[108] Seventh Fleet staff suggested in April 1967 that Melbourne deploy in the anti-submarine role, but nothing came of these talks. [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. [143] On return in July, the carrier entered a major refit, which continued until 3 August 1979. [130] In December 2012, Stevenson announced that he had received a letter from the Minister for Defence, apologising for his treatment by the RAN and the government of the day.[131]. This event not only revived memories of the Voyager tragedy five years earlier, but also pre-empted another tragedy to come. [51][54] Arriving back in Sydney on 5 April, the carrier was sent on a five-month deployment to the United Kingdom on 28 April, accompanied by HMASBrisbane and HMNZSCanterbury. [89] Messages were immediately sent to the Fleet Headquarters in Sydney, although staff in Sydney initially underestimated the extent of the damage to Voyager. The first aircraft to touch down on Melbourne's flight deck was a Westland Whirlwind helicopter of the Royal Navy on 6 December 1955. 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. Less than three months later, on 29 April, the ship celebrated her 1000th deck landing since completing her refit when Sub Lieutenant Ross Smith, RAN, the youngest pilot aboard Melbourne at the time, successfully landed his Tracker. [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. HMAS Melbourne (III) was one of six Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigates (FFG) in service with the Royal Australian Navy. [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. [85] Both ships' measures were too late to avoid a collision; Melbourne hit Voyager at 8:56pm. Following her return, the carrier spent six months in Australian waters, before a two-month deployment to Southeast Asia. The National Archives holds these in Canberra in the record series A4624. [30][137], On 5 December 1976, a fire deliberately lit at HMASAlbatross by a member of the Fleet Air Arm damaged or destroyed all but one of Australia's S-2 Trackers. When the last ship had passed, tugs were secured and Melbourne berthed at Captain Cook Dock. [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'. [86], Melbourne struck Voyager just aft of the destroyer's bridge, rolling the destroyer to starboard before cutting her in half. Memorabilia from Melbourne's voyages with the Fleet Air Arm embarked, and examples of all the types of aircraft deployed on Melbourne, are on permanent static display in the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS Albatross. One of the ship's anchors is incorporated into a memorial to naval aviation at Nowra, New South Wales. Early in 1957 Melbourne visited Hobart to coincide with the Royal Hobart Regatta in February before crossing the Tasman to participate in exercises with the New Zealand cruiser HMNZS Royalist. ", before instructing the destroyer's Quartermaster to announce that a collision was imminent. A line was attached to Morris hammer and he bridged the gap between the two ships with ease, striking Ponchatoula's smokestack. Project Team. [16] The size of the ship's company averaged 1,350 officers and sailors, including 350 personnel from the embarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons. [5] 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.[13]. Melbourne commenced her South East Asian deployment shortly after her visit to Hobart, departing Sydney on 7 March. Historic video footage showing a Gannet anti-submarine aircraft taking off and landing from the deck of HMAS Melbourne (II). Repair work kept Melbourne alongside in Sydney for three months. [23] During this deployment, on 21 June 1981, Melbourne rescued 99 Vietnamese refugees from a disabled fishing vessel in the South China Sea. After a short visit to Melbourne, the carrier returned to Hobart later in the month for the Royal Hobart Regatta and the royal visit of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. Left; a pilot's view of the angled flight deck. [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. Ten members of Melbournes ships company embarked on a relay marathon from Melbourne to Sydney to raise money for Legacy. Left: The band played a concert featuring a guest conductor. [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). Her forward section passed down Melbournes port side, and the stern section down the starboard side. The observer, Lieutenant Edward Kennell, RAN, apparently did not eject but was briefly seen in the water next to the wreckage of the Sea Venom before he disappeared. Pls b advised that HMAS Melbourne arrived at Port Huangpu, intact n safely afloat, proud n majestic. [136] While working up following the refit, Melbourne and