January 22nd - On This Date - Royal Australian Navy

1885

RADM Sir George Tryon, the first Flag Officer to command the RN Squadron on the Australia Station, hoisted his flag in HMS NELSON at Sydney.

1925

The Australian Government approved the establishment of a Fleet Air Arm in the RAN. The Commonwealth Naval Order (137/25), signed 8 days later declared “The Naval Board has decided to establish a Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Australian Navy, based as far as practicable on the scheme adopted in the Royal Navy”.

1927

The first Sovereign’s Colours, (King George V), was presented to the RAN at Flinders Naval Depot by the Governor General, Lord Stonehaven. A second colour for use by the Fleet was presented five days later at a parade at the Domain in Sydney.

1936

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SYDNEY, (cruisers), fired a 21-gun royal salute at sea on the accession to the throne of Edward VIII.

1943

Event #1

The Japanese submarine I-21 torpedoed the merchant ship PETER H BURNETT 420 miles east of Sydney. The destroyer USS ZANE, and corvettes HMAS DELORAINE and HMAS GYMPIE, were sent to tow her back to Sydney. They failed, and eventually the task was handed to the corvette HMAS MILDURA, (LCDR C. J. P. Guille, OBE, RANR), which carried a heavier, (but non-regulation), towing cable. MILDURA succeeded in bringing the stricken vessel safely to Sydney Harbour. Within weeks all corvettes were instructed to carry the heavier style towing cable.

Event #2

The stores vessel, HMAS PATRICIA CAM, (LEUT A. C. Meldrum, RANR), was attacked and sunk by a Japanese sea plane off the Wessel Islands in northern Australia. The plane attacked from out of the sun with engines cut and dropped a single bomb which struck amidships, and blew the bottom out of the ship. PATRICIA CAM sank within one minute. The Japanese aircraft then attacked the survivors in the water with another bomb, and machine gun fire, before landing among the survivors, picking up the Reverend L. N. Kentish, who was taking passage in PATRICIA CAM to his mission at Echo Island. The aircraft then departed. The survivors from PATRACIA CAM managed to get ashore and were rescued seven days later by HMAS KURU. 5 ratings and 3 natives onboard were killed in the attack, or died from wounds and exposure. The Reverend Kentish was taken to Dobo, (Aru Islands Group), where he was questioned and later executed by the Japanese.

1944

The Fremantle-based USS TINOSA, (submarine), sank the Japanese merchant ships KOSHIN MARU and SEINAN MARU in the South China Sea.

1963

The Australian Cabinet approved a contract with Scott’s Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd., of Greenock, Scotland, to build eight Oberon class submarines for the RAN. The order was later reduced to six.

2005

The Anzac class frigate, HMAS BALLARAT, (CMDR S. Hunter, CSC, RAN), ran aground at Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island, while conducting Operation Reflex border protection patrols. BALLARAT was able to return to HMAS STIRLING, under her own steam for repairs to her propellers and rudder.