On This Day

On This Day - 8 August

1900

Transport 105, (the vessel SS SALAMIS), sailed from Sydney with men from the NSW Naval Brigade, (146 men), Victorian Naval Brigade, (170 men), and a platoon of Marine Light Infantry, (31 men), for service in China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion. The Marine Light Infantry, (MLI), were Australian soldiers destined for service in South Africa, but who were diverted to augment the two Naval Brigades. They were named the MLI as they wished to remain separate to the Naval Brigade members.

1916

HMAS MELBOURNE, (cruiser), arrived at Devonport, England, for refit and modification.

1918

HMA Ships HUON and YARRA, (torpedo boat destroyers), collided in the Adriatic. HUON was severely damaged, and was withdrawn from further war service.

1940

HMAS HOBART'S, (cruiser), amphibian aircraft, made a solo bombing raid on the Italian airfield at Zeila, Somaliland. Italian bombers retaliated by straddling HOBART with bombs.

1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS TAMWORTH, (LEUT W.H. Deans, RANR), was commissioned. TAMWORTH was laid down in Walker's Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 25 August 1941, and launched on 14 March 1942.

1946

HMAS TOWNSVILLE, (minesweeper), was sold out of service for breaking up.

1956

HMA Ships DELORAINE and LITHGOW were sold out of service for breaking up at Hong Kong. Lieutenants Barry Thompson and Keith Potts of 808 Squadron were both killed when their Sea Venom crashed into the sea off Hervey Bay shortly after take off from HMAS Melbourne. The aircraft was seen to take off normally but quickly veered to the right and down into the water. The cause of the accident was never discovered although insufficient wind speed over the deck appears to be the most likely reason.

1958

HMAS HORSHAM, (minesweeper), was sold for breaking up.

1973

HMAS BETANO, (landing ship heavy), was commissioned.

1990

HMAS BANDICOOT, (mine countermeasures vessel), was accepted for service at Singapore.

1994

The hull ex-HMAS ADROIT was sunk as a target off the WA coast by A4 Skyhawks of the RNZAF. HMAS DERWENT was decommissioned at HMAS STIRLING after a 30-year career which saw her steam in excess of 800,000 miles. Her hull was later used as a guinea pig for blast and fragmentation tests, organized by scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, (DSTO), led by CMDR J. Mathias, RAN. The team observed the effect of damage caused by bombs and shells on the old ship in order to make improvements for ship survivability. DERWENT had the distinction to be the first RAN vessel to fire a guided missile on 25 May 1964, less than a month after commissioning.