HMAS Melbourne (R21)
HMAS Melbourne in 1967
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History | |
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Australia | |
Namesake | City of Melbourne |
Ordered | 1943 |
Builder | Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness |
Laid down | 15 April 1943 |
Launched | 28 February 1945 as HMS Majestic |
Christened | 26 October 1955 as HMAS Majestic |
Commissioned | 28 October 1955 as HMAS Melbourne |
Decommissioned | 30 May 1982 |
Motto |
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Honours and awards |
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Fate | Sold for scrap |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Modified Majestic-class light aircraft carrier |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam | 24.38 m (80 ft) |
Draught | 7.62 m (25 ft) |
Propulsion | Two Parsons single-reduction geared turbine sets; four Admiralty 3-drum boilers; two screws (port: 3 blade, starboard: 4 blade); 40,000 shp (30,000 kW) |
Speed | 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) |
Range |
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Complement | 1,350, including 350 Air Group personnel |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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Aircraft carried | Up to 27 aircraft, including helicopters |
HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a
Melbourne was laid down for the
Melbourne never
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.[3]
Construction and acquisition
Melbourne was constructed by
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.[5] Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million,[note 2] plus stores, fuel, and ammunition.[4][6] As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney.[4] Work progressed on Majestic at a slower rate, as she was upgraded with the latest technology and equipment.[7] The Colossus-class carrier HMS Vengeance was loaned to the RAN from 13 November 1952 until 12 August 1955 to cover Majestic's absence.[7]
The Majestic experienced delays in its construction due to labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations and the prioritisation of the construction of merchant ships.[8][9] Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million.[9] Construction and fitting out did not finish until October 1955.[10] As the carrier neared completion, a commissioning crew was formed in Australia and first used to return Vengeance to the United Kingdom.[11]
The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as
Design
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.[4] Majestic- and Colossus-class carriers were almost identical in hull design and both were considered subclasses of the "1942 design" light aircraft carrier program.[14] These carriers were intended as "disposable warships": to be disposed of at the end of World War II or within three years of entering service.[15]
Melbourne had a standard displacement of 15,740 long tons (17,630 short tons), which increased to 20,000 long tons (22,000 short tons) at full load.
Modifications during construction
Following the recommencement of construction, modifications were made to the ship, based on wartime experience and Britain's post-war carrier warfare technology and innovations.
The main modifications centred around the need to operate
Refits
Early in her career, Melbourne underwent a series of short annual refits, commencing in September and ending in January or February of the next year.[22] 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
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.[1][27] The flight deck was again reinforced and strengthened, and attempts were made to increase the effectiveness of the air conditioning system installed in 1969.[1] Melbourne had been designed to operate in North Atlantic and Arctic climates, and the original ventilation systems were inappropriate for her primary operating climate, the tropics.[28] 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).[28] The refit took seven months to complete, and cost A$2 million.[1]
More large-scale refits occurred throughout the rest of the 1970s. Melbourne was back in dock from November 1972 until August 1973, with further work done to her catapult.[29] 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.[30][31] The refit was lengthened by industrial action at the dockyard.[30] Melbourne underwent another refit from late 1978 until August 1979.[32] A refit scheduled to begin in late 1981 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.[33][34]
Armament
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 a shot in anger.[2]
Weapons and systems
Melbourne's initial armament included 25
During the 1967–1969 refit, thirteen Bofors were removed, leaving four twin and four single mountings.
Aircraft
Melbourne carried three Fleet Air Arm squadrons.[17] Initially, she had up to 22 fixed wing and 2 rotary wing aircraft embarked at any time.[23] The number of aircraft gradually increased until 1972, when the air group peaked at 27 aircraft.[36] Approximately 350 Fleet Air Arm personnel were stationed aboard the carrier.[17]
Initially, two types of fixed-wing aircraft were operated from Melbourne.
