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© COPYRIGHT - Victoria Division NAVY LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA Feb 2012.


Federal PATRON:
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC,
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia,
Constitutional
Commander-in-Chief
Naval & Military Forces of the Commonwealth.

STATE PATRON:
Victoria's Vice Regal Representative -
State Governor
The Hon Alex Chernov AC QC

-----------------------------

NAVY LEAGUE of AUSTRALIA approved, at its Centenary Celebration in 2000, a project for its journal "The Navy" - a Microfiche and Index Project .
In 2005, after several years of preparation and research by Victoria Division President 1996-2011 CMDR John Wilkins RFD* RANR, an official launch of this project was held at the State Library of Victoria.
Gift sets of Microfiche 1920-2004 were made to National, State and selected Australian Libraries, Universities, RAN College, RAN Sea Power Centre, United States Navy League and UK Greenwich National Maritime Museum. Gifts courtesy of CMDR R.O. Albert AO RD RANR, President of the NSW Division NLA , sponsor of this project.
The Microfiche have now been digitised in co-operation with the RAN Seapower Centre and exist on the Navy League Federal Website including the consolidated Index prepared by CMDR Wilkins.

AUSTRALIAN NAVY FOUNDATION DAY
Thursday 1st March 2013

"Creswell Oration"
FRIDAY 1 Mar 2013 WILL BE celebrated in Melbourne
in the 112th Anniversary Year of the Foundation of the Australian Navy. This is the 12th. Annual Anniversary of the Creswell Oration.
The 2012 Creswell Oration presenter was Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AM CSC RAN Chief of Navy. Access text of speeches below.

AUSTRALIAN NAVY FOUNDATION DAY ORGANISING COMMITTEE (Vic) 2013
CHAIRMAN 2012: CMDR John M Wilkins OAM RFD* RANR (IPP Navy League of Australia Victoria Division).

Committee Members:

  1. Pres. Naval Historical Society Victoria Chapter, Rex Williams
  2. Chair Navalfficers' Club [NOC] in Victoria, LCDR John Redman RAN
  3. President of NLA Victoria Division), -------------
  4. President NAA Victoria, LCDR Harry Kime OAM,
  5. NAA Box Hill SubSection Vic, Ray Gill,
  6. Vice President NLA Vic. Div. Frank McCarthy.

2001 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by CDRE Jim Dickson AM MBE RAN Ret'd
2002 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Rear Admiral Peter Briggs AO RAN Ret'd

2003 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Commodore Brian G. Gibbs AM RAN Ret'd

2004 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Rear Admiral Raydon W Gates CSM RAN Maritime Commander.

2005 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie AO RAN Chief of Navy.
2006 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Vice Admiral Russell Shalders AO CSC RAN Chief of Navy.
2007 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Commodore Ray Griggs CSC RAN, Deputy Fleet Commander representing Chief of Navy.
2008 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by VADM M Tripovich AM CSC RAN, Chief - Capability Development Group ADF
2009 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by RADM Stephen Gilmore AM CSC RAN, Commander - Australian Navy Sysytems Command
2010 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by VADM Russ Crane AO CSM RAN, Chief of Navy
2011 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by RADM James Goldrick AM CSC RAN, Clmmander of the Australian defence College
2012 Foundation Day "Creswell" Oration by Chief of Navy VADM Ray Griggs AM CSC RAN (text to be inserted)

2013 Foundation Day "Creswell Oration" by VADM Peter Jones AO DSC RAN, Chief Capability Development Group (text to be inserted)

LinkPage HMAS Sydney & VLSV Association & Sea Cadet (UK) & Master Mariners.
Naval aspects of 'ANZAC'
TS 'Sydney' history
Naval history & general information website
RAN Sloops Memorial HMAS YARRA (Amended 8Feb2006)
Lord Nelson & Trafalgar
Mariner's Compass Details


Page Updated - 3 September 2012

NOTES

1. Commander F Geoffrey Evans OBE VRD RANVR died Thursday 21 June 2012. (select name for obituary) His contribution to Australia's Navy, the Navy League and its Navy League cadets over 60 years was outstanding.
He was referred to by one retired Chief of the Naval Staff as the shadow fifth member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board.
We were privileged to know him and have him as our friend and as an influential Victorian Member of the Navy League who provided wise counsel on many occasions.
His considerable influence in Navy circles will be remembered and will undoubtedly be felt for many years to come.
His funeral was held on Tuesday 3rd July.

1a. ANNUAL 2012-2013 Subscriptions
were due on or before 30 June 2012 - $35.
Please post to Hon Treasurer at the Victoria Division P.O. Box
2340 Mount Waverley 3149 as soon as possible..

1b. New P.O. Box for VICTORIA DIVISION N.L.A.

