ROYAL AUSTRLIAN NAVY
Australians also served at sea. The royal Australian Navy, under the command of the Royal navy, made significant contribution early in the war.
People in the permanent force of the navy then
totaled 3,800 of which one quarter were on loan from the Royal Navy. In the
reserve there were 493 adults + another 1153 adults = 1643 adults in total.
There was 3092 cadets under a compulsory training program. So there was a total
of 4738. The fleet was commanded during the war, by turns – Vice Admiral Patey,
Rear Admiral Sir William Packenham, Rear Admiral Arthur Leveson and Rear Admiral Sir Lionel
Halsey, HMAS Australia was the flagship throughout the war.The Royal Australian Navy proud wartime activities were spread far and wide: The Far East, The Mediterranean, East Africa, North Sea.
The fighting ships of Australia’s fleet were: Australia (battle cruiser), Sydney, Melbourne, Encounter (light ships), Pioneer (light ships), Yarra, Parramatta, Warrego (destroyers), AE1, AE2 (submarines).
In 1914 Germany had extensive territories in the Pacific- in the Caroline and Marshall Islands, Part of the
Solomon’s, the islands now known as New Britain and New Ireland, German New Guinea and Samoa. It also had a pacific naval squadron and naval Base inTsingtao, China. It also had 2 capital ships.
But then, the first task of the Royal Australian Navy was to protect ports, shipping and trade routes, so they helped in the attack of Germany’s Pacific Colonies. It was at that time that the Japan entered the war on the side of the allies in August 1914, and used its powerful navy, attacked some of the German Islands including the Marshalls, Caroline’s and Marianas.
When Japan was taking over 3 of the islands, the rest of the islands were being attacked by Australia and New
Zealand naval forces. German New Guinea surrendered quite easily with little resistance to a combined Australian naval and Military Expenditory- ANMEF, which took over all communications at New Britain on the 11th of September 1914.
During the last week of October 1914 a fleet of ships assembled at Albany in Western Australia, to sail in convoy with a large force of Australian and New Zealand troops for Egypt- which were the original ANZACS. On
1 November the convoy left King George Sound heading into the Indian Ocean. The large convoy of 28 Australian and 10 New Zealand transports was protected by 4 big warships - the cruisers Melbourne and Sydney (Australian), Minotaur (Britain) and Ibuki (Japan). There was some apprehension for it was suspected that the German cruisers Konigsberg and Emden would be lurking along the route. Of course the German light cruiser Emden, was waiting for them to attack, so they could counter-attack. so they detached the light cruiser HMAS Sydney, Sydney destroyed Emden. So Sydney had won the Royal Australian Navy's first battle. The HMAS Sydney then served in the North Sea till the end of WW1. Sydney became the first ship to catapult a seaplane on the 8th of December 1917.
People in the permanent force of the navy then
totaled 3,800 of which one quarter were on loan from the Royal Navy. In the
reserve there were 493 adults + another 1153 adults = 1643 adults in total.
There was 3092 cadets under a compulsory training program. So there was a total
of 4738. The fleet was commanded during the war, by turns – Vice Admiral Patey,
Rear Admiral Sir William Packenham, Rear Admiral Arthur Leveson and Rear Admiral Sir Lionel
Halsey, HMAS Australia was the flagship throughout the war.The Royal Australian Navy proud wartime activities were spread far and wide: The Far East, The Mediterranean, East Africa, North Sea.
The fighting ships of Australia’s fleet were: Australia (battle cruiser), Sydney, Melbourne, Encounter (light ships), Pioneer (light ships), Yarra, Parramatta, Warrego (destroyers), AE1, AE2 (submarines).
In 1914 Germany had extensive territories in the Pacific- in the Caroline and Marshall Islands, Part of the
Solomon’s, the islands now known as New Britain and New Ireland, German New Guinea and Samoa. It also had a pacific naval squadron and naval Base inTsingtao, China. It also had 2 capital ships.
But then, the first task of the Royal Australian Navy was to protect ports, shipping and trade routes, so they helped in the attack of Germany’s Pacific Colonies. It was at that time that the Japan entered the war on the side of the allies in August 1914, and used its powerful navy, attacked some of the German Islands including the Marshalls, Caroline’s and Marianas.
When Japan was taking over 3 of the islands, the rest of the islands were being attacked by Australia and New
Zealand naval forces. German New Guinea surrendered quite easily with little resistance to a combined Australian naval and Military Expenditory- ANMEF, which took over all communications at New Britain on the 11th of September 1914.
During the last week of October 1914 a fleet of ships assembled at Albany in Western Australia, to sail in convoy with a large force of Australian and New Zealand troops for Egypt- which were the original ANZACS. On
1 November the convoy left King George Sound heading into the Indian Ocean. The large convoy of 28 Australian and 10 New Zealand transports was protected by 4 big warships - the cruisers Melbourne and Sydney (Australian), Minotaur (Britain) and Ibuki (Japan). There was some apprehension for it was suspected that the German cruisers Konigsberg and Emden would be lurking along the route. Of course the German light cruiser Emden, was waiting for them to attack, so they could counter-attack. so they detached the light cruiser HMAS Sydney, Sydney destroyed Emden. So Sydney had won the Royal Australian Navy's first battle. The HMAS Sydney then served in the North Sea till the end of WW1. Sydney became the first ship to catapult a seaplane on the 8th of December 1917.
THE MERCHANT NAVY IN WW1
We should not over look the contribution of the merchant seamen during World War 1. At the time of the war, the merchant seamen transported the military personnel, equipment and supplies to wherever the war was and whenever they were needed. The merchant seamen are required to stay at sea with the supplies, ammunition, fuel and food, then bring everyone home safely again. We in Australia and New Zealand celebrate the 25th of April as Anzac Day, setting aside that day to remember and to pay respect to our fallen troops. this day was born out of the Gallipoli campaign, but how many people are aware of the involvement of the Merchant Navy in WW1. The merchant ships took all of our troops to Gallipoli, and many times landed our troops on the beach of ANZAC cove in the ships' lifeboats- manned by the Merchant seamen, who also came under the deadly fire from he Turkish guns.
The great majority of wounded in the war were taken in the ships' life boats- again with merchant seamen manning the oars-t to the hospital ships which were waiting offshore. The merchant ships evacuated most of our troops from Gallipoli to Alexandra, Lemnos and Cyprus and then transported the wounded home to Australia.
The great majority of wounded in the war were taken in the ships' life boats- again with merchant seamen manning the oars-t to the hospital ships which were waiting offshore. The merchant ships evacuated most of our troops from Gallipoli to Alexandra, Lemnos and Cyprus and then transported the wounded home to Australia.