These aircraft were due to become obsolete in the late 1950s, and the RAN considered purchasing modern aircraft of French or Italian design, which were better suited to light carrier operations than equivalent British aircraft, or replace Melbourne with a larger carrier.[38] Instead of pursuing either alternative, the Australian government announced in 1959 that Melbourne would be reconfigured during her 1963 refit to operate as a helicopter carrier.[38] The fixed-wing aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm were marked for replacement by 27 Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters.[39] 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.[36][39] The decision to retire the fixed-wing component of 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.[40][41]
The RAN planned to acquire 14
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.[46][47][48][49] The carrier was sent to the United States in 1977 to transport back 16 S-2G Tracker aircraft as replacements.[50][51]
Over the course of her career, over thirty aircraft were either lost or heavily damaged while operating from Melbourne.[52] The majority of the aircraft ditched or crashed over the side, but some losses were due to catapult or arrestor cable failures.[52] After Melbourne was decommissioned, the Fleet Air Arm ceased fixed-wing combat aircraft operation in 1984, with the final Tracker flight saluting the decommissioned carrier.[53]
Role
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 the only aircraft carrier in Australian service.[54] Melbourne was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refuelling, personnel leave, and non-carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft.[54][55] Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in the post-World War II period.[1][56] A decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbourne's role to helicopter operations only, but was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation.[38][40]
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.[57] During her service, 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.[58][59]
As Melbourne was the only ship of her size (both in dimensions and ship's company) in the RAN, the carrier underwent a regular rotation of commanding officers to give them experience.[60] Commanding officers were changed on average every fifteen months, with few remaining on board for more than two years.[60] The majority of Melbourne's commanders later reached flag rank.[60] The carrier was also called on to perform underway replenishments and command and control functions.[59]
Operational history
1955–1964
Following a working-up period in British waters, Melbourne departed Glasgow on 11 March 1956 on her maiden voyage to Australia via the
In February 1957, Melbourne was sent to the Royal Hobart Regatta.[17] Following this, she travelled to New Zealand, where she participated in exercises with HMNZS Royalist and visited several New Zealand ports.[23] The first of several annual three-month deployments to Southeast Asia as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve began in April, with Melbourne returning to Darwin at the end of June.[67][68] The carrier spent the rest of the year visiting Australian ports for open inspections by the public.[69] 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.[70] Operations for 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.[17][69]
From February until July 1958, Melbourne was deployed on a 25,000-nautical-mile (46,000 km; 29,000 mi) flag-showing cruise.[17] During this cruise the carrier participated in four inter-fleet exercises and visited Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Pearl Harbor and Fiji.[17][71] 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.[71] At the start of 1959, Melbourne spent four days in her namesake city, where she was used for the filming of On The Beach, based on Nevil Shute's post-apocalyptic novel of the same name.[72][73] 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.[73] The rest of the year was spent visiting Australian and New Zealand ports.[73]
The following year, 1960, was a bad year for the carrier's air group, with four Sea Venoms and two Gannets damaged in separate incidents aboard Melbourne.
