[30] Melbourne underwent another refit from late 1978 until August 1979. 99,290 miles. [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. Thompson and Potts were both killed when their Sea Venom crashed into the sea in 1956. 74 Evans sailors were killed. [23][62] The ship visited Gibraltar, Naples, Malta, Port Said, Aden, and Colombo, before arriving in Fremantle on 24 April 1956. HMAS Melbourne (III) was one of six Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigates (FFG) in service with the Royal Australian Navy. [147] On 24 October, a Tracker from Melbourne observed Soviet warships Storozhevoy and Ivan Rogov shadowing the squadron. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [4] Construction resumed in 1946, and major modifications to the design were incorporated. [114][120] At approximately the same time, Evans turned hard to starboard to avoid the approaching carrier. [121] The board found Evans partially at fault for the collision, but also faulted Melbourne for not taking evasive action sooner, even though international sea regulations dictated that in the lead-up to a collision, the larger ship was required to maintain course and speed. [160] Melbourne's air wing was disbanded at HMAS Albatross on 2 July 1982, with the transfer of 805 Squadron's Skyhawks to 724 Squadron and 816 Squadron being absorbed into 851 Squadron. [7] The Colossus-class carrier HMSVengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955 to cover Majestic's absence. One of the ship's anchors is incorporated into a memorial to naval aviation at Nowra, New South Wales. En route, on 2 August, she participated in the search for survivors from the collier Birchgrove Park which had foundered north of Port Jackson the previous night resulting in the loss of ten lives. [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. Rank/Class/Branch. While the construction of the RAN's first carrier, HMAS Sydney (III), was too advanced to include these modifications, the construction of Melbourne was still at an early enough stage for their inclusion. Melbourne was laid down for the Royal Navy as the lead ship of the Majestic class in April 1943, and was launched as HMS Majestic (R77) in February 1945. Crew members aboard HMAS Vampire. [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. The Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, Commodore Jose Francisco, who had recently been present at a United States Navy (USN) flying demonstration, noted that while the Americans could put more planes in the air, "the standard of airmanship displayed by Melbourne's pilots was much higher than that shown by the USN pilots, and that in precision and variety Melbourne's demonstration was a much more effective one.". This event not only revived memories of the Voyager tragedy five years earlier, but also pre-empted another tragedy to come. This photo is taken from the flight deck of the RN aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, with her aircraft in the foreground. Project Team. [35] The radar suite consisted of three Type 277Q height-finding sets, a Type 293Q surface search set, and a Type 978 navigational set. Period 1970-1979 Special Forum to pay respects to the 82 men who lost the lives in the collision on 10th February 1964 when HMAS Voyager was sunk by the Aircraft Carrier HMAS Melbourne. Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult. Available from cooeehistory.com RRP $49.95. However some crew records may be restricted because they contain sensitive personal information. [30] On 11 July, the passenger liner SS Australis hit and damaged Melbourne in Sydney Harbour. Serving in the RAN's flagship had its benefits when it came to recreational activities and keeping fit, with Melbourne's flight deck providing an excellent sporting platform, circa May 1969. She arrived in Fremantle, via Jakarta, on 14 April. [36] Between entering service and 1959, four of the single Bofors were removed. The British Type 293 surface search set was retained and an LW-02 air-surveillance radar was installed over the bridge. SEALION concluded on 13 May at Singapore. [85] At the same time, Stevens, having just become aware of the situation, gave the order "Full ahead both engines. She participated in the inaugural ANZUK naval exercise GENESIS at the end of March and departed Singapore for Australia on 3 April. 644 mi - Melbourne, FL. Melbourne was the only British Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions. She went on to participate in the international cross service Exercise TUCKER BOX in the Coral Sea in August before visiting New Zealand in September. [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. [9] Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955. [113] Melbourne re-entered service at the conclusion of the refit on 14 February 1969. NSW. [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. She visited Hong Kong before proceeding to Subic Bay in the Philippines for the SEATO exercise SEA DEVIL. [18] These included an angled flight deck, steam catapult and a mirror landing aid, making Melbourne the third aircraft carrier (following HMSArk Royal and USSForrestal) to be constructed with these features, instead of having them added later. She went on to visit Kobe, Manila and Singapore where she participated in Exercise BERSATU PADU involving defence units from Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore in May and June. Following her return, the carrier spent six months in Australian waters, before a two-month deployment to Southeast