Search and rescue operations began immediately in the aftermath of the collision. Back row, left to right: LEUTs Peter Wyatt and David Hilliard, LCDRs Peter Seed and George Jude, LEUTs Barry Thompson, Alan Cordell, Edward Wilson and Geoffrey Gratwick. On 5 March, while conducting an air defence exercise in the southern Coral Sea, one of the ships Wessex helicopters ditched into the water. The fleet made its way northwards to the Philippines over the course of the exercise which concluded with a fly-over of aircraft over Manila. [157] The Australian government began to reconsider the previous contenders for replacement, as well as considering requesting the United Kingdom or United States to build a simple carrier capable of operating F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters, but the issue was suspended at the commencement of the 1983 Australian Federal Election. [64] The carrier immediately underwent a two and a half-month refit, allowing for the inspection of machinery and repair of defects detected during the maiden voyage. HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1955 until 1982, and was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier[note 1] to serve in the RAN. Great Price $165 off avg. [77] In August, Melbourne was called upon to lead Exercise Tuckerbox, in the Coral Sea. Melbourne went on to visit the Solomon Islands before returning to Jervis Bay on 4 October. [50][51], Over the course of her career, over thirty aircraft were either lost or heavily damaged while operating from Melbourne. On returning to Sydney in July she commenced a refit and leave period before sailing again for work-ups in September. [123] All of the survivors were located within 12 minutes of the collision and rescued before half an hour had passed, although the search continued for fifteen more hours. [23] Melbourne was capable of being reactivated as a helicopter-equipped anti-submarine warfare carrier within 26 weeks, but was never required to do so. [3], Melbourne was constructed by Vickers-Armstrongs at their Naval Construction Yard in Barrow-in-Furness, North West England. Later that year she participated in Fleet Concentration Period off Jervis Bay in October, and visited New Zealand in November. 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[1] [39] The success of the trials, along with the discovery that Melbourne was able to operate both aircraft with relatively minor modification, led the Australian Government to approve the purchase of these aircraft. [88] The aft section did not begin sinking until half an hour after the collision, completely submerging just after midnight. Right: A Hawker De Havilland Sea Venom. Right: Leading Musician Cross lets one the students try out the trombone. [113] Melbourne re-entered service at the conclusion of the refit on 14 February 1969. [61] After visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay, where the aircraft were offloaded and sent to Naval Air Station HMASAlbatross, the carrier concluded her maiden voyage in Sydney on 10 May. She visited New Guinea before proceeding on to Subic Bay where she commenced the SEATO exercise SEA ROVER in March and April, which took the SEATO fleet across the South China Sea to Sattahip in Thailand. No accidents reported, 1 Owner, Personal use. [92], Melbourne arrived in Sydney with the survivors on 14 February, and after spending time alongside at Garden Island, was moved to Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 25 March, where repairs were undertaken; the damaged section of the bow was cut away and repairs to the ship's internal structure were undertaken in drydock, while a 40-ton prefabricated bow was constructed. She participated in Exercise TUCKER BOX 2 later in the year. [19], The main modifications centred around the need to operate jet aircraft, which were larger and heavier than those propeller-driven aircraft that the carrier was originally designed for. The Australian War Memorial also holds relevant information. She departed Sydney to pick up the RANs new Skyhawks and Trackers in the USA on 20 September 1967. [14] These carriers were intended as "disposable warships": to be disposed of at the end of World War II or within three years of entering service. [4][6] As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as HMASSydney. [36] Approximately 350 Fleet Air Arm personnel were stationed aboard the carrier. SEA DEMON concluded on 27 April, and Melbourne visited Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea before returning to Brisbane on 11 June. [17], Initially, two types of fixed-wing aircraft were operated from Melbourne. She then went on to visit Hong Kong before proceeding to Singapore to participate in the SEATO exercise SEA SERPENT, which in 1963 was being conducted congruently in Manila and Singapore. [78], In 1962, Melbourne began the year's activities at the Royal Hobart Regatta, before sailing to her Strategic Reserve deployment, by way of Adelaide and Fremantle. Melbournes Commanding Officer, Captain Ronald Robertson, DSC, RAN, later reported; The actions required of Melbournes ships company called for individual initiative at all levels, and calm resolve to an extent that is not often required in peace time. de Havilland Sea Venom FAW.53 fighter aircraft were flown by 805 Squadron RAN and 808 Squadron RAN, while Fairey Gannet anti-submarine strike aircraft were operated by 816 Squadron RAN and 817 Squadron RAN. The three carriers astern of her are, from forward to rear, HMS Bulwark, HMAS Melbourne and HMS Victorious. She sailed from Sydney for her South East Asian deployment on 22 June which took her to New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. While Melbourne was undergoing temporary repairs in Singapore, the ship's band spend time at the Singapore School for the Blind. They covered around 555 miles (893km) in a little more than two and a half days, and at the end of the month had raised over $6000 with donations still coming in. [120] It is