199-748: (Redirected from R-17 ) R17 or R-17 may refer to: Vessels [ edit ] HMAS Sydney (R17) , an aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy HMCS ; Algonquin (R17) , also HMS Valentine (R17), a destroyer of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Navy USS R-17 (SS-94) , a submarine of the United States Navy Other uses [ edit ] R17 (New York City Subway car) R17 (Rodalies de Catalunya) ,
398-414: A Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) battalion—plus equipment and vehicles on each voyage. The soldiers were accommodated in the sailors mess decks, with the sailors displaced to the hangar. Vehicles were secured to the flight deck, while other cargo was packed onto pallets and stored either in the hangar or on the flight deck. Although it was originally intended that Sydney would sail to and from Saigon ,
597-794: A United States Marine Corps Skyhawk squadron in South Vietnam. Australian aircraft were not to be provided, as the A-4G Skyhawks used by the RAN were optimised for air defence, not the fighter-bomber role performed by the Marines, and would have suffered heavy losses from North Vietnam's heavy anti-aircraft defences. This deployment did not occur; the Skyhawk pilot training program was experiencing delays because US squadrons were being shipped training equipment and replacement parts in priority to
796-403: A beam of 80 feet (24 m) and a draught of 25 feet (7.6 m). Sydney was fitted with four Admiralty 3-drum boilers , which provided steam to Parsons single reduction geared turbines; these supplied 40,000 shp (30,000 kW) to the two propeller shafts, and allowed the ship to reach 24.8 knots (45.9 km/h; 28.5 mph). The average size of the ship's company in peacetime
995-490: A commando carrier , aircraft transport, or troopship was considered, the ship was paid off into Special Reserve on 30 May 1958 as surplus to requirements. Sydney could be reactivated for use as a transport, but required at least four months notice. From 1958 to 1960, opinion within the Australian military swung between reactivating Sydney as a fast troop transport ship and disposing of her. The Australian Army saw
1194-524: A ' royal dockyard ': a dockyard owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She was launched on 30 September 1944 by the wife of British politician Duncan Sandys . Work on the ship continued until the end of World War II, when the Admiralty ordered the suspension of all warship construction. A post-war review by the Australian government's Defence Committee recommended that the RAN be restructured around
1393-525: A Firefly completed the landing on 17 July, while Sydney was en route to Pearl Harbor. Sydney left Fremantle on 27 October 1953 for a second deployment to Korea, to support United Nations enforcement of the July 1953 armistice. This deployment, which concluded in January 1954, was mostly uneventful compared to the first, with flight operations limited to patrols along the demilitarised zone established by
1592-542: A French car Rubik R-17 Móka , a Hungarian glider [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R17&oldid=1119876295 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1791-409: A LW-02 air search set and a SPN-35 landing aid radar. A TACAN aerial and electronic countermeasures pods were also installed during this refit. The four Bofors twin mountings were removed in 1980. Melbourne carried three Fleet Air Arm squadrons. Initially, she had up to 22 fixed wing and 2 rotary wing aircraft embarked at any time. The number of aircraft gradually increased until 1972, when
1990-439: A RAN pilot undergoing landing qualifications aboard HMS Illustrious on 17 March 1949 crashed while attempting to land: none were killed, but the pilot's Fairey Firefly and four others in the deck park were destroyed. The carrier sailed from Devonport on 12 April 1949, carrying the 20th CAG. Sydney arrived at Jervis Bay on 25 May, where the aircraft of the 20th CAG and training equipment were offloaded for transport to
2189-430: A USN carrier (initially USS Rendova , then from December with USS Badoeng Strait ). RAN aircraft were mainly used for air strikes against North Korean units and supply lines; secondary duties including reconnaissance , bombardment spotting , combat air patrols , and anti-submarine patrols . During her deployment, the carrier operated an unarmed USN Sikorsky Dragonfly (designation UP28, which acquired
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#17327729735262388-585: A brief refit, Sydney embarked the 20th CAG in June 1952, before proceeding on a round-Australia cruise. The carrier visited Manus Island , was present off the coast of the Montebello Islands for the first British atomic bomb test , Operation Hurricane , on 3 October, and arrived back in her namesake city in November. On 25 March 1953, Sydney departed for England with representatives from each of
2587-707: A combat air patrol around the carrier; personnel on the flight deck saw the aircraft fly into a cloud, but not emerge. No wreckage was found, and it was assumed that the plane dived into the Yellow Sea. For most of the patrol, RAN aircraft attacked artillery emplacements and concentrations of junks in the Cho Do-Sok To area, while also proving air support for South Korean Army and irregular forces. Sydney ' s seventh and final patrol commenced on 16 January, with HMAS Tobruk , HMCS Sioux , USS Hanson and USS Radford accompanying. This patrol
2786-479: A course to place herself under Melbourne ' s bow, Stevenson ordered the carrier hard to port, signalling the turn by both radio and siren blasts. At approximately the same time, Evans turned hard to starboard to avoid the approaching carrier. 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. After having narrowly passed in front of Melbourne ,
2985-516: A day before being relieved. In December, UN Command temporarily switched some of the responsibilities of Task Element 95.11 and the US Fifth Air Force . Consequently, Sydney was required to provide air support for convoys between Japan and Korea amongst the other duties of her fifth patrol, which commenced on 7 December. On 8 December, a second RAN pilot was killed; although he successfully bailed out of his flak-damaged Sea Fury, he
3184-614: A day later, with 2 RAR aboard for the voyage home. Sydney arrived in Townsville on 1 June. In July 1971, Sydney sailed to Esquimalt, British Columbia , for Canada's centennial naval assembly. She then visited San Diego to collect ten new A-4G Skyhawk aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm, and delivered these to Australia in mid-August. On 20 September, Sydney departed on the twenty-first voyage to Vietnam. The troopship first sailed to Singapore, where she offloaded equipment for
3383-905: A deployment to the Strategic Reserve, including involvement in SEATO Exercise Sea Serpent. 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. On 10 February 1964, Melbourne was performing trials in Jervis Bay under the command of Captain John Robertson, following the annual refit. The Daring -class destroyer HMAS Voyager
3582-511: A fast troop transport. Several suggestions for disposal were made by various companies and agencies. The Geelong Regional Tourist Authority wanted the ship moored in Corio Bay for use as a maritime museum, convention centre, and floating casino. The Naval History Society of Australia suggested that the island superstructure be removed and located in The Rocks as a maritime museum, while
3781-493: A large circle, cross behind the carrier, then take position off Melbourne ' s port side. Instead, Voyager first turned to starboard, away from Melbourne , then turned to port without warning. 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. At 8:55 pm, with Voyager approaching, Melbourne ' s navigator ordered
3980-406: A large spill of fuel and damage to Wave Chief ' s refuelling rig. Aircraft from Sydney performed strikes against coastal artillery batteries, barracks, industrial areas and railway lines, and provided a combat air patrol for the ships. At the conclusion of the operation, Sydney returned to the west coast, but was unable to resume operations because of snow and high winds until 27 November,
4179-417: A range of 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) or 6,200 nautical miles (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph). The size of the ship's company averaged 1,350 officers and sailors, including 350 personnel from the embarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons. Following the recommencement of construction, modifications were made to
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#17327729735264378-516: A regional rail service in Catalonia, Spain R-17 (TV series) , a 2001 Japanese TV series BMW R17 , a motorcycle ISO Recommendation R17 , concerning preferred numbers Oppo R17 , a smartphone R17: Spontaneously flammable in air , a risk phrase R-17 Elbrus , a Soviet ballistic missile R-17 regional road (Montenegro) Renard R.17 , a Belgian civil utility aircraft Renault 17 ,
4577-605: A regular pattern of deployments to Southeast Asia, exercises, and flag-showing visits to nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Several of the Southeast Asian deployments were related to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation , and involved participation in show of force exercises off the coast of Malaysia. During 1965 and 1966, Melbourne escorted sister ship HMAS Sydney , which had been recommissioned as
4776-469: A reorganisation of RAN battle honours published in March 2010 saw the battle honour "Malaysia 1964" retroactively awarded to the ship. The main feature of the second half of Sydney ' s career was the twenty-five voyages the ship made to South Vietnam in support of the 1st Australian Task Force between May 1965 and November 1972. Sydney , along with the civilian vessels Jeparit and Boonaroo ,
4975-406: A search party was not sent until after the boat failed to return at 1900 hours. A Board of Inquiry was held aboard Sydney , which resulted in the ship's captain, executive officer, and training officer facing courts-martial . The latter two were acquitted, and although the captain was found guilty on one of the charges brought against him, it was dropped on a technicality relating to the wording of