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.[79] After Strategic Reserve duties were completed, the carrier visited Japan, Guam, and Manus Island before returning to Sydney in late July.[79] In September, Melbourne reprised her role as the leader of Exercise Tuckerbox II.[77] The 10,000th catapult launch from Melbourne occurred in late 1962.[77] The carrier's annual refit began in Sydney on 1 October.[79] At the beginning of 1963, Melbourne again visited to the Royal Hobart Regatta, which was immediately followed by a deployment to the Strategic Reserve, including involvement in SEATO Exercise Sea Serpent.[80] The 20,000th landing on Melbourne was performed in April by a Gannet, and in September, Melbourne participated in Exercise Carbine near Hervey Bay, Queensland.[77][81]
Voyager collision
On 10 February 1964, Melbourne was performing trials in Jervis Bay under the command of Captain John Robertson, following the annual refit.[82] The Daring-class destroyer HMAS Voyager was also present, undergoing her own trials following refit, under the command of Captain Duncan Stevens.[82] 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.[82] This required Voyager to maintain a position 20° off Melbourne's port quarter at a distance from the carrier of 1,500 to 2,000 yards (1,400 to 1,800 m).[83]
Early in the evening, Voyager had no difficulties maintaining her position during the manoeuvres both ships performed.[83] 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.[83] At 8:52 pm, Voyager was ordered to resume the plane guard station.[84] The procedure to accomplish this required Voyager to turn away from Melbourne in a large circle, cross behind the carrier, then take position off Melbourne's port side.[84] Instead, Voyager first turned to starboard, away from Melbourne, then turned to port without warning.[84] It was initially assumed by Melbourne's bridge crew that Voyager was conducting a series of tight turns to lose speed before swinging behind Melbourne, but Voyager did not alter course again.[85] At 8:55 pm, with Voyager approaching, Melbourne's navigator ordered the carrier's engines to half astern speed, with Robertson ordering an increase to full astern a few seconds later.[85] 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.[85] Both ships' measures were too late to avoid a collision; Melbourne hit Voyager at 8:56 pm.[86]
Melbourne struck Voyager just aft of the destroyer's bridge, rolling the destroyer to starboard before cutting her in half.[87] Voyager's forward boiler exploded, briefly setting fire to the bow of the carrier before it was extinguished by seawater.[87] The destroyer's forward section sank quickly, under the weight of the two 4.5-inch (110 mm) gun turrets.[88] The aft section did not begin sinking until half an hour after the collision, completely submerging just after midnight.[89] Messages were immediately sent to the Fleet Headquarters in Sydney, although staff in Sydney initially underestimated the extent of the damage to Voyager.[90] Melbourne launched her boats to recover survivors, and the carrier's wardroom and C Hangar were prepared for casualties.[91] 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 the search.[92]
Melbourne arrived in Sydney with the survivors on 14 February, and after spending time alongside at
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.
1964–1969
Melbourne spent ten weeks at
From March 1965 until mid-1967, Melbourne underwent a regular pattern of deployments to Southeast Asia, exercises, and flag-showing visits to nations in the Asia-Pacific region.
In September 1967, Melbourne travelled to the United States to collect new aircraft: 14 Trackers and 10 Skyhawks.[23] To operate the new aircraft, the carrier received a major refit on her return to Sydney, which began in December 1967.[23] In May 1967, it was proposed that while Melbourne was out of service, A-4 Skyhawk pilots and maintenance personnel could be attached to a United States Marine Corps Skyhawk squadron in South Vietnam.[111] 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.[112] 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 the RAN, and sending qualified pilots overseas would have caused further holdups with the program, while also disrupting Melbourne's post-refit reactivation.[113] 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.[26][114]
Frank E. Evans collision
Melbourne's commanding officer during the SEATO exercise was Captain John Phillip Stevenson.
On the night of 2–3 June 1969, Melbourne and her escorts were involved in anti-submarine training exercises in the
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.[121] Melbourne deployed her boats, life rafts, and lifebuoys, before carefully manoeuvring alongside the stern section of Evans, where both ships' crews used mooring lines to lash the ships together.[122] 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.[123] All of the survivors were located within 12 minutes of the collision and rescued before half an hour had passed, although the search continued for fifteen more hours.[124] After Evans' stern was evacuated, it was cast off, while the carrier moved away to avoid damage.[125] The stern did not sink, and was later recovered, stripped of parts, and sunk for target practice.[121]
