HMAS Australia (D84)
Template:Short description Template:Other ships Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English
Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship careerTemplate:Infobox ship characteristicsHMAS Australia (I84/D84/C01) was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One of two Kent-subclass ships ordered for the RAN in 1924, Australia was laid down in Scotland in 1925, and entered service in 1928. Apart from an exchange deployment to the Mediterranean from 1934 to 1936, during which she became involved in the planned British response to the Abyssinia Crisis, Australia operated in local and South-West Pacific waters until World War II began.
The cruiser remained near Australia until mid-1940, when she was deployed for duties in the eastern Atlantic, including hunts for German ships and participation in Operation Menace. During 1941, Australia operated in home and Indian Ocean waters, but was reassigned as flagship of the ANZAC Squadron in early 1942. As part of this force (which was later redesignated Task Force 44, then Task Force 74), Australia operated in support of United States naval and amphibious operations throughout South-East Asia until the start of 1945, including involvement in the battles at the Coral Sea and Savo Island, the amphibious landings at Guadalcanal and Leyte Gulf, and numerous actions during the New Guinea campaign. She was forced to withdraw following a series of kamikaze attacks during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. The prioritisation of shipyard work in Australia for British Pacific Fleet vessels saw the Australian cruiser sail to England for repairs, where she was at the end of the war.
During the late 1940s, Australia served with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, and participated in several port visits to other nations, before being retasked as a training ship in 1950. The cruiser was decommissioned in 1954, and sold for scrapping in 1955.
Design
Australia was one of seven warships built to the Kent design of County-class heavy cruiser, which were based on design work by Eustace Tennyson-d'Eyncourt.<ref name=Cassells22/> She was designed with a standard displacement of 10,000 tons, a length between perpendiculars of Template:Convert, a length overall of Template:Convert, a beam of Template:Convert, and a maximum draught of Template:Convert.<ref name=Cassells21>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 21</ref>
The propulsion machinery consisted of eight Yarrow superheated boilers feeding Curtis high-pressure and Parsons low-pressure geared turbines.<ref name=Cassells22/> This delivered up to 80,000 shaft horsepower to the cruiser's four three-bladed propellers.<ref name=Cassells22/> The cruiser's top speed was Template:Convert, with a range of Template:Convert, while her economical range and cruising speed was Template:Convert at Template:Convert.<ref name=Bastock101/>
The ship's company consisted of 64 officers and 678 sailors in 1930; this dropped to 45 officers and 654 sailors from 1937 to 1941.<ref name=Cassells22/> While operating as flagship, AustraliaTemplate:'s company was 710.<ref name=Cassells22/> During wartime, the ship's company increased to 815.<ref name=Bastock101/>
Armament and armour
Australia was designed with eight Template:Convert guns in four twin turrets ('A' and 'B' forward, 'X' and 'Y' aft) as primary armament, with 150 shells per gun.<ref name=Gillett86>Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships, 1914–1945, p. 86</ref> Secondary armament consisted of four Template:Convert guns in four single mounts, with 200 shells per gun, and four 2-pounder pom-poms for anti-aircraft defence, with 1,000 rounds each.<ref name=Gillett86/> A mixture of .303-inch machine guns (Template:Convert) were carried for close defence work: initially this consisted of four Vickers machine guns and twelve Lewis machine guns, although four Lewis guns were later removed.<ref name=Cassells21/> Two sets of quadruple Template:Convert torpedo tubes were fitted.<ref name=Gillett86/> Four 3-pounder quick-firing Hotchkiss guns were used as saluting guns.<ref name=Cassells21/><ref name=Gillett86/> During her 1939 modernisation, the four single Template:Convert guns were replaced by four twin Mark XVI guns.<ref name=Gillett86/> The torpedo tubes were removed in 1942, and the 'X' turret was taken off in 1945.<ref name=Cassells21/><ref name=Gillett86/>
The close-range anti-aircraft armament of the ship fluctuated during her career.<ref name=Gillett86/> During the mid-1930s, two quadruple Template:Convert machine gun mounts were installed to supplement the Template:Convert weapons.<ref name=Bastock101>Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 101</ref> These were replaced in late 1943 by seven single 20mm Oerlikons.<ref name=Gillett86/> By early 1944, all seven Oerlikons had been upgraded to double mountings.<ref name=Gillett86/> These were in turn replaced by eight single 40 mm Bofors guns in 1945.<ref name=Gillett86/>
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Australia was designed to carry a single amphibious aircraft: a Supermarine Seagull III aircraft, which was replaced in 1936 by a Supermarine Walrus.<ref name=Bastock101/> Both aircraft were operated by the Royal Australian Air Force's Fleet Co-operation Unit; initially by No. 101 Flight RAAF, which was expanded in 1936 to form No. 5 Squadron RAAF, then renumbered in 1939 to No. 9 Squadron RAAF.<ref>ANAM, Flying Stations, p. 20</ref> As the aircraft catapult was not installed until September 1935, the Seagull was initially lowered into the water by the ship's recovery crane to launch under its own power.<ref name=Bastock101/> The catapult and Walrus were removed in October 1944.<ref name=Gillett86/>
Armour aboard Australia was initially limited to an armour deck over the machinery spaces and magazines, ranging from Template:Convert in thickness.<ref name=Bastock101/> Armour plate was also fitted to the turrets (up to Template:Convert thick) and the conning tower (Template:Convert thick).<ref name=Bastock101/> Anti-torpedo bulges were also fitted.<ref name=Bastock101/> During 1938 and 1939, belt armour up to Template:Convert thick was fitted along the waterline to provide additional protection to the propulsion machinery.<ref name=Bastock101/>
Acquisition and construction
Australia was ordered in 1924 as part of a five-year plan to develop the RAN.<ref>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 140</ref> She was laid down by John Brown and Company at their shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, on 26 August 1925.<ref name=Cassells22>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 22</ref> The cruiser was launched on 17 March 1927 by Dame Mary Cook, wife of Sir Joseph Cook, the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and former Australian Prime Minister.<ref name=Cassells22/>
The cruiser was initially fitted with short exhaust funnels, but during sea trials of Australia and other Kent-class ships, it was found that smoke from the boilers was affecting the bridge and aft control position.<ref name=Cassells22/><ref name=Bastock102>Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 102</ref> The funnel design was subsequently lengthened by Template:Convert; the taller funnels on the under-construction Template:HMAS were later switched over to Australia as she neared completion.<ref name=Cassells22/>
