HMAS Australia

HMAS AUSTRALIA departed Portsmouth on 3 August 1928 and proceeding via Montreal, Quebec, Halifax, Boston, New York, Annapolis, Kingston, Balboa, Tahiti, Wellington and Brisbane reached Sydney on 23 October 1928

She spent the first six years of her commission on the Australia Station, mostly in home waters. In 1932 she cruised to various Pacific islands, and in 1933 she visited New Zealand.

On 10 December l 934 she sailed for England (HRH Duke of Gloucester embarked) on exchange duty with the Royal Navy, her place on the Australia Station being taken by HMS SUSSEX. Proceeding via New Zealand, Fiji, Balboa and Kingston, AUSTRALIA reached Portsmouth on 28 March 1935.

In May 1935 AUSTRALIA proceeded to the Mediterranean where she served with the British forces until July 19360 She returned to England during the period 21 June 1935 to 12 September 1935 to take part in the July Jubilee Review at Spithead. On 14 July 1936 she departed Alexandria to return to Australia via Aden and thence direct to Fremantle. She reached Sydney on 11 August 1936 after an absence of  615 days on exchange service. Excepting a visit to Melbourne in November 1936, AUSTRALIA spent the remainder of the year at Sydney and Jervis Bay.

AUSTRALIA spent the first three months of 1937 in home waters and in April she cruised to New Zealand visiting Wellington, Otago and Auckland. In July she proceeded on a northern cruise to Queensland ports, New Guinea and New Britain, returning to Sydney on 10 September. In November she made her annual visit to Melbourne, which, except for a brief cruise to Hobart in February 1938 brought her peace time sea going activities to a close. She paid off into Reserve on 24 April 19380

On 28 August 1939 AUSTRALIA commissioned in Sydney and spent the first nine months of the War on the Australian coast, on one occasion investigating a doubtful report of an 'unknown raider'. Between May and July 1940, the ship was employed on convoy/escort duties, initially between Fremantle and Capetown and later between Capetown and Freetown on the African West coast.

As part of the Dakar Squadron in July 1940, AUSTRALIA, in company with HMS HERMES, DORSETSHIRE and MILFORD was patrolling off the French West African coast, observing the French Fleet. In this month AUSTRALIA fired her first shot in World War II when she was attacked by an enemy bomber. On 9 July she joined a convoy for the UK and for the rest of the month she was patrolling off Norway in the vicinity of the Faeroes with the 1st Cruiser Squadron, at one time engaged in a search for the German battleship GNEISENAU. The patrol continued throughout August.

September 1940 found AUSTRALIA involved in 'Operation Menace' and patrolling off Dakar (Fr. W. Africa) and shadowing French cruisers GLOIRE, MONTCALM and GEORGES LEYGUES. The object of ‘Operation Menace’ was to install General de Gaulle and a Free French force in Dakar thereby evicting the existing Vichy government and forestalling any possible German occupation. The optimistic belief that the population of Dakar would welcome de Gaulle proved to be ill founded and shore batteries opened fire on the fleet. AUSTRALIA escaped damage, but CUMBERLAND and FORESIGHT were both hit. AUSTRALIA with FURY and GREYHOUND attacked a French destroyer which was set ablaze from end to end. On the following day, 24 September, AUSTRALIA was engaged in a general fleet bombardment of French ships and forts and was twice subjected to high level bombing attacks by French planes. On 25 September AUSTRALIA and DEVONSHIRE moved in towards Dakar to attack French cruisers. During the engagement which followed AUSTRALIA received two hits aft, and her 'Walrus' spotting aircraft was shot down. Fifteen minutes after engaging the French ships the British cruisers withdrew. In 13 minutes AUSTRALIA had fired salvoes.

In October 1940, AUSTRALIA was patrolling off the Azores and escorting troop ships between Gibraltar and the UK. On 29 October, in the Orkney Shetland area, AUSTRALIA succeeded in rescuing nine crewmembers off a Sunderland Flying Boat, despite Force 10 winds and very high seas. The remainder of 1940 was spent docked in Liverpool for a refit. During December, the city was subjected to a period of heavy air raids. On one occasion a large bomb fell between the ship's side and the dock wall and incendiaries fell on board but were quickly extinguished. The catapult wire was damaged and square port windows in the Captain's cabin broken. The bombing proved too much for both ship's cats who deserted, and the ship's company apparently missed out on their Christmas poultry that year when the ducklings were incinerated in the contractor's premises which were burnt out.

After a period escorting convoys to Freetown, Durban, Suez and Colombo, AUSTRALIA finally arrived back in Sydney on 24 March 1941. Between April and November the ship was on duty in the Indian Ocean and on 6 November carried out a reconnaissance of the Crozet Islands. She returned to Sydney in December and became Flagship of the Australian Squadron and two months later, February 1942, Flagship of ANZAC Squadron having Noumea as its operational base.

In March and April 1942, AUSTRALIA operated in the South West Pacific in support of US naval forces attempting to halt further Japanese southward expansion. On 22 April the Naval Command in the SW Pacific area was reorganised and renamed. ANZAC Squadron became Task Force 44 with AUSTRALIA as Flagship, and on 5 May Task Forces 11, 17 and 44 united as one Task Force 17.

