HMAS Sydney (R17)
HMAS Sydney arriving in Port Melbourne in 1949
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History | |
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Australian Navy | |
Namesake | City of Sydney |
Builder | HM Dockyard Devonport, England |
Laid down | 19 April 1943 |
Launched | 30 September 1944 |
Commissioned | 16 December 1948 |
Decommissioned | 30 May 1958 |
Recommissioned | 7 March 1962 |
Decommissioned | 12 November 1973 |
Reclassified |
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Motto | "Thorough and Ready" |
Nickname(s) |
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Honours and awards |
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Fate | Sold for scrap in 1975 |
Badge | |
General characteristics as aircraft carrier | |
Class and type | Majestic-class aircraft carrier |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam | 80 ft (24 m) |
Draught | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 24.8 knots (45.9 km/h; 28.5 mph) |
Complement |
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Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament | 30 × Bofors 40 mm guns (18 single mountings, 6 twin mountings) |
Aircraft carried | Up to 38 aircraft |
Notes | Taken from:[1][2] |
General characteristics as fast troop transport | |
Type | Fast Troop Transport |
Displacement |
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Boats & landing craft carried |
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Complement |
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Armament | 4 × Bofors 40 mm guns (4 single mountings) |
Aircraft carried | 4 × Wessex helicopters (occasionally embarked) |
Notes |
HMAS Sydney (R17/A214/P214/L134) was a
Sydney was the first of three conventional aircraft carriers[a] 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 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 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 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.
Design
Sydney was one of six
The carrier had a standard
The
Armament, sensors, and aircraft
Sydney was initially armed with thirty
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.[2]
As an aircraft carrier, Sydney operated with the RAN
While undergoing conversion into a troop transport, the ability to operate aircraft was removed from Sydney.[9] However, on seven of 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.[13][14]
Construction and acquisition
The ship was
A post-war review by the Australian government's Defence Committee recommended that the RAN be restructured around a task force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers.[17] 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.[3][18] As Terrible was fitted out as a flagship and was the closer of the two ships to completion, construction was finished without major modification.[3][6] 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.[19]
A commissioning crew for the aircraft carrier was raised in Australia from the ship's company of the decommissioned
Operational history
1949–1951
Although commissioned in mid-December 1948, Sydney did not enter service until 5 February 1949, as work was still being completed.
The carrier sailed from Devonport on 12 April 1949, carrying the 20th CAG.[24] Sydney arrived at Jervis Bay on 25 May, where the aircraft of the 20th CAG and training equipment were offloaded for transport to the new naval air station, HMAS Albatross, before the carrier proceeded to her namesake city.[25] Sydney arrived in Sydney on 2 June, and took over as Flagship of the Australian Fleet from HMAS Australia on 25 August.[26][27] 20th CAG was reembarked during August, and Sydney exercised in Australian and New Guinea waters until late November.[26] 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 the 21st CAG.[28] The 21st CAG embarked in October, and the carrier returned to Australia in December.[28] 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.[29]
On 29 January 1951, Sydney was part of an eighteen-ship fleet present in Sydney Harbour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
Korean War (1951–1952)
In March 1951, the
Sydney was attached to the
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.
Sydney began her third patrol on 5 November, operating on the west coast of Korea and escorted by the Canadian destroyers
In December, UN Command temporarily switched some of the responsibilities of Task Element 95.11 and the US
Sydney's seventh and final patrol commenced on 16 January, with
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.[56] During this time, RAN Sea Furies flew 1,623 sorties, while 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.[55][57] 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.[39][58] Replacement aircraft were loaned from British Far East reserve supplies.[34]
RAN aircraft damaged or destroyed an estimated 66 bridges, 141 pieces of
1952–1958
During her return from Korea, Sydney ferried
Sydney left Fremantle on 27 October 1953 for a second deployment to Korea, to support United Nations enforcement of the July 1953 armistice.[42][67] 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 the armistice.[42][68] 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.[68] Sydney returned to Fremantle on 2 June 1954.[67] 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 a training ship.[67][69] 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.[5][69] 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 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
Fast Troop Transport (1958–1965) conversion
From 1958 to 1960, opinion within the Australian military swung between reactivating Sydney as a fast troop transport ship and disposing of her.
Whitsunday tragedy
From 27 September to 4 October, Sydney conveyed the
First overseas deployment as a transport
Sydney's first overseas deployment as a transport was to Southeast Asia in 1964.