When the ship's badge came up for consideration on 26 December 1926, both Richard Lane-Poole, commander of the Australian Squadron, and William Napier, First Naval Member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board disapproved of the design previously carried by the battlecruiser Template:HMAS, and requested new designs.<ref>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 26</ref> On 26 July 1927, it was decided to use the Coat of arms of Australia as the basis for the badge, with the shield bearing the symbols of the six states and the Federation Star crest depicted in the design.<ref name=Cassells27>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 27</ref> No motto was given to the ship, but when the badge design was updated prior to the planned 1983 acquisition of the British aircraft carrier Template:HMS (which was to be renamed HMAS Australia), the motto from the battlecruiser, "Endeavour", was added.<ref name=Cassells27/>
The warship was commissioned into the RAN on 24 April 1928.<ref name=Cassells22/> Construction of Australia cost 1.9 million pounds, very close to the estimated cost.<ref>Sears, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 78</ref> Australia and sister ship Template:HMAS (also constructed by John Brown) were the only County-class vessels built in Scotland.<ref name=Bastock102/>
Operational history
Early career
Australia left Portsmouth for her namesake country on 3 August 1928 after completing sea trials.<ref name=SPC>HMAS Australia (II), Royal Australian Navy</ref> During the voyage, the cruiser visited Canada, the United States of America, several Pacific islands, and New Zealand before she reached Sydney on 23 October.<ref name=Cassells22/> Following the start of the Great Depression, the RAN fleet was downscaled in 1930 to three active ships (Australia, Canberra, and seaplane carrier Template:HMAS) while one of the S-class destroyers would remain active at a time, with a reduced ship's company.<ref>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 141</ref> In 1932, Australia cruised to the Pacific islands.<ref name=Cassells22/> In 1933, she visited New Zealand.<ref name=Cassells22/>
On 10 December 1934, Australia was sent to the United Kingdom on exchange duty, with the Duke of Gloucester, who had visited Victoria for the state's centenary of foundation the month previous, aboard.<ref name=SPC/> The cruiser reached Portsmouth on 28 March 1935, and was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet.<ref name=Cassells22/> Australia returned to England from 21 June to 12 September to represent Australia at King George V's Silver Jubilee Naval Review at Spithead.<ref name=SPC/><ref name=Bastock103>Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 103</ref> Following the outbreak of the Abyssinian crisis, Australia began to train for a potential war.<ref name=Sears95>Sears, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 95</ref> AustraliaTemplate:'s initial role in any British assault on the Italian Navy was to cover the withdrawal of the aircraft carrier Template:HMS after an air attack on the base at Taranto.<ref name=Sears95/> The crisis eased before the need for British involvement occurred.<ref name=Sears95/> Australia remained in the Mediterranean until 14 July 1936, then visited Gallipoli in company with the new light cruiser Template:HMAS, before the two ships sailed for Australia.<ref name=Frame145>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 145</ref> They arrived in Sydney on 11 August.<ref name=Cassells22/><ref name=Frame145/> During the cruiser's time on exchange, the British cruiser Template:HMS operated with the RAN.<ref name=Cassells22/>
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After returning, Australia spent the remainder of 1936 in the vicinity of Sydney and Jervis Bay, excluding a visit to Melbourne in November.<ref name=SPC/> The warship sailed to New Zealand in April 1937, then in July departed on a three-month northern cruise, with visits to ports in Queensland, New Guinea, and New Britain.<ref name=SPC/> Australia repeated her November visit to Melbourne, and cruised to Hobart in February 1938, before being placed in reserve on 24 April 1938.<ref name=SPC/> She underwent a modernisation refit at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, during which her single 4-inch guns were replaced with twin mountings, belt armour measuring up to Template:Convert thick was fitted over the machinery spaces, and handling arrangements for the ship's aircraft and boats were improved.<ref name=Bastock101/><ref>Jeremey, Cockatoo Island, pp. 117–118</ref> Although the modernisation was scheduled for completion in March 1939, inconsistencies between AustraliaTemplate:'s construction and the supplied drawings caused delays.<ref name=Jeremey118>Jeremey, Cockatoo Island, p. 118</ref> The cruiser was recommissioned on 28 August, but did not leave the dockyard until 28 September.<ref name=Jeremey118/>
World War II
1939–1941
Following the outbreak of World War II, Australia was initially assigned to Australian waters.<ref name=Bastock103/> From 28 November to 1 December, Australia, Canberra, and Sydney hunted for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in the Indian Ocean.<ref name=Frame153>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 153</ref> From 10 to 20 January 1940, Australia was part of the escort for Anzac convoy US 1 as it proceeded from Sydney to Fremantle, then sailed with it to the edge of the Australia Station en route to Colombo, before returning to Fremantle.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 91–93</ref> On arrival, Australia relieved Template:HMAS as the cruiser assigned to the western coast until 6 February, when she was in turn relieved by Template:HMAS and returned to the east coast.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 103</ref> On 12 May, Australia and Canberra left Fremantle to escort Anzac convoy US 3 to Cape Town.<ref name=Cassells23>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 23</ref> After arriving on 31 May, the two ships were offered for service under the Royal Navy; Australia was accepted for service in European waters, although she spent most of June escorting ship around southern and western Africa.<ref name=Frame153/><ref name=Gill170>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 170</ref>
On 3 July, Australia and the carrier Template:HMS were ordered to sail to Dakar, where the cruiser Template:HMS was shadowing the French battleship Richelieu and preparing to deny her use to the Vichy French if required.<ref name=Gill170/> Australia and Hermes reached the rendezvous in the early morning of 5 July.<ref name=Gill170/> Attempts to disable the battleship were made by boat and air during 7 and 8 July; on the second day, Australia fired in anger for the first time when a French aircraft flew near the Allied ships and dropped bombs with no effect.<ref name=Bastock103/><ref name=Cassells23/><ref name=Gill171>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 171</ref> The Australian cruiser left Dakar on 9 July, and caught up to an England-bound convoy two days later.<ref name=Gill171/> They arrived at the River Clyde on 16 July, and Australia was assigned to the Royal Navy's 1st Cruiser Squadron, based at Scapa Flow, four days later.<ref name=Gill171/> During late July, the cruiser joined British ships off Norway in an unsuccessful search for the German battleship Gneisenau.<ref name=Gill171/> During August, Australia and Template:HMS searched around the Faroe Islands and Bear Island for German trawlers.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 214</ref>
