerce.
1936
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), exercised with 'Queen Bees', unmanned radio-controlled Moth aircraft, in the Mediterranean. HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, (cruisers), exercised together for the first time off Alexandria, Egypt.
1942
The cruiser, HMAS HOBART, (CAPT H. L. Howden, RAN), was attacked by 109 Japanese aircraft in 13 attacks in the Dutch East Indies. HOBART escaped. The Island of Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese. After a campaign lasting only 70 days, the Japanese overran Malaya and Singapore, and some 22,000 Australian soldiers were made POW's. Most of the RAN ships and personnel involved in the campaign managed to escape, however, a small number of men left behind in hospital in Singapore were captured and subsequently executed by the Japanese. An Allied convoy of four ships, escorted by HMA Ships WARREGO and SWAN, (sloops), and US Ships HOUSTON, (cruiser), and PEARY, (destroyer), left Darwin for Koepang, Timor, carrying Australian infantry and American artillery units.
1944
The Fremantle-based USS ASPRO, (submarine), sank the Japanese submarine I-43 off Truk.
1952
Commissioned ships of the RAN fired a salute of 56 guns on the occasion of the funeral of King George VI.
1963
HMAS QUADRANT, (frigate), was sold out of service for breaking up in Japan.
1972
HMAS BARCOO, (River class frigate), was sold out of service for breaking up in Taiwan. HMA Ships QUIBERON and QUICKMATCH, (frigates), were sold to the Fujita Salvage Company of Japan for scrapping.
1985
HMAS KIMBLA, (oceanographic research vessel), was paid off for disposal. It was later announced the ship would be presented to the Maritime Trust of Australia, however this plan never eventuated.
1992
The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS MELBOURNE, (CMDR A. G. Johnston, RAN), was commissioned at Melbourne. MELBOURNE was laid down in AMECON Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, and launched on 5 May 1989. Mrs Hazel Hawke, (Wife of the Prime Minister, Robert J. Hawke), performed the launching ceremony.

'On This Day' is based on the book "Navy Day by Day: Historic Naval Events in Australia and Abroad" written by the late Lew Lind.

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