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31 Mar 2020 Japanese destroyer, Chinese fishing boat collide in East China Sea
A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer Shimakaze (DDG-172) and a Chinese fishing boat collided in the high seas of the East China Sea in the evening hours of March 30.  The incident took place about 650 kilometers west of the Japanese island Yakushima, Joint Staff Japan said in a statement.  More.....
31 Mar 2020 First Navy female Warrant Officer leaves a lasting legacy
The Navy community is mourning the passing of one of the Royal Australian Navy’s most influential sailors, who died aged 82 in Brisbane.  Agnes ‘Lennie’ Maiden was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer.  Warrant Officer Maiden served in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) for nearly 29 years, from 1956 until 1984, and continued to support the Navy through the WRANS Association during retirement.  More.....
31 Mar 2020 NUSHIP Sydney arrives at Fleet Base East, Sydney
31 Mar 2020 New Digital Diploma to support shipbuilding capability
Australia’s first digital shipbuilding course has commenced today as part of the Government’s $90 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan.  The Diploma of Digital Technology will change traditional shipbuilding in Australia by educating participants on digital technologies, and connecting workers and information systems to build the $35 billion Hunter Class Frigate Program.  More.....
30 Mar 2020 Pandemics and climate change mean it’s time to consider ANZUS hospital ships
If the recent bushfire crisis and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have taught us anything, it’s that Australia has an opportunity to evaluate its coordination on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).  The tumultuous start to 2020 presents two key lessons.  Australia and its ANZUS treaty partners need to work more closely together, and non-traditional security threats need to be factored more heavily into Australia’s military strategy, particularly its naval strategy.  More.....
30 Mar 2020 Comfort Arrives in New York
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in New York March 30, 2020 in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts.  While in New York, the ship will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals, and will provide a full spectrum of medical care to include general surgeries, critical care and ward care for adults.  More.....
30 Mar 2020 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin deployment paused due to COVID-19
After careful deliberation, the Government has decided not to proceed with the 2020 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) deployment at this time, given ongoing restrictions associated with COVID-19.  Australia will work with the United States to devise options for a possible later deployment, subject to conditions improving and the viability of such a deployment proceeding.  More.....
30 Mar 2020 HMAS Toowoomba narcotics interdiction
HMAS Toowoomba has interdicted over 3,000 kilograms of illegal narcotics including hashish and heroin in the Gulf of Aden.  The Anzac class frigate is deployed under Operation MANITOU, Australia’s contribution to support international efforts to promote security, stability and prosperity in the Middle East Region.  More.....
30Mar 2020 Sketching naval life: the war art of Rex Julius
As the world marks 75 years since the end of the Second World War, the National Archives of Australia are highlighting the work of Able Seaman Rex Julius, a little-known war artist commissioned by the Australian War Memorial and Australian Military History Section in 1944.  War art gave the public a fresh perspective on a war that raged on frontlines far from home.  Sketches and paintings sent back to Australia were exhibited in galleries or published in magazines and newspapers.  More.....
30 Mar 2020 Video: Naval News Monthly Recap – March 2020
29 Mar 2020 Defence support to mandatory quarantine measures commences
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has deployed teams across the country to work in partnership with state and territory law enforcement agencies to conduct COVID-19 quarantine compliance checks.  The ADF will provide logistics support for the state and territory police as they enforce mandatory quarantine and isolation measures.  More.....
29 Mar 2020 USNS Mercy is ‘Open for Business’ Says Hospital Ship’s Top Doc
A day after pulling into its temporary home in the port of Los Angeles the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) Is ready to receive patients and take the pressure off local civilian hospitals inundated by the coronavirus.  “We are open for business today,” Capt. John Rotruck told USNI News by phone Saturday from the ship.  Rotruck commands the Medical Treatment Facility that’s staffed by more than 800 Navy medical and support personnel from 22 commands.  More.....
28 Mar 2020
Click here to download the March edition of "BROADSIDE".....

