The aircrew was rescued and hauled back on board, however, attempts to recover the aircraft were unsuccessful and it was lost over the side. [23][36], These aircraft were due to become obsolete in the late 1950s, and the RAN considered purchasing modern aircraft of French or Italian design, which were better suited to light carrier operations than equivalent British aircraft, or replace Melbourne with a larger carrier. [44] The highlight of the deployment saw the three ships represent Australia and New Zealand at the Silver Jubilee Naval Review on 28 June 1977. SEALION concluded on 13 May at Singapore. [84] It was initially assumed by Melbourne's bridge crew that Voyager was conducting a series of tight turns to lose speed before swinging behind Melbourne, but Voyager did not alter course again. She departed for her annual South East Asian deployment from Darwin on 7 April, and visited Singapore before proceeding on to Manila to participate in Exercise SEALION. Melbourne returned to sea on 3 February 1969 for sea trials and workup exercises, and a rededication ceremony was conducted on board on 14 February. Melbourne was released from the search later in the day. Sources are inconsistent regarding who attempted to purchase. [22] As time passed, the refits increased in duration or were replaced by major upgrades or overhauls. There were 232 survivors. [15], Melbourne had a standard displacement of 15,740 long tons (17,630 short tons), which increased to 20,000 long tons (22,000 short tons) at full load. Unfortunately tragedy struck Melbourne later in the year when Leading Seaman Allan Moore was killed during exercises in Jervis Bay on 20 July. Pilot P Bainbridge and co-pilot D. Lawson all crew saved. [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). (Courtesy Mike Breakspear). Job Skills /. The aft section of USS Frank E Evans carefully being brought along side in Subic Bay. The ten, ranging in rank from Ordinary Seaman to Commander, formed two five man relay teams and departed Melbourne Town Hall, along with their support volunteers, in the afternoon of 25 April to race the ship back to Sydney. Melbourne's first major refit started in December 1967 and continued until February 1969, during which she was upgraded to operate S-2 Tracker and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft. 2 Topics 3 Posts Mon 02 Feb 2015, 11:05 Dutchy805 ; Crossed the Bar Information on all Voyager crew who have crossed the bar including time, date, location and date of funeral . [147] The squadron's return in November 1980 concluded the largest and longest RAN deployment since World War II.[23]. [83] Following a series of turns intended to reverse the courses of both ships beginning at 8:40pm, Voyager ended up to starboard of Melbourne. Search and rescue operations began immediately in the aftermath of the collision. Melbourne went on to visit ports in Ceylon, India, Singapore, the Philippines where she took part in the years SEATO exercise PONY EXPRESS; Hong Kong where she had to put to sea to avoid Typhoon Alice; and Papua New Guinea before returning home in June. [76] In the lead up to Melbourne's 1961 deployment to the Strategic Reserve, the carrier visited Bombay, Karachi, and Trincomalee. [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. Ledgers often include individual crew lists for each vessel. [114] Evans was positioned on Melbourne's port bow, but began the manoeuvre by turning starboard, towards the carrier. [1] In mid-1971, the Australian military's Joint Planning Committee considered using Melbourne as a transport to help complete the withdrawal of the Australian Task Force from Vietnam before the end of 1971. Left: HMAS Melbourne (II) in company with HMA Ships Vendetta (II) and Voyager (II). Logs include information on: Most records about crew and ships are available for public access. possessed 63 Ships, 22 of these were requisitioned. Subsequent reports and inquiries noted the exemplary behaviour, absence of panic, and the quiet and calm courage displayed by all involved in the aftermath of the tragedy. HMAS Melbourne (FFG 05) was an Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy, which entered service in 1992. [155] The government also announced that the ship would be renamed HMASAustralia and operated as a helicopter carrier, and that a decision on the purchase of fixed wing aircraft would be made after acquisition. [23], At the end of March 1978, Melbourne left Sydney for RIMPAC 78. [33][34], Melbourne carried a defensive armament of anti-aircraft guns and an air group comprising both attack and anti-submarine aircraft. [129] Despite the findings, Stevenson's next posting was as a minor flag officer's chief of staff, seen by him as a demotion in all but name. The Navy stopped recording crew information in this way after 1956. [161][162], The carrier was initially sold for breaking up as scrap metal for A$1.7million, although the sale fell through in June 1984. [109] Consideration was also given to using Melbourne as a floating helicopter base, but only ten Wessex helicopters could be provided, and modifications were required for them to operate as troop carriers. Since both ships had just completed refits, this was the first time they had been involved in close quarters manoeuvring for almost six months. 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. [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. [169] Another anchor and the starboard side ship's bell are on display at the RAN Heritage Centre at Garden Island. [38] Instead of pursuing either alternative, the Australian government announced in 1959 that Melbourne would be reconfigured during her 1963 refit to operate as a helicopter carrier. [117], On the night of 23 June 1969, Melbourne and her escorts were involved in anti-submarine training exercises in the South China Sea. [60] Commanding officers were changed on average every fifteen months, with few remaining on board for more than two years. Early in 1957 Melbourne visited Hobart to coincide with the Royal Hobart Regatta in February before crossing the Tasman to participate in exercises with the New Zealand cruiser HMNZS Royalist. [86], Melbourne struck Voyager just aft of the destroyer's bridge, rolling the destroyer to starboard before cutting her in half. In November and December Melbourne again visited Port Melbourne where she contributed to the staging of the 16th Olympic Games. Ask us a question about records in our collection. These larger and more dynamic jet aircraft led to commensurate advancements in the designs of the carriers from which they operated, most significantly the introduction of angled flight decks, mirror deck landing systems and steam powered catapults. The ships visit to Rabaul was marred by the tragic death of Seaman Brendan Lane in a car accident on 25 September. 