Vietnam War (1965–1972)
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
Sydney normally transported 450 soldiers—the main force of a
Because of the perceived threat from Chinese submarines while in transit and from Viet Cong swimmers with limpet mines while in harbour, Sydney was always escorted by at least one other RAN vessel.[13][94] 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.[95] On seven voyages, Sydney carried four Westland Wessex helicopters for anti-submarine surveillance, sourced from 725 or 817 Squadron.[13][14]
During May 1965, Sydney was undergoing a refit at Garden Island, when she was ordered to prepare the ship for her first voyage to Vietnam.
Sydney sailed to Vietnam for the third time on 24 April 1966, with units from both
On 1 March 1967, the
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.[105][106] Sydney and 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.[105][106] The ships left Vietnam on the same day, and arrived in Brisbane on 14 June.[105] The eighth voyage required Sydney to transport 3 RAR from Adelaide.[105] 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.[105]
On 17 January 1968, Sydney departed Sydney on her ninth voyage to Vietnam.
At 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.[75][111] The troopship began her thirteenth voyage on 8 February 1969, when she sailed from Fremantle with 5 RAR aboard.[110] Sydney and the destroyer escort Derwent arrived in Vũng Tàu on 15 February and departed the same day with 1 RAR embarked, with the troopship reaching Townsville on 25 February.[88][110] A training cruise in March saw the ship visit New Zealand and Fiji.[77] Sydney's fourteenth voyage, to deliver 6 RAR to Vietnam and return with 4 RAR, commenced on 8 May when Sydney sailed from Townsville.[110] She met the destroyer Vampire off Singapore on 14 May, reached Vũng Tàu five days later, and arrived back in Brisbane on 30 May.[110] On 17 November, Sydney and the destroyer Duchess departed Brisbane on the troopship's fifteenth voyage to Vietnam, with 8 RAR aboard.[112] The ships reached Vũng Tàu on 28 November; 8 RAR was replaced by 9 RAR, which was delivered to Fremantle on 5 December.[112]
Sydney, with 7 RAR on board, and the destroyer escort Yarra departed from Sydney for the sixteenth voyage on 16 February 1970.
Sydney sailed again from Adelaide on 26 March for her nineteenth voyage, carrying general cargo and foreign aid supplies for the
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.[121] They left 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.[121][122] 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.[13][119][121] Sydney and the destroyer Vampire reached Vũng Tàu on 23 November, and sailed a day later with miscellaneous Australian equipment aboard.[121] 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.[119][121]
During her voyages to South Vietnam, Sydney transported 16,902 soldiers, 5,753
Final years, decommissioning and fate
The ship was assigned the pennant number L134 during 1973.
On 20 July 1973, the Australian government decided that Sydney was to be decommissioned.
Sydney had been originally slated for replacement in 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.[109][134] 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.[109][134] Following the decommissioning of Sydney, 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.[135]
The ship's service, along with the
Footnotes
- HMAS Albatross, or the Canberra-classamphibious warfare ships.
- ^ Two aircraft carriers (HM Ships Puncher and Nabob) were crewed by Canadians during World War II. However, these were commissioned into the Royal Navy, which had in turn received them on loan from the United States Navy as part of the Lend-Lease program.
- ^ Other sources give a smaller number of voyages to Vietnam by Sydney. The 25-voyage figure and the associated dates are taken from Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act.[86] The smaller figures come from treating the fifth and sixth visits to Vũng Tàu as a single voyage because Sydney did not return to Australia in between, not including the twenty-fifth voyage because it was not directly part of Australia's war effort, or discounting the nineteenth and twenty-fifth voyages because Sydney did not carry Australian troops or equipment.
