[164] Reports have circulated that either a replica of the flight deck, or the deck itself, was used for clandestine training of PLANAF pilots in carrier flight operations. A large proportion of this ships company had only recently joined the ship and some 25% were ordinary seamen, barely accustomed to wearing naval uniform. I am also proud to record that Voyagers officers and men displayed the same high standards of individual behaviour. The exercise commenced on 16 April and included sea and air units from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Pakistan and Thailand, under the overall command of the Flag Officer Commanding HMA Fleet, Rear Admiral Alan McNicoll, CBE, GM, RAN, aboard Melbourne. Naval Airman Douglas Wild suffered severe internal injuries when he slipped while trying to unhook an arrestor wire from a Gannet and was partially crushed between the tail of the plane and the ships deck. Melbourne immediately commenced search and rescue operations and requested assistance from nearby NAS Nowra where search and rescue aircraft and boats were based. [87] Voyager's forward boiler exploded, briefly setting fire to the bow of the carrier before it was extinguished by seawater. The final leg of her voyage home was via Jervis Bay where the 64 aircraft that Melbourne had brought from the UK were transferred ashore via lighter for road transport to the Naval Air Station at Nowra. [58][59], As Melbourne was the only ship of her size (both in dimensions and ship's company) in the RAN, the carrier underwent a regular rotation of commanding officers to give them experience. [105][106] As the carrier was optimised for anti-submarine warfare, there was little need for her at the start of the war. Every day Melbourne provided some 200 personnel to act as marshals in various stadia, additionally, signalmen, carpenters and sick berth attendants were utilised to perform special duties. [36], On 5 December 1976, a fire at the Naval Air Station HMASAlbatross destroyed or heavily damaged 12 of the Fleet Air Arm's 13 S-2E Trackers. On 5 July Melbourne, along with other RAN and RAAF units, conducted a search and rescue operation for a fishing boat, Fishing News, which had not returned to Sydney after putting to sea the previous morning. Ralston, M. G. Watson, D. T. The following is a list of Officers and Ratings serving in Lt. Smith, W. N. Ian Critchley LM (E) Served from 1956 - 1969 Served in HMAS Vampire. HMAS Melbourne celebrates her 20,000th landing. [1] In August, Melbourne sailed for Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 72. We hold several sources of information on RAN ships. [117], On the night of 23 June 1969, Melbourne and her escorts were involved in anti-submarine training exercises in the South China Sea. [4] Construction resumed in 1946, and major modifications to the design were incorporated. She then returned to Singapore for the SEATO exercise OCEAN LINK. [26] This was the largest project undertaken by Garden Island Dockyard to that date. To use these records effectively you need: The best available source for crew details is the ships' ledgers. [93] During this deployment, the carrier visited Subic Bay, where the RAN performed flight deck trials with S-2 Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and A-4 Skyhawk attack fighters. She then sailed for Brisbane and the Hervey Bay area to conduct flying training. Less than three months later, on 29 April, the ship celebrated her 1000th deck landing since completing her refit when Sub Lieutenant Ross Smith, RAN, the youngest pilot aboard Melbourne at the time, successfully landed his Tracker. Ask us a question about records in our collection. [30] In June, the carrier took part in Exercise Kangaroo in the Coral Sea, before returning to Sydney in July. 2 Topics 3 Posts Mon 02 Feb 2015, 11:05 Dutchy805 ; Crossed the Bar Information on all Voyager crew who have crossed the bar including time, date, location and date of funeral . Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult. [96] Robertson was posted to the training base HMASWatsona move that he and the Australian media saw as tantamount to a demotionbut resigned instead. Melbournes journey back to Sydney was notable for the Melbourne-Sydney Marathon. With 24 ships and submarines from five nations participating, OCEAN LINK was the largest SEATO exercise yet. [164] At this time, few western experts expected that the Chinese government would attempt to develop aircraft carriers in the future. [10] Despite an increase to approximately one acre (4,000square metres, 4,800square yards) in area, the deck was still significantly smaller than other Cold War era carriers; S-2 Trackers, with their 22.12-metre (72ft 7in) wingspan, had less than a metre's clearance for their starboard wingtip when landing, and pilots from other navies often refused to attempt landing. Melbourne then continued on to Japan and Hawaii for Exercise REX with USN units before returning home via Western Samoa and Fiji. She returned to Singapore in an attempt to clear the contamination before the upcoming SEATO exercise, SEA DEMON. In June 1981, crew on the Australian Navy's HMAS Melbourne were flying in an anti-submarine patrol plane, a Grumman S-2G Tracker 851, when they helped rescue 99 refugees from their broken-down vessel in the South China Sea, 250 nautical miles east of Vietnam. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Armand Roland, RAN, was recovered by the helicopter planeguard with minor injuries, while the observer and telegraphist, Lieutenants Anthony Horton, RAN, and Haliburton Findlay, RAN, were recovered unhurt a few minutes later by HMS Cavalier. [126] However, an industrial dispute amongst the shipyard workers meant that, although the work was completed in early September, the ship remained in the drydock until 11 October. Not long afterwards the first fixed wing aircraft, a Hawker De Havilland Sea Venom and a Fairey Gannet, arrived during trials in the English Channel. On 5 March, while conducting an air defence exercise in the southern Coral Sea, one of the ships Wessex helicopters ditched into the water. During the First World War the R.A.N. HMAS Melbourne was a Town class light cruiser operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). A Skyhawk coming over Melbourne's round-down. This was the eleventh JET exercise, the third to include Australia, and involved some 41 naval units from six countries. [13], As the lead ship of the Majestic-class of light aircraft carriers, Melbourne was conceived as a modified version of the Colossus-class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability. The National Archives of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. The passage proved a difficult one as cyclonic conditions caused a number of accidents and injuries throughout the fleet, including a shipwright aboard Melbourne who injured his hand in a circular saw and required surgery. The ships visit to Rabaul was marred by the tragic death of Seaman Brendan Lane in a car accident on 25 September. On 28 October, 1955, the ship was officially named and commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Melbourne under the command of Captain Galfrey GO Gatacre, DSO, DSC, RAN, while Lady White, wife of Sir Thomas White, the then Australian High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, performed the naming ceremony. [78], In 1962, Melbourne began the year's activities at the Royal Hobart Regatta, before sailing to her Strategic Reserve deployment, by way of Adelaide and Fremantle. [27][126] Melbourne was out of service for most of 1971 while she underwent refits, which concluded in early August. [82] The trials involved interactions between both ships, and when Melbourne performed night-flying exercises that evening, Voyager acted as the carrier's plane guard escort. The aircrew was rescued and hauled back on board, however, attempts to recover the aircraft were unsuccessful and it was lost over the side. Occurring off the New South Wales coast in 1964, the aircraft carrier Melbourne and destroyer Voyager were engaged in night flying exercises when Voyager inexplicably turned in front of Melbourne's bow. Crew members of the HMAS Melbourne (II) attend a memorial service on the deck of the aircraft carrier while it transports injured sailors from HMAS Voyager (II) to Sydney. [17][71] On return to Sydney, Melbourne entered a short refit, which concluded on 13 October and was immediately followed by a visit to Port Phillip, where the carrier was displayed to Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force officer cadets before the carrier returned to Sydney. [23] The four Bofors twin mountings were removed in 1980. [154] By February 1981, the Iwo Jima class was the preferred option. [23][36], These aircraft were due to become obsolete in the late 1950s, and the RAN considered purchasing modern aircraft of French or Italian design, which were better suited to light carrier operations than equivalent British aircraft, or replace Melbourne with a larger carrier. [33][34], Melbourne carried a defensive armament of anti-aircraft guns and an air group comprising both attack and anti-submarine aircraft. Great Price $165 off avg. At the end of January 1959 Melbourne returned to her namesake city for the unique experience of filming scenes for the movie On The Beach. [23] She returned to Australia on 12 October, but sailed out ten days later to participate in Exercise Leadline off Malaysia, before reaching Sydney again in December. This gave Australia a capability at that time not possessed by any land based air force operating jet aircraft in the region. [23] To operate the new aircraft, the carrier received a major refit on her return to Sydney, which began in December 1967. [156] The Invincible class had been considered and discarded during the investigation, but the decreased price and the fact the already-constructed carrier would be ready for RAN service in 1983 prompted the Australian government to announce its intention to purchase Invincible on 25 February 1982 and close the carrier acquisition program. She sailed from Sydney for her South East Asian deployment on 22 June which took her to New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. [101] Robertson and the other officers of Melbourne were absolved of blame for the incident. Building trust in the public record policy, Getting started with information management, Royal Australian Navy ship and crew records, the approximate service period of the individual, remarks about punishments or qualifications, any incidents occurring on board during tours of duty, the design, construction and maintenance of vessels, ships' logs from 1855 onwards, in a number of series, records on design, construction and maintenance (including. [1] During this deployment, Melbourne led a fleet of 17 ships from the RAN, Royal Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, US Navy, Philippine Navy, and Royal Thai Navy in Exercise Sea Hawk. Thousands of people turned out to watch her arrive in the harbour and three days later she replaced HMAS Sydney (III) as the flagship of the RAN when Rear Admiral HM Burrell broke his flag in her. [7] The Colossus-class carrier HMSVengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955 to cover Majestic's absence. She participated in Exercise JUC 63 in August, visited New Zealand in September, and took part in Exercise SWORDHILT in the Coral Sea in October. Left; a pilot's view of the angled flight deck. [61][63] Melbourne sailed east via the Great Australian Bight, meeting sister ship HMASSydney near Kangaroo Island a week later. [98][99] This is the only time in Australian history two Royal Commissions have been held for a single incident. Melbourne went on to visit Manila where she conducted flight deck and hangar handling trials with a USN Grumman Tracker, a precursor as to what lay in the carriers future. Melbourne struck Voyager at the after end of her bridge, heeling her over to an angle of about 50 degrees. [16] Melbourne's two propellers were driven by two Parsons single-reduction geared turbine sets providing 40,000shp, which were powered by four Admiralty 3-drum boilers. [17], Following the recommencement of construction, modifications were made to the ship, based on wartime experience and Britain's post-war carrier warfare