On This Day
1900-1913 > Federation, RAN and pre-WW1
On This Day - 1900-1913
- December 1, 1911
SBLT A. M. Longmore, RN, an Australian serving in the RN, successfully landed a Short S27 aircraft fitted with airbags on the Medway River, England.
- November 15, 1911
The Australian Blue Ensign was hoisted in HMA Ships PARRAMATTA and YARRA, (torpedo boat destroyers), at Port Phillip, VIC to accompany the joint use of the Royal Navy’s White Ensign by Royal Australian Navy ships. The RN White Ensign replaced Australia’s national flag flown since 1901 as the Naval Ensign. With this joint flying of the White Ensign, Australia, the independent self-governing Dominion, within the British Empire, allowed itself to become more closely aligned to British Admiralty. The Admiralty, slow to accept the independence of it’s former colonies, ensured that, following Australia’s RADM Creswell, influence would be maintained by only by RN Admirals being appointed as Australia’s First Naval Member on the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB). This was not a legal requirement of the Australian Constitution but had been diplomatically managed. This “agreed” position lasted until RADM Sir John Collins KBE RAN was appointed First Naval Member of ACNB in 1947. Thereafter only Australian Admirals served as First Naval Member on the ACNB.
- November 7, 1911
The site of the RAN College was selected by Parliament. After consideration of several areas, the site at Captains Point, Jervis Bay, NSW, was selected. Construction of the College began the following year, but an interim College was opened at Osborne House, Geelong, VIC, where the first class of Cadet Midshipman commenced their training in 1913. The College transferred to the Jervis Bay site in 1915.
- October 23, 1911
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), was launched at Clydebank, Scotland.
- October 5, 1911
The existence of the new Australian Navy was formally advised when the Naval Board issued an historic order promulgating the designation ‘Royal Australian Navy’. The order also directed that the permanent naval forces of the Commonwealth and for the ships of the Navy to be designated ‘His Majesty’s Australian Ships’, and that all ships and vessels of the Royal Australian Navy were to fly at the stern the White Ensign as the symbol of authority of the Crown, and at the jack staff, the flag of Australia.