hmasaustraliai84

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The ship in the foreground here is HMAS Australia since the wheelhouse has square windows, not HMAS Canberra as captioned. HMAS Canberra's wheelhouse had round windows. In the first two Sydney Morning Herald articles referenced by Quasymody above, you will note that the photograph of HMAS Australia depicts the characteristic square wheelhouse windows, as they are in this photograph. I'm viewing this on a tablet device at the moment so I cannot add a note to the photograph outlining the wheelhouse windows. I.ll try tomorrow when I use a desktop computer.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] beachcomber australia BobMeade Brilliant, thanks everyone! Based on the evidence of the Harbour Bridge construction, plus BobMeade's evidence regarding the wheelhouse windows, we have changed our data to HMAS Australia as this seems the most likely. Thank again for your help.

Many thanks ANMM for this wonderful series of images, whose release adds so much to the visualisation our social history, as does your whole Sam Hood Studio Collection. Taken in the Depression era, this and its companion images - your Object NOs. 00034838 [crane ride] and Object No. 0034839 [slippery slide] - are just a joy to behold. Now, CORRECTIONS AND A MEA CUPLA : forget the round and square wheelhouse windows distinction between HMAS CANBERRA [I] and HMAS AUSTRALIA [II] for a moment - it did not apply until modifications to CANBERRA some time after 1933, and I think you should go back to your original caption. This image is almost certainly HMAS CANBERRA [I] holding her series of children's parties at Garden Island on the weekend of December 12-13 1931, as described in the Sydney Morning Herald articles to which you had links from beachcomberaustralia under Pic Object NO. 00034838, the crane ride image. Note it is the same crane ride, and the same unusual flag flying above the slippery slide kids entertainment as shown in Pic, Object No. 00034839. So, the round and square wheelhouses question. I feel I may be responsible for Bob Meade's perception on this, and I had myself accepted it as a blanket distinction, given to me also by an expert commentator. I've applied it as an identifying distinction many times, but I now find it did not apply until after some bridge work modernisations on CANBERRA l sometime after 1933. Hence, we'll have to make a number of corrections in our own collections. Reviewed salient points supporting this: *In their original configurations, both HMAS CANBERRA [I] and HMAS AUSTRALIA [II] arrived in Australia in 1928 and 1929 with the same original and old-fashioned County Class 'ocean liner' look, and both with large square, pretty ugly box-type wheelhouses above the bridge, both with square windows. Evidence: Ross Gillett's 'Australian an d N ew Zealand Warships 1914-1945, p87. * CANBERRA still had this square wheelhouse with square windows when she was photographed by the celebrated NZ photographer Sydney Charles Smith at Wellington's Kings Wharf in September 1933, as shown here: www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3908140912/. *Some time between Sept 1933 and 1937 CANBERRA's bridge was modified and modernized, resulting in rounded wings above the wheelhouse at the Director Tower level, and round portholes or scuttles in the wheelhouse structure, in place of the square windows there previously. From this point on she is distinguishable from HMAS AUSTRALIA [II]. Source for this 1937 dating, pics shown in John Bastock's authoritative but limited edition book 'Australia's Ships of War' [Angus and Robertson, Sydney 1975] page 106, particularly the Allan C. Green image in the middle of that page. . Hence, from 1937, CANBERRA [I] looked like this, with round scuttles in her wheelhouse... www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/5491719366/ Sorry again for any confusion caused. Warships are continually modified, and tracking those changes in photographs can be a continual process. Glad if anyone can more precisely date CANBERRA's bridge modifications in the 1930s - standard book references and online sources don't seem to have it. Concluding: I now feel certain this photo shows CANBERRA doing the publicized childrens christmas parties in mid-December 1931, same as the companion images, and as reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. Oh, in the background here are a Modified Town Class Cruiser, probably HMAS BRISBANE [I], in reserve and being stripped, and a Flower Class survey/sloop ex-mineswseeper, probably HMAS GERANIUM, also in reserve, the smaller vessel alongside the cruiser.

I think it is most likely HMAS Canberra as the ship features a Rear Admiral's flag at the mast head and 'Canberra' was the flag ship.

