On This Day
1960-1975 > Vietnam era
On This Day - 1960-1975
- April 7, 1961
The British First Sea Lord, Lord Carrington, announced British plans for the creation of powerful naval and commando forces in the Far East in conjunction with the RAN.
- March 17, 1961
RAN clearance divers cleared underground ducts in tunnels of the Snowy Mountains Authority’s project at Lake Eucumbene, NSW. The team worked in depths of 80 metres in freezing conditions to clear a 23 km tunnel system leading to the Tumut River.
- March 13, 1961
HMA Ships BUNDABERG and BUNBURY, (minesweepers), were sold out of service for breaking up in Japan.
- March 4, 1961
The Navy Memorial Chapel at HMAS WATSON, (shore base, Sydney), was dedicated.
Sycamore XD654 ditched alongside HMS Hermes while operating from HMAS Sydney near the Cocos Islands and written off.
- March 1, 1961
HMAS Anzac (II) became the Fleet Training Ship (seaman training only), with an extra deckhouse aft and the director removed
- February 19, 1961
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), took off 12 passengers from the Shaw Savill freighter RUNIC, aground on Middleton Reef, QLD.
- January 6, 1961
HMA Ships, ARARAT, COWRA, FREMANTLE, GYMPIE, ROCKHAMPTON, and STRAHAN, (minesweepers), were sold out of service for breaking up. GYMPIE was broken up at Sydney and the other ships in Japan.
- December 13, 1960
The hulk of HMAS PENGUIN, (composite screw corvette), was burnt at Kerosene Bay, Sydney.
- November 15, 1960
The Explorer class general purpose vessel HMAS BASS, (LEUT G. Kennedy, RAN), was commissioned. BASS was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, in 1959, and launched on 28 March 1960.
- November 10, 1960
HMAS QUICKMATCH, (frigate), rescued 43 Indonesian seamen from a sinking vessel 45 miles east of Singapore.