At the start of September, Australia was assigned to Operation Menace (the Allied effort to install the Free French in Vichy-controlled Dakar) as a replacement for the torpedoed British cruiser Template:HMS.<ref name=Cassells23/><ref>Goldrick, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 114</ref> On the morning of 19 September, shortly after relieving Template:HMS on patrol off Dakar, Australia located three French cruisers, which she and Cumberland began to shadow until losing sight in the dark.<ref name=Gill216>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 216</ref> One of the French ships, the cruiser Gloire suffered engine troubles and turned back to Konakri, encountering Australia shortly after.<ref name=Gill216/> The Australian cruiser was ordered to escort Gloire to Casablanca, which the French cruiser agreed to.<ref name=Gill217>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 217</ref> The two ships remained together until the morning of 21 September, when GloireTemplate:'s captain promised his opposite on Australia that the French ship would complete the voyage unescorted, and the Australian cruiser sailed to intercept the main body of the Allied fleet, which was met the next day.<ref name=Gill217/> On the morning of 23 September, the cruiser was fired on by shore batteries at Dakar while intercepting and driving back two Fantasque-class destroyers, but did not receive damage.<ref name=Cassells23/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 217–218</ref> That afternoon, Australia and the British destroyers Template:HMS and Template:HMS engaged the French destroyer L'Audacieux, setting her on fire.<ref name=Cassells23/> On 24 September, despite poor visibility, Australia joined other Allied ships in shelling Dakar and the French warships in the harbour; during the withdrawal to the rest of the fleet, the Australian cruiser was unsuccessfully attacked by high-altitude bombers.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 218–219</ref> On 25 September, Australia and Template:HMS shelled French ships anchored at Dakar.<ref name=Cassells23/> They damaged a destroyer and several cruisers before Australia was hit by two 6-inch shells and her Walrus was shot down with all aboard killed, after which the two ships withdrew.<ref name=Cassells23/><ref name=Frame158>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 158</ref> Operation Menace was abandoned as a failure on 26 September, and Australia was ordered to return to the United Kingdom two days later.<ref name=Frame158/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, pp. 219–220</ref>
During early October, Australia escorted a group of troop transports returning from Gibraltar to the United Kingdom.<ref name=Cassells23/> On 29 October, Australia recovered nine of the thirteen crew from a Short Sunderland flying boat which crashed off Greenock, Scotland during a gale; the other four were carried away by the heavy seas during the rescue.<ref name=Cassells23/> The cruiser underwent a refit in Liverpool during November and December.<ref name=Cassells23/> During a German air raid on the night of 20 December, a Template:Convert torpedo was dropped on the dry-dock Australia was berthed in, but this landed alongside the ship and did not explode.<ref name=Bastock103/><ref name=Gill245>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 245</ref> The ship was damaged during an air raid the following night: the blast from a Template:Convert bomb landing near the port side cracked several scuttles and damaged the catapult.<ref name=Gill245/>
Australia spent the first part of January 1941 escorting Convoy WS5B from the British Isles to the Middle East via South Africa.<ref name=Gill511>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 511</ref> On 22 January, after handing the convoy over to Template:HMS off Mombasa, the cruiser joined the unsuccessful search for the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer.<ref name=Gill511/> Following this and searches for the auxiliary cruisers Pinguin and Atlantis in the Indian Ocean, Australia sailed for Sydney with two troopships, arriving on 24 March.<ref name=Cassells23/><ref name=Gill511/><ref>Goldrick, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 120</ref> The cruiser then escorted Convoy US10 for the first leg of the Australia to Suez run, after which she sailed to Singapore at the end of the month to collect Admiral Ragnar Colvin and his staff following the Singapore Conference.<ref name=Gill511/>
During June, Australia escorted convoys across the Tasman Sea, then delivered Convoy US11A to Trincomalee in mid-July.<ref name=Gill511/> The ship was then assigned to the South Atlantic Station.<ref name=Gill511/> During November, the cruiser sailed to the Kerguelen Islands during searches for German commerce raiders, and after finding evidence of enemy activity, deployed magnetic sea mines in case they returned. As of 2008, the mines were still present.<ref name=Bastock104/><ref>Rubin, Antarctica, p. 238</ref> Prompted by the loss of Template:HMAS and the deteriorating situation in South-east Asia, Australia was ordered on 3 December to hand Convoy WS12X to HMS Dorsetshire, then make for home.<ref name=Gill511/> On 29 December, the cruiser was designated Flagship of the Australian Squadron.<ref name=Bastock104/>
1942
On 31 January, Australia and Template:HMNZS sailed from Sydney to Wellington.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942, p. 553</ref> In February 1942, the Australian cruiser became flagship of the newly formed ANZAC Squadron.<ref name=Cassells23/> In early March, Australia was assigned to shell Gasmata in New Britain.<ref name=2Gill9>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 9</ref> However, on 7 March, the ships for the operation were recalled, and were used three days later to provide long-range protection for the American aircraft carriers Template:USS and Template:USS while they launched an air raid in retaliation to the Japanese capture of Lae and Salamaua.<ref name=2Gill9/> After the raid, Australia and the Anzac Squadron sailed for Nouméa.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 10</ref>
