On This Day
1946-1959 > Post WW2
On This Day - 1946-1959
- August 18, 1958
817 Squadron, flying Gannetts, decommissioned..
- August 8, 1958
HMAS HORSHAM, (minesweeper), was sold for breaking up.
- July 18, 1958
The first issue of the RAN’s newspaper, Navy News, was published.
HMAS VENDETTA, (Daring class destroyer), accidentally rammed the caisson of the Albert Dock, at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, where she was being built. The damage incurred put back her completion date by at least three months. The ship was commissioned on 26 November 1958.
- July 4, 1958
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), represented Australia at the 12th anniversary of the Philippines’ Republic.
- May 13, 1958
CAPT C. M. Hudson, RAN, commanding HMAS QUEENBOROUGH, (frigate), suffered a stroke while the ship was at sea off Point Gellibrand. The Executive Officer, LCDR V. A. Parker, RAN, was required to assume command.
- May 6, 1958
HMA Ships SWAN, COOTAMUNDRA, FREMANTLE, and WARREGO, commenced a detailed survey of the Timor Sea.
- April 28, 1958
The Indonesian Navy ship HANG TUAH, (ex HMNS MOROTAI, ex HMAS IPSWICH), was sunk in a bombing attack off North Borneo. The WWII Mitchell bomber was piloted by an American mercenary pilot who received $US5000 for the operation.
- April 10, 1958
HMA Ships QUALITY and QUIBERON, (destroyers), were decommissioned at Sydney and sold to Mitsubishi in Japan, for breaking up. RADM O. H. Becher, DSO, DSC, RAN, who was the Fleet Commander at the time, and a former Commanding Officer of HMAS QUIBERON, signaled to the ship:- “I am sorry the last of my favourite ships is being paid off”.
- April 1, 1958
HMS NORMAN, (destroyer), formerly HMAS NORMAN, was paid off for disposal.
- March 31, 1958
HMAS Sprightly (Tug) was decommissioned. 805 Squadron recommissioned at NAS Nowra with de Havilland Sea Venoms for service in HMAS Melbourne.