5174-518: A series of short annual refits, commencing in September and ending in January or February of the next year. As time passed, the refits increased in duration or were replaced by major upgrades or overhauls. 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. The modifications cost A$ 8.5 million, and included an overhaul of
5373-544: A shot in anger. Melbourne ' s initial armament included 25 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns: six twin and thirteen single mountings. The radar suite consisted of three Type 277Q height-finding sets, a Type 293Q surface search set, and a Type 978 navigational set. Between entering service and 1959, four of the single Bofors were removed. During the 1967–1969 refit, thirteen Bofors were removed, leaving four twin and four single mountings. The three 277Q radars were replaced with updated American and Dutch designs:
5572-420: A slower rate, as she was upgraded with the latest technology and equipment. The Colossus -class carrier HMS Vengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955 to cover Majestic ' s absence. The Majestic experienced delays in its construction due to labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations and the prioritisation of
5771-400: A task force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve at any given time, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947; Terrible and sister ship Majestic , for the combined cost of AU£ 2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was fitted out as a flagship and was
5970-439: 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 AU£ 2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. 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 HMAS Sydney . Work progressed on Majestic at
6169-456: A training cruise to New Zealand. Sydney ' s twelfth voyage was to deliver 9 RAR to Vietnam. The troopship sailed from Fremantle on 13 November, and met the destroyer Duchess off Singapore on 18 November. 9 RAR was delivered to Vũng Tàu on 20 November, while 3 RAR and a damaged de Havilland Caribou were loaded for the return trip, which concluded in Fremantle on 28 November. At
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6368-483: A training ship. The carrier's embarked aircraft were flown off for the last time on 22 April 1955, and Sydney underwent a brief reorganisation during 26–29 April. Not long after, she departed for New Zealand waters on her first training cruise on 2 May. This was followed by a refit and then a quick trip from Sydney to Adelaide, thence Melbourne, and back to her home port in Sydney. A visit by Earl Mountbatten of Burma
6567-549: A troop transport, for short periods during the latter's first, third, and fourth transport voyages to Vietnam. Despite the carrier being the centrepiece of several plans to involve Australian forces in the Vietnam War , the escort runs were the extent of Melbourne ' s participation in the conflict, and the carrier remained outside the Market Time area while Sydney and her other escorts proceeded to Vũng Tàu . As
6766-423: A turn away from Melbourne . Despite these warnings, a near-miss occurred in the early hours of 31 May when Larson turned towards the carrier after being ordered to the plane guard station. Subsequent action narrowly prevented a collision. The escorts were again warned about the dangers of operating near the carrier and informed of Stevenson's expectations, while the minimum distance between carrier and escorts
6965-570: A warship until all other avenues of protest had been exhausted; the length of this delay meant Supply ' s refit was finished before Sydney was deployed, and the oiler was sent instead. Sydney visited Singapore in March, returned to Australia, and sailed to New Zealand in April: she participated in training exercises during both visits. The troopship was then involved in a joint warfare exercise in Jervis Bay during May. On 20 July 1973,
7164-548: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages HMAS Sydney (R17) HMAS Sydney (R17/A214/P214/L134) was a Majestic -class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She was built for the Royal Navy and was launched as HMS Terrible (93) in 1944, but was not completed before the end of World War II . The carrier
7363-434: The "1942 design" light aircraft carrier program . 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. 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. At launch, the carrier was 213.97 metres (702.0 ft) long overall , but this
7562-403: The 1st Commonwealth Division . Two Sea Furies were shot down on 25 October; both pilots escaped unharmed. The next day, during a moderately successful strike involving five RAN aircraft against a railway tunnel, a Firefly was shot down 75 miles (121 km) inland, deep inside North Korean territory. There were doubts that a rescue helicopter could reach the crash site and return safely, as it
7761-622: The ANZUK force and met the destroyer escort Swan . The two ships were in Vũng Tàu for 6–7 October, during which 3 RAR was heli-lifted to Sydney for return to Australia, with the troopship arriving in Adelaide on 16 October. Ten days later, Sydney sailed from her namesake city for her twenty-second visit to Vietnam, with a cargo of Defence Aid stores. Meeting the destroyer escort Derwent en route, Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 6 November, where
7960-906: The Australian Active Service Medal , the Korea Medal , the United Nations Service Medal for Korea , and the Returned From Active Service Badge , while Sydney herself was awarded the battle honour "Korea 1951–52". The carrier's presence in Korea allowed the Australian government to avoid deploying additional Australian soldiers. During her return from Korea, Sydney ferried Spitfires and Vampires between several British bases in Southeast Asia. After
8159-525: The Far East Strategic Reserve began in April, with Melbourne returning to Darwin at the end of June. The carrier spent the rest of the year visiting Australian ports for open inspections by the public. During the visit to Port Adelaide , on 28 October 1957, Melbourne was slightly damaged when she was struck by MV Straat Lanka —the first of several minor collisions the carrier would experience throughout her career. Operations for
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8358-554: The Governor-General of Australia , Viscount De L'Isle , on a tour of Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands . The ship then departed on a training cruise to northern Queensland, during which five personnel drowned in the Whitsunday Islands . Over several days, groups of trainee officers and sailors had been ordered to take one of the ship's whaleboats on a twelve-hour voyage around Hayman and Hooke Islands; out of
8557-573: The Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War . She was, however, involved in two major collisions with allied vessels; though Melbourne was not found to be the primary cause of either incident. The first collision occurred on the evening of 10 February 1964, in which Melbourne rammed and sank the RAN destroyer HMAS Voyager , when the latter altered course across her bow. 82 of Voyager ' s personnel were killed, and two Royal Commissions were held to investigate
8756-460: The steam catapult , propulsion turbines and crew. The flight deck, hangar deck and aircraft lifts were strengthened, and reinforced arrestor cables were installed. Flight direction radar was included, making Melbourne the only military airfield in the Australasian region at the time capable of operating aircraft at night and in poor weather. Early in her career, Melbourne underwent
8955-400: The 'Ship's Flight'. The amphibians were removed from the ship at the start of her Korean War deployment, and were replaced by a helicopter. During the carrier's Korean War deployment, 805 Squadron was added to the 21st CAG to form a 38-strong wartime air group. While undergoing conversion into a troop transport, the ability to operate aircraft was removed from Sydney . However, on seven of
9154-535: The 1000th combat sortie was flown on 12 November, a day before the patrol's end. On 18 November, after replenishing in Sasebo, Sydney , Tobruk , and the British light cruiser HMS Belfast sailed to Hŭngnam , where they joined Task Force 95.8 to aid a USN bombardment of Hŭngnam during 20–22 November. On that day, Sydney was being refuelled by RFA Wave Chief when there was an accident that resulted in
9353-443: The 111th Battery, No. 5 Squadron, defence stores, and more munitions were offloaded during 16–17 June. The return voyage to Australia was interrupted on the morning of 23 June by the detection of a suspected Indonesian submarine: the two Australian ships performed evasion tactics for eighteen hours before resuming the voyage to Fremantle. No awards were issued to Sydney for operating in support of Malaysia during her service life, but
9552-502: The 1960s, with rumours circulating that the new ship would either be an amphibious assault ship of the United States Iwo Jima class , or the British carrier HMS Hermes . The assault ship rumour was proven false by the early 1970s, while the acquisition of Hermes was still under discussion in the 1980s as a possible replacement for sister ship HMAS Melbourne . Following the decommissioning of Sydney ,
9751-684: The 21st CAG. The 21st CAG embarked in October, and the carrier returned to Australia in December. Before Sydney departed in late October, the British Admiralty suggested that she be deployed to the Korean War as relief for HMS Theseus and her worn-out catapult, but this was withdrawn because of the plan's drawbacks. On 29 January 1951, Sydney was part of an eighteen-ship fleet present in Sydney Harbour to celebrate
9950-559: The 50th anniversary of Australia's Federation . Following this, the carrier joined a multinational training exercise in south-east Australian waters, then visited Hobart for the Royal Hobart Regatta . During the exercise, a Sea Fury accidentally fired four practice rockets into the superstructure of the New Zealand flagship, HMNZS Bellona : although an inquiry concluded that the pilot had unintentionally pressed
10149-637: The 50th anniversary of the RAN. In August, Melbourne was called upon to lead Exercise Tuckerbox, in the Coral Sea . Following the conclusion of Tuckerbox, the carrier visited several New Zealand ports before returning to Sydney for demonstration exercises and public relations activities. 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. After Strategic Reserve duties were completed,
