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The HMAS Melbourne-HMAS Voyager Collision: Australia’s Worst Peace-Time Naval Disaster

Nicholas egan.

On the 10th of February 1964 a terrible naval accident took place in Australian waters that led to 82 deaths. Off the coast of the Royal Australian Navy base at Jervis Bay, the aircraft carrier, the HMAS Melbourne and the destroyer, the HMAS Voyager were conducting maneuvers when it soon became clear that the 2 ships were heading for collision. Both crews desperately tried to change course, but it was too late.

HMAS Melbourne struck Voyager at 20:56, with the carrier's bow striking just behind the bridge and cutting the destroyer in two. Of the 314 aboard Voyager, 82 were killed, most of whom died immediately or were trapped in the heavy bow section, which sank after 10 minutes. The rest of the ship sank after midnight. Melbourne, although damaged, suffered no fatalities, and was able to sail to Sydney the next morning with most of the Voyager survivors aboard. The loss of the Voyager ranks as the 6th most deadly loss of life in Australian navy history.[i]

The incident shocked the public and memorial services were held around Australia on 21 February. Public distrust in navy led inquiries over the previous few decades resulted in a Royal Commission being called to investigate the cause of the disaster. The commission, led by former Attorney General Sir John Spicer, concluded that the collision was primarily the fault of Voyager's bridge crew, in that they neglected to maintain an effective lookout and lost awareness of the carrier's location, although he did not blame individual officers. When reporting on the contribution of Melbourne and those aboard her to the collision, Spicer specifically indicated failures of its captain John Robertson and two other bridge officers, as they did not alert Voyager to the danger she was in, and appeared to not take measures to prevent Melbourne from colliding. Robertson submitted his resignation from the Navy and was considered to be a scapegoat by the media.[ii]

Over the next few years there was increasing pressure from the public, the media, and politicians of the government and opposition over the handling of the first Royal Commission, as well as claims made by Lieutenant Commander Peter Cabban, a former officer of the Voyager, that Captain Duncan Stevens frequently drank to excess and was unfit for command. Eventually in 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt announced that a second Royal Commission would be held.

The second Royal Commission found that Stevens was medically unfit for command, although not impaired by alcohol at the time of the collision, he was suffering from a duodenal ulcer and had been confidentially prescribed amphetamines. Consequently, some of the findings of the first commission, those based on the assumption that Voyager was under appropriate command, were re-evaluated. Robertson and the other officers of Melbourne were absolved of blame for the incident.

In the aftermath of the disaster, Chief Petty Officer Jonathan 'Buck' Rogers was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his actions during the sinking. Recognizing that he was too large to fit through the escape hatch, he organised the evacuation of those who could escape, then led those stuck in the compartment in prayers and hymns as they died. Posthumous Albert Medals for Lifesaving were awarded to Midshipman Kerry Marien and Electrical Mechanic William Condon for their actions in saving other Voyager personnel at the cost of their own lives.[iii]

5 Years later, the HMAS Melbourne was tragically involved in a second naval disaster, this time with the American Destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in the South China Sea. Evans sailed under Melbourne's bow, where she was cut in two. 74 of Evans's crew were killed.

A joint RAN–USN board of inquiry was held to establish the events of the collision and the responsibility of those involved. This inquiry, which was believed by the Australians to be biased against them, found that both ships were at fault for the collision. Four officers (the captains of Melbourne and Evans, and the two junior officers in control of Evans at the time of the collision) were court-martialed based on the results of the inquiry; while the three USN officers were found guilty, the RAN officer was cleared of wrongdoing.[iv]

There are a number of memorials to those who were killed in both tragedies. In Jervis Bay stands a memorial to the HMAS Voyager and in Gurnee, Illinois stands a memorial to those who were lost in the USS Frank E. Evans disaster.

USS Frank E. Evans memorial located in Warren Cemetery, Gurnee, Illinois. Wikimedia Commons Author: GoodSam111 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USFEE_memorial_large_tablet.jpg

References [i] Frame, Tom (2005). The Cruel Legacy: the HMAS Voyager tragedy. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74115-254-2. OCLC 61213421. [ii] Spicer, Sir John Armstrong (1964). Report of Royal Commissioner on loss of H.M.A.S. "Voyager" (Report). https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/46252538 Melbourne: A.J. Arthur, Commonwealth Govt. Printer. [iii] Burbury; Asprey & Lucas (1 March 1968). "Royal Commissioners' Report on Voyager Inquiry" (PDF). http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documen... Navy News. Vol. 11, no. 5. Parramatta: Cumberland Newspapers Pty Ltd. [iv] Stevenson, Jo (1999). In The Wake: The true story of the Melbourne-Evans Collision, Conspiracy and Cover-up. Alexandria, NSW: Hale & Iremonger. ISBN 0-86806-681-8. (Author Jo Stevenson was the wife of Captain John Phillip Stevenson, the Commanding Officer of Melbourne at the time of the collision)

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Naval Historical Society of Australia

Preserving Australia's Naval History

The Melbourne/Voyager Collision – Untold Story

Stephen, Kerry · Jun 21, 2009 · Print This Page

On 10th February 1964 the Search and Rescue (SAR) crews arrived at the Marine Section at the usual time, 0750, to have their coffee and prepare for another day’s work. Twenty four hours later two of those crews had saved the lives of seventy men from HMAS Voyager . Their experiences that night have never been publicly documented. This is the story of Air Nymph , one of the boats involved in the rescue operations that fateful night.

The Marine Section, HMAS Creswell was a rather unique organisation, because although it was located in, and administered by, Creswell , it was under the operational control of the Naval Air Station HMAS Albatross . As such, it worked the same hours as Albatross . When flying operations were being carried out in the Jervis Bay area by Albatross or HMAS Melbourne , it remained operationally ready until Albatross reported that fixed wing air operations had ceased for the day. Only then would the duty SAR crew stand down until the following day. This meant that, during squadron workup periods prior to embarkation in Melbourne , or during major naval exercises, the duty crew were often on duty in the Marine Section from 0600. until approximately midnight.

A ‘hot line’, which was directly connected to the Air Traffic Control tower (ATC) in Albatross , was located in the Marine Section Officers’ office. This ‘hot line’ was tested at 0900 every morning between the two stations to ensure that instant communications were available between the ATC and the Marine Section. Alongside the ‘hot line’ was an Emergency button. When pushed it activated an Air Raid siren which sounded throughout the whole of Creswell to recall off duty SAR crew members and also warn Creswell staff of an emergency taking place. It was an operational requirement that the duty SAR crew left within 10 minutes of any emergency being sounded.