HMASTorrens provided assistance to MV Miss Chief off the coast of Bundaberg, Queensland on 16 August 1976. The ship was not scrapped immediately; instead she was studied by Chinese naval architects and engineers as part of the nation's top-secret carrier development program. [11], The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955. The fleet made its way northwards to the Philippines over the course of the exercise which concluded with a fly-over of aircraft over Manila. [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. Serving in the RAN's flagship had its benefits when it came to recreational activities and keeping fit, with Melbourne's flight deck providing an excellent sporting platform, circa May 1969. Petty Officer Telegraphist. On 28 April during flying operations in the Sulu Sea, one of Melbournes Sea Venoms crashed over the side when an arrestor wire failed on landing, and the aircraft did not regain enough airspeed to once again get airborne. [30] These were prophetic, as on the night of 2425 December 1974, Cyclone Tracy destroyed the city of Darwin. Crew members of the HMAS Melbourne (II) attend a memorial service on the deck of the aircraft carrier while it transports injured sailors from HMAS Voyager (II) to Sydney. [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. Laid down for the RN as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943 and launched in 1945, the ship was nearing completion when construction was virtually brought to a halt with the cessation of wartime hostilities. She participated in Exercise SWAN LAKE in Western Australian waters in November and visited Adelaide and Hobart en route back to Sydney. Note: This video is hosted on YouTube and has no audio. Melbourne once again visited Hobart in early February 1963 and conducted exercises with other RAN units in Tasmanian waters. Long shot of HMS Bulwark at anchor off Pall Tidman, 1969. . A small team of RAN officers developed a detailed plan for the acquisition of two of these vessels along with two Carrier Air Groups (CAGs) and the establishment of a naval air station. Melbourne and Voyager sailed from Jervis Bay early on Monday, 10 February, with the day being spent in the local exercise areas conducting a series of trials and exercises. [23][62] The ship visited Gibraltar, Naples, Malta, Port Said, Aden, and Colombo, before arriving in Fremantle on 24 April 1956. A replacement for Melbourne was under consideration as early as 1956, and the question was revisited on several occasions until the 1980s. Unfortunately Melbourne's involvement in FOTEX was curtailed as water ingress through the oil filler access door of her Gannet aircraft rendered all but one unserviceable. On returning to Sydney in July she commenced a refit and leave period before sailing again for work-ups in September. Melbournes 1962 South East Asian deployment began on 28 February when she departed Fremantle for Singapore. [45] 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. Melbourne 's aircraft were performing flying . The helicopters aircrew was recovered uninjured by HMAS Derwent. [114] During Sea Spirit, Melbourne was assigned five escorts: US Ships Everett F. Larson, Frank E. Evans, and James E. Kyes, HMNZS Blackpool, and HMSCleopatra. [62], In February 1957, Melbourne was sent to the Royal Hobart Regatta. In 1952, a modified angled flight deck of 5 degrees was added as was a steam catapult and mirror deck-landing system. She took part in the ANZUK exercise GROUNDWORK en route to Singapore in late October and early November, before arriving back in Sydney on 27 November where she began refit preparations. She conducted exercises off the east coast of Australia before going into refit in September. Seventy four of Evans crew lost their lives, and Melbourne sustained extensive damage to her bow section. She steamed into Singapore on 6 June with flags flying at half mast. [77][78] It was the first time a flagship of the RAN had entered Indian waters. The ships visit to Rabaul was marred by the tragic death of Seaman Brendan Lane in a car accident on 25 September. $32,998. Right: Melbourne's damaged bow following her tragic collision with Voyager. [19] 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. [23] The four Bofors twin mountings were removed in 1980. The Minister for the Navy, Senator John Gorton, however, argued for Melbournes retention in an anti-submarine capacity and 27 Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters were subsequently ordered, the first coming into service in November 1962. 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. [28] The refit took seven months to complete, and cost A$2million. 