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#173277297352610348-555: The Australian Defence Force did not possess a long-range troop transportation capability until the modified Round Table-class landing ship HMAS Tobruk was commissioned in 1981. The ship's service, along with the previous two ships of the name , is commemorated by a stained-glass window at the Garden Island Naval Chapel . The carrier's chapel and bell were removed and installed at
10547-465: The Australian government decided that Sydney was to be decommissioned. A refit planned to start late in the year was cancelled, and on 12 November 1973, Sydney was paid off and marked for disposal. The ship had sailed 711,549 nautical miles (1,317,789 km; 818,836 mi) since she was first commissioned: 315,958 nautical miles (585,154 km; 363,598 mi) as an aircraft carrier, and 395,591 nautical miles (732,635 km; 455,238 mi) as
10746-602: The Australian government issued the Returned from Active Service Badge to all these personnel in 1986, and allowed them to receive military service pensions. Further campaigning and legal challenges resulted in the creation of the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal in 1992, which was presented as a campaign medal to personnel who did not meet the requirements for the Vietnam Medal, but were still involved in
10945-772: The Fireflies flew 743, with the aircraft using 802 bombs, 6,359 rockets, and 269,249 rounds of 20-millimetre (0.79 in) ammunition between them. Three RAN pilots were killed and a fourth seriously wounded, while thirteen aircraft were lost: nine shot down by North Korean flak artillery (which damaged aircraft on over ninety other occasions), and four to deck accidents or foul weather. Replacement aircraft were loaned from British Far East reserve supplies. RAN aircraft damaged or destroyed an estimated 66 bridges, 141 pieces of rolling stock , over 2,000 structures, 469 watercraft, and 15 artillery pieces, while causing over 3,100 North Korean casualties. Australian damage assessment practice
11144-413: The Fleet Air Arm was rescinded in 1963, and on 10 November 1964, a AU£212 million increase in defence spending included the purchase of new aircraft for Melbourne . The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft, and modernise Melbourne to operate the aircraft. The acquisition of 18 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fighter-bombers was also suggested, but these were dropped from
11343-424: The Fleet Air Arm were marked for replacement by 27 Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters. A reduction of embarked plane numbers to four Sea Venoms and six Gannets, along with regular rotation and careful use of the aircraft, extended their service life until the mid-1960s, while the size of the air group was maintained by carrying up to ten Wessex helicopters. The decision to retire the fixed-wing component of
11542-527: The Fleet Headquarters in Sydney, although staff in Sydney initially underestimated the extent of the damage to Voyager . Melbourne launched her boats to recover survivors, and the carrier's wardroom and C Hangar were prepared for casualties. At 9:58 pm, Melbourne was informed that search-and-rescue boats from HMAS Creswell , helicopters from HMAS Albatross , and five Ton -class minesweepers had been despatched to assist in
11741-480: The Philippines, Japan, Pearl Harbor and Fiji . On return to Sydney, Melbourne entered a short refit, which concluded on 13 October and was immediately followed by a visit to Port Phillip , where the carrier was displayed to Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force officer cadets before the carrier returned to Sydney. At the start of 1959, Melbourne spent four days in her namesake city, where she
11940-607: The RAN Fleet Air Arm's 20th and 21st Carrier Air Groups (CAGs), which were assigned alternately to the carrier. The former was made up of 805 and 816 Squadrons, while the latter was made up of 808 and 817 Squadrons. Twenty-four aircraft, split evenly between Hawker Sea Fury fighters and Fairey Firefly attack aircraft, were normally carried. Two Supermarine Sea Otter amphibious aircraft were carried for rescue duties (but were never required for this purpose); they were not attached to any squadron, but operated as
12139-535: The RAN, and sending qualified pilots overseas would have caused further holdups with the program, while also disrupting Melbourne ' s post-refit reactivation. Melbourne re-entered service at the conclusion of the refit on 14 February 1969. She performed sea trials in Jervis Bay from 17 February until 5 May, then sailed for Subic Bay , Philippines, to participate in SEATO Exercise Sea Spirit. Melbourne ' s commanding officer during
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#173277297352612338-629: The SEATO exercise was Captain John Phillip Stevenson. Rear Admiral John Crabb , the Flag Officer Commanding Australian Fleet , was also embarked on the carrier. During Sea Spirit, Melbourne was assigned five escorts: US Ships Everett F. Larson , Frank E. Evans , and James E. Kyes , HMNZS Blackpool , and HMS Cleopatra . Stevenson held a dinner for the five escort captains at
12537-701: The Sea King, up to three Wessex helicopters could be carried as search-and-rescue aircraft. On 5 December 1976, a fire at the Naval Air Station HMAS ; Albatross destroyed or heavily damaged 12 of the Fleet Air Arm's 13 S-2E Trackers. The carrier was sent to the United States in 1977 to transport back 16 S-2G Tracker aircraft as replacements. Over the course of her career, over thirty aircraft were either lost or heavily damaged while operating from Melbourne . The majority of
12736-416: The air group peaked at 27 aircraft. Approximately 350 Fleet Air Arm personnel were stationed aboard the carrier. Initially, two types of fixed-wing aircraft were operated from Melbourne . 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 . At
12935-484: The aircraft ditched or crashed over the side, but some losses were due to catapult or arrestor cable failures. 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. Melbourne was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to operate with the RAN. Following the first decommissioning of sister ship HMAS Sydney in 1958, Melbourne became
13134-442: The anti-submarine role, but nothing came of these talks. 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. Both options were made more prohibitive by the need to supply at least two escorts for the carrier at a time when the RAN was having difficulty meeting deployment commitments with
13333-402: The armistice. During operations in Korea, one pilot died when his Sea Fury crashed into the ocean, while another pilot was killed and an aircraft handler seriously injured in separate deck accidents. Sydney returned to Fremantle on 2 June 1954. A planned upgrade of Sydney to a similar standard as modified sister ship Melbourne was cancelled in 1954, and she was prepared for service as
13532-427: The available destroyers and destroyer escorts. In September 1967, Melbourne travelled to the United States to collect new aircraft: 14 Trackers and 10 Skyhawks. To operate the new aircraft, the carrier received a major refit on her return to Sydney, which began in December 1967. In May 1967, it was proposed that while Melbourne was out of service, A-4 Skyhawk pilots and maintenance personnel could be attached to
13731-495: The cancellation of this program. Sydney was initially armed with thirty Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns : eighteen single mountings and six twin mountings. During her refit as a troop transport , the carrier's armament was reduced to four single Bofors. The radar suite included two Type 277Q height-finding sets, one Type 293M surface search set, one Type 960/281BQ long-range air warning set, and one Type 961 air search set. As an aircraft carrier, Sydney operated with
13930-621: The carrier concluded her maiden voyage in Sydney on 10 May. The role of flagship was transferred from Sydney to Melbourne three days later. 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 spent from September to November in Southeast Asian waters, during which she participated in Exercise Albatross and received an official visit by Philippines president Ramon Magsaysay . On return to Australia in mid-November,
14129-403: The carrier underwent almost identical repairs at Cockatoo Island Dockyard as in 1964 (primarily the installation of a new bow section). 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. A Joint RAN-USN board of inquiry was established to investigate the incident , and
14328-496: The carrier visited Subic Bay , where the RAN performed flight deck trials with S-2 Tracker anti-submarine aircraft and A-4 Skyhawk attack fighters. 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. From March 1965 until mid-1967, Melbourne underwent
14527-423: The carrier visited Japan, Guam , and Manus Island before returning to Sydney in late July. In September, Melbourne reprised her role as the leader of Exercise Tuckerbox II. The 10,000th catapult launch from Melbourne occurred in late 1962. The carrier's annual refit began in Sydney on 1 October. At the beginning of 1963, Melbourne again visited to the Royal Hobart Regatta, which was immediately followed by
14726-487: The carrier visited Melbourne for the 1956 Olympics , where 200 of Melbourne ' s complement were provided to work as signallers, event marshals, carpenters, and medical workers. In February 1957, Melbourne was sent to the Royal Hobart Regatta . Following this, she travelled to New Zealand , where she participated in exercises with HMNZS Royalist and visited several New Zealand ports. The first of several annual three-month deployments to Southeast Asia as part of
14925-552: The carrier was deployed overseas on 35 occasions, visited over 22 countries, and was seen as the physical and psychological centrepiece of the RAN fleet. 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. Commanding officers were changed on average every fifteen months, with few remaining on board for more than two years. The majority of Melbourne ' s commanders later reached flag rank . The carrier
