On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

March 26, 1958

805 Squadron, flying Sea Furies, decommissioned at NAS Nowra.

March 18, 1958

805 Squadron Sea Fury’s making a final farewell flight over Sydney Harbour with the squadron decommissioned on 26 March 1958;

 

February 24, 1958

HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), conveyed Her Majesty the Queen Mother from Circular Quay to Manly.

February 20, 1958

The RAN’s veteran depot ship, HMAS PLATYPUS, departed Sydney bound for Japan to be broken up. She had commenced service with the RAN in 1919, and had been present at the first bombing of Darwin in 1942.

January 20, 1958

The Royal Australian Naval College, returned to Jervis Bay and was commissioned as HMAS CRESWELL. The college had originally been located at Jervis Bay from 1915 until 1930, however economic restrictions during the depression forced it’s transfer to HMAS CERBERUS in 1931

January 1, 1958

725 Squadron commissioned into the RAN at NAS Nowra as a fleet requirements and communications unit flying a range of aircraft. (Was previously a RN Sqdn number). 724 Squadron becomes an all-jet squadron flying Sea Vampires and Sea Venoms. With the decision to operate just one carrier instead of two as originally planned, the need for 851 Squadron declined and the unit was decommissioned at NAS Nowra.

December 25, 1957

Officers cook A. C. Cooper, of HMAS ANZAC, (destroyer), drowned in Singapore. Cooper was only one of two RAN casualties during the Malayan Emergency, (1948-1960). He is buried at Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.

December 18, 1957

HMAS QUIBERON was re-commissioned as an anti-submarine Frigate

December 5, 1957

The Official RAN Badge was amended by changing the Tudor Crown in the design to a St Edwards Crown, (Queen’s Crown).

October 28, 1957

HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier), collided with the merchant ship SS STRAAT BANKA, (Royal Interocean Line) in Port Adelaide. Damage was minor. HMAS MELBOURNE proceeded to Melbourne on that day, arriving on 1st November.