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. Debris, including the revolution table from Voyager's bridge, and a pair of binoculars, was thrown onto Melbourne's flight deck. In the early hours of 3 June 1969, in a manoeuvre almost identical to the near-miss with Larson a few days earlier, the destroyer USS Frank E Evans crossed Melbournes bows while attempting to move in the planeguard position, and was cut in two. [103] Following the repairs, Melbourne was involved in Strategic Reserve deployments and exercises in Southeast Asia from June until September 1964. [1][27] The flight deck was again reinforced and strengthened, and attempts were made to increase the effectiveness of the air conditioning system installed in 1969. [17] During this cruise the carrier participated in four inter-fleet exercises and visited Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Pearl Harbor and Fiji. Her steam catapult, arresting equipment and mirror landing system were not removed. For more information, you can ask us a question. [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. Melbourne in San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. [10] Despite an increase to approximately one acre (4,000square metres, 4,800square yards) in area, the deck was still significantly smaller than other Cold War era carriers; S-2 Trackers, with their 22.12-metre (72ft 7in) wingspan, had less than a metre's clearance for their starboard wingtip when landing, and pilots from other navies often refused to attempt landing. The final leg of her voyage home was via Jervis Bay where the 64 aircraft that Melbourne had brought from the UK were transferred ashore via lighter for road transport to the Naval Air Station at Nowra. [140] A Tracker from Melbourne located the disabled Dutch vessel Impala Princess in the Gulf of Aden on 25 May and directed a French destroyer to assist. Melbourne struck Voyager at the after end of her bridge, heeling her over to an angle of about 50 degrees. [67][68] The carrier spent the rest of the year visiting Australian ports for open inspections by the public. [38] Under consideration were British carrier HMSAlbion and a ship of the United States' Essex class. A flash appeared to come from Voyagers A Boiler, and she emitted high pressure steam and black smoke. [20] The flight deck was angled 5.5 degrees left of the carrier's centreline, to allow for the simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft. Operating from 1955 until 1982, she was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN. While conducting flying exercises off Manus Island on 16 March, one of Melbournes Gannets ditched into the sea when the pilot was unable to control the aircraft after relighting her second engine. Vessels requisitioned for the War are not listed here but you can see the full list with their Pendant Numbers. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives. [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. [45] In 1969, the RAN purchased another ten A-4G Skyhawks, instead of the proposed seventh and eighth Oberon-class submarines. [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. [5] Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU2.75million,[note 2] plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. The scrapping was delayed so Melbourne could be studied by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as part of a secret project to develop a Chinese aircraft carrier and used to train PLAN aviators in carrier flight operations. The service life of the Sea Venoms and the Gannets, meanwhile, was extended past 1963. Melbourne's service is commemorated with a stained-glass window at the Garden Island Naval Chapel. 82 of Voyager's personnel were killed, and two Royal Commissions were held to investigate the incident. [167] Melbourne arrived in China on 13 June. [101] Robertson and the other officers of Melbourne were absolved of blame for the incident. [70] The carrier returned to Australia on 27 November after 101 days at sea, and underwent a seven-month refit. The Forgotten Cruiser HMAS Melbourne 1913-1928 By Andrew Kilsby and Greg Swinden, Longueville Media, Woollahra, NSW, 2013. [116] In preparation for launching a Tracker, Stevenson ordered Evans to the plane guard station, reminded the destroyer of Melbourne's course, and instructed the carrier's navigational lights to be brought to full brilliance. In 1964, Melbourne was involved in a collision with the Australian destroyer HMAS Voyager, sinking the smaller ship and killing 82 of her crew. . Great Price $165 off avg. On 10 April she visited Colombo before crossing the Indian Ocean and arriving in her first Australian port, Fremantle, on 23 April 1956. [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. [27][126] Melbourne was out of service for most of 1971 while she underwent refits, which concluded in early August. Melbourne underwent a refit from October 1965 to January 1966 and conducted post-refit trials and workup exercises off Jervis Bay in February 1966. 1959 began positively for Melbourne, with the news that she had been awarded the Duke of Gloucesters Cup for 1958 as the RAN unit displaying the highest level of overall proficiency for the year. 