Following the collision, Melbourne travelled to Singapore for temporary repairs to her bow, arriving on 6 June.[126] Melbourne departed Singapore on 27 June and arrived in Sydney on 9 July, where the carrier underwent almost identical repairs at Cockatoo Island Dockyard as in 1964 (primarily the installation of a new bow section).[126] However, an industrial dispute amongst the shipyard workers meant that, although the work was completed in early September, the ship remained in the drydock until 11 October.[94]
A Joint RAN-USN
1970–1976
During the 1970s and early 1980s, replacing parts became an increasing problem.[132] 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.[132] The carrier's engineers often resorted to making replacements from scratch.[132] The ship's catapult 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
Operations in 1972 commenced with a three-month deployment to Southeast Asia.[1] During this deployment, Melbourne led a fleet of 17 ships from the RAN, Royal Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, US Navy, Philippine Navy, and Royal Thai Navy in Exercise Sea Hawk.[1] 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 the end of April.[1][23] 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.[1] In August, Melbourne sailed for Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 72.[1] At the conclusion of this exercise, Melbourne proceeded to Japan on a diplomatic visit, then sailed to the Philippines to exercise with SEATO ships.[23] During this deployment, a fire ignited inside the ship's main switchboard.[70] The carrier returned to Australia on 27 November after 101 days at sea, and underwent a seven-month refit.[23] On 24 August 1973, Melbourne returned to Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 73.[23] She returned to Australia on 12 October, but sailed out ten days later to participate in Exercise Leadline off Malaysia, before reaching Sydney again in December.[1]
Melbourne began 1974 by transporting 120
Following Navy Help Darwin, Melbourne participated in RIMPAC 75, then returned to Sydney for a fourteen-month refit, which was delayed by industrial action at the dockyard.[30] While moored in Sydney Harbour, on 24 July, Melbourne was struck by Japanese cargo ship Blue Andromeda.[136] While working up following the refit, Melbourne and HMAS Torrens provided assistance to MV Miss Chief off the coast of Bundaberg, Queensland on 16 August 1976.[49] In October, Melbourne participated in Exercise Kangaroo II, before sailing to her namesake city for the carrier's 21st birthday celebrations, then returning to Sydney on 5 November.[30][137]
1976–1983
On 5 December 1976, a fire deliberately lit at
At the end of March 1978, Melbourne left Sydney for RIMPAC 78.[143] During this exercise, Melbourne acquired the nickname 'Little M' after working with 'Big E' USS Enterprise—the smallest and largest aircraft carriers (respectively) in operation at the time.[143] On return in July, the carrier entered a major refit, which continued until 3 August 1979.[32] During this refit, on 3 March, a boiler explosion caused minor damage to the carrier.[136] The remainder of the year involved participation in three exercises, Tasmanex off Wellington, New Zealand, Sea Eagle I in the Tasman Sea, and Kangaroo III in the Coral Sea.[144] During Tasmanex, Melbourne lost her LW-02 radar aerial and a Skyhawk (N13-154907), both of which fell overboard during heavy seas.[145]
During February and March 1980, Melbourne participated in RIMPAC 80, as the flagship of Battle Group Two.[30] This was immediately followed by a visit to the Solomon Islands in early April.[146] The carrier was in Sydney from mid-April until mid-August, during which the 25th anniversary of Melbourne's service in the RAN was celebrated on 15 August with a cocktail party aboard the carrier, popularly referred to as 'The Night of the Admirals'.[30][146] On 18 August, Melbourne sailed for Fremantle to participate in Exercise Sandgroper 80.[146] On 8 September, Melbourne, accompanied by Perth, Derwent, Stalwart, Supply, and Otama deployed to the Indian Ocean as the Australian Squadron for a flag-showing cruise.[147] During this cruise two Skyhawks were lost: on 2 and 21 October.[147] On 24 October, a Tracker from Melbourne observed Soviet warships Storozhevoy and Ivan Rogov shadowing the squadron.[147] The squadron's return in November 1980 concluded the largest and longest RAN deployment since World War II.[23]
Following her return, the carrier spent six months in Australian waters, before a two-month deployment to Southeast Asia.[23] During this deployment, on 21 June 1981, Melbourne rescued 99 Vietnamese refugees from a disabled fishing vessel in the South China Sea.[148] The carrier's deployments for the second half of the year consisted of two exercises, Sea Hawk and Kangaroo 81.[23] A major refit scheduled to begin in late 1981 was postponed pending the decision on a replacement carrier.[33] After docking at Garden Island in December, the carrier was accidentally flooded by an officer who was impatient to commence leave.[149] In his haste to shut down the carrier, he failed to deactivate the water pumps, and over 180 tons of fresh water were pumped in before a maintenance party discovered the flooding the next day.[149] Melbourne remained in dock at the start of 1982, and did not leave before the decision regarding her replacement was made.