15124-616: The carrier was optimised for anti-submarine warfare, there was little need for her at the start of the war. 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. Seventh Fleet staff suggested in April 1967 that Melbourne deploy in
15323-484: The carrier's engines to half astern speed, with Robertson ordering an increase to full astern a few seconds later. At the same time, Stevens, having just become aware of the situation, gave the order "Full ahead both engines. Hard-a starboard.", before instructing the destroyer's Quartermaster to announce that a collision was imminent. Both ships' measures were too late to avoid a collision; Melbourne hit Voyager at 8:56 pm. Melbourne struck Voyager just aft of
15522-680: The carrier's first fatality. In March 1951, the First Sea Lord requested that Sydney be deployed to Korea while HMS Glory was refitted in Australia, to maintain a Commonwealth carrier presence. This was agreed to, and a 38-strong wartime CAG was formed on 14 May by incorporating the Sea Furies of 805 Squadron into the 21st CAG. Because RAN Fireflies were optimised for anti-submarine warfare, and consequently not fitted with cannon, cannon-equipped RN aircraft were loaned for
15721-690: The charge. Sydney ' s first overseas deployment as a transport was to Southeast Asia in 1964. In late May, the ship was loaded with supplies and munitions for Malaysian forces in support of the country's defence policy against Indonesia . In total, 1,245 personnel were also embarked: engineers from the 7th Field Squadron , the Royal Australian Artillery's 111th Light Anti-aircraft Battery , and four UH-1 Iroquois helicopters plus associated air- and ground crew from No. 5 Squadron RAAF . Sydney departed Garden Island just after midnight on 24 May. After entering New Guinea waters,
15920-400: The closer of the two ships to completion, construction was finished without major modification. Although Terrible was due for completion on 24 June 1948, a skilled labour shortage affected the installation of the ship's boilers, causing the Admiralty to revise the delivery date to October 1948. A commissioning crew for the aircraft carrier was raised in Australia from the ship's company of
16119-487: The conclusion of her refit in 1969. In 1969, the RAN purchased another ten A-4G Skyhawks, instead of the proposed seventh and eighth Oberon -class submarines. Melbourne operated a standard air group of four Skyhawks, six Trackers, and ten Wessex helicopters until 1972, when the Wessexes were replaced with ten Westland Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the number of Skyhawks doubled. Although replaced by
16318-411: The conflict. Similar efforts were made to have Sydney ' s service recognised with a battle honour: according to Nott and Payne, such a battle honour is yet to be awarded as of 2008, although a 2006 Department of Defence press release lists the honour "Vietnam 1965–72" among those awarded to the ship. The battle honour was confirmed in an updated list released in March 2010. The ship was assigned
16517-473: The construction of merchant ships . Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million. Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955. As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom . The completed carrier
16716-524: The deck-parked aircraft unusable, including five which were completely encased in frozen sea water. On 25 January, Sydney was relieved by HMS Glory , and sailed for home. Sydney completed seven patrols during her 122-day Korean deployment: flying operations were conducted for 42.8 days, poor weather stopped operations for 11.7 days, transits to and from the operational area or between assignments consumed 29.5 days, and 38 days were spent in harbour. During this time, RAN Sea Furies flew 1,623 sorties, while
16915-487: The decommissioned cruiser Hobart , which departed from Sydney aboard HMAS Kanimbla in June 1948. Ex-Royal Navy sailors were used to fill out the carrier's complement. Terrible was handed over to the RAN on 16 December 1948, and was commissioned at noon as HMAS Sydney . One of the reasons behind the choice in name was so AU£426,000 raised by the HMAS Sydney Replacement Fund after
17114-495: The destroyer Duchess departed Brisbane on the troopship's fifteenth voyage to Vietnam, with 8 RAR aboard. The ships reached Vũng Tàu on 28 November; 8 RAR was replaced by 9 RAR, which was delivered to Fremantle on 5 December. Sydney , with 7 RAR on board, and the destroyer escort Yarra departed from Sydney for the sixteenth voyage on 16 February 1970. They arrived in Vietnam on 27 February, with Sydney embarking 5 RAR for
17313-514: The destroyer Duchess off Singapore on 3 April, and the two ships arrived in Vũng Tàu on 5 April. The voyage officially ended when Sydney and Duchess arrived in Hong Kong on 8 April, and after a short period of recreational leave, the troopship returned to Australia. The twentieth voyage saw Sydney sail from Townsville on 13 May, with 4 RAR embarked. She met Duchess and Parramatta en route, and reached Vũng Tàu on 22 May. The ships left
17512-507: The destroyer Vampire reached Vũng Tàu on 23 November, and sailed a day later with miscellaneous Australian equipment aboard. During the return voyage, Sydney encountered the disabled merchant ship Kaiwing , and towed her 450 nautical miles (830 km; 520 mi) to Hong Kong for repairs, arriving on 30 November. During her voyages to South Vietnam, Sydney transported 16,902 soldiers, 5,753 deadweight tons of cargo, 2,375 vehicles, and 14 aircraft. Initially, personnel from Sydney ,
17711-653: The destroyer escort Stuart reached Vũng Tàu on 30 May, where the troopship's passengers were offloaded by Chinook helicopters and replaced by 6 RAR. The ships left Vietnam on the same day, and arrived in Brisbane on 14 June. The eighth voyage required Sydney to transport 3 RAR from Adelaide. Departing on 20 December, Sydney was met by Yarra en route, with the two ships arriving in Vietnam on 27 December, and returning to Fremantle on 3 January 1968. On 17 January 1968, Sydney departed Sydney on her ninth voyage to Vietnam. Meeting Stuart off Singapore on 25 January,
17910-480: The destroyer escort Yarra en route, with both ships reaching Vũng Tàu on 25 February, where 7 RAR boarded for the return voyage. On 2 March, two days before reaching Fremantle, the ashes of Rear Admiral Harold Farncomb were scattered from Sydney . Sydney sailed again from Adelaide on 26 March for her nineteenth voyage, carrying general cargo and foreign aid supplies for the Khmer Republic . She met
18109-485: The destroyer's bridge, rolling the destroyer to starboard before cutting her in half. Voyager ' s forward boiler exploded, briefly setting fire to the bow of the carrier before it was extinguished by seawater. The destroyer's forward section sank quickly, under the weight of the two 4.5-inch (110 mm) gun turrets. The aft section did not begin sinking until half an hour after the collision, completely submerging just after midnight. Messages were immediately sent to
18308-421: The duration of Sydney ' s deployment. After completing pre-departure exercises, during which several aircraft were destroyed in non-fatal, weather-induced deck crashes, Sydney and the destroyer HMAS Tobruk sailed for Korea on 31 August. While en route, the carrier's aircraft were used for a fly-past demonstration over Rabaul on 6 September, following civil unrest. On her arrival, Sydney became
18507-420: The early 1950s, to operate the faster and heavier carrier aircraft under development. Originally, the RAN wanted to upgrade Sydney to the same or similar standard as sister ship Melbourne , after the second carrier was delivered. The installation of an angled flight deck and mirror landing aid , would have allowed Sydney to operate modern jet aircraft. However, financial and manpower restrictions led to
18706-528: The end of 1971. While the Army supported this proposal, the Navy successfully argued against its implementation, claiming that transporting troops and cargo would be misusing Australia's only active aircraft carrier, and would prevent Melbourne from participating in several major multi-national exercises. The refit concluded in late 1971, with the carrier participating in the first RIMPAC exercise, RIMPAC 71, before
18905-572: The end of April. The carrier spent May performing exercises off the New South Wales coast, during which she was called on to rescue three fisherman who had been stranded at sea for the previous two days. In August, Melbourne sailed for Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 72. At the conclusion of this exercise, Melbourne proceeded to Japan on a diplomatic visit, then sailed to the Philippines to exercise with SEATO ships. During this deployment,
19104-406: The end of hostilities or within three years of entering service. Sydney was the second ship of the class to enter service, following Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent . The carrier had a standard displacement of 15,740 tons, and a deep displacement of 19,550 tons. Her length was 630 feet (190 m) between perpendiculars and 698 feet (213 m) at her longest point, with
19303-535: The end of the year. Operations in 1972 commenced with a three-month deployment to Southeast Asia. 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. This was followed by goodwill visits to numerous Southeast Asian ports, including Hong Kong, Jakarta , Manila , Singapore, and Surabaya , before Melbourne returned to Sydney at
19502-422: The evening, Voyager had no difficulties maintaining her position during the manoeuvres both ships performed. Following a series of turns intended to reverse the courses of both ships beginning at 8:40 pm, Voyager ended up to starboard of Melbourne . At 8:52 pm, Voyager was ordered to resume the plane guard station. The procedure to accomplish this required Voyager to turn away from Melbourne in
19701-516: 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. In a repetition of the aftermath of the Voyager collision, Melbourne ' s captain resigned amid accusations of scapegoating. In December 2012, Stevenson announced that he had received a letter from the Minister for Defence , apologising for his treatment by the RAN and
19900-475: The fire button, it was later found that certain signal frequencies transmitted by Sydney ' s radio aerials could trigger a Fury's firing circuits. Sydney was presented with the Gloucester Cup in April 1951, recognising her as the most efficient ship in the RAN for 1950. The two CAGs were switched over in April, and on 3 May, a Sea Fury crashed during a rocket-assisted take off ; the pilot became
