The Forgotten Cruiser:HMAS MELBOURNE I
Our speaker will be Historian and NHS Member, Andrew Kilsby.
Andrew is compiling a history on HMAS MELBOURNE I with co-author CMDR Greg Swinden RAN. The new book will be launched on March 26th 2013 which is the centenary of the arrival of HMAS MELBOURNE at Port Melbourne in 1913.
Andrew will speak about the ship and her exploits in WWI and beyond. Although in the shadow of her more famous sister SYDNEY I, Melbourne served quietly and efficiently for 15 years, accumulating the battle honours of Rabaul 1914 and North Sea 1916-1918 on the way. Sent back to England in 1928 and broken up the following year, the MELBOURNE slipped quietly into RAN History, forgotten by many.
Andrew’s research has revealed interesting facts about the officers and men of the various crews, including that at least 20 of the original commissioning crew subsequently joined the AIF in WWI. One Officer from MELBOURNE even served with both Mawson and Shackelton in the Antarctic.
Join us on September 24 to learn more of this little known RAN warship, its characters and its moments of glory in 1922. She saved the crew of a sinking schooner at the height of a gale!
- Date
- Monday 24 September 2012
- Time:
- 7.30 pm
- Location:
- The Melbourne Naval Centre
146W Toorak Road, South Yarra
(Melways 2LE4 – opposite Fawkner Park in the ESU Building). - Note:
- The Centre opens at approximately 6.30pm to facilitate use of our excellent library.
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