Although the Marine Section operated four SARs, the complement allowed for three crews to man the boats as one SAR was usually undergoing refit in Garden Island Dockyard. Three of the vessels, Air Nymph , Air Faith and Air Chief were all wooden hulled American built ex-World War II air sea rescue craft. The fourth, Air Sprite , was built to the same design, in the 1950s, by Halvorsen’s Shipyard. They were powered by two Hall Scott Defender 630 HP V12 engines, with two fuel tanks holding 1200 gallons of super petrol, and during World War II operated at 33.5 knots. However, because of their high fuel consumption they were governed down to a maximum speed of 28 knots. A searchlight was fitted outboard each side of the bridge for communications or search purposes. Although only two officers were borne in the Marine Section complement, Sub Lieutenant Tony Vodic and myself, each crew consisted of an officer (Lieutenant/Sub Lieutenant) in command, a seaman Petty Officer, a radio operator, a Leading Seaman (LS)/Able Seaman (AB) electrical sailor, three AB Seamen branch, an LME (leading mechanical engineer),and two MEs (MTPs),

On 10th February 1964 only two SARs were based in Creswell, Air Sprite and Air Nymph . Both Air Chief and Air Faith were undergoing maintenance or refit in Garden Island Dockyard. The two boats were taken out for their usual morning run in Jervis Bay to ensure that they were fully operational. It was likely to be a busy day; Melbourne was carrying out flying operations with Voyager , the consort and rescue destroyer. Three minesweepers (MCMVs) were also due in Jervis Bay to carry out mine countermeasure (MCM) exercises.

The two SARs returned to the Marine Section wharf where they were refueled, and the crews then carried on with their normal ship husbandry and maintenance routines. At 1600 the standby crews departed at the end of the day’s work, leaving the duty crew led by Petty Officer Ron Budd in the Marine Section. Air Nymph was the duty boat and I was the Duty Officer for that night. The routine was as normal, the duty crew having dinner in the Marine Section galley while they waited for the cessation of flying operations.

It was anticipated it would be a quiet night so everyone relaxed in the mess facilities. About 2000 that evening noise was heard in the vicinity of the Creswell swimming pool on the waterfront. Several of the duty crew went out to the Marine Section wharf to see what was going on. It turned out to be an initiation ceremony for new entry Cadet Midshipmen so they returned to the mess, advising me accordingly.

The ‘hot line’

But it was not to be a quiet night! At 2057 the ‘hot line’ suddenly rang. I immediately answered the phone to hear the Albatross duty ATC officer say ‘ Melbourne and Voyager have collided in a position 20 miles from Point Perpendicular, on a bearing of 120 degrees, scramble the SARs’. I instantly hit the Emergency button, sounding the siren, and rushed downstairs to the crew mess where I told the duty crew that Melbourne and Voyager had collided and to prepare the duty boat, Air Nymph , to get underway immediately. The crew quickly responded, boarded the boat, started the engines and made preparations to sail. Fortunately, a Surgeon Lieutenant was in the vicinity of the Marine Section at that time, so I requested he board Air Nymph to provide medical assistance if required.

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Touching tribute for Voyager survivors

20 February 2023

On the moonless night of February 10, 1964, aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne sent a signal to Fleet Headquarters in Sydney, which read only ‘ Voyager is sunk’.

The ship had collided with Daring-class destroyer HMAS Voyager and sliced it in half during a training exercise, 20 nautical miles from Jervis Bay, NSW.

Almost six decades later, the Voyager Mess at HMAS Creswell aims to ensure Navy’s worst peacetime disaster is remembered.

It is the first time in Navy’s history a warrant officer and senior sailor mess had been named.

Previously the only naval messes to bear names were a combined warrant officer and senior sailor mess and wardroom.

Warrant Officer Andrew Jocumsen, who proposed the name change when he was mess president, said it was due to Creswell’s relationship with Voyager survivors.

“Many survivors were bought to Creswell because it was the closest Navy base, so a lot of them hold this place dear in their heart,” he said.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled at the mess by Brian Hopkins, a Voyager survivor and president of the Voyager Survivors Association, on February 9.

Mr Hopkins said he and other survivors were chuffed Voyager’s name and story would live on.

“For me and my shipmates, we felt it was like a shot in the arm, that the Navy would honour Voyager in that way,” he said.

“It’s not only recognition of Voyager but also a salute to the rescue teams, a lot of which were organised out of Creswell .”

The name change followed renovations to the mess, completed in 2021 as part of the Navy Capital Works Program.

While the outside was untouched due to the building’s heritage listing, its interior was renovated to include a new bar, lounge, dining and outdoor entertainment area.

“Everyone walks in, looks around and says this is one of the best messes in Australia, and I agree,” Warrant Officer Jocumsen said.

“The outside of the building is over 100 years old, but inside it’s a fantastic, modern, fit-for-purpose facility.”

After the ceremony, Voyager survivors and their families were welcomed for the annual survivors mess dinner.

“We lost 81 uniforms and one civilian that night, but we have lost more than that number since, around 86, bearing in mind the youngest survivor is around 76 years old,” Mr Hopkins said.

Warrant Officer Jocumsen said plans were in place to centralise all memorabilia related to Voyager at the mess and make it a single repository.

The collection includes the original signal sent by Melbourne during the incident and will be displayed alongside other items for next year’s 60th anniversary.

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Voyager memorial: disaster survivors remember the sinking 50 years on

Memorial services marking the 50th anniversary of Australia's worst peacetime maritime disaster are today taking place at Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast.

Eighty-two men on board HMAS Voyager were killed after it collided with aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne during a training exercise on February 10, 1964.

The Voyager was cut in half, but 232 people survived.

Many of the survivors will join with families of the victims and dignitaries for several commemorations, starting at 8:30am today with a memorial church service at HMAS Creswell's chapel.

One of the main events on Monday will be a memorial service at the wreck site of HMAS Voyager, about 20 nautical miles off Cape Perpendicular.

There will also be a sunset ceremony with an 82-bell toll to honour each life lost.

The tragedy has had ramifications for years, with many sailors experiencing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

There was no counselling, just a week's survivor's leave.

The subsequent cover-up by the Government and the Navy led to an unprecedented two royal commissions in pursuit of the truth.

Both inquiries were critical of the Voyager's captain and the second inquiry examined new evidence about his drinking and health.

Captain Duncan Stevens was eventually deemed unfit to command due to medical reasons.

But some survivors do not want to take part in the commemoration ceremonies.

"A lot of them, I think, have just found if they don't acknowledge it and shut it up, bottle it up, it never happened," survivor 'Bluey' Ducker said.

"They don't want to remember, don't want to even associate with their old shipmates."

Re-fitted ships 'not up to speed'

The former Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie, has reflected on his own experience of the Voyager disaster 50 years ago.

We're never really going to know what happened on the night of the collision.

