On This Day
1919-1938 > Depresssion and between the wars
On This Day - 1919-1938
- June 23, 1919
HMAS SUVA, (special service vessel), was commissioned for the visit of Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Jellicoe, to the Australia Station and Pacific Islands. The ship was paid off on 12 August, and returned to her owners.
- June 20, 1919
SBLT F. L. Larkins, RAN, was washed overboard and drowned from HMA Submarine J2, in the Karimata Strait, (between Borneo and Sumatra), while the vessel was returning to Australia. Larkins was one of the original entry to the RAN College in 1913.
- June 19, 1919
CAPT H. P. Cayley, RN, led a landing party from HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), to put down a civil disturbance in Penang.
- June 8, 1919
HM Ships GERANIUM, MARGUERITE, and MALLOW, (sloops), arrived in Australia to sweep for mines. They were later gifted to Australia.
- June 4, 1919
The British Government offered Australia 100 aircraft as a gift, to establish an Air Force and a RAN Air Service. The gift was not accepted at this time, however, when the Royal Australian Air Force, (RAAF), was formed in March 1921, many of its aircraft were gifts from Britain.
- June 3, 1919
The first AFC was awarded to Flight Lieutenant A. Frauenfelder of No. 2 Flying School. Frauenfelder was an Australian serving with the RNAS, and trained pilots in aerial combat tactics.
- June 2, 1919
HM destroyers Voyager (later HMAS) and Vivacious attacked the Russian Bolshevik destroyers Azard and Gavril at the entrance to Petrograd Bay.
- June 1, 1919
The ‘HMAS AUSTRALIA Mutiny’ occurred on the battle-cruiser while berthed at Fremantle. AUSTRALIA had returned to Fremantle on 28 May, after an absence of over four and half years from Australia. The ship spent four days alongside, and when she was due to depart about 80 ratings gathered on the quarterdeck and requested that the ship stay longer in port, in order to entertain civilian friends and repay their generous hospitality. The Commanding Officer, CAPT C. Cumberlege, RN, advised that this was not possible, and directed the men to disperse, which they did. However, when Cumberlege tried to take the ship to sea the stokers walked out of the boiler room. A scratch crew managed to get the ship to sea, and Cumberlege ordered the arrest of five sailors considered to be ringleaders in the ‘Mutiny’. The ensuing courts martial, on board HMAS ENCOUNTER in Sydney Harbour, up to 2 year prison sentences, and intervention by the Australian Government, were to have a dramatic and long lasting effect upon the RAN.
- May 28, 1919
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), arrived in Fremantle, WA, from Portsmouth, England.
- April 23, 1919
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (battle-cruiser), sailed for Australia from Portsmouth, England, after a farewell inspection by the Prince of Wales and the First Sea Lord, ADML Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, RN.