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36 unusual facts about Royal Australian Navy


1000 Miles Away

The crew of Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Canberra had an association with the song after they adopted it as their 'anthem'.

Acheron-class destroyer

Three River-class destroyers of the Royal Australian Navy were laid down in British yards, with a further three built in Australia.

Admiralty type flotilla leader

Transferred to the Royal Australian Navy 11 October 1933, sold for breaking up 3 February 1947.

Australian Defence Force Investigative Service

The ADFIS is a 'tri-service' unit and is manned by 150 members of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force.

Battle of the Mediterranean

It was fought off the coast of the Peloponnese in southern Greece from 27–29 March 1941 in which Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy forces—under the command of the British Admiral Andrew Cunningham—intercepted those of the Italian Regia Marina under Admiral Angelo Iachino.

Battle-class destroyer

Although these ships were cancelled by the Admiralty two ships of this type had been ordered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in Australia in 1945.

Bob Jervis

After war service in the Royal Australian Navy from 1942 until 1944, he became a cadet journalist in the old "sink-or-swim" tradition.

Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

The Royal Australian Navy had three Charles F. Adams class units constructed to their own specifications (these ships were designated the Perth class).

David Eggby

Beginning his career as a photographer for the Royal Australian Navy, Eggby then moved on to work for Australian television production company Crawfords, working on such shows as Homicide and Matlock Police.

Eric Loudoun-Shand

Alexander, the third brother, became a Commander in the Royal Australian Navy and was the head of the Royal Australian Naval College.

Falie

The vessel commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as HMAS Falie during World War II, serving first as an inspection vessel primarily patrolling the Port of Sydney, Australia, then as a stores ship.

Geoff Craige

He served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1961 to 1980, becoming a chief petty officer in the navy's medical branch.

Geographe Bay

The Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Swan was sunk in the bay off the town of Dunsborough on 14 December 1997, for use as a dive wreck.

Glen Iris, Victoria

Captain Thomas Henderson, of the Royal Navy, arrived in Melbourne on a ship called Iris in 1850.

HMAS Eduardo

HMAS Eduardo was an auxiliary vessel operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War.

HMAS HDML 1324

HMAS HDML 1324, also known as Nepean was a 58-ton Harbour Defence Motor Launch of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS Mother Snake

HMAS Mother Snake was an auxiliary vessel operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War.

HMAS Nereus

HMAS Nereus (19) was a channel patrol boat of the Naval Auxiliary Patrol of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War.

HMAS Nyanie

HMAS Nyanie (GPV 965) was an auxiliary vessel operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War.

HMAS Whang Pu

She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 1 October 1943 as HMAS Whang Pu and fitted out in Melbourne as a mobile repair ship.

HMAS Yarroma

HMAS Yarroma was a channel patrol boat of the Naval Auxilliary Patrol of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War.

Ian Cohen

Cohen was a founder of the Sydney Peace Squadron and the Brisbane Peace and Environment fleet and came to international attention in 1986 when photographed on a surfboard, while clinging to the bow of the destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD-972), as she pulled into Sydney Harbour to participate in the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy.

Madang Airport

A large amount of high octane fuel was captured and used by the Australians for use in the Royal Australian Navy motor launch boats.

Maylands Airport

Between 6 April 1942 and 5 August 1943, No. 35 Squadron, flying Avro Ansons, was based at Maylands to transport supplies and passengers to Allied units throughout Western Australia, as well as supporting the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army.

Naval Historical Society of Australia

:"To research, record and collate the history of all Navies, but particularly that of the Royal Australian Navy."

Parker-class flotilla leader

Transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in March 1919, and sold for breaking up 8 August 1935.

They were named after famed historical naval leaders, except for Anzac, which was named to honour the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and was later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.

Pel-Air

In 1996 Pel-Air won a contract to provide support to the Royal Australian Navy, resulting in further expansion of the fleet with the acquisition of four Learjets.

Of these aircraft, the Brasilia and three of the Saab 340s have been converted to freighters, while the Learjets and some of the Westwinds are operated in support of the training and operational requirements of the Royal Australian Navy.

Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington Green

In the British Royal Navy, and in the Royal Australian Navy, sailors with a surname of Perkins are traditionally given the nickname of 'Polly'.

Q and R-class destroyer

Three Q class ships were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy upon completion, with two further ships being handed over in 1945.