Admiral Barrie was a young cadet at Jervis Bay when the HMAS Voyager collided with the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne.

He lamented the loss of life and the lack of information about what really happened.

"We're never really going to know what happened on the night of the collision, except when I look at the paperwork what I see is two ships in post refit trials," he said.

"Neither had been at sea for very long, and having been through post refit trials myself I know that the ships weren't up to speed in operational capacity."

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HMAS Voyager (II) Dinner

Mr Matthew Anderson PSM, Director of the Australian War Memorial

Distinguished guests, ladies, gentlemen and HMAS Voyager survivors

We have just read the names of the 82 members of HMAS Voyager II (including the dockworker) who lost their lives, about 20 nautical miles from here, on that fateful night of 10 February 1964.

We acknowledge the survivors here tonight from both VOYAGER and MELBOURNE and the event that changed their lives – and those of their loved ones - and continue to reverberate to this day.

And as we say at the Memorial every night, we also honour those here who have served, those still serving, and the families that love and support them.

82 men lost.

232 survived.

50 percent were aged between 17-19, and many were on their first time at sea.

The survivors lost a quarter of their shipmates in a matter of minutes.

It has been said this was Australia’s worst peacetime disaster.

I would like to reflect on the term ‘peacetime’. In my experience of the Royal Australian Navy, you are always in one of two states: at war, or preparing for war.

In 1964 we were in the midst of the cold war, and Australia’s focus was on South East Asia.

Voyager had just come out of refit, and Melbourne was also recently out of the dock.  

It was the first time in 6 months either ship had worked in close company with another.

It was a moonless night but the skies were clear.

Recovering Fleet Air Arm aircraft from Albatross, both ships were only running navigation lights.

Because they were preparing for war.

For the current serving members of the RAN here this evening, I’d like to paint a picture of the operating tempo of the RAN at the time.

The RAN’s contribution to the Far East Strategic Reserve (FESR) (a joint military force of British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces, conceived as a forward defence point protecting interests in South East Asia from communist threats) included an annual visit from an aircraft carrier: Melbourne. Voyager was usually involved in these deployments.

Established in the 1950s, FESR became particularly important in the early 1960s with the Confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia over the creation of the Federation of Malaysia. As early as 1961, Indonesia had threatened to block the right of free passage through the waters of the Indonesian Archipelago. 

The period of the disaster also coincided with Australia’s early commitments to the Vietnam War: the arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in July and August 1962 – by February 1964 we had more than 200 soldiers in Vietnam; and in August 1964 the RAAF sent a flight of Caribou transports to the port of Vung Tau.

But with regard to the Melbourne and Voyager they too had been busy throughout this period. 

1959 Exercise FOTEX, a weapon training period designed to provide an opportunity for Commonwealth ships on the Far East Station to work up their weapon efficiency prior to Exercise SEA DEMON, a challenging SEATO exercise, involving 27 surface ships, three submarines, naval and land based aircraft from member nations. 

1960 SEATO Exercise SEA LION involved more than 60 ships and 20,000 sailors, representing all eight SEATO members

1961 Commonwealth Maritime Exercise JET 61 in the Indian Ocean, 24 February-10 March 1961, which saw 25 warships from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, India, Ceylon and Pakistan participating.

Again, this is the backdrop – the operational tempo or battle rhythm – as to why HMAS Melbourne with HMAS Voyager as its Rescue Destroyer or Plane Guard were 20 miles away, off the coast of Huskisson in the East Australia Training Area.

In preparing for tonight, I read the Royal Commission Reports – both of them – to understand what happened that night. Such was the magnitude of the loss, and the shock to both the Navy and to Australia – the loss of HMAS Voyager is the only event in Australia’s history that has been the subject of two Royal Commissions.

I have listened to historical podcasts, watched youtubes, spoken to historians, retired Admirals and young officers.

And yet, it’s fair to say, while we know what happened that night, we can never, conclusively, know why, because Captain Roberts, his Navigator and the Officer of the watch were all killed in the collision.

But if the survivors can take any comfort from the event, it’s that the lessons were learned – the hardest possible way – on that fateful night on 10 February 1964. 

Changes have been made to prevent a similar occurrence. 

RAN procedures were created for challenging another ship that was seen to be manoeuvring dangerously, or which had transmitted an unclear manoeuvring signal.

Rules for escort vessels operating with Melbourne were developed and promulgated.

Among other instructions, these rules banned escorts from approaching within 2,000 yards of the carrier unless specifically instructed to, and stated that any manoeuvre around Melbourne was to commence with a turn away from the carrier.

The new rules were applied to all ships that sailed in concert with the carrier, including those of foreign navies. Of course the Melbourne’s collision with the USS Frank E Evans in 1969 proved once again the life and death nature of effective bridge watch keeping. 

I spoke with LEUT Bryce O’Hara, currently ADC to the Minister of Defence and, without prompting, he could speak to the lessons learned of the Voyager disaster and its echoes to bridges of HM Australian Ships to this very day.

Government has just concluded a Defence Tribunal Inquiry into medallic recognition of those killed or wounded in service (including for families of the deceased) and Committee Member, Rear Admiral James Goldrick told me was in part to address the unfinished business of both the Voyager disaster and the Blackhawk crash of 1996 and the failure to provide due recognition to those killed and injured.

But speaking of recognition, tonight we remember and pay tribute to the remarkable acts of heroism on that dark night.

The Imperial George Cross and the Australian Cross of Valour are our nation’s highest former and current awards for bravery outside combat.

The George Cross was instituted by King George VI in wartime Britain during the Blitz. So moved was the King by the courage and sacrifice shown by civilian and uniformed alike that he created the George Cross to sit beside its military counterpart, the Victoria Cross.

This book, For Gallantry contains the profiles of Australians from all walks of life, who have been recognised for actions of outstanding physical and moral courage.

Among them: a tram conductor who sacrificed his life to warn others as his tram hurtled out of control; a Chief Petty Officer who remained with his trapped young seamen,  giving them comfort even as their ship sank to the sea floor; a farmer who used his body to earth a high voltage current to save the life of a young child; a geologist and a police constable who braved the terrible aftermath of terrorist bombings to help the injured and dying; prisoners of war who died rather than betray their ideals; a dental student who went to the aid of a swimmer during a frenzied shark attack.

These are all stories that demonstrate that Australians do not need to go to war to display astonishing acts of bravery.

I acknowledge Rhonda Jones here tonight, daughter of CPO Jonathan ‘Buck’ Rogers, and present her with this small gift that chronicles the gallant company kept by her father. We are honoured to preserve his medals, and tell his story, in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial. 

Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers joined the Royal Navy in 1938 when he was 18. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for coolness and leadership while serving as coxswain of Motor Torpedo Boat 698 in actions off Dover on the nights of 23 March and 23 May 1944. After the war he came to Australia and joined the RAN.

On the night of the disaster, Rogers was one of more than 50 men trapped in darkness in a compartment of the sinking forward section. He took control and tried to bring calm. Not everyone would be able to get through a small escape hatch; being a large man, he had no chance at all. “He was more intent on getting the younger chaps out first,” said a survivor. The forward section sank about ten minutes after the impact. Rogers was heard leading his remaining doomed comrades in a prayer and a hymn during their final moments.

Rogers was posthumously awarded the George Cross, “for organising the escape of as many as possible and encouraging … those few who could not escape … to meet death alongside himself with dignity and honour”.

Midshipman Kerry Francis Marien was born on 7 May 1944 at Wyong, NSW. He grew up in southern Sydney, and was educated at Marist Brothers College at Kogarah. He joined the RAN College, at Jervis Bay in January 1960, graduated and was promoted to midshipman in 1963. He undertook training in the aircraft carriers HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney before joining Voyager, for further training, in early January 1964.

After the collision, Marien managed to get clear of the aft section and into one of Voyager’s inflatable life rafts. On seeing other survivors in difficulty in the water around him, he chose to re-enter the water to render assistance.

The last person to see Midshipman Marien alive reported that he swam up to him and asked whether he needed any help. On replying that he did not, he saw Marien swim in the direction of the severed forward part of the ship, which it is thought he may have entered. The forward section sank soon after and Midshipman Marien was not seen again. His body was never recovered and he was one of the 82 men from Voyager listed as missing or killed that night.

In recognition of his gallantry in attempting to save life at sea Midshipman Kerry Francis Marien was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal Second Class (Bronze) on 19 March 1965. His medal is on display here in the museum at HMAS Creswell.

Electrical Mechanic (Electronics) First Class William Joseph Condon was awarded the Albert Medal for Gallantry in saving life at sea, remaining at his post to the end in the sinking ship, holding the emergency lantern to show others the path to the escape scuttle and losing his life.

The awards were listed in the 19 March 1965 issue of the  London Gazette , along with one  George Medal , five  British Empire Medals  for Gallantry, and three  Queen's Commendations for Brave Conduct  for Voyager personnel.

On 4 December 2015, it was announced that the support centre for the  Canberra-class amphibious assault ships  would be named after the CO of HMAS Melbourne Captain Robertson.

Every night at the Memorial’s Last Post Ceremony we honour one of the nearly 103,000 Australian women and men who gave their lives for us, for our freedoms and in the hope of a better world.

When Naval personnel are being honoured, we recite this verse of Binyon’s Ode For The Fallen

They have no grave but the cruel sea, No flowers lay at their head, A rusting hulk is their tombstone, Afast on the ocean bed.

But on this point, and on this night, I would add one caveat – they do have a grave other than the cruel sea– and to quote the French philosopher Andre Malroux:

‘The most beautiful grave is in the memory of the living.’

Tonight we honour those who lost their lives on HMAS Voyager and the survivors.

We honour them with our memory; that most beautiful of graves.

Lest we forget.

Last updated: 28 February 2022

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Hmas melbourne (ii).

HMAS Melbourne was originally one of six Majestic Class light fleet aircraft carriers ordered for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II.

Laid down for the RN as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943 and launched in 1945, the ship was nearing completion when construction was virtually brought to a halt with the cessation of wartime hostilities. Work progressed slowly thereafter and many lessons learnt during the war regarding carrier design and operations were incorporated into the ship's modernisation programme.

In April 1946 the RAN received prime ministerial permission to investigate the establishment of a naval Fleet Air Arm along British lines. The RN retained ten partially completed aircraft carriers, including the six Majestics, from suspended wartime programs. A small team of RAN officers developed a detailed plan for the acquisition of two of these vessels along with two Carrier Air Groups (CAGs) and the establishment of a naval air station.

On 3 June 1947 the Commonwealth Government approved the acquisition of two aircraft carriers for the RAN. It was decided that two of the Majestic Class, HM Ships Terrible and Majestic , would be taken over by the RAN and named Sydney (III) and Melbourne (II) respectively. On 15 August 1947 the Government approved the creation of the Naval (later Fleet) Air Arm.

Post-war technological developments saw a rapid evolution in naval aviation driven primarily by the advent of jet propulsion. 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. While the construction of the RAN's first carrier, HMAS Sydney (III), was too advanced to include these modifications, the construction of Melbourne was still at an early enough stage for their inclusion.

Work resumed on Melbourne in 1949 at which time it was decided to increase the size of the flight deck lifts to accommodate the larger aircraft coming into service. In 1952, a modified angled flight deck of 5½ degrees was added as was a steam catapult and mirror deck-landing system.

On 28 October, 1955, the ship was officially named and commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Melbourne under the command of Captain Galfrey GO Gatacre, DSO, DSC, RAN, while Lady White, wife of Sir Thomas White, the then Australian High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, performed the naming ceremony.

The first aircraft to touch down on Melbourne 's flight deck was a Westland Whirlwind helicopter of the Royal Navy on 6 December 1955. Not long afterwards the first fixed wing aircraft, a Hawker De Havilland Sea Venom and a Fairey Gannet, arrived during trials in the English Channel. Following acceptance and work-up trials in the United Kingdom, Melbourne sailed from Glasgow for Australia on 11 March 1956 with 808 Squadron (Sea Venom all weather fighters) and 816 and 817 Squadrons (Gannet anti-submarine aircraft) embarked.

Her voyage to Australia was by way of the Mediterranean Sea and included visits to Gibraltar, Naples and Malta before transiting through the Suez Canal. On 10 April she visited Colombo before crossing the Indian Ocean and arriving in her first Australian port, Fremantle, on 23 April 1956. Melbourne received a warm and colourful reception in Western Australia and there was great media interest in her arrival. In her captain's first television and press interviews much was made of the revelation that Melbourne possessed the ability to operate her jet aircraft by night as well as by day. This gave Australia a capability at that time not possessed by any land based air force operating jet aircraft in the region.

The Great Australian Bight lived up to its reputation as a rough sea with Melbourne enduring a heavy swell during her passage east for a four day visit to her namesake city, Melbourne. Here the new aircraft carrier was again warmly greeted and a civic reception was held in honour of the occasion at the Melbourne Town Hall.

The final leg of her voyage ‘home’ was via Jervis Bay where the 64 aircraft that Melbourne had brought from the UK were transferred ashore via lighter for road transport to the Naval Air Station at Nowra. Finally on 9 May she arrived in Sydney for the first time. Thousands of people turned out to watch her arrive in the harbour and three days later she replaced HMAS Sydney (III) as the flagship of the RAN when Rear Admiral HM Burrell ‘broke’ his flag in her.