On the evening of 12 March, while sailing near the Louisiade Islands, one of the ship's stokers was stabbed fourteen times, and died from peritonitis during the night.<ref name=Clark18>Clark, The Statute of Westminster and the murder in HMAS Australia, 1942, p. 18</ref> Before dying, the stoker informed the ship's surgeon that he had threatened to expose the homosexual relationship between two other stokers, which led to the attack.<ref name=Clark18/> The two accused stokers were imprisoned, and a court-martial was held between 15 and 18 March, while the ship was anchored at Nouméa.<ref>Clark, The Statute of Westminster and the murder in HMAS Australia, 1942, pp. 19–20</ref> The stokers were found guilty of the first ever murder aboard an Australian warship; under British naval regulations (which the RAN was operating under), the men were to be hanged from the cruiser's yardarm.<ref name=Clark21.2>Clark, The Statute of Westminster and the murder in HMAS Australia, 1942, pp. 21–22</ref> However, despite Captain Harold Farncomb's aggressive prosecution of the two men, he successfully requested that the death sentences be put off at least until the ship returned home.<ref name=Clark21.2/> As the men were convicted under British military law, the matter of commuting their sentences was out of Australian hands until an appeal for clemency was made to King George VI, who downgraded the sentence to life imprisonment.<ref name=Clark22.3>Clark, The Statute of Westminster and the murder in HMAS Australia, 1942, pp. 22–23</ref> This situation had arisen because the Australian government had not yet adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931, a British Act which defined the Dominions as sovereign governments capable of amending or repealing previous British legislation affecting them, while preventing the British government from legislating on the Dominions' behalf unless requested.<ref name=Clark22.3/> Prompted by the murder, along with issues relating to the legal control of shipping in Australian ports, and the National Security Act, a bill ratifying the Statute was passed on 9 October and backdated to the start of the war.<ref name=Clark22.3/> The sentences of the two stokers were reduced several times, and they were freed in September 1950.<ref>Clark, The Statute of Westminster and the murder in HMAS Australia, 1942, pp. 24–25</ref>
On 22 April, the Anzac Squadron was reclassified as Task Force 44; Australia remained flagship.<ref name=Cassells24>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 24</ref> Australia returned to Sydney in late April for a week of repairs and maintenance, primarily to the outer port propeller shaft.<ref name=Jeremey126>Jeremey, Cockatoo Island, p. 126</ref> Around this time, the Americans learned of an imminent Japanese invasion of Port Moresby, and on 1 May, Australia sailed with Template:HMAS to rendezvous with American forces in the Coral Sea.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 41</ref> At 07:00 on 7 May, Rear Admiral John Gregory Crace, who was embarked aboard Australia as commander of Task Force 44, was ordered to take his ships (Australia, the cruisers Hobart and Template:USS, and the destroyers Template:USS, Template:USS and Template:USS) to the Jomard Passage, and engage any Japanese ships found en route to Port Moresby, while several US carrier groups engaged a Japanese force headed for the Solomon Islands.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 47</ref> The ships reached their patrol area around 14:00, fired on a group of eleven unidentified aircraft at maximum range with no damage dealt at 14:27, and were attacked themselves by twelve Japanese twin-engine torpedo bombers at 15:06.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 48–49</ref> Australia and Chicago were able to manoeuvre out of the torpedoes' paths, and at least five aircraft were destroyed.<ref name=2Gill50>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 50</ref> At 15:16, nineteen Japanese heavy bombers dropped their payload on the Allied ships.<ref name=2Gill50/> Although accurate (Australia was surrounded by the spread), none of the ships were hit directly, and the only casualties (aboard Chicago) were from shrapnel.<ref name=2Gill50/> A few minutes later, the ships were attacked by another three heavy bombers, flying at a higher altitude to the first group; the bombing was much less accurate.<ref name=2Gill50/> It was later learned that the three aircraft belonged to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).<ref name=2Gill50/> Although USN Vice Admiral Herbert F. Leary made plans to train aircrews in naval vessel recognition in response, USAAF General George Brett refused to implement them or acknowledge that the friendly fire incident had happened.<ref name=2Gill50/> With no new orders, Crace decided to relocate his ships during the night to a point Template:Convert from Port Moresby, to better intercept a Japanese invasion force if it came through either the Jomard Passage or the China Strait.<ref name=2Gill50/> Instructions from the American commander of the operation were still not forthcoming, and Crace was forced to rely on intercepted radio messages to track the progress of the main battle.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 52</ref> Australia and the rest of the task force remained in their assigned area until 01:00 on 10 May, when Crace ordered them to withdraw south to Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island; the lack of reports and intelligence concerning either the Americans or Japanese led him to conclude that both forces had withdrawn, and there was no immediate threat to Port Moresby.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 53</ref>
On 13 June, Crace was replaced by Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley as commander of Task Force 44 and the flag officer embarked aboard Australia.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 113</ref> A month later, on 14 July, Australia led Task Force 44 from Brisbane to rendezvous in Wellington with the amphibious assault force for the landings at Guadalcanal and the surrounding islands.<ref name=2Gill124>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 124</ref> The force left New Zealand for Fiji on 22 July, and conducted rehearsal landings at Koro Island from 28 to 31 July.<ref name=2Gill124/> They met the rest of the attack force (three carrier groups and more transports) south of Fiji on the evening of 1 August, then headed for the Solomon Islands.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 125</ref> The various elements began to head for their positions on 6 August, with Australia leading Squadron X (with four other cruisers, nine destroyers, nine transports, and six store ships) towards the main landing site, on the north side of Guadalcanal.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 125–126</ref> During the early morning of 7 August, Squadron X transited the channel between Guadalcanal and Savo Island, and reached the assault point off Lunga Point at 06:47.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 128–129</ref> While moving into position, Australia and the other warships fired on shore targets sporadically, then commenced a coordinated bombardment before the first wave of landing craft hit the beach unopposed just after 08:00.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 129</ref> Despite the efforts of the carrier air groups and interdiction attacks on Japanese air bases, the first of several retaliatory air attacks against Squadron X occurred at 13:23; each was driven off by the squadron's massed anti-aircraft fire, with no damage to Australia.