technology and innovations. She participated in the inaugural ANZUK naval exercise GENESIS at the end of March and departed Singapore for Australia on 3 April. HMAS Melbourne was originally one of six Majestic Class light fleet aircraft carriers ordered for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. [108] Seventh Fleet staff suggested in April 1967 that Melbourne deploy in the anti-submarine role, but nothing came of these talks. [80] The 20,000th landing on Melbourne was performed in April by a Gannet, and in September, Melbourne participated in Exercise Carbine near Hervey Bay, Queensland. [38] Under consideration were British carrier HMSAlbion and a ship of the United States' Essex class. Early in her career, Melbourne underwent a series of short annual refits, commencing in September and ending in January or February of the next year. Melbourne maintained a regular program of exercises, training and maintenance over the next few years, including annual deployments to the Asia-Pacific region. [29] The next major refit ran from April 1975 to June 1976, and was intended to increase the operational lifespan of the carrier to at least 1985. [146] The carrier was in Sydney from mid-April until mid-August, during which the 25th anniversary of Melbourne's service in the RAN was celebrated on 15 August with a cocktail party aboard the carrier, popularly referred to as 'The Night of the Admirals'. The work was completed on 27 April, with the shipyard receiving a commendation. The aircraft was seen to take off normally but quickly veered to the right and down into the water. 644 mi - Melbourne, FL. [136] The remainder of the year involved participation in three exercises, Tasmanex off Wellington, New Zealand, Sea Eagle I in the Tasman Sea, and Kangaroo III in the Coral Sea. Laid down for the RN as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943 and launched in 1945, the ship was nearing completion when construction was virtually brought to a halt with the cessation of wartime hostilities. [103] Following the repairs, Melbourne was involved in Strategic Reserve deployments and exercises in Southeast Asia from June until September 1964. Corrective action from both ships was required to avoid a collision. [124] After Evans' stern was evacuated, it was cast off, while the carrier moved away to avoid damage. 82 of Voyager's personnel were killed, and two Royal Commissions were held to investigate the incident. These generally involve requisitioned vessels. Seventy four of Evans crew lost their lives, and Melbourne sustained extensive damage to her bow section. Right: Leading Musician Cross lets one the students try out the trombone. The text of the telex message has been altered for readability. She participated in the Combined Operational Training Period off Jervis Bay in November which included 24 warships from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. The Australian Government had by this time committed naval forces to what became known as the Far East Strategic Reserve, which provided for an annual visit from an aircraft carrier as part of the RAN's contribution. [1] She departed Sydney on 27 January 1972 for that years South East Asian deployment and arrived in the Philippines, via Papua New Guinea, on 10 February. [85] Both ships' measures were too late to avoid a collision; Melbourne hit Voyager at 8:56pm. She steamed into Singapore on 6 June with flags flying at half mast. [117] Subsequent action narrowly prevented a collision. [76] The carrier's Strategic Reserve deployment ran from April to June, and was followed by manoeuvres along the east coast of Australia until September. This definition does not include seaplane tender. The ledger is recorded under the name of the parent vessel or shore base. The success of the exercises was tempered, however, when one of Melbournes Sycamore helicopters ditched into the sea near HMS Hermes while conducting a personnel transfer to the British carrier. [157] The Australian government began to reconsider the previous contenders for replacement, as well as considering requesting the United Kingdom or United States to build a simple carrier capable of operating F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters, but the issue was suspended at the commencement of the 1983 Australian Federal Election. navy.gov.au HMAS Melbourne (II) HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy. En route, on 2 August, she participated in the search for survivors from the collier Birchgrove Park which had foundered north of Port Jackson the previous night resulting in the loss of ten lives. The remainder of the year was spent exercising in Australian waters, including Exercise ASTROLABE in the Tasman Sea, before returning to Sydney for Christmas leave. In April 1946 the RAN received prime ministerial permission to investigate the establishment of a naval Fleet Air Arm along British lines. Not all ledgers for 1950 to 1956 are individually listed on RecordSearch. On 25 May Melbournes Commanding Officer, Captain John Stevenson, RAN, hosted the Commanding Officers of the ships in Melbournes Task Unit to a dinner on board, during which he ran through the procedures used for plane guard, expressed his concern for safety overall and related the events leading up to the Voyager tragedy. [95] A Royal Commission into the events of the collision was held in 1964, and found that while Voyager's crew was primarily at fault for neglecting to maintain an effective lookout and awareness of the larger ship's location, Melbourne's bridge crew was also at fault, for failing to alert Voyager and not taking measures to avoid the collision. References to many ledgers appear at item level on RecordSearch. Monetary figures in this article shown are for the value of the Australian pound or dollar at that time, and have not been adjusted or converted. The forward section of Evans sank in 3 minutes. [11], The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955. She performed sea trials in Jervis Bay from 17 February until 5 May, then sailed for Subic Bay, Philippines, to participate in SEATO Exercise Sea Spirit. 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