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27 Mar 2020 In the Pacific, a COVID-19 outbreak sidelines deployed aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt
To combat a growing outbreak of COVID-19 on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt, the Navy has ordered the ship to pull into Guam and have the whole crew of 5,000-plus sailors tested for the novel coronavirus, the service’s acting secretary announced Thursday.   “We found several more cases,” Thomas Modly said in a news conference.  "We are in the process of testing 100 percent of the crew of that ship.  More.....
27 Mar 2020 It costs the Navy $400K per flush to unclog its prized carrier’s oft-congested plumbing
The Navy’s prized new super carrier was meant to be a symbol of American military might over the world’s oceans, but it is the ship’s toilets and plumbing system that are proving to be obstacles the service has yet to master.  According to a Government Accountability Office watchdog report published Tuesday, the sewage system pipes onboard the super carrier Gerald R. Ford are too narrow to accommodate the amount of daily waste being flushed by crew of more than 4,000.  More.....
27 Mar 2020 NUSHIP Sydney arrives at Garden Island
Sydney residents had their first glimpse of their city’s namesake ship with the arrival of NUSHIP Sydney at Garden Island today.  The third and last Hobart Class Destroyer to join the Navy’s fleet entered Sydney Heads and made her way through the harbour, with contractors and ship’s company embarked.  More.....
27 Mar 2020 Construction commences for first Offshore Patrol Vessel in Western Australia
The Government’s $90 billion Continuous Naval Shipbuilding Program has reached a new milestone with construction on the first Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) to be built in Western Australia commencing.  This will be the third of twelve Arafura class OPVs, and the first to be built at the Civmec shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.  More.....
25 Mar 2020 HMAS Farncomb returns to Fleet Base West from Fleet Certification Period 2020

25 Mar 2020 ADF Skill at Arms Combat Shooting Competition 2020
24 Mar 2020 Japan commissions its first Maya Class guided missile destroyer
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force commissioned the first of two Maya Class, Aegis-equipped destroyers in a ceremony held on 19 March in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.  The first ship is the 170-metre-long JS Maya, which has been inducted into the service’s Escort Division 1 of Escort Flotilla 1 at the Yokosuka naval base shortly after being handed over by shipbuilding company Japan Marine United.  More.....
23 Mar 2020 France takes command of Combined Task Force 150
On March 19, 2020, Royal Australian Navy handed over command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) to a combined French/United Kingdom team.  At a ceremony in Bahrain, the team led by French Marine Nationale Captain Jacques Rivière assumed command of CTF 150 from Australian Commodore (CDRE) Ray Leggatt.  More.....
23 Mar 2020 Toowoomba and FS Guépratte exercise in Gulf of Aden
HMAS Toowoomba exercised with French Ship Guépratte in vicinity of the Gulf of Aden recently as part of the Australian warship’s support to Combined Task Force 150.  The CTF 150 mission is to stabilise the region, and disrupt weapon and narcotic smugglers supporting terrorism.  More.....
23 Mar 2020 2020 Anzac Day Schools’ Awards focus on Second World War
Students are being encouraged to learn more about Australia’s veteran community and commemorate the nation’s service men and women as part of the Anzac Day Schools’ Awards launched today.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the awards focus on recognising the service and sacrifice of Australians across a wider range of conflicts and peacekeeping operations, with this year’s theme centred around the effect of the Second World War on the Australian community.  More.....
20 Mar 2020 Veteran pensions set to increase
Veteran pension payments will increase in March in line with the biannual indexation process.  Pension recipients including veterans, their partners, war widows and widowers across Australia will see the increase from 20 March 2020.  Due to the calculation of pension rates on a daily basis, the first pension indexed on payday 26 March 2020 will comprise a component of both the old and new rates.  The new pension rates will be fully effective from pension payday 9 April 2020.  More.....
20 Mar 2020 Department of Defense Tests Hypersonic Glide Body
The Department of Defense successfully tested a hypersonic glide body in a flight experiment conducted from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, March 19 at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time (HST).  The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army jointly executed the launch of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB), which flew at hypersonic speed to a designated impact point.  More.....