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 132–133, 136–137</ref><ref name=Cassells42>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 42</ref> Anticipating a naval attack to occur during the night, Crutchley split his forces around Savo Island, with Australia leading Canberra, Template:USS, and two destroyers on patrol of the southern waters, a second group of three heavy cruisers and two destroyers to patrol the northern passage, while the rest of the ships protected the transports or served as picket ships.<ref name=Cassells42/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 137–138</ref> Nothing occurred during the night of 7–8 August, and the same arrangement was assumed at 18:30 for the night of 8–9 August.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 138</ref> At 20:45, Crutchley was recalled to meet urgently with US Admiral Richmond K. Turner, overall commander of the amphibious landings, aboard the transport Template:USS to discuss the proposed withdrawal of the carrier groups, and Australia left the patrol group.<ref name=Cassells42/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 139</ref> The meeting concluded at 01:15 on 9 August, and instead of returning to the southern patrol, Crutchley ordered Australia to patrol around the transports.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 150</ref> Just before 02:00, the southern patrol force was attacked by a six-ship Japanese task force, and Canberra was irreparably damaged.<ref name=Cassells42/> Three US cruisers were lost in the subsequent attack on the northern patrol force.<ref name=Bastock104>Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 104</ref>
_at_sea_on_31_August_1942.jpg)
Once the transports completed unloading, the naval force withdrew over the course of 9 August; Australia reached Nouméa on 13 August.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 153</ref> The ships of Task Force 44 were replenished at Nouméa, then sailed to rejoin the three carrier groups on 19 August, in response to intelligence that a large Japanese fleet was sailing to the Solomon Islands.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 161–162</ref> After arrival on 21 August, Crutchley and Australia were placed in command of the carriers' combined surface defence group, including several cruisers and the battleship Template:USS.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 162</ref> Air attacks between the Allied and Japanese forces occurred during 24–25 August; the Japanese fleet was driven off without Australia or the other warships having to engage directly.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 163–165</ref> On 31 August, Task Force 44 was detached from the carrier groups and sailed for Brisbane, arriving on 3 September.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 165</ref> Four days later, Australia sailed with the task force for Milne Bay, where Allied ships and shore positions had been attacked several times by Japanese warships.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 171–173</ref> Task Force 44 did not make contact with any enemy vessels.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 173–174</ref> After this, the ships were assigned to patrol the Coral Sea.<ref name=2Gill286>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 286</ref>
1943
Australia and the rest of Task Force 44 were removed from patrol duties on 10 January 1943; no Japanese aircraft or ships were sighted during the three months on station.<ref name=2Gill286/> Task Force 44 was pulled back and split into smaller groups: two rapid response forces, and a third (made up of Australia and three American destroyers) sent to Moreton Bay for exercises.<ref name=2Gill287>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 287</ref> In early February, AustraliaTemplate:'s group sailed to Sydney, where the cruiser was fitted with a new radar, then proceeded on 17 February to meet the convoy returning the 9th Division from the Middle East.<ref name=2Gill287/> The convoy arrived in Fremantle on 18 February, then sailed for the Great Australian Bight, where Australia and her escorts met them.<ref name=2Gill287/> The ships reached Sydney on 27 February without incident, and Australia and her destroyers returned to northern waters.<ref name=2Gill287/>
On 15 March 1943, a new numbering system for USN fleets saw Task Force 44 become Task Force 74 of the United States Seventh Fleet.<ref>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 186</ref><ref name=2Gill288>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 288</ref> On 11 April, Australia was sent to investigate rumours of Japanese landings along the south-eastern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, but found no evidence of Japanese activity.<ref name=SPC/> The ships of the task force continued on with convoy escorting, refits, and patrols until 29 June, when Australia and five other ships were deployed to keep the sea lines of communication through the Coral and Arafura seas, and to assist any transports in these areas.<ref name=2Gill288/> After encountering no Japanese forces and receiving no calls for assistance, the ships withdrew to the Flinders Group on 4 July.<ref name=2Gill288/> Six days later, Task Force 74 was sent to Espiritu Santo to reinforce the United States Third Fleet, which had lost four cruisers to torpedoes (one sunk, three withdrawn for major repairs) while supporting the New Georgia Campaign.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 289–290</ref> Arriving on 16 July, Australia and the other ships were assigned to Espiritu Santo's western waters.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 290</ref> At sunset on 20 July, Task Force 74 was returning to Espiritu Santo when Template:HMAS was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine: Crutchley believed that the submarine had fired at Australia at long range, but the speed of the task force may have been underestimated, causing the torpedoes to miss the heavy cruiser, while one hit the following Hobart.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 291</ref>
By October, Australia was back in Australian waters.<ref name=2Gill330>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 330</ref> At the start of the month, the cruiser was the only ship assigned to Task Force 74, but she was joined by the destroyer Template:USS on 13 October, and the two ships arrived at Milne Bay two days later, in case of retaliatory sea attacks on the recently captured town of Finschhafen.<ref name=2Gill330/> The counterattack did not come, and the two ships sailed for Brisbane on 21 October, where the task force was built up to two cruisers and four destroyers.<ref name=2Gill330/> The ships then sailed for Milne Bay, where they remained until they were ordered to Port Purvis on Florida Island, in the Solomons, on 11 November to serve as support for the Third Fleet following the start of the Bougainville invasion.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 330, 334</ref> Although Australia and the task force arrived on 13 November, they were ordered to return to Milne Bay two days later, as a USN cruiser division had arrived.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 334</ref> On 15 December 1943, Australia and Task Force 74 participated in the landings at Arawe, through escorting the landing force, then performing pre-landing bombardment.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=2Gill342>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 342</ref> Australia also led the landing and escort force for the landing at Cape Gloucester, departing from Milne Bay on the evening of 25 December.<ref name=2Gill342/> At 06:00 on 26 December, Australia commenced a two-and-a-half-hour shelling of targets near the Gloucester airstrip prior to the landing, after which she sailed to Buna, where she remained for the rest of the year.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 343–345</ref>