20099-423: The first Royal Commission were therefore based on incorrect assumptions. Robertson and the other officers of Melbourne were absolved of blame for the incident. Melbourne spent ten weeks at Cockatoo Island Dockyard , having her new bow fitted. Following the repairs, Melbourne was involved in Strategic Reserve deployments and exercises in Southeast Asia from June until September 1964. During this deployment,
20298-587: The first aircraft carrier owned by a Commonwealth dominion to see wartime service. Sydney was attached to the United States Navy (USN) Seventh Fleet and assigned to Task Element 95.11, which operated primarily off the western coast of Korea. The carrier was sent on nine or ten-day patrols in the operational area, with nine-day replenishment periods in Sasebo, Nagasaki or Kure, Hiroshima between each; to maintain coverage, Sydney alternated with
20497-417: The fitting out of Majestic and her five sister ships. Construction resumed in 1946, and major modifications to the design were incorporated. A review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee held after World War II recommended that the post-war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and
20696-431: The flagship role was transferred from Sydney to Melbourne . After this, Sydney continued on a program of training cruises throughout Australian and New Zealand waters, and visited the Far East Strategic Reserve to participate in a South East Asia Treaty Organisation multi-fleet exercise during September and October 1956. Following an appraisal process by the RAN, during which Sydney ' s potential usefulness as
20895-554: The front line away from the Han River . Sydney was then briefly repositioned off the east coast, where her aircraft flew strike missions near Wonsan . After returning to the east coast, Sydney set a record on 11 October for light carrier operations: her aircraft flew 89 sorties during the day, with 31 aircraft aloft at one point. Following her first patrol, the carrier sailed to Sasebo to resupply, but on 14 October, all ships were ordered to sea to avoid Typhoon Ruth . Although
21094-418: The government of the day. During the 1970s and early 1980s, replacing parts became an increasing problem. Components were failing due to wear and age, but the companies responsible for manufacturing the parts had gone out of business during the previous twenty years, sometimes immediately after World War II ended. The carrier's engineers often resorted to making replacements from scratch. The ship's catapult
21293-543: The group as soon as they reached the Vietnam operational area. Sydney and her escorts arrived in Hong Kong on 9 May, with the troopship returning to Sydney on her own on 18 May. On 25 May, Sydney departed on her fourth voyage to Vietnam, with the remaining units of 5 RAR and 6 RAR aboard, plus equipment and personnel of No. 9 Squadron RAAF . Carrying the remaining units of 5 RAR and 6 RAR, plus equipment and personnel of No. 9 Squadron RAAF and escorted by Yarra , Melbourne , Derwent , and Vendetta for varying sections of
21492-414: The helicopter. At 17:33 Uncle Peter arrived at the crash site and collected the RAN aircrew, with covering fire provided by the escorting Fireflies and the helicopter's observer. All three aircraft were at extreme fuel limits on their return: the two Fireflies barely made it back to Sydney , while Uncle Peter arrived at Kimpo air base at 18:30 and had to land with the aid of truck headlights. The rescue
21691-473: The hull and machinery, strengthening of the flight deck, improvements to the catapult and arrestor cables, modification of the aviation fuel systems and flight control arrangements, and upgrades of the navigational aids and radar. Air conditioning systems and a liquid oxygen generation plant were also installed. Melbourne re-entered service at the conclusion of the refits on 14 February, and performed sea trials in Jervis Bay from 17 February until 5 May. This
21890-415: The incident. The second collision occurred in the early morning of 3 June 1969, when Melbourne also rammed the United States Navy (USN) destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in similar circumstances. 74 American personnel died, and a joint USN–RAN Board of Inquiry was held. These incidents, along with several minor collisions, shipboard accidents and aircraft losses, led to the belief that Melbourne
22089-529: The initial plan. A separate proposal to order 10 A-4G Skyhawks , a variant of the Skyhawk designed specifically for the RAN and optimised for air defence, was approved in 1965. 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 . The aircraft did not fly from Melbourne until
22288-439: 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. 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. The fixed-wing aircraft of
22487-421: The loss of the light cruiser HMAS Sydney in 1941 could be accessed. Sydney was the last vessel to be commissioned into the RAN as 'His' Majesty's Australian Ship : as after the death of King George VI on 6 February 1952 and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , all RAN ships became 'Her' Majesty's. Although commissioned in mid-December 1948, Sydney did not enter service until 5 February 1949, as work
22686-410: The manoeuvre four times over the course of the night. Evans was positioned on Melbourne ' s port bow, but began the manoeuvre by turning starboard, towards the carrier. 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. Seeing the destroyer take no action and on
22885-583: The naval base HMAS Moreton in 1974, then were relocated to the Australian National Maritime Museum 's collection in the 1980s. One of Sydney ' s anchors is displayed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS Albatross . HMAS Melbourne (R21) HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic -class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1955 until 1982, and
23084-480: The need for such a vessel, particularly if war broke out in Southeast Asia: Australian forces would need to be rapidly deployed to the conflict, and sealift was the only way to effectively move the required number of personnel, equipment, and vehicles. However, the RAN did not want the cost of converting and maintaining Sydney coming from their share of the defence budget, as they felt there
23283-405: The need to operate jet aircraft , which were larger and heavier than those propeller-driven aircraft that the carrier was originally designed for. The flight deck was angled 5.5 degrees left of the carrier's centreline, to allow for the simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft. Despite an increase to approximately one acre (4,000 square metres, 4,800 square yards) in area, the deck
23482-602: The new naval air station, HMAS Albatross , before the carrier proceeded to her namesake city. Sydney arrived in Sydney on 2 June, and took over as Flagship of the Australian Fleet from HMAS Australia on 25 August. 20th CAG was reembarked during August, and Sydney exercised in Australian and New Guinea waters until late November. From January to April 1950, the carrier continued training exercises and visited ports in south-east Australia and New Zealand, and on 7 June, she departed for England to collect
23681-541: The next day, and Sydney reached Townsville on 9 March before arriving in her namesake city three days later, concluding the military involvement of the RAN in the Vietnam War. Sydney underwent a refit between 22 May and 20 October, then departed on 1 November for her twenty-fifth journey to Vietnam, carrying defence equipment and foreign aid supplies for South Vietnam and the Khmer Republic. Sydney and
23880-464: The nickname "Uncle Peter") in the search-and-rescue and plane guard roles. This was the first helicopter to operate from an Australian warship, and the first USN equipment used by the RAN. The success of helicopter operations convinced the RAN to acquire three Bristol Sycamores ; the first helicopter squadron in Australian military service. Sydney ' s first patrol commenced on 4 October, with two days spent providing air support of efforts to push
24079-460: The only RAN ship to fly two ensigns during the same conflict. With 7 RAR embarked, Sydney departed her namesake city on 8 April for her fifth voyage to Vietnam. With Vampire escorting and Westland Wessex helicopters aboard for the first time, the troopship spent 20 April disembarking 7 RAR in Vũng Tàu before arriving in Singapore two days later. On 28 April, the two ships left Singapore on
24278-401: The only aircraft carrier in Australian service. 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. Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in
24477-400: The only carrier in the RAN, to see wartime service. Retasked as a training vessel following the 1955 arrival of her modernised sister ship, HMAS Melbourne , Sydney remained in service until 1958, when she was placed in reserve as surplus to requirements. The need for a sealift capability saw the ship modified for service as a fast troop transport, and recommissioned in 1962. Sydney
24676-721: The order to clear the anchorage was given that morning, the number of ships present meant Sydney did not leave until late in the day, and sailed during the worst part of the storm. A Firefly, a 16-foot (4.9 m) motor dinghy, and a forklift were lost overboard, six other aircraft parked on the deck were destroyed, and the carrier experienced extreme winds—the wind recorder broke after registering 68 knots (126 km/h; 78 mph). Sydney ' s second patrol began on 18 October, with her aircraft involved in strikes against North Korean units, coastal shipping, railway bridges, and other supply routes. They also performed their first close air support mission on 21 October, providing cover for
24875-487: The original ventilation systems were inappropriate for her primary operating climate, the tropics. The 1969 and 1971 refits did improve conditions, although there was little scope for upgrade, and the system was still inadequate: temperatures inside the ship continued to reach over 65 °C (149 °F), and on one occasion a hold reached 78 °C (172 °F). The refit took seven months to complete, and cost A$ 2 million. More large-scale refits occurred throughout
