All of Melbournes available boats were ordered into the water while inflatable life rafts were deployed, scrambling nets prepared and other preparations made to receive and care for survivors. Subsequent reports and inquiries noted the exemplary behaviour, absence of panic, and the quiet and calm courage displayed by all involved in the aftermath of the tragedy. [79] After Strategic Reserve duties were completed, the carrier visited Japan, Guam, and Manus Island before returning to Sydney in late July. 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. [117] Subsequent action narrowly prevented a collision. The Australian War Memorial also holds relevant information. That September Melbourne sailed for what was to be the first of many deployments to South East Asia. A search was immediately commenced which included aircraft from Melbourne but, sadly, no sign of Gartside could be found. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Armand Roland, RAN, was recovered by the helicopter planeguard with minor injuries, while the observer and telegraphist, Lieutenants Anthony Horton, RAN, and Haliburton Findlay, RAN, were recovered unhurt a few minutes later by HMS Cavalier. [17], 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. [64] 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. The service life of the Sea Venoms and the Gannets, meanwhile, was extended past 1963. She returned to sea on 11 May 1964 and commenced work-up exercises off the coast of New South Wales. [4], 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. [17] Initially, she had up to 22 fixed wing and 2 rotary wing aircraft embarked at any time. [44][141] Following the Jubilee Review and participation in Exercise Highwood in July, Melbourne and her escorts returned to Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 19 September and Sydney on 4 October. Every day Melbourne provided some 200 personnel to act as marshals in various stadia, additionally, signalmen, carpenters and sick berth attendants were utilised to perform special duties. [4] Construction resumed in 1946, and major modifications to the design were incorporated. These larger and more dynamic jet aircraft led to commensurate advancements in the designs of the carriers from which they operated, most significantly the introduction of angled flight decks, mirror deck landing systems and steam powered catapults. Logs include information on: Most records about crew and ships are available for public access. [151] A 2012 article in Jane's Navy International stated that the large quantity of equipment recovered from Melbourne "undoubtedly helped" Admiral Liu Huaqing secure the Chinese government's support for his proposal to initiate an aircraft carrier development programme.[164]. En route, on 2 August, she participated in the search for survivors from the collier Birchgrove Park which had foundered north of Port Jackson the previous night resulting in the loss of ten lives. (Courtesy Mike Breakspear). She departed for the return journey to Australia on 31 October. [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. 74 Evans sailors were killed. To use these records effectively you need: The best available source for crew details is the ships' ledgers. [77][78] It was the first time a flagship of the RAN had entered Indian waters. [74] All four Sea Venom incidents occurred in March, with three attributed to aircrew error and one to brake failure. [36] Approximately 350 Fleet Air Arm personnel were stationed aboard the carrier. [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 65C (149F), and on one occasion a hold reached 78C (172F). The fleet was divided into two with Melbourne's group operating out of Manila, the second group operating out of Bangkok. [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. Front row, left to right: LEUTs Ronald McIver, Stanley Carmichael, Keith Potts, Neil Ralph and Bernard Brennan. Voyagers role was that of plane guard, involving the rescue, if necessary, of aircrew personnel from the sea. The Australian carrier HMAS Melbourne (R21, left) and the British carrier HMS Bulwark (R08) pictured at anchor in Singapore during the SEATO exercise "Operation Oceanlink" on 4 May 1958.The photo was taken from the U.S. Navy carrier USS Philippine Sea (CVS-47).Note the 40 mm Bofors flak in the foreground and the Grumman S2F-1 Tracker planes of Anti-Submarine Squadron VS-21 on deck of the . 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. In the foreground is the Landing Signal Officer, Lieutenant Peter James. [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. She participated in Exercise JUC 63 in August, visited New Zealand in September, and took part in Exercise SWORDHILT in the Coral Sea in October. The work was completed on 27 April, with the shipyard receiving a commendation. [53], Melbourne was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to operate with the RAN. The success of the exercises was tempered, however, when one of Melbournes Sycamore helicopters ditched into the sea near HMS Hermes while conducting a personnel transfer to the British carrier. Larson made an incorrect turn and was, at one stage, on a collision course with Melbourne. Responsible for maintaining carpet and hard surface floors in commercial buildings using industry approved methods and chemistry. Long shot of the Evans cut in two . The need to secure a replacement for Melbourne grew as the carrier's age caused the operating costs to increase to over A$25million per year. Melbourne put to sea briefly from 8 to 11 July 1971 to test the hull and propulsion machinery prior to the completion of the refit in August and the commencement of shakedown and workup exercises on 13 August. 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. She participated in the SEATO exercise SEA HAWK in the South China Sea that month at the conclusion of which she visited Hong Kong before proceeding to Singapore conducting Exercise TRANSITEX with other ANZUK units en route. [37] At the time of their arrival, the Sea Venoms were the only radar equipped and all-weather combat aircraft in the Southern Hemisphere. Debris, including the revolution table from Voyager's bridge, and a pair of binoculars, was thrown onto Melbourne's flight deck. They arrived at Garden Island at 4:13am on 28 April, some 5 hours and 32 minutes ahead of the ship. [85] At the same time, Stevens, having just become aware of the situation, gave the order "Full ahead both engines. The helicopters aircrew was recovered uninjured by HMAS Derwent. This cine film has been placed online as part of the Sea Power Centre - Australias ongoing archival digitisation program. On 3 June 1947 the Commonwealth Government approved the acquisition of two aircraft carriers for the RAN. During the First World War the R.A.N. [110], In September 1967, Melbourne travelled to the United States to collect new aircraft: 14 Trackers and 10 Skyhawks. The two-carrier navy originally envisaged by the Naval Board was no longer feasible and HMAS Sydney (III) was successively relegated to a training vessel before being placed into reserve in 1958. HMAS Melbourne was originally one of six Majestic Class light fleet aircraft carriers ordered for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. The refit included a communications upgrade and a new radar suite, consisting of both Dutch and American radars. SEALION was the largest SEATO exercise yet involving more than 60 ships from Australia, New Zealand, the US, the UK, France, India, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan. Right: The mirror system used onboard HMAS Melbourne, now on display at NAS Nowra. She departed Sydney to pick up the RANs new Skyhawks and Trackers in the USA on 20 September 1967. [77] The carrier's annual refit began in Sydney on 1 October. On 26 November 1959, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Melbourne berthed in Hong Kong, April 1970. Melbournes South East Asian deployment began slightly earlier in 1961, as the ship departed from Fremantle on 20 February in order to participate in Exercise JET 61 in the Indian Ocean off Ceylon (Sri Lanka). [65] 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. [164] Reports have circulated that either a replica of the flight deck, or the deck itself, was used for clandestine training of PLANAF pilots in carrier flight operations. The remainder of the deployment proceeded without incident as Melbourne visited Nagasaki, Kure, Kobe and Yokohama before returning home via Guam and Papua New Guinea. [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. Our sources include the logs and reports of proceedings. 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