On This Day
1919-1938 > Depresssion and between the wars
On This Day - 1919-1938
- June 15, 1933
The hulls of HMA Ships PARRAMATTA and SWAN, (torpedo boat destroyers), were sold by public auction for £12 each.
- April 22, 1933
ADML Sir William Creswell, the ‘Father of the RAN’, died in Melbourne, VIC.
- September 18, 1932
HMAS ALBATROSS, (seaplane carrier), carried out the first naval surface and air exercises off Darwin, NT. ALBATROSS used her guns in the exercise to sink the old Navy collier, HANKOW.
- September 14, 1932
HMAS Encounter was scuttled off Bondi Beach, Sydney. She lies at a depth of around 74 metres (243 ft) and is dived regularly.
- April 7, 1932
The RAN reached its lowest ebb. In commission were HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA, (cruisers), ALBATROSS, (seaplane cruiser), and one S-class destroyer.
RADM R.C. Dalglish, CB, RN, was appointed as Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Naval Squadron.
- May 31, 1931
HMAS SUCCESS, (destroyer), was decommissioned. She had been built for the Royal Navy during World War I, but was commissioned too late to see active service. She was later transferred to the RAN in 1920, (along with her sister ships ANZAC, SWORDSMAN, TATTOO, STALWART, and TASMANIA). At one stage the RAN considered renaming her Rabaul, but this was rescinded and her original name retained.
- May 29, 1931
RADM Leonard Stanley Holbrook, MVO, RN, was appointed Rear Admiral Commanding the Australian Squadron.
- April 9, 1931
HMA Submarines OXLEY and OTWAY decommissioned at Sydney and were re-commissioned next day as RN ships.
- February 18, 1931
The bare hull of the former HMAS Pioneer was scuttled off Sydney
- December 24, 1930
Three future British WWII naval heroes were serving on the staff of RADM E. R. G. R. Evans, (Evans of the Broke), in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser).
They were:-
- First Lieutenant; Future CAPT F. S. Bell, RN, (who commanded HMS EXETER in the Battle of the River Plate);
- Gunnery Officer; Future CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN, (who commanded HMAS SYDNEY in the sinking of the Italian cruiser BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI);
- Staff Officer; Future CAPT E. D. B. McCarthy, RN, (who commanded HMS AJAX in the sinking of the Italian destroyers AERONE, ARIEL, and ARTIGLIO).