uncertain which ship began to manoeuvre first, but each ship's bridge crew claimed that they were informed of the other ship's turn after they commenced their own. [24][25] Air conditioning systems and a liquid oxygen generation plant were also installed. [121], Following the collision, Melbourne travelled to Singapore for temporary repairs to her bow, arriving on 6 June. Responsible for maintaining carpet and hard surface floors in commercial buildings using industry approved methods and chemistry. [126] Melbourne departed Singapore on 27 June and arrived in Sydney on 9 July, where the carrier underwent almost identical repairs at Cockatoo Island Dockyard as in 1964 (primarily the installation of a new bow section). She joined HMAS Sydney (III)s escort force for four days during the troop carriers voyage to Vietnam in early June, and arrived back home in Sydney later in the month. [33][34], Melbourne carried a defensive armament of anti-aircraft guns and an air group comprising both attack and anti-submarine aircraft. HMAS Melbourne off the east coast of Australia on 6 May 1956, astern of HMAS Sydney, following her delivery voyage from Britain. Honour Roll OFFICERS AND MEN LOST IN HMAS SYDNEY (II) Name. On 3 June 1969, the two ships were participating in SEATO exercise Sea Spirit in the South China Sea.Around 3:00 am, when ordered to a new escort station, Evans sailed under Melbourne ' s bow . The need to secure a replacement for Melbourne grew as the carrier's age caused the operating costs to increase to over A$25million per year. [62], In February 1957, Melbourne was sent to the Royal Hobart Regatta. Every day Melbourne provided some 200 personnel to act as marshals in various stadia, additionally, signalmen, carpenters and sick berth attendants were utilised to perform special duties. That December she commenced another major refit at Garden Island Dockyard during which her flight deck was strengthened and her catapult rebuilt with a bridle catcher extension. [95] A Royal Commission into the events of the collision was held in 1964, and found that while Voyager's crew was primarily at fault for neglecting to maintain an effective lookout and awareness of the larger ship's location, Melbourne's bridge crew was also at fault, for failing to alert Voyager and not taking measures to avoid the collision. She participated in the anti-submarine Exercise WINCHESTER off Jervis Bay in September/October, following which she visited her namesake city. The Melbourne-Voyager collision, also known as the Melbourne-Voyager incident or simply the Voyager incident, was a collision between two warships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN); the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and the destroyer HMAS Voyager.. On the evening of 10 February 1964, the two ships were performing manoeuvres off Jervis Bay. Available from cooeehistory.com RRP $49.95. [87] The destroyer's forward section sank quickly, under the weight of the two 4.5-inch (110mm) gun turrets. She took part in the convoy defence exercise PASAD in the Tasman Sea in March 1960 before once again making a port visit to Hobart. Abaft the funnel, an SPN-35 carrier-controlled approach radar was mounted within a dome, and on the lattice mast a new tactical air navigation (TACAN) aerial and electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods were mounted. [1], Operations in 1972 commenced with a three-month deployment to Southeast Asia. HMAS Melbourne was originally one of six Majestic Class light fleet aircraft carriers ordered for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Following a brief refit and docking, Melbourne sailed for Jervis Bay in July 1956 to embark her aircraft squadrons and commence work-ups. [23] The number of aircraft gradually increased until 1972, when the air group peaked at 27 aircraft. On 18 March Melbourne deployed for a five month deployment that saw her circumnavigate Australia and return to South East Asian waters where she participated in the international Exercises TRADEWIND and ASTRA. [85] At the same time, Stevens, having just become aware of the situation, gave the order "Full ahead both engines. Melbourne struck Voyager at the after end of her bridge, heeling her over to an angle of about 50 degrees. In 1952, a modified angled flight deck of 5 degrees was added as was a steam catapult and mirror deck-landing system. For more information, you can ask us a question. [82] This required Voyager to maintain a position 20 off Melbourne's port quarter at a distance from the carrier of 1,500 to 2,000 yards (1,400 to 1,800m). [36] The three 277Q radars were replaced with updated American and Dutch designs: a LW-02 air search set and a SPN-35 landing aid radar. The stern section remained afloat. [151] Both offers were turned down due to operating and manpower costs. Right: Melbourne's bell. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging. [8][9] Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU8.3million. Pilot P Bainbridge and co-pilot D. Lawson all crew saved. [114] Evans was positioned on Melbourne's port bow, but began the manoeuvre by turning starboard, towards the carrier. Left: A Royal Navy Westland Whirlwind. The Australians got one up on their American counterparts, however, when Sub Lieutenant Charlie Morris, RAN, was piped up to the flight deck with hammer. In every situation, a new aircraft carrier was turned down due to the increases in manpower and operating costs required to operate the ship when compared to Melbourne. The Melbourne struck the Evans amidship cutting her in half. [60] The carrier was also called on to perform underway replenishments and command and control functions. [52] After Melbourne was decommissioned, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation in 1984, with the final Tracker flight saluting the decommissioned carrier. [35], Melbourne carried three Fleet Air Arm squadrons. These generally involve requisitioned vessels. Sources are inconsistent regarding who attempted to purchase. [23] During this deployment, on 21 June 1981, Melbourne rescued 99 Vietnamese refugees from a disabled fishing vessel in the South China Sea. The exercise came to a temporary halt however, when a grenade accidentally exploded aboard USS Nicholas and seriously injured two sailors. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died. [12] Two days later, the ship was renamed Melbourne by Lady White, the wife of Sir Thomas White, the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and recommissioned. [58][59], As Melbourne was the only ship of her size (both in dimensions and ship's company) in the RAN, the carrier underwent a regular rotation of commanding officers to give them experience. Upon the conclusion of SEADOG, the carrier returned to Australia and arrived at Fremantle, via Singapore, on 8 August. [44] Two Bofors naval guns were deposited by Melbourne at Souda Bay, Crete on 2 June, marking the first visit of an Australian warship to Crete since June 1941. Seventy four of Evans crew lost their lives, and Melbourne sustained extensive damage to her bow section. This cine film has been placed online as part of the Sea Power Centre - Australias ongoing archival digitisation program. [23] The four Bofors twin mountings were removed in 1980. [54] Melbourne was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refuelling, personnel leave, and non-carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft. [163] Three days later, Melbourne ran aground while still in Moreton Bay. [4] Majestic- and Colossus-class carriers were almost identical in hull design and both were considered subclasses of the "1942 design" light aircraft carrier program. possessed 63 Ships, 22 of these were requisitioned. navy.gov.au HMAS Melbourne (II) HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy. Ralston, M. G. Watson, D. T. The following is a list of Officers and Ratings serving in Lt. Smith, W. N. Ian Critchley LM (E) Served from 1956 - 1969 Served in HMAS Vampire. [152] In June 1977, the Defence Force Development Committee approved an investigation into acquiring a STOVL/helicopter carrier. The first aircraft to land on HMAS Melbourne. 99,290 miles. [114] A radio message was sent from Melbourne to Evans' bridge and Combat Information Centre, warning the destroyer that she was on a collision course, which Evans acknowledged. She arrived in Pearl Harbor, via Suva, on 25 October. Historic video footage showing a Gannet anti-submarine aircraft taking off and landing from the deck of HMAS Melbourne (II). A shore party took part in an internal security exercise at RNAS Sembawang in August before the ships departed for home later that month. Melbourne was the only Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions.[1]. However some crew records may be restricted because they contain sensitive personal information. See more photos. Budgetary constraints from the late 1950s had placed some doubt over the future of naval aviation given the large financial outlay required to operate aircraft carriers and their associated aircraft. [32] During this refit, on 3 March, a boiler explosion caused minor damage to the carrier. [151] A 2012 article in Jane's Navy International stated that the large quantity of equipment recovered from Melbourne "undoubtedly helped" Admiral Liu Huaqing secure the Chinese government's support for his proposal to initiate an aircraft carrier development programme.[164]. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Armand Roland, RAN, was recovered by the helicopter planeguard with minor injuries, while the observer and telegraphist, Lieutenants Anthony Horton, RAN, and Haliburton Findlay, RAN, were recovered unhurt a few minutes later by HMS Cavalier. [121], Seventy-four of the 273 personnel from Evans were killed in the collision, with the majority of these believed to have been asleep or trapped inside the bow section, which sank within minutes. list price. She remained alongside in Sydney until February 1969. [30][146] On 18 August, Melbourne sailed for Fremantle to participate in Exercise Sandgroper 80. The aircraft was seen to take off normally but quickly veered to the right and down into the water. Laid down for the RN as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943 and launched in 1945, the ship was nearing completion when construction was virtually brought to a halt with the cessation of wartime hostilities. She departed Sydney on 27 January 1972 for that years South East Asian deployment and arrived in the Philippines, via Papua New Guinea, on 10 February. Melbourne went on to visit New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore before returning to the Philippines to participate in the SEATO exercise SEADOG in July. HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic -class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1955 until 1982, and was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier [note 1] to serve in the RAN. NSW. She visited New Guinea and Singapore before proceeding to rendezvous with Sydney to once again join the troop carriers escort force bound for Vietnam. [135] Melbourne, Brisbane, and eleven other ships were deployed as part of the largest peacetime rescue effort ever organised by the RAN: Operation Navy Help Darwin. [139] A two-seat Harrier jump jet demonstrator undertook a series of trial takeoffs and landings aboard Melbourne on 30 June: a trial organised as part of the project overseeing the ship's potential replacement. HMAS Melbourne undergoing temporary repairs in Singapore. [126] However, an industrial dispute amongst the shipyard workers meant that, although the work was completed in early September, the ship remained in the drydock until 11 October. References to many ledgers appear at item level on RecordSearch. She joined Sydneys escort group for the final time early in June, and visited Malaysia later in the month before returning home. 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