NAVAL HISTORICAL REVIEW Patron: Vice Admiral T.W. Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN Chief of Navy Volume 38 No. 1 – March 2017 Contents Page The Bosun’s Call ............................................................................................................. ii Fifty Years under the Australian White Ensign ......................................................... 1 HDML 1321 and what she represents ........................................................................ 3 The Albert Medal .........................................................................................................13 Climate Change and ‘future wars between nation states’: A Rebuttal .................16 HMAS Norman - far from Home ...............................................................................22 Navy Training Today ...................................................................................................29 HMAS Nepal and Operation ES – June and July 1942 .........................................33 Unpicking the Goldsworthy Myths ...........................................................................38 Weather Signals .............................................................................................................42 Book Club ......................................................................................................................43 Letters to the Editor ....................................................................................................46 Editor (and Bosun): Walter Burroughs Assistant (and Bosun’s Mate): Doris Shearman All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is forbidden without the express permission in writing of the Society. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Society. The Editor of the Review is available to offer advice to prospective contributors. Contact: The Editor, The Boatshed, Building 25, Garden Island, NSW 2011 Phone: 02 9359 2372/2243. Fax: 02 9359 2383 Email: [email protected] Website: www.navyhistory.org.au ii Naval Historical Review March 2017 The Bosun’s Call: We trust our readers have had a pleasant festive season and are looking forward to an interesting New Year as political events which impact us unfold in the ‘Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave’. We lead this edition with a well- considered tribute to fifty years of service under the Australian White Ensign. The history of our ensign goes back many centuries to times, perhaps now forgotten, by a younger generation. Late last year we received news that MV Rushcutter, ex-HDML 1321, had sunk at her moorings in Darwin Harbour. This caused us to undertake considerable research into the remarkable career of this fine vessel. Australian built HDMLs which traversed Barracks we were delighted to receive a Pacific waters were only 80 feet (24 meters) contemporary article looking at naval in length as compared with present training going forward in supporting new generation Cape-class patrol vessels at and forthcoming construction. 190 feet (58 meters) long. HDML 1321 was We conclude with a medley of fine tunes possibly one of the smallest commissioned covering a wide range from the Albert ships in the RAN but she undoubtedly has Medal, to the Goldsworthy myths and an extensive history which needs to be told Weather Signals. if there is to be any chance of her possible We should not forget our friends across recovery. the Ditch who celebrated the 75th September last we stepped slightly anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Navy outside our comfort zone with an article on with an international fleet review from 16 - climate change. Not surprisingly this emotive 22 November 2016. There were a number of topic produced some intense comment warships representing at least fourteen which is included in a rebuttal featured in nations from our region. The RAN was ably this edition. The Society does not wish to represented by the submarine HMAS become overly involved in these debates, Dechaineux. After an absence of thirty years it but we acknowledge the importance of the was pleasing to note the presence of a topic to the RAN, which is not immune United States Navy warship, the destroyer from the ramifications of these issues. USS Sampson. Given the strong historic and We have two articles on the famous cultural ties, the unfortunate absence of a N-class destroyers HMA Ships Nepal and Royal Naval ship was noticeable. Norman, both concerning their times in or We look forward to more of your letters near the Arctic Circle. There is generally and we need more regular information from little known of these episodes as both the Land of the Long White Cloud – so any incidents were classified at the time. Kiwis please note. Following a visit by some members of Walter Burroughs, Editor and Bosun our Society to the Navy’s new Simulation Doris Shearman, Assistant Editor and Systems Training Centre at Randwick Bosun’s mate Naval Historical Review March 2017 1 Fifty Years under the Australian White Ensign By Norm Rivett ITH THE AUSTRALIAN White Ensign In 1660, following the restoration of Wapproaching its fiftieth anniversary on King Charles II and the re-establishment of 1 March 2017 it is appropriate to reflect on the Union flag, its use was restricted to the the history of the revered ensign in its King’s ships by the Lord High Admiral, the various forms with some relevant Duke of York, later King James II of background. England and VII of Scotland. However in When King James VI of Scotland 1674 English merchant vessels were allowed became King James I of England in 1603 he to fly a Red Ensign with the St. George’s desired that both countries be represented Cross in the canton. on a national flag which his subjects could In 1702, in order to avoid confusion with fly in their ships. The result was the first the plain white field of the French ensign of Union flag which was introduced on Louis XIV (1643-1715), the Red Cross of St 12 April 1606. It was intended to be flown at George was placed upon the fly of the the main top in all British ships and, as a White Ensign of the White Squadron which concession to the Scots, either the Scottish had hitherto been plain white. The plain or the English flag, those of St Andrew or St White Ensign was retained for use in home George, was to be flown in the foretop. waters until 1720. In 1634 the use of the Union flag was With the Act of Union between England restricted by King Charles I to ships in the and Scotland under Queen Anne in 1707, Royal Service and has never again been the 1606 Union flag became the National permitted to be used by merchant ships in flag of Britain and is sometimes referred to its plain form. as Queen Anne’s flag. Squadron Ensigns The method of dividing the English fleet wore the Union Flag in the canton. into squadrons is said to have originated in Merchant ships were then permitted to fly the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). the Red Ensign with the Union flag in the The earliest surviving instructions relating to canton instead of the cross of St. George. coloured flags to denote the three squadrons into which the fleet was divided, namely Red, Blue and White in that order of seniority, is dated 1617. During the Commonwealth era (1649-1660) the ‘Council of State’ (1649-1653) changed the order of seniority of the squadron colours in 1653 to Red, White and Blue for unknown reasons. Colonial ship Spitfire berthed at Cooktown c1855 flying her state ensign 2 Naval Historical Review March 2017 HMAS Yarra on commissioning 10 September 1910 flying the Australian National Flag. On her delivery voyage to Australia she flew the British White Ensign commissioned into the Royal Navy, and conseq- uently flew the British White Ensign. After Federation in 1901, ships of the newly formed Commonwealth Naval Force used the Australian National Flag in its original format with a six pointed Commonwealth As a result of the union of Ireland with Star, which in 1908 became a seven pointed England and Scotland in 1801, the 1606 star. style Union flag was redesigned to its With the formation of the Royal present form and from 1 January 1801 Australian Navy in 1911, RAN warships became the national flag. Prior to the battle used the British White Ensign, with the of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805, Lord Australian National Flag flown at the jack to Nelson, as Vice Admiral of the White signify their nationality. This situation served Squadron, ordered all ships under his well and was used throughout two World command, irrespective of their squadron Wars and the Korean War. However colour, to fly the White Ensign and to fly Australia’s participation in the Vietnam War the Union flag from a foremast stay in order created an unusual situation as this was the to avoid confusion in battle. first time the Commonwealth had not On 5 August 1864 the Squadron colour fought alongside Britain. The British system was abolished as being of no further Government was embarrassed that its flag relevance in the era of steam warships. The was being used in a conflict in which it was Red Ensign was allocated for use by the not involved. merchant navy, as it had been for a long During a Naval Estimates hearing on time; the Royal Navy adopted the White 28 October 1965, Samuel Benson, a Ensign, whilst the Blue Ensign was assigned Victorian politician, voiced concern on the to ships in government service. use of the British White Ensign by Australian ships on wartime deployments, Evolution of the Australian White and Frederick Chaney, Minister for the