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. Note: This video is hosted on YouTube and has no audio. Historic video footage showing a Gannet anti-submarine aircraft taking off and landing from the deck of HMAS Melbourne (II). [42][43] Both aircraft types entered RAN service in 1968, with the Trackers operated by 816 Squadron RAN and 851 Squadron RAN, and the Skyhawks by 805 Squadron RAN and 724 Squadron RAN. At approximately 8:56pm, some twenty miles south east of Jervis Bay, the two ships were in collision. Work resumed on Melbourne in 1949 at which time it was decided to increase the size of the flight deck lifts to accommodate the larger aircraft coming into service. [149] In his haste to shut down the carrier, he failed to deactivate the water pumps, and over 180tons of fresh water were pumped in before a maintenance party discovered the flooding the next day. [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. [35], During the 19671969 refit, thirteen Bofors were removed, leaving four twin and four single mountings. [69] During the visit to Port Adelaide, on 28 October 1957, Melbourne was slightly damaged when she was struck by MV Straat Lankathe first of several minor collisions the carrier would experience throughout her career. Reference staff can help you locate these ledgers and use the database. [87] The destroyer's forward section sank quickly, under the weight of the two 4.5-inch (110mm) gun turrets. [32] During this refit, on 3 March, a boiler explosion caused minor damage to the carrier. ABERNETHY, Roderic Bell. The RN retained ten partially completed aircraft carriers, including the six Majestics, from suspended wartime programs. [151] In 1968, Hermes took part in a combined exercise with the RAN, during which the carrier was visited by RAN and Australian government officials, while RAN Skyhawks and Trackers practised landings on the larger carrier. [8][9] Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU8.3million. [135] Melbourne remained off Darwin until 18 January 1975, acting as operational headquarters and a helicopter base. [148] The carrier's deployments for the second half of the year consisted of two exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81. In June 1981, crew on the Australian Navy's HMAS Melbourne were flying in an anti-submarine patrol plane, a Grumman S-2G Tracker 851, when they helped rescue 99 refugees from their broken-down vessel in the South China Sea, 250 nautical miles east of Vietnam. She departed for the return journey to Australia on 31 October. Her deployment took her to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong where she participated in Exercise ALBATROSS, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea before arriving back in Sydney on 11 November. Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult. [17], Following the recommencement of construction, modifications were made to the ship, based on wartime experience and Britain's post-war carrier warfare technology and innovations. Left: Lady White unveils Melbourne's ship's badge. [17][69], From February until July 1958, Melbourne was deployed on a 25,000-nautical-mile (46,000km; 29,000mi) flag-showing cruise. Melbourne maintained a regular program of exercises, training and maintenance over the next few years, including annual deployments to the Asia-Pacific region. [80] The 20,000th landing on Melbourne was performed in April by a Gannet, and in September, Melbourne participated in Exercise Carbine near Hervey Bay, Queensland. 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. 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. HMA Ship List 1911-1939. A joint USN/RAN Board of Inquiry into the tragedy held Captain Stevenson partly responsible, stating that as Commanding Officer of Melbourne, he could have done more to prevent the collision from occurring. Kimbla had preceded them to sea bound for Sydney. Melbourne has been deployed to the Persian Gulf on several occasions, and served as part of the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce in 2000. The Minister for the Navy, Senator John Gorton, however, argued for Melbournes retention in an anti-submarine capacity and 27 Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters were subsequently ordered, the first coming into service in November 1962. [51][139] En route, Melbourne lost a Sea King in the Indian Ocean on 9 May, with the aircrew recovered by Brisbane. [130] In December 2012, Stevenson announced that he had received a letter from the Minister for Defence, apologising for his treatment by the RAN and the government of the day.[131]. SEA DEMON concluded on 27 April, and Melbourne visited Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea before returning to Brisbane on 11 June. However, a subsequent RAN court martial cleared him of any responsibility. She participated in Exercise JUC 63 in August, visited New Zealand in September, and took part in Exercise SWORDHILT in the Coral Sea in October. These generally involve requisitioned vessels. NSW. [77] Melbourne returned to Australia in June, and on 15 June led several ships in a ceremonial entry to Sydney Harbour to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the RAN. 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. Available from cooeehistory.com RRP $49.95. Melbourne received a warm and colourful reception in Western Australia and there was great media interest in her arrival. A veteran from the HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager collision on February 10, 1964 that killed 82 people believes changes to floodlighting on the aircraft carrier caused Australia's worst peacetime . She participated in the SEATO exercise SEA HAWK in the South China Sea that month at the conclusion of which she visited Hong Kong before proceeding to Singapore conducting Exercise TRANSITEX with other ANZUK units en route. She visited Pearl Harbor, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before proceeding to San Diego, where the new aircraft were embarked on Friday 27 and Monday 30 October. [129] In a repeat of the aftermath of the Voyager collision, Melbourne's captain resigned amid accusations of scapegoating. [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. 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