Asia. Athol Townley MP, announced that fixed wing naval aviation would be disbanded in 1963 when Melbourne became due for a major refit. Melbournes journey back to Sydney was notable for the Melbourne-Sydney Marathon. The impact pushed Voyager through the water laterally for a few seconds, and then she broke in two. Reference staff can help you locate these ledgers and use the database. [107] Utilising the carrier was suggested again by RAN officials in March 1966, when the United States Seventh Fleet was having difficulties maintaining anti-submarine patrols around Yankee Station, but Melbourne could only remain on station for a single, ten-day period, a third of the time that US carriers were operational for on rotating deployments. She fired a 15 gun salute as she rounded Bradleys Head and then held position as the rest of the fleet passed and FAA aircraft performed a fly over. [91] At 9:58pm, Melbourne was informed that search-and-rescue boats from HMASCreswell, helicopters from HMASAlbatross, and five Ton-class minesweepers had been despatched to assist in the search. There were 232 survivors. [16] The size of the ship's company averaged 1,350 officers and sailors, including 350 personnel from the embarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons. Here the new aircraft carrier was again warmly greeted and a civic reception was held in honour of the occasion at the Melbourne Town Hall. : USS Redfish United States Navy The decommissioned Balao-class auxiliary submarine was sunk as a target in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California, by . The ships visit to Rabaul was marred by the tragic death of Seaman Brendan Lane in a car accident on 25 September. The three person crew suffered only minor injuries. A search was immediately commenced which included aircraft from Melbourne but, sadly, no sign of Gartside could be found. Their actions and behaviour left nothing to be desired. [23] In May 1967, it was proposed that while Melbourne was out of service, A-4 Skyhawk pilots and maintenance personnel could be attached to a United States Marine Corps Skyhawk squadron in South Vietnam. [94], A Joint RAN-USN board of inquiry was established to investigate the incident, and was in session over June and July 1969. A Sea Venom on one of Melbourne's flight deck lifts. Her embarked aircraft also participated in search and rescue efforts as did HMA Ships Stuart (II), Curlew, Hawk, Ibis, Snipe and Teal. [23] The number of aircraft gradually increased until 1972, when the air group peaked at 27 aircraft. [1] During this deployment, Melbourne led a fleet of 17 ships from the RAN, Royal Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, US Navy, Philippine Navy, and Royal Thai Navy in Exercise Sea Hawk. The exercise commenced on 16 April and included sea and air units from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Pakistan and Thailand, under the overall command of the Flag Officer Commanding HMA Fleet, Rear Admiral Alan McNicoll, CBE, GM, RAN, aboard Melbourne. She participated in Exercise FIRST TIME in January 1965, and on 2 February departed Sydney for Hobart and the Royal Hobart Regatta. [53], Melbourne was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to operate with the RAN. Melbourne's ship's company was recalled immediately from leave, the ship was loaded with supplies, and the carrier departed Sydney on 26 December in the company of HMASBrisbane. [83], Early in the evening, Voyager had no difficulties maintaining her position during the manoeuvres both ships performed. She was, however, involved in two major collisions with allied vessels; though Melbourne was not found to be the primary cause of either incident. On 15 August 1947 the Government approved the creation of the Naval (later Fleet) Air Arm. Melbournes South East Asian deployment began slightly earlier in 1961, as the ship departed from Fremantle on 20 February in order to participate in Exercise JET 61 in the Indian Ocean off Ceylon (Sri Lanka). This cine film has been placed online as part of the Sea Power Centre - Australias ongoing archival digitisation program. [3] It has also been claimed that the Royal Australian Navy received and "politely rejected" a request from the PLAN for blueprints of the ship's steam catapult. Logs include information on: Most records about crew and ships are available for public access. Melbourne spent most of the first half of 1970 in foreign waters. [127] It was learned during the inquiry that Evans' commanding officer was asleep in his quarters at the time of the incident, and charge of the vessel was held by Lieutenants Ronald Ramsey and James Hopson; the former had failed the qualification exam to stand watch, while the latter was at sea for the first time. [30][137], On 5 December 1976, a fire deliberately lit at HMASAlbatross by a member of the Fleet Air Arm damaged or destroyed all but one of Australia's S-2 Trackers. of 2 Download Low Res Image Order a copy Download Low Res Image Order a copy Description Crew members aboard HMAS Vampire. [136] While working up following the refit, Melbourne and HMASTorrens provided assistance to MV Miss Chief off the coast of Bundaberg, Queensland on 16 August 1976. Unfortunately tragedy struck Melbourne later in the year when Leading Seaman Allan Moore was killed during exercises in Jervis Bay on 20 July. [2], Melbourne was paid off from RAN service in 1982. [16] At launch, the carrier was 213.97 metres (702.0ft) long overall, but this was increased by 2.43 metres (8.0ft) during a refit in 1969.