20 Mar 2020 Australian minister laid keel for US Navy’s new littoral combat ship
Last week, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, laid the keel for the US Navy’s new Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Canberra.  The keel laying ceremony was held at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, on March 10, 2020.  The LCS 30 will be a 127-meter-long frigate-sized vessel designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions.  More.....
20 Mar 2020 Invictus Games The Hague 2020 postponed
The Invictus Games Foundation has announced that Invictus Games The Hague 2020, scheduled for 9­-16 May, will not proceed as planned and will likely be postponed as a necessary response to coronavirus COVID-19.  Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said Defence understands this is a difficult time for competitors and their families, but the health and wellbeing of the competitors must be Team Australia’s highest priority.  More.....
19 Mar 2020 US Navy hospital ships brace for coronavirus response
Two US Navy hospital ships will be part of the Defense Department’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman said.  The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy are being prepared for deployment “as needed to assist potentially overwhelmed counties with acute patient care,” Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the defense secretary for public affairs, said during a news conference at the Pentagon on March 18.  More.....
19 Mar 2020 Last wartime destroyer captain dies aged 105
The Royal Navy has lost its last link with a rare breed of men who helped deliver victory over the U-boat.  Lieutenant Commander John Manners, who has died aged 105, is believed to have been the last of the Royal Navy’s World War 2 destroyer captains.  As commanding officer of veteran destroyer HMS Viceroy, Manners sank U-1274 just three weeks before the wars end, pummelling the German submarine with depth charges just moments after it had torpedoed the tanker Athelduke off the Norwegian coast.  More.....
19 Mar 2020 Thales demonstrates maritime security capabilities of USVs
Thales, in partnership with L3Harris, has successfully demonstrated the growing capability of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) to support maritime security operations with the Royal Navy and French Navy.  Inexpensive and easy to deploy, mines – which can be improvised by hostile forces – are a growing menace. Until now, clearing them has been a personnel intensive and slow and dangerous process, even with four ships on permanent deployment.  More.....
19 Mar 2020 From the bookshelf: ‘Naval minewarfare: politics to practicalities’
Captain Chris O’Flaherty of the Royal Navy has produced a timely study of the theory and practice of naval mine warfare in a period when strategic and technological change are challenging traditional concepts of maritime operations.  Naval minewarfare, written by a serving British officer who is a deep specialist in mine warfare with extensive frontline experience, explains in clear and simple prose not only the mechanics of the trade, both offensive and defensive, but the history of mine warfare, its legal aspects, and contemporary doctrine and practice.  More.....
18 Mar 2020 Australia’s Attack-class submarines need competition
Australia’s strategic circumstances over the next few decades will mean we cannot afford to be without a submarine capability.  But that’s an area in which we are terribly vulnerable.  Serious concerns have been raised over both the ability of the future submarine program to produce the Attack-class boats and the time it will take to comprehensively upgrade the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines so that we avoid a capability gap.  More.....
17 Mar 2020 Increasing domestic manufacturing during COVID-19
The Federal Government is working with local industry to increase domestic production of medical protective equipment such as surgical face masks, sanitizer, goggles and gowns amid the outbreak of COVID-19.  Med-Con Pty Ltd – a manufacturer near Shepparton in regional Victoria – has increased production with the support of the Government and the Australian Defence Force.  More.....
16 Mar 2020 Understanding and preventing veteran suicide
All governments are committed to ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent suicide among our serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel following the recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said the agreement by state and territory leaders to support the establishment of a permanent and independent National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention to inquire into all suspected veteran and ADF suicides is a significant step forward in tackling this serious and complex national issue.  More.....
16 Mar 2020 Health and stimulus packages support veteran community
The Government is doing everything it can to protect our nation from the health and economic impacts of this global health issue, including veterans and their families.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said veterans and their families will benefit from the Government’s commitment of $2.4 billion to bolster the nation’s health system in response to COVID-19 as this situation evolves.  More.....