Replacement
A replacement for Melbourne was under consideration as early as 1956, and the question was revisited on several occasions until the 1980s. In every situation, a new aircraft carrier was turned down due to the increases in manpower and operating costs required to operate the ship when compared to Melbourne.
Between 1956 and 1959, the RAN considered acquiring a larger carrier to replace Melbourne, as the Fleet Air Arm was becoming obsolete and the RAN did not believe the ship could be modified to operate newer, heavier aircraft.[38] Under consideration were British carrier HMS Albion and a ship of the United States' Essex class.[38] Both options were turned down, and it was instead proposed to operate Melbourne as a helicopter carrier.
In 1960, the United States Navy offered an Essex-class carrier to the Australian government, in the interest of improving relations between the two nations and their navies.
The need to secure a replacement for Melbourne grew as the carrier's age caused the operating costs to increase to over A$25 million per year.
HMS Invincible
Plans to replace Melbourne changed in July 1981; the British 1981 Defence White Paper had marked the recently commissioned HMS Invincible as surplus to requirements, and she was offered to the RAN for the 'bargain' price of GB£175 million (A$285 million).[156] The Invincible class had been considered and discarded during the investigation, but the decreased price and the fact the already-constructed carrier would be ready for RAN service in 1983 prompted the Australian government to announce its intention to purchase Invincible on 25 February 1982 and close the carrier acquisition program.[155] The government also announced that the ship would be renamed HMAS Australia and operated as a helicopter carrier, and that a decision on the purchase of fixed wing aircraft would be made after acquisition.[151]
The deal was put on hold in April 1982, following the outbreak of the
Decommissioning and fate
Following the decision to replace Melbourne with HMS Invincible, the postponed refit was cancelled outright.
The carrier was initially sold for
Please be advised that HMAS Melbourne arrived at Port Huangpu, intact and safely afloat, proud and majestic. She has been innocent, never once bowed to the natural or human force, in spite of the heavy storm and the talked about jinx.
— Telex communication to the Australian Government, 13 June 1985[166]
The ship was not scrapped immediately; instead she was studied by Chinese naval architects and engineers as part of the nation's top-secret
Melbourne's service is commemorated with a stained-glass window at the
Following an overhaul of the RAN battle honours system completed in 2010, Melbourne was retroactively awarded the honour "Malaysia 1965–66" for her service during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation.[170][171]
See also
Notes
- Canberra-classamphibious warfare ships.
- ^ Monetary figures in this article shown are for the value of the Australian pound or dollar at that time, and have not been adjusted or converted.
- ^ Sources are inconsistent regarding who attempted to purchase Melbourne in the first sale. Lind claims the sale was to South Korea,[53] Cassells states it was to Taiwan, and that the sale fell through when they failed to commit to scrapping the carrier,[163] and the Sea Power Centre indicates an Australian company was the buyer.[23]
- ^ The text of the telex message has been altered for readability. The original message reads:
Pls b advised that HMAS Melbourne arrived at Port Huangpu, intact n safely afloat, proud n majestic. She has bn innocent, never once bowed to the natural or human force, in spite of the heavy storm n the talked abt jinx.