1944
In early January 1944, Australia returned to Milne Bay, before sailing to Sydney on 12 January for an eight-week refit.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 369</ref> During the refit, Captain Farncomb was replaced by Captain Emile Dechaineux.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 380</ref> On the morning of 7 February, Crutchley transferred his flag to Template:HMAS; the role of Flagship was returned to Australia on 21 March, three days after she rejoined Task Force 74 at Milne Bay.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 370, 380–381</ref> On the morning of 20 April, Australia and Task Force 74 rendezvoused with three other task forces of the Seventh Fleet off Manus Island: the combined force was to support the amphibious landings at Aitape, Humboldt Bay, and Tanahmerah Bay.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 400–401</ref> The next evening, Australia split off with her task force and the attack force for Tanahmerah Bay.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 402</ref> The flotilla arrived off the bay at 03:00 on 22 April, and at 06:00, Australia led a half-hour shore bombardment to cover the first wave of the amphibious landing.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 403</ref> After the bombardment, which allowed the 24th Infantry Division to land with minimal opposition, the warships withdrew to protect the transports.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 403–404</ref> Later in the day, Australia led two destroyers along the coastline, destroying any Japanese barges or supply dumps they encountered.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 406</ref> Task Force 74 remained in the Hollandia area for the rest of the month to provide support to the landed forces, and arrived in Seeadler Harbour on 4 May.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 407, 416</ref>
Australia and Task Force 74 returned to Tanahmerah Bay on 16 May, to escort troopships to Wakde Island.<ref name=2Gill417>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 417</ref> The task force left the troopships (which were also being escorted by Task Force 75) at 04:30 on 17 May, and commenced an hour-long shore bombardment of the area around Sawar and Sarmi just after 06:00.<ref name=2Gill417/> The task forces provided fire support during the Battle of Wakde, then sailed to Humboldt Bay for replenishment.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 417–421</ref> On 25 May, the task force was temporarily redesignated Task Group 77.2, and sailed at 22:00 to provide escort, then fire support, for the amphibious landing at Biak.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 421</ref> At 06:30 on 27 May, Australia bombarded Biak Island.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 422</ref> Over the next few days, Australia and the ships under her command provided cover patrols and fire support for Allied forces ashore.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 423–424</ref> Predicting a heavy naval response from the Japanese, Crutchley was ordered on 1 June to return to Humboldt Bay with Australia and Task Force 74, then form a combined fleet with Task Force 75, which was to take up station northeast of Biak nightly from 4 June and intercept any Japanese forces encountered.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 425</ref> On the evening of 4 June, while en route, the fleet was attacked by Japanese dive-bombers; Australia was not damaged in the attack.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 426</ref> Crutchley's force was withdrawn on 6 June to replenish at Humboldt Bay, then returned the next day.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 427</ref> Aerial sightings of a Japanese force (three destroyers towing landing barges and three destroyers escorting, one of which was sunk by air attack) had been made during the day, and the Allied ships made radar contact at 23:19.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 429–431</ref> At 23:31, just after the Japanese ships fired torpedoes, Crutchley ordered the destroyers under his command to close and attack, while he brought Australia and the other cruisers into range.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 431</ref> The Japanese ships cast off their barges, turned, and fled, and Crutchley ordered the Allied destroyers to chase until 02:30 on 8 June, then retire; the cruisers broke off almost immediately as could not match the Japanese destroyers' speed.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 431–433</ref> The Japanese escaped with minimal damage.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 433</ref>
On 12 June, the combined task force returned to Seeadler Harbour, and Crutchley left Australia, having completed his two-year assignment as Rear Admiral Commanding Australian Squadron.<ref name=2Gill441>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 441</ref> A day later, Commodore John Augustine Collins raised his flag on Australia as commander of both the Australian Squadron and Task Force 74; the first graduate of the Royal Australian Naval College placed in overall command of the RAN's ships.<ref name=2Gill441/> Australia spent most of June in harbour, and sailed on 24 June with Task Forces 74 and 75 to perform a pre-landing shore bombardment for the attack on Noemfoor Island.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 442</ref> On the morning of 2 July, Australia bombarded Noemfoor Island, then was released before midday to sail for Hollandia, then on to Seeadler Harbour.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 443, 460</ref> on 12 July, Australia led Task Force 74 to Aitape, where the warships were to provide naval gunfire support for Allied forces ashore, help in the interdiction of Japanese troop movements by barge along the coast, and destroy gun emplacements covering the surrounding waterways.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 461</ref> On 14 July, Australia bombarded the Yakamal area of Aitape, then shelled the Marubian area on 17 July, before attacking Yakamal again on 20 July.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=2Gill462>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 462</ref> On 22 July, Collins transferred his flag to Shropshire, and Australia departed with Template:HMAS for maintenance dockings in Sydney.<ref name=2Gill462/>