25074-591: The other transport ships, and their escorts, could not claim time served on logistics or escort deployments towards the active service requirements of the Vietnam Medal , the Australian Active Service Medal , or the Returned From Active Service Badge : the Department of Defence had attempted to limit the cost of repatriation benefits by taking the stance that these ships were not eligible as they were not in combat. Following numerous campaigns to change this,
25273-610: The owners of the Sydney Opera House planned to use the ship as a floating car park. Tenders closed on 7 October 1975, and the ship was sold on 30 October for breaking up as scrap metal to the Dongkuk Steel Mill in Seoul, South Korea, for A$ 673,516. Sydney was towed from her namesake city by a Japanese tugboat on 23 December 1975, leaving at 1300 hours. Sydney had been originally slated for replacement in
25472-450: The pennant number L134 during 1973. At the start of the year, Sydney was marked for a potential deployment to Mururoa in support of a Royal New Zealand Navy frigate sent to protest French nuclear testing at the atoll. The former carrier was chosen as she was capable of replenishing smaller vessels, and the RAN's dedicated replenishment oiler , HMAS Supply , was undergoing refits. The Australian government did not want to send
25671-427: The post-World War II period. A decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbourne ' s role to helicopter operations only, but was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation. As well as an operational aircraft carrier, Melbourne was Flagship of the RAN, a role she received almost immediately following her 1956 arrival in Australia, and fulfilled until her decommissioning in 1982. During her service,
25870-412: The public, media, and politicians, combined with revelations by Voyager ' s former executive officer that Stevens may have been unfit for command, a second Royal Commission was opened in 1967. This is the only time in Australian history two Royal Commissions have been held for a single incident. The second commission found that Stevens was medically unfit for command and that some of the findings of
26069-451: The rest of the 1970s. Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult. The next major refit ran from April 1975 to June 1976, and was intended to increase the operational lifespan of the carrier to at least 1985. The refit was lengthened by industrial action at the dockyard. Melbourne underwent another refit from late 1978 until August 1979. A refit scheduled to begin in late 1981
26268-468: The return to Australia. The ship was visited by South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu before departing, who thanked the efforts of the Australian military during the Vietnam War. Sydney arrived in Townsville on 17 December. Sydney left for her twenty-fourth voyage to Vietnam on 14 February 1972; the troopship and the destroyer escort Torrens reached Vũng Tàu on 28 February, where 457 Australian soldiers from various units boarded. They left
26467-465: The same day with 1 RAR embarked, with the troopship reaching Townsville on 25 February. A training cruise in March saw the ship visit New Zealand and Fiji. Sydney ' s fourteenth voyage, to deliver 6 RAR to Vietnam and return with 4 RAR, commenced on 8 May when Sydney sailed from Townsville. She met the destroyer Vampire off Singapore on 14 May, reached Vũng Tàu five days later, and arrived back in Brisbane on 30 May. On 17 November, Sydney and
26666-448: The search continued for fifteen more hours. After Evans ' stern was evacuated, it was cast off, while the carrier moved away to avoid damage. The stern did not sink, and was later recovered, stripped of parts, and sunk for target practice. Following the collision, Melbourne travelled to Singapore for temporary repairs to her bow, arriving on 6 June. Melbourne departed Singapore on 27 June and arrived in Sydney on 9 July, where
26865-422: The search. 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. Once this was completed, Melbourne
27064-499: The seventeenth voyage to Vietnam. The troopship met the destroyer Vendetta off Manila, and reached Vietnam on 31 October, where 2 RAR was offloaded and 8 RAR embarked. The two ships departed a day later, with Sydney reaching Brisbane on 12 November. At the start of February 1971, the troopship visited Hobart to serve as the flagship of the Royal Hobart Regatta , before she sailed to Adelaide, embarked 3 RAR, then departed on her eighteenth Vietnam voyage on 15 February. Sydney met
27263-517: The ship as a maritime museum , tourist attraction, or car park, the carrier was sold to a South Korean steel mill for scrapping in 1975. Sydney was one of six Majestic -class light fleet carriers; a modified version of the Colossus -class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability. These two classes of carriers were intended to be 'disposable warships': they were to be operated during World War II and scrapped at
27462-402: The ship on 26 May to foil any protest attempts. Sydney began her departure at 01:39; leaving Sydney Harbour with only her navigational lights lit. The troopship was in Vũng Tàu from 8 to 11 June, and returned to Fremantle on 26 June. Sydney was escorted by the destroyer Duchess for the entire voyage, and was joined by HMA Ships Parramatta , Melbourne , and Vampire for parts of
27661-727: The ship was put on high alert; radio and radar silence was enforced, while the anti-aircraft guns of the 111th Battery were secured to the ship's deck to supplement her armament. Sydney met the destroyer escorts Yarra and Parramatta off the Philippines on 3 June, and a day later, the ships arrived at Kota Kinabalu , where the 7th Field Squadron was offloaded with the aid of the Australian Army landing ships Vernon Sturdee and Clive Steele . Sydney and her companions left for Singapore at midnight on 5 June, and arrived three days later to offload 250 tonnes of ammunition. Sydney and Parramatta then proceeded to Penang , where
27860-497: The ship was suspended until she was purchased by the RAN in 1947. At the time of purchase, it was decided to incorporate new aircraft carrier technologies into the design, making Melbourne the third ship to be constructed with an angled flight deck . Delays in construction and integrating the enhancements meant that the carrier was not commissioned until 1955. Melbourne never fired a shot in anger during her service career, having only peripheral, non-combat roles in relation to
28059-542: The ship's commanding officer at the time of the first voyage, John Crabb , informed the Naval Board that he would refuse orders to do so, as the Saigon River could easily be mined after Sydney had sailed up. Instead, the port of Vũng Tàu was selected as the destination, with soldiers and equipment transferred to shore by helicopters, landing craft, and barges. During the early voyages, unloading and reloading
28258-415: The ship, based on wartime experience and Britain's post-war carrier warfare technology and innovations. These included an angled flight deck , steam catapult and a mirror landing aid , making Melbourne the third aircraft carrier (following HMS Ark Royal and USS Forrestal ) to be constructed with these features, instead of having them added later. The main modifications centred around
28457-441: The sight of both the carrier and her escort, the destroyer HMAS Anzac . The third group boat left Sydney at around 0500 hours on 17 October with a midshipman and four trainee sailors aboard, and was believed to have capsized four to five hours later. Despite poor weather, Sydney ' s captain had declined an offer by Anzac ' s captain for the destroyer to move to the north of Hayman Island in case of incident, and
28656-510: The sixth voyage, to collect 5 RAR. The battalion was embarked on 30 April, with Sydney arriving home on 12 May. Although the fifth and six voyages are officially recorded separately, they are sometimes counted as a single trip, because Sydney did not return to Australia in between. Sydney ' s seventh voyage began on 19 May from Brisbane, with 2 RAR and a company from 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment —the first New Zealand infantry force sent to Vietnam. Sydney and
28855-488: The start of 1969, the RAN's ship designation and numbering system was altered from the British pennant system to a new system based on the United States' hull classifications : Sydney was assigned the pennant number P214. The troopship began her thirteenth voyage on 8 February 1969, when she sailed from Fremantle with 5 RAR aboard. Sydney and the destroyer escort Derwent arrived in Vũng Tàu on 15 February and departed
29054-476: The start of the exercise, during which he recounted the events of the Melbourne – Voyager collision , emphasised the need for caution when operating near the carrier, and provided written instructions on how to avoid such a situation developing again. Additionally, during the lead up to the exercise, Admiral Crabb had strongly warned that all repositioning manoeuvres performed by the escorts had to commence with
29253-414: The stern section of Evans , where both ships' crews used mooring lines to lash the ships together. Sailors from Melbourne dived from the flight deck into the water to rescue overboard survivors close to the carrier, while the carrier's boats and helicopters collected those farther out. All of the survivors were located within 12 minutes of the collision and rescued before half an hour had passed, although
29452-487: The stores were offloaded and replaced by Australian personnel and equipment from assorted units over a two-day period. Arriving back in Sydney, the troopship left again on 24 November for her twenty-third voyage to Vietnam. Sydney met Swan off Subic Bay, then arrived in Vũng Tàu on 8 December, where 4 RAR, the 104th Battalion of the Royal Australian Artillery , and No. 9 Squadron were embarked for
29651-541: The three branches of the Australian and New Zealand militaries for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . The carrier and her aircraft participated in the Coronation Fleet Review on 15 June, and visited Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Panama, Hawaii, and New Zealand on the return voyage, before reaching Sydney on 15 August. The carrier's 10,000th deck landing occurred during this voyage:
29850-446: 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. Subsequent to the inquiry, the three USN officers and Stevenson were court-martialled by their respective navies on charges of negligence, with the three USN officers found guilty and Stevenson 'Honourably Acquitted'. Despite
30049-545: The time of their arrival, the Sea Venoms were the only radar equipped and all-weather combat aircraft in the Southern Hemisphere. At Melbourne ' s commissioning, the standard air group consisted of eight Sea Venoms and two squadrons of eight Gannets, with two Bristol Sycamore search-and-rescue helicopters added shortly after the carrier entered service. These aircraft were due to become obsolete in
30248-619: The troopship's twenty-five voyages to Vietnam, she carried a flight of four Westland Wessex helicopters, sourced from either 725 or 817 Squadron , for anti-submarine surveillance. The ship was laid down by HM Dockyard Devonport in England as HMS Terrible on 19 April 1943, with the Viscountess Astor presiding over the ceremony. She was the only aircraft carrier of the Colossus or Majestic classes to be constructed in
30447-439: The turns quickly placed Evans back in the carrier's path. Melbourne hit Evans amidships at 3:15 am, cutting the destroyer in two. 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. Melbourne deployed her boats, life rafts, and lifebuoys, before carefully manoeuvring alongside
30646-403: The two ships visited Sattahip, Thailand on 31 January before continuing on to Vietnam. Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 3 February, and departed the same day for home; arriving in Sydney on 16 February. Sydney ' s tenth voyage began on 27 March, with 1 RAR embarked for their second Vietnam deployment, and the destroyer escort Parramatta meeting the troopship off Singapore. The battalion
30845-646: The voyage to Fremantle, where they arrived on 5 March. On 16 April, Sydney was one of 45 vessels from 13 nations assembled in Sydney Harbour to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary , marking James Cook 's discovery of the east coast of Australia. Later that month, a visit to Portland, Victoria coincided with the Bicentenary Royal Tour of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh . Sydney sailed from Fremantle on 21 October on
31044-667: The voyage, Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 6 June. The voyage officially ended with the arrival of Sydney and Vendetta in Hong Kong on 11 June. In November, Sydney provided assistance to the submarine USS Tiru , which ran aground on Frederick Reef . On 1 March 1967, the ensign flown by RAN ships was changed from the British White Ensign to the Australian White Ensign . Sydney became one of only two RAN ships to undergo wartime service under both ensigns—the other being Vendetta —and
31243-564: The voyage. After loading troops and equipment in both Sydney and Brisbane, the troopship, accompanied by Melbourne and Anzac , started her second voyage on 14 September. Sydney was handed off to Duchess and Vendetta off Manus Island six days later. The three ships reached Vũng Tàu on 28 September, and departed two days later: after clearing the Market Time area, the two destroyers headed for Hong Kong, while Sydney proceeded to Subic Bay , then to her namesake city, where she arrived on 20 October. Despite these deployments, Sydney
31442-493: The west coast of Korea and escorted by the Canadian destroyers Athabaskan , Cayuga and Sioux , and American destroyers Hanna and Collett . On the same day, the first RAN casualty of the war occurred, when a Sea Fury pilot failed to pull up from a strafing run and crashed. Despite foul weather, the carrier's aircraft continued to attack lines of supply and communication, and provide support to United Nations ships:
31641-511: The year concluded with participation in Exercise Astrolabe off Lord Howe Island , with ships from the RAN, Royal Navy, and Royal New Zealand Navy , before returning to Sydney on 13 December. From February until July 1958, Melbourne was deployed on a 25,000-nautical-mile (46,000 km; 29,000 mi) flag-showing cruise. During this cruise the carrier participated in four inter-fleet exercises and visited Singapore, Hong Kong,
31840-592: Was jinxed . Melbourne was paid off from RAN service in 1982. A proposal to convert her for use as a floating casino failed, and a 1984 sale was cancelled, before she was sold for scrap in 1985 and towed to China for breaking . 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. Melbourne
32039-535: Was 1,100, but could be increased to 1,300 for wartime deployments. Refitting the ship to serve as a transport reduced the standard displacement to 14,380 tons and the ship's company to a core of 544, which was supplemented by trainees and personnel from the Royal Australian Navy Reserve when required. The British Admiralty predicted that all Majestic -class carriers would require upgrades to their aircraft lifts and arrester gear in
32238-418: Was a bad year for the carrier's air group, with four Sea Venoms and two Gannets damaged in separate incidents aboard Melbourne . All four Sea Venom incidents occurred in March, with three attributed to aircrew error and one to brake failure. The year began with exercises en route to Adelaide, followed by a visit to the Royal Hobart Regatta. The carrier's Strategic Reserve deployment ran from April to June, and
32437-677: Was a gift to the RAN Sailing Association from the Royal Navy. The ship visited Gibraltar , Naples , Malta , Port Said , Aden , and Colombo , before arriving in Fremantle on 24 April 1956. Melbourne sailed east via the Great Australian Bight , meeting sister ship HMAS Sydney near Kangaroo Island a week later. After visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay , where the aircraft were offloaded and sent to Naval Air Station HMAS Albatross ,
32636-417: Was a highlight at this time – especially when, after his presentation to the ship's company, they were all granted a 'make and mend.' On 1 May 1956, Sydney met Melbourne off Kangaroo Island during the latter's delivery voyage. The two carriers sailed together for the remainder of Melbourne ' s delivery voyage, visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay before arriving in Sydney on 10 May. Three days later,
32835-511: Was a multiple-day process, with the transport moving to deeper waters each night, but improved cargo handling practices, upgrades to Sydney (including the installation of three new cargo cranes and six embarked landing craft during mid-1968 refit), and increased access to US cargo- and troop-carrying helicopters, reduced this to a single day by 1968. Because of the perceived threat from Chinese submarines while in transit and from Viet Cong swimmers with limpet mines while in harbour, Sydney
33034-538: Was also called on to perform underway replenishments and command and control functions. Following a working-up period in British waters, Melbourne departed Glasgow on 11 March 1956 on her maiden voyage to Australia via the Suez Canal . Aboard were the 64 aircraft of RAN squadrons 808 , 816 , and 817 , as well as the racing yacht Samuel Pepys (named after the English naval administrator and diarist ), which
33233-528: Was also present, undergoing her own trials following refit, under the command of Captain Duncan Stevens . The trials involved interactions between both ships, and when Melbourne performed night-flying exercises that evening, Voyager acted as the carrier's plane guard escort. 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 1,800 m). Early in
33432-402: Was always escorted by at least one other RAN vessel. While in harbour, boats from Sydney and her escort would patrol around the troopship, while divers regularly inspected the hull, propellers, and anchor chain for explosives. On seven voyages, Sydney carried four Westland Wessex helicopters for anti-submarine surveillance, sourced from 725 or 817 Squadron . During May 1965, Sydney
33631-466: Was at the extreme limit of helicopter range and some of the return flight would occur after dark. Despite this, Uncle Peter's USN aircrew volunteered to try, and after the observer was quickly taught how to use an Owen submachine gun , the helicopter launched at 16:22. The four RAN aircraft provided cover for the two downed personnel until they were ordered to return to the carrier; two of the Fireflies met Uncle Peter at 17:15, and turned around to escort
33830-794: Was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955. 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. As the lead ship of the Majestic -class of light aircraft carriers, Melbourne was conceived as a modified version of the Colossus -class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability. Majestic - and Colossus -class carriers were almost identical in hull design and both were considered subclasses of
34029-474: Was considered to be conservative, and claims of great underestimation by the RAN were made by US personnel inspecting the aftermath of RAN attacks. Personnel from Sydney and her CAG received four Distinguished Service Crosses (one with Bar ), one Distinguished Service Medal , ten Mentions in Despatches , and two United States Legions of Merit . Most of the personnel aboard would have been eligible for
34228-687: Was constructed by Vickers-Armstrongs at their Naval Construction Yard in Barrow-in-Furness , North West England . The ship was laid down as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943, and was launched on 28 February 1945 by Lady Anderson , the wife of Sir John Anderson , the British Chancellor of the Exchequer . Following the end of World War II , the Admiralty ordered the suspension of many British shipbuilding projects, including
34427-458: Was delivered to Vũng Tàu on 9 April, with 7 RAR on board for the return to Australia, where they arrived on 26 April. The eleventh voyage saw Sydney , with the destroyer Anzac escorting, depart Brisbane on 21 May with 4 RAR aboard. The ships arrived at Vũng Tàu on 1 June, where the battalion was replaced by 2 RAR for the return voyage to Brisbane, which was reached on 13 June. After this voyage, Sydney underwent an extensive refit in which she
34626-420: Was fitted with three new Favelle Favco -type cargo cranes and modified to carry six Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM (6)) on davits. 16 LCM were constructed for use with Sydney , but half were put up for sale in the early 1970s. During September and October, Sydney temporarily resumed flagship duties, and participated in the amphibious warfare exercise Coral Sands. After the exercise, the troopship undertook
