On This Day
1919-1938 > Depresssion and between the wars
On This Day - 1919-1938
- July 5, 1920
The fleet collier HMAS BILOELA, was commissioned. BILOELA was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, 21 October 1918, and launched on 10 April 1919.
- June 24, 1920
HMS STUART, (destroyer), operated with the British Fleet deployed in the Sea of Marmara, to put down a Turkish rebellion.
- May 3, 1920
The RAN reached its highest peacetime strength. Metric Main SpeedShips Class Tonnage Armament (knots)AUSTRALIA Battle cruiser 19,507 30.5cm 25 SYDNEY Light cruiser 5486 15.2cm 25.5 MELBOURNE Light cruiser 5486 15.2cm 25.5 BRISBANE Light cruiser 5486 15.2cm 25.5 ENCOUNTER Light cruiser 5894 15.2cm 20 PIONEER Cruiser 2235 10.2 cm 20.5 PROTECTOR Gunboat 934 15.2cm 14 ANZAC Flotilla leader 1331 10.2cm 34 TASMANIA Destroyer 1092 10.2 cm 36 SWORDSMAN Destroyer 1092 10.2cm 36 SUCCESS Destroyer 1092 10.2cm 36 STALWART Destroyer 1092 10.2cm 36 TATTOO Destroyer 1092 10.2cm 36 PARRAMATTA Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 YARRA Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 WARREGO Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 TORRENS Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 HUON Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 SWAN Destroyer 711 10.2cm 26 MALLOW Sloop 1219 5.5kg 16.5 MARGUERITE Sloop 1269 10.2cm 16.5 . GERANIUM Sloop 1269 10.2cm 16.5 FANTOME Gunboat 1087 1.4kg 13 COUNTESS OF HOPETOWN Torpedo boat 76 – -PLATYPUS Submarine depot ship 3531 11.9cm 15.5 UNA (ex KOMET) Sloop 1460 10.2 cm 16 J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 Submarines 1848 10.2cm gun 19 surface 45.7cm tubes 9.5 submergedAuxiliaries CERBERUS Coast defence 3220 25.4 cm 9 PENGUIN Depot ship 1147 4572 kg 11 TINGIRA (ex-SOBRAON) Training ship 2165 KURUMBA Oiler 4041 – 12FRANKLIN Yacht – – 12.5Under Construction ADELAIDE Light cruiser 5181 15.2cm 25.5 BILOELA Collier 5684 10.2cm 11
- February 25, 1920
Navy Order 27 introduced an Australian code of discipline to the RAN. The order was issued as a consequence of the inquiry into a mutiny in HMAS AUSTRALIA in 1919.
- February 19, 1920
HMAS SLEUTH, (patrol vessel), was sold out of service and renamed AURORA.
- February 7, 1920
Major S. J. Goble, the RAN’s representative on the Commonwealth Air Board, recommended the adoption of Admiral Jellicoe’s proposals for an Australian Naval Air Service. The proposals allowed for one squadron of ship-borne seaplanes, a squadron of fighters, a squadron of torpedo bombers and 11.5 squadrons of flying boats.
- January 28, 1920
The S class destroyer, HMAS TASMANIA, (LCDR H. O. Joyce, RN), was commissioned. TASMANIA was laid down in William Breadmore Yard, UK, on 23 November 1918.
- January 27, 1920
The Marksman class destroyer, (flotilla leader), HMAS ANZAC, (CMDR S. H. Simpson, RN), was commissioned. ANZAC was laid down in Denny Bros. Yard, UK, on 11 January 1917. In 1919 ANZAC was gifted to the RAN along with five S class destroyers.
The S class destroyer, HMAS TASMANIA, (LCDR H. O. Joyce, RN), was commissioned. TASMANIA was laid down in William Breadmore Yard on 23 November 1918.
The S class destroyer, HMAS TATTOO, (LCDR A. M. Roberts, DSO, RN), was commissioned. TATTOO was laid down in William Breadmore Yard, UK, on 21 December 1918.
The S class destroyer, HMAS SWORDSMAN, (LCDR C. E. Hughes-White, DSC, RN), was commissioned. SWORDSMAN was laid down in Scotts Yard, UK, on 28 December 1918.
The S class destroyer, HMAS SUCCESS, (LEUT O. R. Wace, RN), was commissioned. SUCCESS was laid down in Doxford Yard, UK, on 29 June 1918.
The S class destroyer, HMAS STALWART, was commissioned. STALWART was laid down in Swan Hunter Yard, UK, on 23 October 1918.
- January 14, 1920
The Australian Government constituted a temporary Air Board to advise the Minister for Defence on military aviation. Two naval officers were members of the Board.
- December 20, 1919
After an exchange of messages between the Australian Government and the British Admiralty, it was announced that the balance of the sentences, handed down as a result of the mutiny on 1 June 1919 on board HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), would be remitted.
This action led to the two most senior officers in the RAN, RADM Sir Edmund Grant, (First Naval Member of the Naval Board), and CDRE Dumaresq, (Commander of the Fleet), tendering their resignations.
Both officers withdrew their resignations and the matter ended there.