Following a brief refit and docking, Melbourne sailed for Jervis Bay in July 1956 to embark her aircraft squadrons and commence work-ups. She then sailed for Brisbane and the Hervey Bay area to conduct flying training. 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. Melbourne was released from the search later in the day.

On 8 August tragedy struck Melbourne when Lieutenants Barry Thompson and Keith Potts of 808 Squadron were both killed when their Sea Venom crashed into the sea off Hervey Bay shortly after take off. The aircraft was seen to take off normally but quickly veered to the right and down into the water. The cause of the accident was never discovered although insufficient wind speed over the deck appears to be the most likely reason.

That September Melbourne sailed for what was to be the first of many deployments to South East Asia. The Australian Government had by this time committed naval forces to what became known as the Far East Strategic Reserve, which provided for an annual visit from an aircraft carrier as part of the RAN's contribution. Melbourne maintained this commitment with the Strategic Reserve and later with ANZUK forces, participating in many exercises conducted under the auspices of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). Her deployment took her to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong where she participated in Exercise ALBATROSS, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea before arriving back in Sydney on 11 November. The deployment was also notable as the only occasion on which both RAN aircraft carriers, Melbourne and Sydney , deployed overseas together. While in the Philippines Melbourne embarked the Philippine President Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay as well as the three Philippine service chiefs and the Australian ambassador for a flying demonstration. The Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, Commodore Jose Francisco, who had recently been present at a United States Navy (USN) flying demonstration, noted that while the Americans could put more planes in the air, "the standard of airmanship displayed by Melbourne 's pilots was much higher than that shown by the USN pilots, and that in precision and variety Melbourne 's demonstration was a much more effective one."

In November and December Melbourne again visited Port Melbourne where she contributed to the staging of the 16th Olympic Games. The Flagship band was part of the RAN massed bands that gave an extremely polished display in the main stadium as a prelude to the official opening ceremony. 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.

Early in 1957 Melbourne visited Hobart to coincide with the Royal Hobart Regatta in February before crossing the Tasman to participate in exercises with the New Zealand cruiser HMNZS Royalist . On completion of these exercises she made port visits to both Wellington and Auckland before returning home to Sydney. On 18 March Melbourne deployed for a five month deployment that saw her circumnavigate Australia and return to South East Asian waters where she participated in the international Exercises TRADEWIND and ASTRA. On returning to Sydney in July she commenced a refit and leave period before sailing again for work-ups in September. The remainder of the year was spent exercising in Australian waters, including Exercise ASTROLABE in the Tasman Sea, before returning to Sydney for Christmas leave.

Melbourne maintained a regular program of exercises, training and maintenance over the next few years, including annual deployments to the Asia-Pacific region. She once again visited Hobart in February 1958, before departing from Fremantle for a four month South East Asian and Pacific deployment at the end of March. She visited Singapore and participated in Exercise FESTOON en route to Hong Kong, where members of her ship's company took part in the Queen's Birthday Parade on 21 April. She then returned to Singapore for the SEATO exercise OCEAN LINK. With 24 ships and submarines from five nations participating, OCEAN LINK was the largest SEATO exercise yet. The fleet made its way northwards to the Philippines over the course of the exercise which concluded with a fly-over of aircraft over Manila. Melbourne then continued on to Japan and Hawaii for Exercise REX with USN units before returning home via Western Samoa and Fiji. She arrived in Jervis Bay on 20 July.

1959 began positively for Melbourne, with the news that she had been awarded the Duke of Gloucester’s Cup for 1958 as the RAN unit displaying the highest level of overall proficiency for the year. It is the most prestigious fleet award in the RAN, one which the carrier would go on to win twice more, in 1962 and 1972.

At the end of January 1959 Melbourne returned to her namesake city for the unique experience of filming scenes for the movie ‘On The Beach’. She once again departed for her South East Asian deployment from Fremantle, with a fleet of warships comprised of HMAS Voyager , HMNZS Royalist , HM Ships Chichester , Cheviot , Cossack and Albion , and the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Reliant , Resurgent and Olna . The passage proved a difficult one as cyclonic conditions caused a number of accidents and injuries throughout the fleet, including a shipwright aboard Melbourne who injured his hand in a circular saw and required surgery. The fleet conducted Exercise SUNDEX en route to Singapore, where they participated in Exercise FOTEX 59. Unfortunately Melbourne 's involvement in FOTEX was curtailed as water ingress through the oil filler access door of her Gannet aircraft rendered all but one unserviceable. She returned to Singapore in an attempt to clear the contamination before the upcoming SEATO exercise, SEA DEMON. By the time she returned to sea for SEA DEMON, all nine of her Gannets were flying once again, however a defect in her B1 boiler once again forced her to return to Singapore and ended her involvement in phase one of the exercise. The defect was rectified in time for her to take her place in phase two, which once again saw the fleet proceeding north to the Philippines. The exercise came to a temporary halt however, when a grenade accidentally exploded aboard USS Nicholas and seriously injured two sailors. Both men were transferred to Melbourne for medical attention before the more seriously injured of the two was transferred by air back to Singapore.

There was a moment of levity during the exercises when Melbourne fuelled from USS Ponchatoula and the American replenishment vessel demonstrated its method of passing the first line with a baseball and bat. The Australians got one up on their American counterparts, however, when Sub Lieutenant Charlie Morris, RAN, was piped up to the flight deck ‘with hammer’. Morris was an Australian record holder in the hammer throw, and had represented Australia at the 1956 Olympic Games and the 1958 Commonwealth Games. He would later finish fourth at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. A line was attached to Morris’ hammer and he bridged the gap between the two ships with ease, striking Ponchatoula 's smokestack.

SEA DEMON concluded on 27 April, and Melbourne visited Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea before returning to Brisbane on 11 June. Later that year she participated in Fleet Concentration Period off Jervis Bay in October, and visited New Zealand in November.

She took part in the convoy defence exercise PASAD in the Tasman Sea in March 1960 before once again making a port visit to Hobart. She departed for her annual South East Asian deployment from Darwin on 7 April, and visited Singapore before proceeding on to Manila to participate in Exercise SEALION. 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. The fleet was divided into two with Melbourne 's group operating out of Manila, the second group operating out of Bangkok. The two groups started SEALION independently before rendezvousing in the South China Sea on 11 May. Two days prior to that, one of Melbourne 's Gannet aircraft developed an engine fault on take off and ditched into the sea ahead of the ship. 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 . SEALION concluded on 13 May at Singapore. Melbourne went on to visit Yokohama and Djakarta before arriving back in Fremantle on 24 June.

