• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Before the Great War - Naval Forces Organization

The Naval Forces were divided into two branches called the Permanent Naval Forces and the Citizen Naval Forces. The Permanent Naval Forces consist of officers who are appointed officers of those Forces, and seamen who have enlisted or engaged as members of those Forces and who are bound to continuous naval service for the term of their enlistment or engagement. The Citizen Naval Forces are divided into the Naval Reserve Forces and the Naval Volunteer Reserve Forces. The Naval Reserve Forces consists of officers and seamen who are not bound in time of peace to continuous naval service and who are paid for their services as prescribed.

Except as provided in the Defence Act, the Naval Forces were raised and kept by voluntary enlistment only. Enlistment in the Naval Forces was be for such period as is prescribed, but no prescribed period would be less than two years. The Permanent Naval Forces are liable to continuous naval service, and shall at all times be liable to be employed on any naval service, including active service, and the defence and protection of the Commonwealth and of the several States.

The Citizen Naval Forces were not liable in time of peace to continuous naval service, but are liable to such naval service as the regulations prescribe. The Citizen Forces were only be liable to be employed on active service when called out for active service by proclamation. Members of the Naval Forces may be required to serve for training or for naval service either within or beyond the limits of the Commonwealth. The Naval Forces would be subject to such drill training and inspection as are prescribed by the regulations.

The Governor-General may, for the purpose of naval service or training, place any part of the Naval Forces on board any ship of the King's Navy or in any naval training establishment or school in connexion with the King's Navy. Whenever the Commonwealth Naval Forces or any part thereof are acting with any part of the King's Naval Forces and any part of the Naval Forces or any part of the King's Dominions, or with any part of any of those Forces, then, subject to any order made by the Governor-General, the Forces so acting together shall, while so acting, be deemed to be one force or unit of a force in command of the senior naval officer present and acting in a position of command.

In 1910 the Australian government invited Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson to visit Australia and advise on naval matters generally. His report submitted in 1911, has been principally adopted. It provided for 52 vessels and 15,000 men. Expenditure on construction works extending over 20 years £40,000,000 with an ultimate annual naval vote of nearly £5,000,000. The 52 vessels would consist of 8 armored cruisers, 10 protected cruisers, 18 destroyers, 12 submarines, 3 depot ships, 1 fleet repair ship. Six naval bases and ? sub-bases were recommended. The strength of the fleet would be twenty-three ships in 1918, forty-eight ships in 1928, and fifty-two ships in 1933. In the earlier years portion of the crews would be obtained from Great Britain, but this would cease in the period 1923-28.

The construction of the three destroyers ordered by the first Fisher Ministry namely, the Parramatta, Yarra and Warrego was proceeding. The Parramatta was built at Govan-on-Clyde, launched and christened 9th February 1910, commissioned September 1910, arrived in. Australia December 1910. The Yarra was launched and christened at Dumbarton the 9th April 1910, commissioned in September 1910, arrived in Australian waters December 1910. The Warrego. built in Great Britain, was shipped to Sydney in parts and re-erected in the Government dockyard Cockatoo Island, christened and launched on the 4th April, 1911, commissioned on the 1st June, 1912.

The Yarra and Parramatta left Portsmouth on the 19th September 1910 on their voyage to Australia, marmed by crews which had been sent from Australia to work them. The Admiralty loaned thirty ratings to furnish the complements. The Admiralty also arranged for the cruiser H.M.S. Gibraltar to sail to Australia in company with the destroyers. She accordingly kept in touch with the destroyers throughout the voyage ; they arrived in Australian waters December 1910.

These destroyers were each of 700 tons displacement, with a length of 245 feet ; beam of 24 feet 3 inches ; draft, 8 feet 11 inches depth 14 feet 9 inches. They have turbines, water-tube boilers and oil fuel, and have a legend speed of 26 knots. The armament consists of one 4 inch 30-pounder, three 12 pounders, and three 18-inch deck discharge tubes for torpedoes. The radius of action at cruising speed is nearly 3,000 miles. The complement is 66 officers and men. Three other destroyers, the Torrens, Swan and the Huon, were built by the Commonwealth at Cockatoo, and two submarines of the " C " class were obtained from England.

The battle cruiser Australia ordered by the Deakin-cook Ministry was placed in construction by the British Admiralty early in 1910 ; tenders being invited in January of that year. The first portion of the keel was laid on 23rd June 1910, the cruiser was launched on 25th October 1911 ; completed in November 1912 ; commissioned in June 1913, and arrived in Australian waters in September 1913. The ship is of the Dreadnought type ; Indomitable class ; about 19,200 tons, with turbine engines. Her speed is 26 knots, her armament eight 12-inch and sixteen 4-inch guns, and five torpedo tubes. She had an 8-inch armour belt amidships, and a 4-inch belt at the ends. The estimated total cost of the vessel is £1,800,000.

The light cruisers afterwards named the Melbourne and Sydney were ordered by the Deakin-Cook Ministry in 1909 to be built in Great Britain. The keel of the Sydney was laid on the llth February 1911, and that of the Melbourne on the 4th April 1911. Both these cruisers arrived in Australian waters in 1913. The third cruiser, named Brisbane, was built at the Commonwealth dockyard in Sydney. Pending the completion of the Brisbane the Admiralty lent to the Commonwealth, from the Royal Navy, the cruiser Encounter for service in the Australian navy. In March 1913, the Admiralty presented to the Commonwealth the cruiser Pioneer for service in the Australian navy.

In June 1911, His Majesty the King was graciously pleased to approve of the appellation " Royal" being used in connection with the naval forces of the Commonwealth. Accordingly the Permanent Naval Forces are designated as the Royal Australian Navy, the ships as His Majesty's Australian Ships, and the reserves as the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (M) and (O). The naval forces are administered by a board (known as the Naval Board) which was appointed in March, 1911. Its headquarters are at the Navy Office, Melbourne.