The cruiser departed Sydney on 26 August in the company of twelve other ships from Task Forces 74 and 75; the combined force reached Seeadler Harbour on 1 September.<ref name=2Gill480>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 480</ref> Collins reembarked on 3 September, and Australia was assigned to the Morotai landings as lead ship of Task Group 75.2, part of the escort and bombardment force.<ref name=2Gill480/> The cruiser shelled the area around the landing site on Cape Gila from 06:50 to 07:40 on 15 September; this was cut short by ten minutes, as shell fragments from Australia were reported as falling close to the destroyer Template:USS, which was positioned to cover the landings from the other side of the cape.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 485</ref> The cruiser remained on station to provide fire support until the evening of 16 September, when Australia and the other ships normally assigned to Task Force 74 were permitted to withdraw to Mios Woendi.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 486</ref> Australia remained there until 27 September, when Task Forces 74 and 75 sailed for Manus Island, where they were involved in exercising.<ref name=2Gill500>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 500</ref> During this time, the cruiser was visited by British Admiral of the Fleet Lord Roger Keyes.<ref name=2Gill500/>
Task Force 74 was absorbed on 11 October into Task Unit 77.3.2, assigned to provide close cover for the landing force in the operation to recapture Leyte, and departed that day for Hollandia.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 495, 500</ref> At 15:30 on 13 October, Task Group 77.3 (including Australia and her companions) began the seven-day voyage to Leyte.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 501</ref> At 09:00 on 20 October, Australia commenced shelling targets prior to the amphibious landings, then was positioned to provide gunfire support and attack targets of opportunity throughout the day.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 509–510</ref> At around 06:00 on 21 October, Japanese aircraft attacked attempted to bomb the Allied ships in Leyte Bay.<ref name=2Gill511>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 511</ref> An Aichi D3A dive-bomber dove for Shropshire, but broke away after heavy anti-aircraft fire was directed at it.<ref name=2Gill511/> The Aichi, damaged by Bofors fire, turned and flew at low level up the port side of the nearby Australia, before striking the cruiser's foremast with its wingroot.<ref name=2Gill511/><ref name=Nichols>Nichols, The first kamikaze attack?</ref> Although the bulk of the aircraft fell overboard, the bridge and forward superstructure were showered with debris and burning fuel.<ref name=2Gill511/><ref name=Nichols/> Seven officers (including Captain Dechaineux) and twenty-three sailors were killed by the collision, while another nine officers (including Commodore Collins), fifty-two sailors, and an AIF gunner were wounded.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref>Goldrick, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 147</ref><ref name="Diary of Basilio J. Valdes">Template:Cite web</ref> Observers aboard Australia and nearby Allied ships differed in their opinions of the collision; some thought that it was an accident, while the majority considered it to be a deliberate ramming aimed at the bridge. Following the attack, commander Harley C. Wright assumed temporary control of the ship.<ref name=Nichols/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 511–512</ref> Although historian George Hermon Gill claims in the official war history of the RAN that Australia was the first Allied ship hit by a kamikaze attack, other sources, such as Samuel Eliot Morison in History of United States Naval Operations in World War II disagree as it was not a preplanned suicide attack (the first attack where the pilots were ordered to ram their targets occurred four days later), but was most likely performed on the pilot's own initiative, and similar attacks by damaged aircraft had occurred as early as 1942.<ref name=2Gill511/><ref name=Nichols/>
Australia sailed for Kossol Passage on the afternoon of the attack, in company with Template:HMAS and the US Ships Template:USS (also damaged during the Leyte invasion) and Template:USS.<ref name=2Gill513>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 513</ref> On 24 October, the Australian ships proceeded to Manus, then sailed to Espiritu Santo for repairs.<ref name=2Gill513/> Work on Australia was completed by 28 November, and she rejoined the joint Australian-American task force (at that point operating under the designation 74.1) on 4 December.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 513, 536</ref> Five days later, Farncomb, now a commodore, rejoined Australia to replace Collins.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 536</ref>
1945
At the start of 1945, Australia and the ships under her command were absorbed into Task Group 77.2, the escort and fire support force for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf.<ref name=2Gill579>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 579</ref> Australia brought up the rear of the Task Group when it sailed from Leyte on the morning of 3 January, and was to be tasked with providing fire support for the landings at San Fabian.<ref name=2Gill579/> Numerous kamikaze attacks were attempted on the invasion force as it sailed to Lingayen Gulf; Australia was struck portside amidships at 17:35 on 5 January.<ref name=2Gill582>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 582</ref><ref name=Frame192>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 192</ref> 25 were killed and 30 were wounded (officer casualties numbered 3 and 1 respectively), mostly from the gun crews of the port-side secondary and anti-aircraft guns, but the physical damage was not considered severe enough to withdraw her from the operation.<ref name=2Gill582/><ref name=Frame192/> The ships reached the gulf early on 6 January, and by 11:00, Australia had commenced pre-landing bombardment.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 583</ref> A second kamikaze rammed the cruiser at 17:34 between the starboard 4-inch guns, killing 14 and wounding 26.<ref name=2Gill584>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 584</ref> The casualties again consisted primarily of gun crews, and after this point, there were only enough trained personnel to man one 4-inch gun on each side of the cruiser.<ref name=2Gill584/> Another aircraft attempted to ram Australia at 18:28, but this was shot down by Template:USS, itself damaged by kamikaze strikes during the day, before it could strike.<ref name=Morrison2Ocean483>Morrison, The Two-Ocean War, p. 483</ref> Australia, assigned to a counter-battery role, saw little activity during 7 January.<ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 585</ref> The next day, she was attacked twice by kamikazes in quick succession: at 07:20, a twin-engine bomber hit the water Template:Convert from the cruiser and skidded to connect with the ship's port flank, then a second aircraft attacked at 07:39, again shot down just before it hit the port side at the waterline.<ref name=2Gill586>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 586</ref> A bomb carried by the second attacker opened a Template:Convert hole in the hull, causing a 5-degree list, but despite the explosion and a large quantity of debris and shrapnel, casualties were limited to a few cases of shock, and Australia was able to carry out the day's assigned bombardments.<ref name=2Gill586/> The landing force arrived on 9 January, and at 08:30, the cruiser began shelling targets in preparation for the amphibious assault.<ref name=Frame192/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 589</ref> At 13:11, the fifth suicide aircraft to hit Australia during the operation struck; although it intended to take out the cruiser's bridge, the aircraft hit a mast strut and the forward exhaust funnel, and fell overboard.<ref name=Gill590>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 590</ref> Although there were no casualties, the crash damaged the funnel, radar, and wireless systems, and the decision was made to withdraw the cruiser for repairs.<ref name=Gill590/><ref name=Bastock105/>