Melbourne ’s 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). This was the eleventh JET exercise, the third to include Australia, and involved some 41 naval units from six countries. The success of the exercises was tempered, however, when one of Melbourne ’s Sycamore helicopters ditched into the sea near HMS Hermes while conducting a personnel transfer to the British carrier. The Sycamore’s crew and all four passengers were safely retrieved by Hermes .

Melbourne went on to visit ports in Ceylon, India, Singapore, the Philippines where she took part in the year’s SEATO exercise PONY EXPRESS; Hong Kong where she had to put to sea to avoid Typhoon Alice; and Papua New Guinea before returning home in June.

On 15 June Melbourne led a column of RAN ships into Sydney Harbour for a ceremonial fleet entry celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the granting of the royal assent to the RAN. She fired a 15 gun salute as she rounded Bradleys Head and then held position as the rest of the fleet passed and FAA aircraft performed a fly over. When the last ship had passed, tugs were secured and Melbourne berthed at Captain Cook Dock.

Unfortunately tragedy struck Melbourne later in the year when Leading Seaman Allan Moore was killed during exercises in Jervis Bay on 20 July. Leading Seaman Moore was assisting in securing a 40 foot workboat to the Lighthouse Jetty in Montagu Roads, and suffered fatal injuries when he was crushed between the boat and the jetty. He was 31 years of age.

She went on to participate in the international cross service Exercise TUCKER BOX in the Coral Sea in August before visiting New Zealand in September.

Melbourne ’s 1962 South East Asian deployment began on 28 February when she departed Fremantle for Singapore. She visited Hong Kong before proceeding to Subic Bay in the Philippines for the SEATO exercise SEA DEVIL. The exercise commenced on 16 April and included sea and air units from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Pakistan and Thailand, under the overall command of the Flag Officer Commanding HMA Fleet, Rear Admiral Alan McNicoll, CBE, GM, RAN, aboard Melbourne . On 1 May, the evening before the conclusion of SEA DEVIL, it was discovered that Leading Engineering Mechanic James Gartside was missing from HMAS Vendetta (II) and believed lost overboard. A search was immediately commenced which included aircraft from Melbourne but, sadly, no sign of Gartside could be found. The search was abandoned the following day.

The deployment was further marred when, just a week later while the ship was en route to Japan, a sailor was injured on the flight deck. Naval Airman Douglas Wild suffered severe internal injuries when he slipped while trying to unhook an arrestor wire from a Gannet and was partially crushed between the tail of the plane and the ship’s deck. Wild was transferred to the USN hospital at Sasebo before being returned to Australia.

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. She participated in Exercise TUCKER BOX 2 later in the year.

Budgetary constraints from the late 1950s had placed some doubt over the future of naval aviation given the large financial outlay required to operate aircraft carriers and their associated aircraft. 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. On 26 November 1959, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Athol Townley MP, announced that fixed wing naval aviation would be disbanded in 1963 when Melbourne became due for a major refit. The Minister for the Navy, Senator John Gorton, however, argued for Melbourne ’s retention in an anti-submarine capacity and 27 Westland Wessex anti-submarine helicopters were subsequently ordered, the first coming into service in November 1962. The service life of the Sea Venoms and the Gannets, meanwhile, was extended past 1963.

Melbourne once again visited Hobart in early February 1963 and conducted exercises with other RAN units in Tasmanian waters. After a short visit to Melbourne, the carrier returned to Hobart later in the month for the Royal Hobart Regatta and the royal visit of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. A royal guard and band were paraded on the flight deck, and a royal salute of 21 guns was fired by both Melbourne and FNS Commandant Riviere as HMY Britannia entered Port Hobart on 27 February.

Melbourne commenced her South East Asian deployment shortly after her visit to Hobart, departing Sydney on 7 March. While conducting flying exercises off Manus Island on 16 March, one of Melbourne ’s Gannets ditched into the sea when the pilot was unable to control the aircraft after relighting her second engine. The aircraft was located some 17 minutes later on a reef off Palali Island, in Kali Bay at the western end of Manus. The three person crew suffered only minor injuries. Ironically, the following day Melbourne celebrated her 20,000th landing when Lieutenant Ryland Gill, RAN, landed his Gannet on board. The crew formed the caption ‘20,000 LANDINGS’ on the flight deck to be photographed by helicopter.

Melbourne went on to visit Manila where she conducted flight deck and hangar handling trials with a USN Grumman Tracker, a precursor as to what lay in the carrier’s future. She then went on to visit Hong Kong before proceeding to Singapore to participate in the SEATO exercise SEA SERPENT, which in 1963 was being conducted congruently in Manila and Singapore. After further visits to Manila and Singapore, she arrived back in Fremantle on 25 May. She conducted exercises off the east coast of Australia before going into refit in September.

Melbourne returned to sea on 6 February 1964 and proceeded to Jervis Bay to commence exercises with HMA Ships Voyager (II) and Kimbla . 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. Kimbla had preceded them to sea bound for Sydney. That evening Voyager closed Melbourne for the first time that day for transfer of mail by heaving line. This was followed by radio sea trials between the two ships.

That night Melbourne was engaged in night flying exercises off the New South Wales coast. Voyager ’s role was that of plane guard, involving the rescue, if necessary, of aircrew personnel from the sea. Since both ships had just completed refits, this was the first time they had been involved in close quarters manoeuvring for almost six months. Both the carrier and destroyer were 'darkened' with only navigational/operational lighting in use.

At approximately 8:56pm, some twenty miles south east of Jervis Bay, the two ships were in collision. Melbourne struck Voyager at the after end of her bridge, heeling her over to an angle of about 50 degrees. A flash appeared to come from Voyager ’s ‘A’ Boiler, and she emitted high pressure steam and black smoke. Debris, including the revolution table from Voyager 's bridge, and a pair of binoculars, was thrown onto Melbourne 's flight deck. The impact pushed Voyager through the water laterally for a few seconds, and then she broke in two. Her forward section passed down Melbourne ’s port side, and the stern section down the starboard side. The forward section sank soon afterwards and the after section about three hours later. The disaster resulted in the loss of 82 lives - 14 officers, including the Commanding Officer, Captain Duncan Stevens, himself a former Executive Officer of Melbourne , 67 sailors and one civilian dockyard employee. There were 232 survivors. Melbourne was damaged but sustained no casualties.

Melbourne immediately commenced search and rescue operations and requested assistance from nearby NAS Nowra where search and rescue aircraft and boats were based. All of Melbourne ’s 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. Her embarked aircraft also participated in search and rescue efforts as did HMA Ships Stuart (II), Curlew , Hawk , Ibis , Snipe and Teal . Many survivors were embarked in Melbourne while others were transported by other search and rescue vessels to HMAS Creswell at Jervis Bay.