34825-423: Was followed by manoeuvres along the east coast of Australia until September. In the lead up to Melbourne ' s 1961 deployment to the Strategic Reserve, the carrier visited Bombay , Karachi , and Trincomalee . It was the first time a flagship of the RAN had entered Indian waters. Melbourne returned to Australia in June, and on 15 June led several ships in a ceremonial entry to Sydney Harbour to commemorate
35024-490: Was hit by Manly ferry South Steyne while alongside at Garden Island, causing minor damage to both vessels. Melbourne was out of service for most of 1971 while she underwent refits , which concluded in early August. 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
35223-613: Was in Kure for Christmas, and relieved USS Badoeng Strait on 27 December, the start of her sixth patrol. The remaining days of 1951 were spent providing air cover in the Inchon area for both UN ground forces and supply convoys returning to Japan. On New Year's Day 1952, Sydney ' s aircraft helped repel the North Korean invasion of the island of Yongho Do . The third RAN pilot to be lost in Korea died on 2 January while performing
35422-419: Was in session over June and July 1969. 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. It was learned during the inquiry that Evans ' commanding officer was asleep in his quarters at
35621-444: Was increased by 2.43 metres (8.0 ft) during a refit in 1969. She had a beam of 24.38 metres (80.0 ft), and a draught of 7.62 metres (25.0 ft). Melbourne ' s two propellers were driven by two Parsons single-reduction geared turbine sets providing 40,000 shp , which were powered by four Admiralty 3-drum boilers . The carrier could achieve a top speed of 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph), and
35820-523: Was increased from 2,000 to 3,000 yards (1,800 to 2,700 m). On the night of 2–3 June 1969, Melbourne and her escorts were involved in anti-submarine training exercises in the South China Sea . 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. Evans had performed
36019-457: Was initially used for training and a single supply run in support of Malaysia's defence policy against Indonesia , but in 1965, she sailed on the first voyage to Vũng Tàu , transporting soldiers and equipment to serve in the Vietnam War . 25 voyages to Vietnam were made between 1965 and 1972, earning the ship the nickname "Vung Tau Ferry" . Sydney was decommissioned in 1973, and was not replaced. Despite several plans to preserve all or part of
36218-410: Was later presented the Gloucester Cup for 1966; being the most efficient vessel in the RAN that year. Sydney sailed to Vietnam for the third time on 24 April 1966, with units from both 5 RAR and 6 RAR aboard. She met her escorts, Vampire , Yarra , and Melbourne en route: the two smaller ships accompanied Sydney into Vũng Tàu from 4 to 6 May, while the aircraft carrier Melbourne left
36417-441: Was marked by minimal flying activity due to extremely poor weather and a lack of co-ordination between UN forces and the convoys RAN aircraft were meant to escort. The primary targets for strike missions were changed from North Korean supply line infrastructure to water towers , as they took longer to repair. On the final day of the patrol, aircraft from Sydney did not fly at all, as overnight weather conditions had rendered all of
36616-411: Was no further use for her. As both strategic airlift and sealift with other naval or civilian vessels were unfeasible, Sydney was reactivated and converted into a fast troop transport ship during 1961 and 1962. All of her aircraft operating equipment was removed, her hangar was converted into accommodation and storage, and her armament was reduced to four single-mounted 40 mm Bofors . Sydney
36815-428: Was postponed in September until a decision regarding the new carrier was made, then cancelled in January 1982, after the announcement that the RAN would be acquiring HMS Invincible . Melbourne carried a defensive armament of anti-aircraft guns and an air group comprising both attack and anti-submarine aircraft. As the ship was never directly involved in a conflict, her weapons and embarked aircraft did not fire
37014-492: 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. Robertson was posted to the training base HMAS Watson —a move that he and the Australian media saw as tantamount to a demotion—but resigned instead. The Royal Commission and its aftermath were poorly handled, and following pressure from
37213-588: Was recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport on 7 March 1962, given the pennant number A214, and assigned back to the training squadron. From April 1962 onwards, Sydney was used to train the ship's company and Army personnel for the troop transport role, while supplementing the RAN's regular training needs. The troopship first saw full use in her new role in August 1963, when she was used to support an amphibious landing at Hervey Bay , Queensland during Exercise Carbine. From 27 September to 4 October, Sydney conveyed
37412-450: Was removed while the new bow was put in place in the drydock. The work was completed on 27 April, with the shipyard receiving a commendation. Of the 314 personnel aboard Voyager at the time of the collision, 14 officers, 67 sailors, and 1 civilian dockyard worker were killed, including Stevens and all but two of the bridge team. A Royal Commission into the events of the collision was held in 1964, and found that while Voyager' s crew
37611-546: Was replaced with parts from the decommissioned HMCS Bonaventure in 1970. In 1970, Melbourne participated in three major inter-navy exercises: Sea Rover with SEATO forces in the South China Sea, Bersatu Padu with British Commonwealth forces off Malaysia, and Swan Lake with the Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy off Western Australia. During this year, the carrier also visited Japan to participate in Expo '70 , and
37810-418: Was sold to Australia in 1947, completed, and commissioned into the RAN as Sydney in 1948. Sydney was the first of three conventional aircraft carriers to serve in the RAN, and operated as the navy's flagship during the early part of her career. From late 1951 to early 1952, she operated off the coast of Korea during the Korean War , making her the first carrier owned by a Commonwealth Dominion , and
38009-517: Was still being completed. On 25 December 1948, while still fitting out in Devonport, a helicopter from USS Columbus carrying Santa Claus became the first aircraft to land on Sydney ' s flight deck. The ship's sea trials and post-commissioning workup were not without event: in early December 1948, a 771 Naval Air Squadron de Havilland Mosquito crashed while helping Sydney calibrate her radar suite, killing both British aircrew, and
38208-429: Was still significantly smaller than other Cold War era carriers; S-2 Trackers , with their 22.12-metre (72 ft 7 in) wingspan, had less than a metre's clearance for their starboard wingtip when landing, and pilots from other navies often refused to attempt landing. Water rationing was required in the early years of the carrier's operation, as the ship's fresh water supply was insufficient to freely provide for
38407-577: Was struck by the tail of the aircraft and died from wounds. Four other aircraft were damaged that day. Clear weather, which lasted until 14 December, allowed the carrier to maintain a high rate of attack against North Korean troop concentrations, railways, and coastal vessels, while providing air cover for the Task Element. Ending on 18 December, the fifth patrol was the most costly to Sydney ' s CAG, with one pilot killed, five aircraft destroyed, and another 25 aircraft heavily damaged. The carrier
38606-589: Was the largest project undertaken by Garden Island Dockyard to that date. The next major refit was required in 1971 for the scheduled rebuilding of the catapult, which was only possible after components were sourced from HMCS Bonaventure and USS Coral Sea . The flight deck was again reinforced and strengthened, and attempts were made to increase the effectiveness of the air conditioning system installed in 1969. Melbourne had been designed to operate in North Atlantic and Arctic climates, and
38805-597: Was the longest helicopter rescue transit over North Korean territory during the war, and Sikorsky pilot received both the British Distinguished Service Medal and the United States Navy Cross : the only instance of these two medals being awarded to the same person for the same action. Sydney was relieved by USS Rendova on 27 October and returned to Kure. Sydney began her third patrol on 5 November, operating on
39004-526: Was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN. Melbourne was the only Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions . 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. At the end of the Second World War , work on
39203-500: Was undergoing a refit at Garden Island, when she was ordered to prepare the ship for her first voyage to Vietnam. The refit was hastily completed, and cargo loading started on 23 May. A blanket media ban concerning the ship was issued, and soldiers of 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) and the Prince of Wales's Light Horse armoured regiment, along with a logistics unit and a group of journalists were covertly transported to
39402-405: Was used for the filming of On The Beach , based on Nevil Shute 's post-apocalyptic novel of the same name . After filming concluded, the carrier participated in a demonstration exercise off the coast of Sydney before embarking on a Far East Strategic Reserve deployment from March until May. The rest of the year was spent visiting Australian and New Zealand ports. The following year, 1960,
39601-432: Was used to transport the majority of the Australian personnel and equipment contributed to the Vietnam War effort. These voyages earned Sydney the nickname "Vung Tau Ferry". The visits to Vietnam were interspersed by other duties, and Sydney continued to function as a training ship, with up to 30 midshipmen and 200 trainee sailors aboard at any given time. Sydney normally transported 450 soldiers—the main force of
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