On this day:
1919-1938 > Depresssion and between the wars
There are 198 entries in this era
- 09 Feb 1935
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), took off the crew of the disabled American schooner SETH PARKER, north of Apia.
- 16 Mar 1935
The Standard of the Duke of Gloucester was re-hoisted in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), at Kingston, Jamaica, when the Duke re-embarked for the voyage to Portsmouth.
- 28 Mar 1935
HMAS YARRA, (sloop), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.
- 13 Jun 1935
HMAS BRISBANE, (cruiser), was ordered to assist HMS HASTINGS, (sloop), which ran aground on Shab Kutle Reef in the Red Sea. The cruiser stood by the stranded ship for a week until she was freed.
- 16 Jul 1935
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and BRISBANE, (cruisers), represented the RAN at the Jubilee Review of HRH King George V, at Spithead, England.
- 12 Sep 1935
The first Seagull MK V amphibian was embarked in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser). HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), also carried a Seagull A2-2.
- 24 Sep 1935
The modified Leander class cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. U. C. Fitzgerald, RN), was commissioned. SYDNEY was laid down in Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Yard, Wallsend-on-Tyne, England, on 8 July 1933, as HMS PHAETON, and launched 22 September 1934, having been purchased for the RAN, as HMAS SYDNEY. Mrs S. M. Bruce, (Wife of the Australian High Commissioner), performed the launching ceremony.
- 08 Oct 1935
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser),won the Mediterranean Regatta against all ships of the Fleet. The cruiser scored 279.5 points, against HMS LONDON’S 276.
- 11 Oct 1935
Secret orders were received by HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), in the Mediterranean. In the event of war with Italy, AUSTRALIA was to join HMS BERWICK, and proceed to a position off Taranto to cover HMS GLORIOUS, (aircraft carrier), which was to launch its torpedo-carrying Swordfish aircraft against the Italian Fleet.
The orders were reactivated with great success in 1940.
- 31 Oct 1935
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), was ordered to join the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Fleet was strengthened as a result of the Abyssinian Crisis.
- 15 Jan 1936
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), became Cock of the Mediterranean when she won the Cruiser Regatta from HMS LONDON. She also won this regatta. in 1935.
- 20 Jan 1936
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SYDNEY, (cruisers), fired a 70 gun salute on the death of King George V.
- 21 Jan 1936
The Grimsby class escort sloop, HMAS YARRA, was commissioned. Mrs Parkhill, (Wife of the Minister for Defence), performed the commissioning ceremony. YARRA was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 28 March 1935. YARRA was sunk in action in the Sunda Strait, on 4 March 1942.
- 22 Jan 1936
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SYDNEY, (cruisers), fired a 21-gun royal salute at sea on the accession to the throne of Edward VIII.
- 28 Jan 1936
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), in Alexandria, Egypt, fired a 70 gun salute on the occasion of the funeral of HM King George V.
- 15 Feb 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.
- 11 Mar 1936
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), joined HMAS AUSTRALIA in ADML Sir Max Horton’s 1st Cruiser Squadron at Malta.
- 26 Mar 1936
The Seagull amphibian aircraft, from HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was damaged when it fell from a crane at Malta. AUSTRALIA was on exchange duties with the RN at the time.
- 28 Mar 1936
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.
- 20 Apr 1936
RADM Sir Richard Hayden Owen Lane-Poole, KBE, CB, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding His Majesty’s Australian Squadron.
- 07 May 1936
HMAS ANZAC, (destroyer leader), was sunk as a target off Sydney Heads.
- 15 Jun 1936
HMS AMPHION, (cruiser), later HMAS PERTH, was commissioned at Portsmouth.
- 12 Jul 1936
VADM Sir George Francis Hyde was promoted to Admiral. He was the first seagoing officer of the RAN to achieve the rank.
- 14 Jul 1936
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SYDNEY, (cruisers), were attached to the Mediterranean Fleet during the Abyssinian crisis.
- 09 Nov 1936
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), was despatched from Sydney to search for the 32 foot launch VIKING, missing between Sydney and Lord Howe Island. Although five steamers and numerous smaller craft joined in the search, no trace of the missing vessel was ever found.
- 09 Jan 1937
HMAS SWORDSMAN, (destroyer), was sold out of service.
- 21 Jan 1937
The Grimsby class escort sloop, HMAS SWAN, (CMDR R. R. Dowling, RAN), was commissioned. SWAN was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, 1 May 1935, and launched on 28 March 1936. Mrs J. A. Lyons, (Wife of the Australian Prime Minister), performed the launching ceremony.
- 04 Jun 1937
HMA Ships SUCCESS, STALWART, TASMANIA, and TATTOO, (destroyers), were sold for scrap. All four ships had been built in the United Kingdom towards the end of World War I, and gifted to the RAN in 1920. They had been decommissioned in the early 1930’s due to the financial constraints imposed upon the RAN due to the Great Depression, and been placed into reserve.
- 28 Jul 1937
ADML Sir George Francis Hyde, KCB, CVO, CBE, First Naval Member, died in Melbourne.
- 11 Aug 1937
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), arrived in her name port on her maiden voyage.
- 01 Nov 1937
ADML Sir Ragnar Colvin, RN, was appointed First Naval Member and Chief of Naval Staff.
- 31 Dec 1937
The fisheries patrol vessel, LARRAKIA, later HMAS LARRAKIA, fired over 1000 rounds warning Japanese fishing vessels they were poaching in North Australian waters.
- 22 Apr 1938
RADM Wilfred Neville Custance, CB, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding His Majesty’s Australian Squadron.
- 11 Jul 1938
HMAS ALBATROSS, (seaplane carrier), sailed from Sydney for England. The vessel was transferred to the RN as part payment for HMAS HOBART, (cruiser).
- 28 Sep 1938
HMAS ALBATROSS, (seaplane carrier), was transferred to the RN as part payment for HMAS HOBART, (cruiser, ex-HMS APOLLO).
The modified Leander class cruiser, HMAS HOBART, was commissioned. HOBART was laid down in Devonport Dockyard, England, on 15 August 1933, and launched on 9 October 1934. Completed and commissioned on 13 January 1936, she served in the RN as HMS APOLLO, (CAPT R.R. Stewart, RN). Lady Boyle, (Wife of ADML Sir W.H.D. Boyle, RN), performed the launching ceremony. Purchased by the RAN, she was renamed by Mrs S.M. Bruce, (wife of the Australian High Commissioner), and commissioned HMAS HOBART at Devonport Dockyard
- 27 Oct 1938
The Sydney Morning Herald reported:- ‘The Navy found itself with two of its four cruisers undergoing refits, its one remaining heavy cruiser still lacking protective armour without which ships of this class are considered unfit for war’. The un-armoured cruiser was HMAS CANBERRA, lost at Savo Island in 1942.
- 29 Oct 1938
HMAS KOOKABURRA, (boom defence vessel), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.
- 31 Dec 1938
LCDR. R. B. M. Long, Director of Naval Intelligence, reported 34 clandestine landings on Australian territory by Japanese agents in the year. A Japanese trawler, fitted with sophisticated radio and weapon detection equipment was also seized.