NOT a Walrus - its a different model. This is the earlier one its a Seagull Mk III (the Walrus was the Seagull Mk V) - both HMAS Canberra and HMAS Australia had them as did HMAS Albatross. A9-6 This Airframe was Ordered by the RAAF in 1925 from Supermarine UK and it was shipped over to Australia crated as 'general cargo' on board the SS MALDARIA. It was then taken over by the RAAF and assembled and prepared for service in the usual manner. On 3 April 1934 this airframe and its RAAF Detachment (including Pilot) were embarked on board HMAS AUSTRALIA, they were disembarked on 8 April, then reembarked once more on 24 April 1934. On 26 April 1934 the Airframe was involved in making a forced Landing after suffering from engine trouble while becoming airborne off Port Jackson in Sydney Harbor and while still being on board HMAS Australia. Due to this the Airframe was Disembarked to RAAF Richmond on 9 May 1932 and in turn replaced on ship. After being reembarked by HMAS Australia after the completion of the necessary 'minor repairs' on 11 July 1932, she remained on board the cruiser as her regular aircraft for most of her service life. On 24 August 1934 the Airframe was wrecked while on board carrying out this duty during a severe gale while the Cruiser was under passage from Devonport to Bunbury, with the Airframe shortly afterwards being declared as beyond repair and SOC (Struck off charge) as of this date. A later combined RAAF/RAN Enquiry found that the cause of the Loss of A9-6 was that the main ring bolt securing the aircraft to the catapult platform failed. More Seagulls were lost in this manner on both HMAS Canberra and again on HMAS Australia before this situation was finally 'resolved'. This pick shows A9-6 shortly after this event took place. Stephen. NSW Aust.

Stephen Wow thanks for all the info Stephen - our records have been updated. A great pic!

majestic!

Sorry, the date 1949 must be amiss: this is pre AUSTRALIA's April 1938- Sept. 1939 modernization, which changed the bridge considerably [installed spliunter shields], and she still has pole masts [replaced by tripods, mid-WWII]. Maybe an earlier regatta or the sesquicentenary in 1938? LATER: again sorry - round scuttles on the compass platform. It's HMAS CANBERRA [I] not AUSTRALIA [square windows there pre-WWI]I. She's wearing an admiral flag on the foremast too, which tallies - CANBERRA was flagship for most of the 1930s.

Horatio J. Kookaburra Thanks for those details Kookaburra2011, we had the same issues with the following pics. See the comments below about the windows, what are your thoughts?

It seems there were several children's parties on HMAS Canberra in December 1931. - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16818779 I bet this is the Officers' children one on Saturday 12 December (SMH 14/12/1931 p.3 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16814285). " ... ... A large crane, in which the little guests were given rides .... ... "

beachcomber australia Thanks for those articles! It was definitely the children's Christmas party and judging by these articles, you're probably right, it looks like it was the one on Saturday afternoon for the Officers' children. Great work beachcomberaustralia! Woudn't it be wonderful if we could identify some of those children? It was 81 years ago, perhaps some of them may still be around and remember this event... We also have an image of the kids on the slide which we will be uploading today so watch this space.

Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons Hmm - this is going to sound REALLY geeky and picky - I need to get a life! ... 1931 date may be wrong ... The Harbour Bridge behind is not very completed for "December 1931" - they would be flat out completing it in three months for a March 1932 opening. I think from the state of the decking and pylons, that this might be December 1930. Also compare with this October 1930 photo - I had a look at Trove for children's parties in December 1930, but no luck so far.

beachcomber australia Not at all, we also enjoy being geeky and investigating these images and we always appreciate feedback from our followers! So, we know for sure that the Dutch navy visited in October 1930 and that it was their first visit. The DE RUYTER image above, shows the first part of the deck being lowered. In the image of the children in the crate, there are quite a few more deck pieces. Another bit of information, this image bit.ly/MfsM5h is from the same day (as you can see the lady in the white outfit and hat in both images). The inscription in the lower part of the negative says 'Xmas party 1931'. Perhaps more research into the Sydney Harbour Bridge will confirm, because I do see what you mean, they would have had to rush the last few pieces for the March 1932 opening!

Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons Thanks for the extra photo - it is really difficult to argue with the photographer's own signature date! The wikipedia article has a useful history and dates of construction. The two "creeper cranes" seen here are particularly good indicators of progress. Also on the page is a photo (from the AWM) of the HMAS 'Canberra' going under the bridge in 1930 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge#Construction Whether 1930 or 1931, this is still a wonderful photo!