HMAS Australia (D84) - Guide 358

The Australia, a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy, is today's subject.

Read more about the ship here:

[brianreddeman]

When you travel with the US Navy, apparently the urge to fill your decks with guns is contagious.

[goodshipkaraboudjan]

She was used as a troop ship on occasion. My Grandfather was in the army and got transported on her from PNG. Apparently they just slept on the deck but the crew made sure the mess pumped meals out 24/7 which was unknown but so appreciated by them.

[notshapedforsportivetricks]

Say what you like, but it takes a impressive degree of confidence to name a warship after your country. Not as much as to name one HMS Invincible, but impressive none the less.

[jacklang]

For ships I'd suggest the HMAS Yarra (U77). Has the distinct honour of engaging in a 1.5 hour long gunnery duel with 3 Japanese cruisers and 4 destroyers while defending a convoy off Java as a sloop.

[PeterEmery]

Commodore Collins was seriously injured in the Val dive bomber incident while amongst the dead was the Australia's Captain, Emile Dechaineux. The Collins class submarines were named after the Commodore and one of those vessels was named HMAS Dechaineux in the Captain's honour. Captain Dechaineux is shown on the bridge, 2nd from the right at 5:48.

[m.r.donovan]

Thanks Drach for paying homage to a great ship and her gallant crew. The U.S. Navy valued her company greatly.

[questionmark]

Thanks for another Australian ship, and thank you for saying Canberra correctly!

[kimwhite]

AUSTRALIA was my father’s first ship when he joined the RAN in the 1930’s and his first cruise was when AUSTRALIA went to the UK and served in the Med. She was fitted with her catapult while in the UK. I have photos. Dad served on other RAN ships but rejoined AUSTRALIA just before the Leyte/Lingayen campaign as a Gunnery Petty Officer and was on board during all five Kamikaze attacks. His normal Action Station was in the forward 8” Director but luckily for him he was in the AFT Director when the forward Tower was destroyed by the kamikaze attack that killed the Captain and many of the upper deck crew. Dad was in charge of the damage control party that guyed the forward mast to stop it going overboard. He never spoke much about any of it. I learned more reading Mike Charlton’s book “Flagship”.

[Elitist]

My uncle (d. 2003) was a Sub-Lt on the Tribal class destroyer HMAS Warramunga. They narrowly escaped kamikaze attack during the Lingayen Gulf invasion. He later transferred to HMAS Australia as part of the rebuilding of the crew and officers after the series of kamikaze attacks. He was in England when the war ended.

[pegasus]

It's always very sad to hear these great ships were all scrapped.

[snookums]

My grandfather joined the RAN in 1920, following a "suggestion" by a magistrate, and served until 1945 with a small break during the depression. At that time, the RAN was reduced to a total of 3000 men. He served in mostly small ships except for a short time on HMAS Sydney II and was aboard HMAS Kangaroo (boom defence ship) when it was bombed in Darwin.

[andrewsmith]

One of her 8” guns is outside the Australian war memorial in Canberra, ACT 🇦🇺

[Scottagram]

I'd love to hear about the HMAS Diamantina, which currently parked in a Brisbane drydock as a museum ship.

[johnfisher]

Thanks Drach, both HMAS Australia's in a single week, yay!!
It shows just how well the county class was designed and how tough they were, unlike some more praised designs which did not stand up to the test of war as well as they did.

[Zapranoth-lfnt]

I know you’ve been round and round about the intro music, but for what it’s worth, this particular intro is the best since the original went away…

[CM]

Been waiting for this one a long time; glad to have Drac finally cover Australia's WW2-era Flagship! Well done!

[bilgerat]

There's one little plucky corvette that fought to the bitter end one of her AA guns was still firing after she went down her name is HMAS Armidale J240, I would be interested in you view.

[chrisdebeyer]

Thank you so much for this Drach. I have been hoping for a while now….

[RailfanDownunder]

Again, I recommend Mike Carlton's excellent book "Flagship'

[michael]

My great uncle Bert served on her from 29 to 44 as an ERA then on Shropshire till 46 when he retired and went to work at SAR Islington