Australia joined several Allied ships damaged by kamikaze strikes in escorting the transport ships back to Leyte on the evening of 9 January.<ref name=Bastock105/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, pp. 591–592</ref> Temporary repairs were made to the cruiser, and after Farncomb transferred his flag to Template:HMAS so he could return to the main force, Australia sailed to Sydney via Manus for permanent repairs and a refit, arriving home on 28 January.<ref name=Bastock105/><ref>Gill, Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945, p. 592</ref> Two days later, she docked at Cockatoo Island for repair and the preliminary stages of the refit, including the removal of 'X' turret and the aircraft catapult, and the shortening of the funnels by Template:Convert each.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=Jeremey126/> However, Australian shipyards had been instructed to prioritise repairs to British Pacific Fleet vessels, so Australia left the dock on 17 May and sailed on 24 May for England via the Panama Canal.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=Bastock105/> The cruiser arrived at Plymouth on 2 July, and was docked for a major refit which ran from August to December.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=Bastock105>Bastock, Australia's Ships of War, p. 105</ref>
The ship received eight battle honours for her wartime service: "Atlantic 1940–41", "Pacific 1941–43", "Coral Sea 1942", "Savo Island 1942", "Guadalcanal 1942", "New Guinea 1942–44", "Leyte Gulf 1944", and "Lingayen Gulf 1945".<ref>Royal Australian Navy, Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours</ref><ref>Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours</ref> According to naval historian John Bastock, Australia "probably fought more actions and steamed more miles than any other ship of the RAN" during the war.<ref name=Bastock102/>
Post-war
The cruiser returned to Sydney on 16 February 1946, and she was placed into reserve for the rest of the year, during which the final components of the refit were completed.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=Bastock105/> On 16 June 1947, Australia was recommissioned and designated flagship of the Australia Squadron.<ref name=Bastock105/> On 18 August, the cruiser sailed to Tokyo to serve with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.<ref name=Cassells24/><ref name=Bastock105/> She remained in the region until the end of the year, and returned to Australia on 10 December.<ref name=Cassells24/> With the exceptions of visits to New Zealand in 1948 and New Guinea in 1949, Australia remained in home waters for the next three-and-a-half years.<ref name=SPC/> During 1949, the designation of Flagship was transferred to the light aircraft carrier Template:HMAS.<ref name=Bastock105/> By the start of 1950, Australia had been reassigned to training duties.<ref name=Bastock105/>
Australia visited New Zealand from 24 February to 31 March 1950.<ref name=SPC/> The cruiser was deployed on a 'mercy mission' to Heard Island in late July, to collect the island's doctor, who had developed appendicitis, and transport him to the mainland for treatment.<ref name=Semaphore1>RAN activities in the Southern Ocean, in Semaphore, p. 1</ref> Given only 24 hours notice, the ship's company loaded provisions and cold-weather gear, while removing all unnecessary equipment to improve fuel consumption, before sailing on 27 July.<ref name=Semaphore1/> Better-than-expected weather on the outbound voyage was countered by poor conditions at Heard Island, with Australia forced to loiter for a day before a boat could be safely launched to collect the doctor.<ref name=Semaphore1/> The cruiser reached Fremantle on 14 August.<ref name=Cassells25>Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 25</ref> Because of structural damage to Australia caused by Southern Ocean conditions, the Australian government announced that RAN vessels would not be deployed for similar incidents in the future, although the RAN performed three medical evacuations at the nearby Macquarie Islands in later years.<ref name=Semaphore1/>
During May 1951, Australia transported Sir John Northcott, the Governor of New South Wales, to Lord Howe Island for jubilee celebrations.<ref name=SPC/> In July, the cruiser visited New Caledonia.<ref name=SPC/> During 1952, the cruiser visited New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomon Islands, and undertook a training cruise to New Zealand from mid September to 6 October.<ref name=SPC/> Australia made a port visit to New Zealand in October 1953.<ref name=SPC/> During February and March 1954, the cruiser served as part of the escort for the Royal Yacht Gothic, during the Australian leg of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation world tour.<ref name=SPC/> Later, in May, Australia transported Governor-General Sir William Slim, along with his wife and staff, on a cruise of the Coral Sea, Great Barrier Reef, and Whitsunday Passage.<ref name=SPC/> During this voyage, a disabled Dutch landing ship was located and towed to Cairns.<ref name=SPC/>
Decommissioning and fate
On 31 August 1954, Australia was paid off and marked for disposal.<ref name=Cassells25/> She had been in service for 26 years, the longest career of a RAN warship to that date.<ref>Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 218</ref> The ship was sold on 25 January 1955 to the British Iron & Steel Corporation for scrapping.<ref name=Cassells25/> On 26 March, the cruiser was towed from Sydney Harbour by the Dutch-flagged tugboat Rode Zee.<ref name=Cassells25/> The ships were later joined by two other tugs for the voyage to Barrow-in-Furness via the Suez Canal, where they arrived on 5 July.<ref name=Bastock105/> Australia was broken up at Thos. W. Ward's Shipbreaking Yard at Barrow-in-Furness over the course of 1956.<ref name=SPC/>
One of the cruiser's 8-inch gun barrels is on display outside the Australian War Memorial. A memorial to the ship's company, particularly those killed during World War II, was unveiled at Henley Beach, South Australia on 1 May 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Footnotes
Citations
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