Rohan Taylor

In December 2005, he was officially rebuked by the hierarchy of Swimming Australia for organizing a training camp for his swimmers with the Royal Australian Navy in which mock military executions were held.

Tony Bullimore

The Royal Australian Navy launched a rescue mission for Bullimore and another capsized competitor, Thierry Dubois.

UNSW Faculty of Engineering

Michael Uzzell, Electrical Engineering - Head of Navy Engineering, Royal Australian Navy; Engineers Australia "Top 100 Influential Engineers, 2013"

Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad

In 1958 members were trained in diving by the Royal Australian Navy, and from this time onward the squad became responsible for underwater searches.

Wired for War

The book was a non-fiction book of the year by the Financial Times and named to the official reading lists for the US Air Force, US Navy, and Royal Australian Navy.


American Ship Hull numbers

For example the Perth class guided missile destroyers that were built for the Royal Australian Navy in Bay City, Michigan were given the hull numbers DDG-25, DDG-26, and DDG-27; but these hull numbers were not assigned to any American destroyers after the Australian Navy had changed those to its own identification numbers.

ASV Wyatt Earp

Based on the Royal Australian Navy's Fantome class survey launches, Wyatt Earp was built specifically for hydrographic survey duties in Antarctic waters.

Wyatt Earp is a smaller version of the Fantome class survey launches used by the Royal Australian Navy, modified for operations in Antarctic waters.

Australia in the Korean War 1950–53

The book's account of the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force's operations in Korea is highly detailed.

Australian Service Nurses National Memorial

The memorial honours past and present nurses of the Australian Defence Force, serving in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force and associated services.

Forgacs Group

Forgacs conducts refit and maintenance work for the Royal Australian Navy, including the repair and extensive conversion of the Kanimbla-class LPAs following their purchase from the United States Navy.

HMAS Bathurst

Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy have been named HMAS Bathurst, for the city of Bathurst, New South Wales.

HMAS Hawkesbury

Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Hawkesbury after the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales.

HMAS HDML 1321

HMAS HDML 1321, also known as Rushcutter was a 58-ton Harbour Defence Motor Launch of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS Horsham

HMAS Horsham (J235/M235), named for the city of Horsham, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS Ipswich

Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Ipswich, for the city of Ipswich, Queensland.

HMAS Oxley

Two submarines of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Oxley, for the explorer John Oxley.

HMAS Rushcutter

Two units of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Rushcutter, for Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales.

HMAS St Giles

HMAS St Giles (FY86) was a tugboat which was operated by the Royal Navy (RN), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Australian shipping firms J. & A. Brown and the Waratah Tug and Salvage Company.

HMAS Warramunga

Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy have been named HMAS Warramunga after the Warumungu Aborigines.

HMAS Yarra

Four ships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Yarra after the Yarra River in Victoria.

HMS Curlew

HMAS Curlew was a Ton-class minesweeper, launched in 1953 as HMS Montrose, renamed HMS Chediston in 1958 and then HMAS Curlew on her transfer to the Royal Australian Navy in 1962.

Larrakeyah, Northern Territory

Features of Larrakeyah include the Larrakeyah Barracks (an Army barracks combined with HMAS Coonawarra Naval Base) that takes up most of the suburb, Larrakeyah Terrace (a pleasant harbour-front street with an open park for picnics and walks), as well as being close by to the tourist attractions in Darwin City, Cullen Bay, Mindil Beach and the George Brown Botanical Gardens.

Lerici-class minehunter

The class design has also been used as the basis for ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy (as the Mahamiru class), the Nigerian Navy, the United States Navy (as the Osprey class), the Royal Australian Navy (as the Huon class), and the Royal Thai Navy (as the Lat Ya class).

Pardon for Morant, Handcock and Witton

In October 2009, the Australian military lawyer, Commander James William Unkles, of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve sent petitions for pardons for Morant, Handcock, and Witton to both Queen Elizabeth II and to the Petitions Committee of the Australian House of Representatives in October 2009.

Submarine Command Course

The SMCC is attended by submariners from other navies, including the Royal Australian Navy, the Brazilian Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Danish Navy (prior to their withdrawal of their submarine capability), the Republic of Korea Navy, and the United States Navy.

Task Force 44

The task force consisted of warships from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and United States Navy and was generally assigned as a striking force to defend northeast Australia and the surrounding area from any attacks by Axis forces, particularly from the Empire of Japan.

Twofold Bay

The second wharf belongs to the Department of Defence and is used by the Royal Australian Navy to service its ships.