- ^ The departure date listed in Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act conflicts with the ship's records: the latter gives Sydney's departure date for the third voyage as 22 April.[86]
- ^ The departure date listed in Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act conflicts with the ship's records: the latter gives Sydney's departure date for the fourth voyage as 24 May.[86]
Citations
- ^ a b c d Blackman (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships (1968–69), p. 12
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cassells, The Capital Ships, pp. 164–5
- ^ a b c d Hobbs, HMAS Melbourne II – 25 Years On, p. 5
- ^ Hobbs, in The Navy and the Nation, p. 217
- ^ a b c d e f HMAS Sydney (III), Sea Power Centre
- ^ a b Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p. 151
- ^ a b c ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 105
- ^ Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p. 160
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cooper, in The Royal Australian Navy, opp. p. 160
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 62
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 106
- ^ a b c ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 81
- ^ a b c d e Cooper, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 204
- ^ a b c Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 33
- ^ a b c Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 165
- ^ Hobbs, in The Navy and the Nation, p. 210
- ^ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 33
- ^ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, pgs. 38, 45–47
- ^ Wright, Australian Carrier Decisions, p 155
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 57
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 60
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 220
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 59
- ^ McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 173
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 69
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 73
- ^ a b c Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p, 304
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, pp. 74–5
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 76
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 224
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 80
- ^ "Column 8". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 April 1951. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
- ^ a b McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 174
- ^ a b c d e Hobbs, British Commonwealth Carrier Operations of the Korean War, p. 66
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 79
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 84
- ^ McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 175
- ^ Dennis et al, The Oxford Companion to Australian military history, p. 209
- ^ a b c McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 178
- ^ Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 168
- ^ Frame, Pacific Partners, p. 91
- ^ a b c Cooper, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 178
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 168
- ^ a b c d McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 179
- ^ McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 182
- ^ a b c d e McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 180
- ^ a b c d e f Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 169
- ^ Hobbs, British Commonwealth Carrier Operations of the Korean War, p. 67
- ^ a b c d e f g Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 227
- ^ a b McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 183
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 226
- ^ "RFA Wave Chief". Royal Fleet Auxiliary Historical Association. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ a b c Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 170
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 171
- ^ a b c d McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 181
- ^ McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, pp. 183–4
- ^ Hobbs, British Commonwealth Carrier Operations of the Korean War, p. 71
- ^ Cooper, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 177
- ^ a b McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 184
- ^ a b McCaffrie, in Sea power ashore and in the air, p. 185
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 100
- ^ a b c Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, pp. 109–10
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 110
- ^ ANAM, Flying Stations, pp. 110–11
- ^ Hobbs, in The Navy and the Nation, p. 215
- ^ a b c Gillett, Warships of Australia, p. 130
- ^ a b ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 116
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 174
- ^ Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 73
- ^ a b Hall, HMAS Melbourne, p. 74
- ^ a b c Grey, Up Top, p. 100
- ^ a b Grey, Up Top, pp. 100–1
- ^ a b Grey, Up Top, p. 102
- ^ a b c d e Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 78
- ^ a b c d Gillett, Warships of Australia, p. 131
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 305
- ^ a b c d Frame, Where Fate Calls, p. 37
- ^ Frame, Where Fate Calls, pp. 37–8
- ^ Frame, Where Fate Calls, p. 38
- ^ a b Pfennigwerth, Tiger Territory, pp. 159–60
- ^ a b c Pfennigwerth, Tiger Territory, p. 160
- ^ a b c Pfennigwerth, Tiger Territory, p. 161
- ^ Royal Australian Navy, Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 169–78
- ^ a b c d e Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 169
- ^ Cooper, in The Royal Australian Navy, pp. 204–5
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Grey, Up Top, p. 108
- ^ a b c Fairfax, Navy in Vietnam, p. 166
- ^ Crabb, quoted in Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 55
- ^ a b Merson, quoted in Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 59–60
- ^ Grey, Up Top, pgs. 109, 111
- ^ a b Cecil, Mud & Dust, p. 25
- ^ a b Merson, quoted in Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 59
- ^ Merson, quoted in Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 60
- ^ a b Grey, Up Top, p. 104
- ^ a b Ham, Vietnam, p. 128
- ^ Grey, Up Top, pp. 104–5
- ^ a b c d e f Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 170
- ^ a b c Grey, Up Top, p. 106
- ^ Crabb, quoted in Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 56
- ^ a b c d e Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 171
- ^ Australian White Ensign, Sea Power Centre
- ^ a b c Fairfax, Navy in Vietnam, p. 169
- ^ a b c d e f g Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 172
- ^ a b MacDougall, Australians at War, p. 337
- ^ a b c d e f g Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 173
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 261
- ^ a b c d Andrews, Fighting Ships of Australia & New Zealand, p. 8
- ^ a b c d e f g Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 174
- ^ Jones, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 213
- ^ a b c d e f g Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 175
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, pp. 274–5
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 176
- ^ Crick, Darren (2008). "ADF Aircraft Serial Numbers N13 RAN Douglas A-4G Skyhawk". ADF Serials. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
- ^ a b c Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 306
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 176–7
- ^ a b c d e Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 177
- ^ a b c d e f g Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 175
- ^ Ham, Vietnam, p. 555
- ^ a b c d e f g h Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 178
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 285
- ^ Grey, Up Top, p. 107
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 115
- ^ Grey, Up Top, p. 117
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 116–7
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, pp. 118–9
- ^ Nott & Payne, The Vung Tau Ferry, p. 25
- ^ Department of Defence, Next generation of naval ships to reflect a rich history of service [press release]
- ^ Frame & Baker, Mutiny!, pp. 236–7
- ^ Frame & Baker, Mutiny!, p. 237
- ^ Frame & Baker, Mutiny!, p. 242
- ^ Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 286
- ^ a b Lind, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 260
- ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, pp. 260–1
- ^ a b Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 178
References
Books
- Australian Naval Aviation Museum (ANAM) (1998). Flying Stations: a story of Australian naval aviation. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. OCLC 39290180.