The Battle of the Coral Sea (7 May 1942) saw AUSTRALIA as Flagship of the Support Group (TG 17.3) patrolling the Jomard Passage. The Support Group was attacked by eight torpedo bombers and nineteen high level bombers on this date. On 7 August 1942 AUSTRALIA led the escort of nine transports and six store ships containing the forces for the landing at Guadalcanal, and remained in the area until the end of August 1942, during which period she was subject with the remainder of the forces, to frequent heavy air attacks.

The early months of 1943 were spent in support of the Coral Sea Group and patrolling the east coast of Australia. On 11 April AUSTRALIA received a report of a Japanese landing on the southeast shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Although subsequent investigations proved negative, it appeared likely that the Japanese were either establishing fuel caches for subs or aircraft or both, or landing small parties of men as commandos or coast watchers.

From November 1943 to September 1944, AUSTRALIA was involved in bombarding enemy held islands of the South West Pacific, prior to allied assaults, from Cape Gloucester in the New Britain area to Morotai in the N. E. I. On 21 October 1944 after bombardments in Leyte Gulf (Philippines) AUSTRALIA was hit by a Japanese suicide plane. Six officers and 23 ratings were killed and her Commanding Officer (CAPT E. F. V. Dechaineaux, DSC) later died of wounds. Nine officers, 52 ratings and one AIF soldier were wounded. Whether this was the first deliberate Kamikaze attack on allied ships is uncertain. After this action, AUSTRALIA, escorted by WARRAMUNGA proceeded to Manus Island and thence to Espiritu Santo (New Hebrides) for repairs and by 5 January 1945 she was back in action in the Lingayen Gulf covering the allied invasion of Luzon Island. Here she was subjected to repeated suicide attacks this time there being no doubt of the Kamikaze nature of the Japanese planes. AUSTRALIA was hit on 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th January, losing 3 officers, 41 ratings killed and 1 officer 68 ratings wounded. This was the ship's last action in World War II. After repairs in Sydney, AUSTRALIA sailed for the UK via America on 24 May 1945 for a major refit arriving at Plymouth on 1 July. She was still in UK at war's end.

After a somewhat leisurely voyage home via Cape of Good Hope, AUSTRALIA arrived at Fremantle on 25 January 1946 and Sydney on 16 February where she paid off into Reserve.

POST-WAR SERVICE

Apart from a three month deployment in Ear Eastern waters in September November 1947, AUSTRALIA spent the next three and half years in home waters, paying a goodwill visit to New Zealand (March 1948) and a brief visit to New Guinea (1949).

AUSTRALIA spent the last five years of her active commission as a training cruiser, visiting New Zealand on 3 occasions with the Australian Squadron from 24 February 31 March 1950, mid September to 6 October 1952, and for a brief visit in October 19530.

From 1st to 14th August 1950, AUSTRALIA was engaged in a 'mercy' mission to the Australian Antarctic base at Heard Is where a member of the Staff, Dr Serge Udovikoff was ill. Apart from the uncomfortable conditions created by gale force winds, (up to 65 knots in gusts) sleet, snow and hail, the ship experienced feed water difficulties due to the increased prevalence of plankton in the sea. Use of ship's water was restricted to drinking and teeth cleaning. No one was allowed to wash! Weather conditions were no better when AUSTRALIA arrived at the island; but when a reasonable break occurred the cutter was lowered and Dr Udovikoff eventually brought on board for the journey to Fremantle.

In May 1951, the Governor of NSW, Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott was embarked for Jubilee celebrations at Lord Howe Island, and in July of the same year the ship paid a brief visit to New Caledonia. During 1952 AUSTRALIA visited New Guinea. New Britain and the Solomon Islands, dropping a wreath at Savo Island to commemorate the sinking of CANBERRA on 9 August 1942.

In the final year of her career, AUSTRALIA was awarded the Duke of Gloucester's Cup (19 March) and carried out both Royal and Vice Regal duties. When HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH the Duke Of Edinburgh visited Australia in February March 1954, formed part of the naval escort for the Royal Yacht GOTHIC and HMNZS BLACK PRINCE. During the Royal Visit to North Queensland, Her Majesty and HRH visited AUSTRALIA for an hour. After all officers were presented, the ship's company marched past in single file and Her Majesty and HRH inspected and talked to 20 selected senior and 20 junior ratings.

On 4 May 1954, the Governor General, Sir William Slim, Lady Slim and staff were embarked for a voyage to the Coral Sea, the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Passage.

AUSTRALIA’s 8" guns were fired for the last time on 6 May 1954 and ‘possibly for the last time in any of the Queen's navies.’ While in the Coral Sea, a disabled Dutch LCT was taken in tow for Cairns.

AUSTRALIA paid off for disposal on 31 August 1954 and was sold as scrap to British Iron and Steel Corporation (Salvage) Ltd on 25 January 1955. Under tow of the Dutch tug RODE ZEE, the ship departed Sydney on 26 March 1955 and was broken up at Thomas Ward Ship breaking Yard, Barrow-in-Furness in 1956.

From her wartime commissioning on 28 August 1939 to paying off, AUSTRALIA had steamed a total distance of 477,000 miles.

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