Description : One of HMAS Australia’s four propellers (outer port position)
Material : Parsons Manganese Bronze
Weight : 5.2 tonnes
FURTHER INFORMATION ON HMAS AUSTRALIA
Wording on Plaque adjacent to the propeller
“The first HMAS Australia was Australia’s only battle-cruiser. It served first in the Pacific and later in the Atlantic with the British fleet, as the Royal Australian Navy’s flagship during the First World War.
At the outbreak of war this new ship was, with it’s 12-inch guns and high speed, the most powerful ship in the southern hemisphere.
Australia was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in 1918. On 12 April 1924, amid public outcry, it was scuttled 39 kilometres (24.233 miles) east of Sydney in accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which required a reduction in the size of all fleets. For the terms of the treaty, Australia’s fleet was counted as part of the British Empire.”
Source : Australian War Memorial (
visit link)
HMAS Australia (I) Statistics
Type Indefatigable Class battlecruiser
Laid down 26 June 1910
Launched 25 October 1911 by Lady Reid, wife of Sir George Reid, Australian High Commissioner in London and former Prime Minister
Completed 21 June 1913
Builder John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank, Glasgow,
Commissioned 21 June 1913
Decommissioned 12 December 1921
Displacement 18,800 tons
Length 590 feet (overall)
Beam 80 feet 24.384 m
Draught 30 feet (maximum), 26 feet 6 inches (mean)
Armament 8 x 12-inch guns
14 x 4-inch guns
4 x 3-pounder guns
2 x 18-inch torpedo tubes
Horsepower 44,000
Speed 25 knots 46.3 km/h
Protection Maximum 6 inches (belt) amidships
Armour 6 inches [152mm] hull
7 inches [177mm] turret
1 inch [25.4mm] deck
2.5 inches [62.5mm] lower deck
Fuel Capacity Coal - 3170 tons maximum bunkerage;
1200 tons normal bunkerage
Oil - 840 tons
Battle Honours Rabaul 1914
North Sea 1915-18
HMAS Australia (1912-1924)
In 1909 the Admiralty proposed the creation of a Pacific fleet consisting of three fleet units to be operated by Imperial forces in the Pacific region. Each fleet unit would be built around a battle-cruiser. One of these fleet units would comprise the Royal Australian Navy. With Australian Government agreement to this concept, work was commenced on the battle-cruiser HMAS Australia. On completion she sailed for Australia and, on 4 October 1913, led the cruisers and destroyers of the fleet unit into Sydney Harbour to public acclaim.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Australia became the flagship of the force that captured the German colonies in the southern Pacific. She led a force which captured Rabaul on 13 September 1914 before proceeding to Samoa.
With no German forces left in the South Pacific, Australia was deployed to the United Kingdom. En route she sank the German auxiliary Eleanore Woermann. On 8 February 1915 she became flagship of the 2nd Battle-cruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet.
Australia’s service with the Grand Fleet consisted of a series of frequent patrols and exercises. She was twice rammed, firstly on 22 April 1916 by HMS New Zealand. This led to her missing the Battle of Jutland which, considering the disastrous losses in the Battle-cruiser Force, may well have been fortunate. She was rammed again by HMS Repulse in December 1917. Australia carried out experimental aircraft operations in 1918 and led the port column of the Grand Fleet at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet.
Returning home in 1919, Australia suffered a mutiny upon reaching Fremantle, Western Australia. Quite obsolete, she became a training vessel in Westernport until scuttled off Sydney Heads on 12 April 1924.
REFERENCES
• J. Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1975).
• R. Gillett, Australian & New Zealand warships, 1914-1945, (Lane Cove: Doubleday, 1983).
• A.W. Jose, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, Volume IX, The Royal Australian Navy, (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1937).
• J.H. Straczek, The Royal Australian Navy: ships, aircraft and shore establishments, (Sydney: Navy Public Affairs, 1996).