- Andrews, Graeme (1973). Fighting Ships of Australia & New Zealand (1973–1974 ed.). Kogarah, NSW: Regency House. OCLC 868367.
- Bastock, John (1975). Australia's Ships of War. Cremorne, NSW: Angus and Robertson. OCLC 2525523.
- Blackman, Raymond, ed. (1968). Jane's Fleet Guide (1968–69) (71st ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. OCLC 123786869.
- Cassells, Vic (2000). The Capital Ships: their battles and their badges. East Roseville, NSW: Simon & Schuster. OCLC 48761594.
- Cecil, Michael K. (2009). Mud & Dust: Australian Army Vehicles & Artillery in Vietnam. Chatswood, NSW: New Holland. OCLC 460219619.
- Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. OCLC 271822831.
- Donohue, Hector (October 1996). From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs (No. 1). Canberra: Sea Power Centre. OCLC 36817771.
- Fairfax, Denis (1980). Navy in Vietnam: a record of the Royal Australian Navy in the Vietnam War 1965–1972. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. OCLC 9854447.
- OCLC 55980812.
- Frame, Tom (1992). Pacific Partners: a history of Australian-American naval relations. Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder & Stoughton. OCLC 27433673.
- Frame, Tom (1992). Where fate calls: the HMAS Voyager tragedy. Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder & Stoughton. OCLC 26806228.
- Frame, Tom; Baker, Kevin (2000). Mutiny! Naval Insurrections in Australia and New Zealand. St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. OCLC 46882022.
- Gillett, Ross (1988). Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946. Brookvale, NSW: Child & Associates. OCLC 23470364.
- Gillett, Ross (1977). Warships of Australia. MacDougall, Anthony; Graham, Colin (illustrations). Adelaide, SA: Rigby. OCLC 4466019.
- OCLC 39074315.
- Hall, Timothy (1982). HMAS Melbourne. North Sydney, NSW: George Allen & Unwin. OCLC 9753221.
- OCLC 225613062.
- Hobbs, David (2005). "HMAS Sydney (III): a symbol of Australia's growing maritime capability". In Stevens, David; Reeve, John (eds.). The Navy and the Nation: the influence of the Navy on modern Australia. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. OCLC 67872922.
- Lind, Lew (1986) [1982]. The Royal Australian Navy: Historic Naval Events Year by Year (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Reed Books. OCLC 16922225.
- MacDougall, Anthony K. (2002) [1991]. Australians at War: a pictorial history (2nd ed.). Noble Park, VIC: The Five Mile Press. OCLC 51053454.
- McCaffrie, Jack (2007). "Korea: The first challenge for Australian naval aviation". In Stevens, David; Reeve, John (eds.). Sea Power ashore and in the air. Ultimo, NSW: Halstead Press. OCLC 271328006.
- Nott, Rodney; Payne, Noel (2008) [1994]. The Vung Tau Ferry: HMAS Sydney and Escort Ships (4th ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. OCLC 254773862.
- Pfennigwerth, Ian (2008). Tiger Territory: The untold story of the Royal Australian Navy in Southeast Asia from 1948 to 1971. Kenthurst, NSW: Rosenberg. OCLC 191754413.
- Stevens, David, ed. (2001). The Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. OCLC 50418095.
- Cooper, Alastair. "The Korean War Era" and "The Era of Forward Defence". The Royal Australian Navy.
- Jones, Peter. "Towards Self Reliance". The Royal Australian Navy.
- Wright, Anthony (June 1998) [1978]. Australian Carrier Decisions: the acquisition of HMA Ships Albatross, Sydney and Melbourne. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs (No. 4). Canberra: Sea Power Centre. OCLC 39641731.
Journal and news articles
- Hobbs, David (Winter 2004). "British Commonwealth Carrier Operations in the Korean War". Air & Space Power Journal. 18 (4): 62–71. ISSN 1555-385X.
- Hobbs, David (October 2007). "HMAS Melbourne (II) – 25 Years On". The Navy. 69 (4): 5–9. ISSN 1322-6231.
- "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
- "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
Websites and press releases
- "HMAS Sydney (III)". Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
- "Australian White Ensign". Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
- "Next generation of naval ships to reflect a rich history of service" (Press release). Department of Defence. 20 January 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
External links
- The Vung Tau Ferry – A short video depicting Sydney's fifteenth troop transport voyage to Vietnam