HMAS AUSTRALIA

MEMORIAL HIGHLIGHT

HMAS Australia (I)

Battle Cruiser, First World War

When the Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1911, a powerful fleet of warships was acquired as part of the Australian Fleet Unit. The Unit’s flagship vessel was HMAS Australia, an Indefatigable class battle cruiser. The battle cruiser actively served during the First World War, saw mutiny onboard, survived collisions at sea, sank enemy vessels and later became a training ship. HMAS Australia was scuttled off Sydney Heads on 12 April 1924.

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Sticker: HMAS Australia, 1913-1924
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Sticker: HMAS Australia, 1913-1924 - bell design
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T-shirt: HMAS Australia, 1913-1924 [child]
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Iconic images

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In the National Collection

The ship's bell from HMAS Australia (I) has been preserved in the Australian War Memorial's National Collection.

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About HMAS Australia (I)

Type: Battle cruiser
Make: John Brown & Company
Model: Indefatigable Class
Name: HMAS Australia (I)
Service: Royal Australian Navy
Conflict: First World War

1910-13: Built

1914-19: Military service

1924 (12 April): Scuttled

When the Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1911, a powerful fleet of warships was acquired as part of the Australian Fleet Unit. The Unit’s flagship vessel HMAS Australia, an Indefatigable class battle cruiser, was commissioned in 1911 and arrived in Sydney Harbour on 4 October 1913. Following the outbreak of the First World War, Australia assisted in the capture of German colonies in the South Pacific. The battle cruiser went on to serve with the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, saw mutiny onboard, survived collisions at sea and sank enemy vessels. Post-war, HMAS Australia became a training vessel before being decommissioned and scuttled off Sydney Heads on 12 April 1924. That same year, the RAN commissioned a County-Class Heavy Cruiser, which bore the same name: HMAS Australia (II).

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Despite the cruiser’s inevitable demise, in compliance with the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, the ship’s bell, screw (propeller), and a 12 inch armour piercing shell were acquired by the Australian War Memorial and preserved in the National Collection.

Take a look at these items, held in the Memorial's National Collection to discover more of the story.

View the Ship’s bell.

View the Screw (propeller).

View a scale model of HMAS Australia (I).

Please note: all links listed below are to external websites.

For more details about HMAS Australia (I):

REFERENCES
Images: Australian War Memorial 300238, EN0548, RELAWM04469.

Information compiled primarily from references on the Australian War Memorial's website.