Victoria Division
Navy League of Australia
P.O. Box 2340
Mount Waverley 3149

1c. Federal NAVY LEAGUE OF AUSTRLIA Secretary/Treasurer: Philip Corboy PO Box 128 Clayfield Qld 4011 Phone: 1300 739 681 Fax: 1300 739 682 Email: nla@wxc.com.au
1d. Federal Navy League and State Division information can be found on the Federal NLA web site -
www.navyleague.org.au
The Victoria Division Navy League of Australia 2011-2012 Committee resolved this Victoria Division website will continue.
1e. Navy League of Australia Victoria Division Immediate Past President Comander John M Wilkins OAM RFD* RANR received 2012 Australia Day award of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "service in the Preservation of Australia's Navy History".
1f.
LCDR Roger Blythman RFD RANR is a Federal Vice President Navy League of Australia.
1g. The Navy League's 1938 Creswell Memorial, St Kilda foreshore, was restored 5 Sept. 2011 with an identical Creswell bronze bust replacing the missing 1938 bust. A second bust was presented to HMAS Creswell (RANC) library by Victoria Division together with several Navy history books to celebrate the RAN 100.

1h. State Governor The Hon Alex Chernov AC has honoured the Victoria Division Navy League of Australia by becoming its patron.
1j. CAPT Alan Pearson Vale August 4 - 2011
1k. Federal NLA Advisory Council Chairman is VADM Chris Ritchie AO Ret'd.
2. Annual Navy League Community Awards to RAN Ships and Establishments
3.3HMB Endeavour miniature "Cook" Cannon.
4. Publications and Items for Sale
5. Observations by Geoff Evans
6. Battle for Australia - graphic image summarising the various involvements of Australian defence and civilians.
7. The Navy League's Microfiche Project now digitised on the federal Navy League website. All
known 1920-2004 journals and a consolidated Index prepared by the Victoria Division is now available. The former Microfiche has now been superseded by the digitised version although some of the digitised file is corrupted so copies of the original micreofiche wshould be retained.
8.
Battle of Trafalgar -
The late CDRE Harry Adams commented on why Australia "a nation girt by sea" should understand the significance of this historic 19th century battle.
9. The Battle of Trafalgar 21st October 1805:
Sacrifice by Lord Nelson and many of the sailors who fought alongside him on HMS Victory and on the other 22 RN ships. Australia received a lasting legacy for which Australia is eternally grateful.
10: Infrastructure and the Merchant Marine -
a timely warning for the Federal Parliament by RADM Andrew Robertson RAN.
11: VADM Peek RAN Ret'd (
The Australian newspaper 11.4.05) commented on the Australian Government's peacetime censorship of HMAS Kanimbla's Commanding Officer, describes it as "one of the hallmarks of a totalitarian government."
12:
Netherlands East Indies, 1942 and its Government in Exile in Australia.
Their highly valued support, Naval, Maritime and Air, in the Battle for Australia.
13: The Battle of Leyte Gulf and Surigao Strait 21-25 October 1944.
HMAS Australia, attacked on 21 Oct., Trafalgar Day 1944, being the first Allied warship hit by a suicide aircraft. On the morning of 23rd Oct.1944, three Japanese cruisers - Atago, Taxao, and Maya from Admiral Kondo's 1942 force were sunk. Read about Leyte Gulf and The biggest Naval Battle in History) See the Oct-Dec 2004 "The Navy"
14: Sea Cadet History 1939-45 - When H.M. The King became Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps.
15: Need For An Australian Merchant Navy: Comments by trhe late CAPT N. Pearson Master Mariner.
16: RAN's first successful attack against the Japanese Navy 21 Jan 1942:
by HMAS Deloraine.
17: SS Automedon Affair 1940 & the Loss of HMAS Sydney in 1942. British secret War Cabinet minutes of 1940 contained a UK Defence report revealing details of the defence of the Far East were taken by enemy raider. Britain's Allies not being warned of the loss. Subsequently Australia recalled her troops from Africa, in early 1942, the beginning of the 'Battle for Australia'. [Refer to book "Betrayal at Pearl Harbour" by CAPT Eric Nave OBE RAN (Codebreaker) and James Rusbridger (ex MI6), 1991, which the publication 'A Man of Intelligence' by Ian Pfennigwerth 2005 reviewed many of Rusbridger's statements that were not supported by his co-author CAPT Eric Nave OBE RAN prior to the publication "Betrayal at Pearl Harbour". Subsequently the publication in 2007 of the book "Mrs Ferguson's Tea-Set, Japan, and The Second World War: The Global Consequences Following Germany's Sinking of The SS Automedon in 1940" (ISBN: 1905246285) by Seki, Eiji, concerning the loss of War Cabinet intelligence from SS Automedon and subsequent actions, or lack of action by the British Government and its failure to inform Australia and Allies of this loss, gives new insights into the the attitude of the UK towards its Commonwealth Dominions and the timing of the attack by Japan.