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. [159] A Sydney-based group proposed in 1984 to purchase Melbourne and operate her as a floating casino moored in international waters off Eden, New South Wales, but nothing came of this. The Act applies to most records except: court records some records of Parliament some records of governors-general some records held by other national collecting institutions, such as the Australian War Memorial and the National Library of Australia You have a right of access to most other records in the open access period. [3] It has also been claimed that the Royal Australian Navy received and "politely rejected" a request from the PLAN for blueprints of the ship's steam catapult. She participated in Exercises JUC 61 and HOMERUN with USN units off the New South Wales coast in March, before departing Sydney on 24 February for South East Asian waters. Responsible for maintaining carpet and hard surface floors in commercial buildings using industry approved methods and chemistry. In these cases, the remainder of the record will be made available. SLT Crew Cab Short Box 4WD. Many survivors were embarked in Melbourne while others were transported by other search and rescue vessels to HMAS Creswell at Jervis Bay. She participated in the Combined Operational Training Period off Jervis Bay in November which included 24 warships from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. The Gannets crew, Lieutenant David Farthing, RAN, Lieutenant Graham Bessell-Browne, RAN, and Petty Officer Frederick McCreanor, were quickly recovered by helicopter, somewhat shaken but otherwise unhurt. The impact pushed Voyager through the water laterally for a few seconds, and then she broke in two. Sources are inconsistent regarding who attempted to purchase. [36] The three 277Q radars were replaced with updated American and Dutch designs: a LW-02 air search set and a SPN-35 landing aid radar. I am proud of them. [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. Shift: Monday thru Friday 6:00pm-2:30am. [103] Following the repairs, Melbourne was involved in Strategic Reserve deployments and exercises in Southeast Asia from June until September 1964. [77] In August, Melbourne was called upon to lead Exercise Tuckerbox, in the Coral Sea. [79] After Strategic Reserve duties were completed, the carrier visited Japan, Guam, and Manus Island before returning to Sydney in late July. 1355 (includes 347 Carrier Air Group personnel), Parsons single reduction geared turbines, 2 shafts, Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters (later), Sea King anti-submarine helicopters (later). [165] The carrier departed Sydney on 27 April 1985, heading for Guangzhou, under the tow of tug De Ping. References to many ledgers appear at item level on RecordSearch. Melbourne struck Voyager at the after end of her bridge, heeling her over to an angle of about 50 degrees. [17][69], From February until July 1958, Melbourne was deployed on a 25,000-nautical-mile (46,000km; 29,000mi) flag-showing cruise. [61][63] Melbourne sailed east via the Great Australian Bight, meeting sister ship HMASSydney near Kangaroo Island a week later. Unfortunately tragedy struck Melbourne later in the year when Leading Seaman Allan Moore was killed during exercises in Jervis Bay on 20 July. [161][162] The Skyhawks remained in service as fleet support aircraft until 30 June 1984, while the Trackers were withdrawn from service on 31 August 1984 after being used as land-based maritime patrol aircraft. List of shipwrecks: 6 February 1969 Ship Country Description USS ATC-132-1 United States Navy The armoured troop carrier capsized off Vietnam. [10] Despite an increase to approximately one acre (4,000square metres, 4,800square yards) in area, the deck was still significantly smaller than other Cold War era carriers; S-2 Trackers, with their 22.12-metre (72ft 7in) wingspan, had less than a metre's clearance for their starboard wingtip when landing, and pilots from other navies often refused to attempt landing. [36] Between entering service and 1959, four of the single Bofors were removed. Ledgers often include individual crew lists for each vessel. The stern section remained afloat. [40][41], The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft, and modernise Melbourne to operate the aircraft. [107] 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. The final leg of her voyage home was via Jervis Bay where the 64 aircraft that Melbourne had brought from the UK were transferred ashore via lighter for road transport to the Naval Air Station at Nowra. The ship took part in Exercise JUC 85 later that month and into August, before departing for Pearl Harbor to participate in RIMPAC 72 on 17 August. 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