Additional medical officers were embarked by aircraft from Nowra, and members of Melbourne ’s ship’s company not directly involved in search and rescue efforts tended to the survivors’ immediate needs. The six most seriously injured survivors were transferred to Balmoral Naval Hospital by helicopter the following day, while others remained aboard Melbourne until she returned to Sydney on 12 February.

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. Melbourne ’s Commanding Officer, Captain Ronald Robertson, DSC, RAN, later reported;

The actions required of Melbourne’s ship’s company called for individual initiative at all levels, and calm resolve to an extent that is not often required in peace time. A large proportion of this ship’s company had only recently joined the ship and some 25% were ordinary seamen, barely accustomed to wearing naval uniform. Their actions and behaviour left nothing to be desired. I am proud of them. I am also proud to record that Voyager’s officers and men displayed the same high standards of individual behaviour. The Royal Australian Navy does not lack quality in its men.

Repair work kept Melbourne alongside in Sydney for three months. She returned to sea on 11 May 1964 and commenced work-up exercises off the coast of New South Wales. She sailed from Sydney for her South East Asian deployment on 22 June which took her to New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

Melbourne got a glimpse of her future when she conducted deck handling and catapult trials with a USN Grumman S2E Tracker in the Philippines in July, and participated in Exercise FOTEX 64 in Singapore later in the month. A shore party took part in an internal security exercise at RNAS Sembawang in August before the ships departed for home later that month. She arrived back in Sydney on 1 August where she recommenced a routine program of exercises, training and maintenance. She participated in the anti-submarine Exercise WINCHESTER off Jervis Bay in September/October, following which she visited her namesake city.

She participated in Exercise FIRST TIME in January 1965, and on 2 February departed Sydney for Hobart and the Royal Hobart Regatta. That afternoon a Gannet experienced a total power loss on take off and ditched into the sea about 500 yards from the ship. The Gannet’s crew, Lieutenant David Farthing, RAN, Lieutenant Graham Bessell-Browne, RAN, and Petty Officer Frederick McCreanor, were quickly recovered by helicopter, somewhat shaken but otherwise unhurt. The Gannet fleet was grounded pending an investigation and was cleared to recommence flying operations on 12 February.

Melbourne departed for her South East Asian deployment on 24 February, during which she visited New Guinea; Singapore where she participated in Exercise FOTEX 65; Hong Kong; the Philippines where she took part in the SEATO exercise SEAHORSE; and Thailand.

On 27 March she contributed to Exercise SHOWPIECE off Singapore designed to impress upon the political and military leaders of the region the continued strength and readiness of the British Far East Fleet. She joined HMAS Sydney (III)’s escort force for four days during the troop carrier’s voyage to Vietnam in early June, and arrived back home in Sydney later in the month.

She participated in the Fleet Concentration Period off Hervey Bay in August followed by Exercise JUC 58 off Jervis Bay in late August and early September. She once again escorted Sydney for three days between 14 and 17 September northwards off the Queensland coast towards New Guinea before detaching for Port Moresby and, later, on to Rabaul. The ship’s visit to Rabaul was marred by the tragic death of Seaman Brendan Lane in a car accident on 25 September. The two other sailors in the car with him suffered only minor injuries. Melbourne went on to visit the Solomon Islands before returning to Jervis Bay on 4 October.

Melbourne and the FAA in general received a boost during the year with the decision to re-equip the FAA with Douglas A4G Skyhawk fighter bombers and Grumman S2E Tracker anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The Douglas and McDonnell aircraft companies merged in 1967 so that the Skyhawk was known as the McDonnell-Douglas Skyhawk by the time it entered RAN service.

Melbourne underwent a refit from October 1965 to January 1966 and conducted post-refit trials and workup exercises off Jervis Bay in February 1966. On 24 February, during night flying exercises, the final aircraft to land on caught a wire when the pilot was attempting to ‘wave off’ the landing and came to a stop hanging over the port side of the ship by the wire and sponson. The aircrew was rescued and hauled back on board, however, attempts to recover the aircraft were unsuccessful and it was lost over the side.

She participated in Exercises JUC 61 and HOMERUN with USN units off the New South Wales coast in March, before departing Sydney on 24 February for South East Asian waters. She visited New Guinea and Singapore before proceeding to rendezvous with Sydney to once again join the troop carrier’s escort force bound for Vietnam. On 28 April during flying operations in the Sulu Sea, one of Melbourne’s Sea Venoms crashed over the side when an arrestor wire failed on landing, and the aircraft did not regain enough airspeed to once again get airborne. The pilot, Lieutenant John da Costa, RAN, one of the FAA’s most experienced pilots, ejected before the aircraft hit the water and was later rescued by a search and rescue helicopter. The observer, Lieutenant Edward Kennell, RAN, apparently did not eject but was briefly seen in the water next to the wreckage of the Sea Venom before he disappeared. A crew member of the search and rescue helicopter entered the water but could not find him, and tragically, subsequent search and rescue efforts found no trace of him.

Melbourne rendezvoused with Sydney on 30 April and remained in company until 4 May, when she detached south of Vung Tau for Hong Kong. Later that month she participated in the SEATO exercise SEA IMP in Philippine waters. She joined Sydney ’s escort group for the final time early in June, and visited Malaysia later in the month before returning home. She arrived back in Fremantle on 22 June.

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. She entered refit in November in preparation for embarking the RAN’s new Skyhawk and Tracker aircraft in 1967, though a longer and more extensive modernisation would be required to make her fully operational with her new aircraft.

Melbourne returned to sea for post-refit trials and workup exercises on 17 March 1967 and participated in the Fleet Concentration Period off Hervey Bay in April. She departed for her annual South East Asian deployment on 3 March. On 5 March, while conducting an air defence exercise in the southern Coral Sea, one of the ship’s Wessex helicopters ditched into the water. The helicopter’s aircrew was recovered uninjured by HMAS Derwent . Melbourne went on to visit New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore before returning to the Philippines to participate in the SEATO exercise SEADOG in July. Upon the conclusion of SEADOG, the carrier returned to Australia and arrived at Fremantle, via Singapore, on 8 August.

She departed Sydney to pick up the RAN’s new Skyhawks and Trackers in the USA on 20 September 1967. She visited Pearl Harbor, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before proceeding to San Diego, where the new aircraft were embarked on Friday 27 and Monday 30 October. She departed for the return journey to Australia on 31 October. She visited Pearl Harbor and Suva en route, and arrived in Jervis Bay, where the Skyhawks were landed, on 21 November. She arrived in Sydney the following day where the Trackers were landed.