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 313
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 9
- ^ a b c Storey and Ji, China's aircraft carrier ambitions, p. 79
- ^ a b c d e f g Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, p. 5
- ^ a b Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 33
- ^ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, pp. 38, 45–7
- ^ a b Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 94
- ^ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 149
- ^ a b Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 165
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 72
- ^ HMAS (ex-HMS) Vengeance, Sea Power Centre
- ^ a b Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 84
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 72–3
- ^ Hobbs, in Stevens and Reeve, The Navy and the Nation, p. 211
- ^ Hobbs, in Stevens and Reeve,The Navy and the Nation, p. 217
- ^ a b c d e Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, pp. 308–9
- ^ a b c d e f g Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 309
- ^ Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, pp. 5–6
- ^ a b c Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, p. 6
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 13–5
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 16, 72, 83
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 26, 28, 30, 33, 37, 39, 44, 48, 53, 84
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t HMAS Melbourne (II), Sea Power Centre
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 174
- ^ a b c Coulthard-Clark, Breaking free, p. 61
- ^ a b Gillett, p. 59
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 213
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 16
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 77
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 86
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 235
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 89, 91
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 251
- ^ Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p. 168
- ^ a b c Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 22
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bishop and Chant, Aircraft Carriers, p. 62
- ^ Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, pp. 6–7
- ^ a b c d e Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 187
- ^ a b c d Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 193
- ^ a b Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, p. 7
- ^ a b Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 88
- ^ a b Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, pp. 193–4
- ^ Forster, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Production History
- ^ a b c d e Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 293
- ^ a b c Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 194
- ^ "12 RAN Aircraft Burnt" The Canberra Times – 6 December 1976, p.1 (National Library of Australia) Retrieved 21 October 2015
- ^ "Nowra Air Station Fire" The Canberra Times – 6 December 1976, p.1 (National Library of Australia) Retrieved 21 October 2015
- ^ "Court Martial After Nowra Base Fire" The Canberra Times – 14 April 1977, p.9 (National Library of Australia) Retrieved 21 October 2015
- ^ a b c Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 291
- ^ "18 Trackers in service soon" The Canberra Times – 18 March 1977, p.3 (National Library of Australia) Retrieved 21 October 2015
- ^ a b c Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 83
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 218–9
- ^ a b Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 302
- ^ a b c Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 247
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 221
- ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 261
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 74–5
- ^ Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, p. 8
- ^ a b Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 250
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 20
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 73
- ^ a b Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 234
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 21–2
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 74
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 128
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 22
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 25
- ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 215
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 26
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 217
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 27
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 237
- ^ a b c Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 29
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 239
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 35
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 33
- ^ a b c d e f g Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 310
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 37
- ^ a b c Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 39
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 43
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 76
- ^ a b c Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 8
- ^ a b c Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 11
- ^ a b c Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 12
- ^ a b c Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 13
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, pp. 14–5
- ^ a b Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 1
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 2
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- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 4
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- ^ a b c Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 311
- ^ a b Jeremy, Cockatoo Island, p. 135
- ^ Frame, Where Fate Calls, p. 72
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, pp. 27, 67–9
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, pp. 78–9, 82
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, pp. 88, 114–5
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 202
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 117
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, pp. 159–60
- ^ Frame, The Cruel Legacy, p. 160
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 132
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 198
- ^ a b Nott and Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 169–71
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, pp. 204, 208
- ^ Grey, Up Top, p. 77
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Frame, Pacific Partners, p. 126
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 175
- ^ a b Hills, Muddied Waters
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 176
- ^ Smith and Lancaster, USS Frank E. Evans: Disaster in the South China Sea, p. 1
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 178
- ^ a b c Sherbo, Death of a Destroyer
- ^ a b c d e Frame, Pacific Partners, p. 127
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 178, 184
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 183–4
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, pp. 182, 184
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 185
- ^ a b c d Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 312
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 204
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 200
- ^ a b Frame, Pacific Partners, p. 129
- ^ Frame, Pacific Partners, pp. 130–1
- ^ Lloyd, Official apology for HMAS Melbourne captain
- ^ a b c Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 12
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 61
- ^ a b Grey, Up Top, pp. 96–8
- ^ a b c Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 289; Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, pp. 8–9
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 218
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 79
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 19
- ^ a b Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 231
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 292
- ^ Mison, Sea Harrier Down Under
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 83–4
- ^ a b Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 89
- ^ Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, pp. 91–2
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 245
- ^ a b c Gillett, HMAS Melbourne – 25 Years, p. 95
- ^ a b c Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 297
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 299
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 15
- ^ a b Frame, Pacific Partners, p. 101
- ^ a b c d e f Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On, p. 9
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 11
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 225
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 226
- ^ a b c d e Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 227
- ^ Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p. 167
- ^ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 228
- ^ a b Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p. 173
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 253
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy – Historic Naval Events Year by Year, p. 301
- ^ a b 851 Squadron, Sea Power Centre
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- ^ a b Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 87
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- ^ Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours
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External links