Upon her return to Sydney, Melbourne commenced preparations for a major refit and modernisation, conducted at Garden Island Dockyard, to enable her to operate her new aircraft. She remained alongside in Sydney until February 1969. The refit included a communications upgrade and a new radar suite, consisting of both Dutch and American radars. The British Type 293 surface search set was retained and an LW-02 air-surveillance radar was installed over the bridge. Abaft the funnel, an SPN-35 carrier-controlled approach radar was mounted within a dome, and on the lattice mast a new tactical air navigation (TACAN) aerial and electronic countermeasures (ECM) pods were mounted.

Melbourne returned to sea on 3 February 1969 for sea trials and workup exercises, and a rededication ceremony was conducted on board on 14 February. Less than three months later, on 29 April, the ship celebrated her 1000th deck landing since completing her refit when Sub Lieutenant Ross Smith, RAN, the youngest pilot aboard Melbourne at the time, successfully landed his Tracker.

She departed Sydney for Asian waters on 5 May and visited New Guinea before continuing on to the Philippines to participate in the SEATO exercise, SEA SPIRIT.

On 25 May Melbourne ’s Commanding Officer, Captain John Stevenson, RAN, hosted the Commanding Officers of the ships in Melbourne ’s Task Unit to a dinner on board, during which he ran through the procedures used for plane guard, expressed his concern for safety overall and related the events leading up to the Voyager tragedy.

USS Frank E Evans collision

Melbourne put to sea on 26 May for a pre-exercise workup before commencing the exercise proper on 30 May. At around 3:35am on 31 May, USS Everett F Larson was ordered to take up a planeguard position astern of Melbourne from off her starboard bow. Larson made an incorrect turn and was, at one stage, on a collision course with Melbourne . Corrective action from both ships was required to avoid a collision. This event not only revived memories of the Voyager tragedy five years earlier, but also pre-empted another tragedy to come.

In the early hours of 3 June 1969, in a manoeuvre almost identical to the near-miss with Larson a few days earlier, the destroyer USS Frank E Evans crossed Melbourne ’s bows while attempting to move in the planeguard position, and was cut in two. The forward section of Evans sank quickly while her stern section was secured to Melbourne ’s starboard side enabling that part of the ship to be searched for survivors.

Seventy four of Evans ’ crew lost their lives, and Melbourne sustained extensive damage to her bow section. Search and rescue operations began immediately and 199 men were saved, many of them embarking and receiving treatment in the Australian carrier before transferring to the American carrier, USS Kearsarge . Temporary repairs were affected at sea before Melbourne proceeded to Singapore that afternoon. She steamed into Singapore on 6 June with flags flying at half mast.

A joint USN/RAN Board of Inquiry into the tragedy held Captain Stevenson partly responsible, stating that as Commanding Officer of Melbourne , he could have done more to prevent the collision from occurring. However, a subsequent RAN court martial cleared him of any responsibility. The integrity of the initial Board of Inquiry has since been questioned, particularly as it was presided over by Rear Admiral Jerome H King, USN, the officer in overall tactical command of Evans at the time of the collision. Stevenson’s defence council, Gordon Samuels, QC, later Governor of New South Wales, said that he had:

...never seen a prosecution case so bereft of any possible proof of guilt.

Following temporary repairs at Singapore, Melbourne returned to sea on 27 June bound for Australia. She arrived in Sydney on 9 July. Repairs were once again carried out at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney. She returned to sea on 11 October to commence workup exercises and shortly thereafter resumed a regular program of exercises, training and maintenance. She participated in the Combined Operational Training Period off Jervis Bay in November which included 24 warships from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. On completion of the exercise, Melbourne led the four nation fleet in ceremonial fleet entry into Sydney Harbour on 22 November.

Melbourne spent most of the first half of 1970 in foreign waters. She participated in Exercise JUC 76 in February before departing Sydney on 9 March for Asian waters. She visited New Guinea before proceeding on to Subic Bay where she commenced the SEATO exercise SEA ROVER in March and April, which took the SEATO fleet across the South China Sea to Sattahip in Thailand. She went on to visit Hong Kong in April before proceeding to Osaka, Japan, where members of the crew and the ship’s band contributed to ‘Australian National Day’ on 8 May during Expo ’70.

She went on to visit Kobe, Manila and Singapore where she participated in Exercise BERSATU PADU involving defence units from Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore in May and June. She departed Singapore on 3 July and arrived back in Sydney, after disembarking her aircraft at Jervis Bay, on 15 July.

She participated in Exercise SWAN LAKE in Western Australian waters in November and visited Adelaide and Hobart en route back to Sydney. That December she commenced another major refit at Garden Island Dockyard during which her flight deck was strengthened and her catapult rebuilt with a bridle catcher extension.

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. She visited her namesake city in September ahead of her departure on 11 October for Hawaii to participate in the inaugural RIMPAC exercise.

She arrived in Pearl Harbor, via Suva, on 25 October. Naval units from Australia, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and Canada participated in the exercises which concluded on 18 November. Melbourne departed Pearl Harbor on 25 November and arrived back in Sydney, via Suva, on 10 December.

She departed Sydney on 27 January 1972 for that year’s South East Asian deployment and arrived in the Philippines, via Papua New Guinea, on 10 February. 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. She participated in the inaugural ANZUK naval exercise GENESIS at the end of March and departed Singapore for Australia on 3 April. She arrived in Fremantle, via Jakarta, on 14 April.

Melbourne ’s journey back to Sydney was notable for the ‘Melbourne-Sydney Marathon’. Ten members of Melbourne ’s ship’s company embarked on a relay marathon from Melbourne to Sydney to raise money for Legacy. The ten, ranging in rank from Ordinary Seaman to Commander, formed two five man relay teams and departed Melbourne Town Hall, along with their support volunteers, in the afternoon of 25 April to race the ship back to Sydney. They arrived at Garden Island at 4:13am on 28 April, some 5 hours and 32 minutes ahead of the ship. They covered around 555 miles (893km) in a little more than two and a half days, and at the end of the month had raised over $6000 with donations still coming in.

On 5 July Melbourne , along with other RAN and RAAF units, conducted a search and rescue operation for a fishing boat, Fishing News , which had not returned to Sydney after putting to sea the previous morning. The missing vessel was located on the morning of 6 July some 60kms offshore, and the three occupants, suffering from exposure but otherwise in good health, were embarked in Melbourne by the carrier’s rubber Gemini dinghy. Their boat was towed back to Sydney by a police launch.

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. RIMPAC activities occupied the ship for most of September before she went on to visit Yokosuka, Japan, in early October, and Manila where she participated in the SEATO exercise SEA SCORPION. She took part in the ANZUK exercise GROUNDWORK en route to Singapore in late October and early November, before arriving back in Sydney on 27 November where she began refit preparations.

• HMAS Melbourne (II) - Part 2

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