16 Mar 2020 Melbourne – A Great Maritime City
Melbourne has in effect turned its back on its rich maritime heritage. Melbourne was, and is still, a great port city.  Trade by sea was, and is still, crucial in underpinning Melbourne’s economic prosperity.  Melbourne remains the nation’s largest port.  This cultural and economic strength in Melbourne has not been adequately acknowledged in the public realm and thus far remains undervalued and inadequately exploited by government.  The Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (MMHN) was formed to address these ‘deficits’ and to facilitate cooperation, collaboration and coordination across stakeholder groups. https://www.mmhn.org.au/

The MMHN membership is not constrained by single-interest groups or confined to specific locations.  It seeks to sharpen the focus upon the richness of Melbourne’s maritime heritage and upon the crucial role of its port facilities in delivering social, cultural and economic benefits to Melbourne and regional Victoria.

If you wish to join the MMHN, download the membership form.....
16 Mar 2020 Guardian Class Patrol Boat Handover to Fiji Ceremony
14 Mar 2020

Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter)
President's March Musings are now available to download.....
13 Mar 2020 Russia’s Borei-class & Delta IV-class SSBNs to Deploy Burak-M EW Buoys
The Russian Navy will be protected against adversary antisubmarine aircraft and drones.  Burak-M buoys will make a sea area impenetrable.  Communications by all channels will be jammed or complicated to the maximum by the new system.  It is intended for Borey-class SSBN of project 955 and Dolphin-class of project 667BDRM, as well as diesel-electric submarines, the Izvestia writes.  More.....
13 Mar 2020 Germany plans to send a warship to the Indian Ocean
The German Navy plans to send its frigate Hamburg to the Indian Ocean in June to conduct port visits and partake in a regional, naval powwow on the French island of Réunion, the service announced March 12.  The air-defense vessel will begin its journey in May with interceptor test firings off the coast of Norway.  It is then scheduled to steam toward the Indian Ocean for a five-month training mission.  More.....
12 Mar 2020 UK: GBP 2.5M investment in XL autonomous submarine development
An initial GBP 1 million (USD 1.3 million) contract has been awarded to Plymouth-based company MSubs Ltd to build a test submarine that will be used to explore the potential capabilities of larger uncrewed underwater vehicles in the future, the UK Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) said.  Measuring about 30 feet in length, this extra-large autonomous submarine is significantly larger than autonomous submarines used for beach reconnaissance, allowing it to operate at a range of 3,000 nautical miles.  More.....
12 Mar 2020 HMAS Arunta fires Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile off WA coast
12 Mar 2020 Navy conducts mine clearance exercise
11 Mar 2020 Australia’s future submarine: the best Plan B is to make Plan A work
At this stage of Australia’s future submarine project, there is absolutely zero chance of the government adopting a Plan B.  Realistically, I doubt that the government—or the opposition if by some alternate miracle they were the government today—would reverse course on the submarine project now.  More.....
11 Mar 2020 Defence encourages women to consider a career in cyber
Following weekend celebrations around the world of International Women’s Day, women from across Defence participated in a day of cyber-centric activities as part of an initiative to encourage women to consider a career in cyber.   The Women in Cyber: Find Your Path event introduced women to the possibility of a cyber or cyber-related role within Defence.  More.....
10 Mar 2020 Australia's Future Submarine
This major report shows that Australia’s Future Submarine (FSM) project is extravagantly expensive, highly risky and, in an era of heightened tensions in the Indo Pacific, could compromise the future defence of Australia. It also proposes a Plan B risk mitigation strategy that should be considered very carefully by the government.  More.....
10 Mar 2020 First Australian submarine visit to Brunei
The Royal Australian Navy has conducted the first official port visit by a submarine to Brunei Darussalam. HMAS Dechaineux and her 59 member crew arrived at Muara Port on Saturday 7 March for a three-day visit as part of a regional deployment.  To mark the historic occasion, the Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan AO, welcomed Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni and His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah onboard HMAS Dechaineux to meet her crew.  More.....
10 Mar 2020 Maritime Advanced Force key to amphibious operations
A Maritime Advanced Force task unit has successfully demonstrated Navy’s ability to open and maintain sea lanes for amphibious operations during Fleet Certification Period 2020.  The task unit, comprising of Australian Clearance Diving Team One (AUSCDT ONE) and minehunters Huon and Diamantina, worked together to provide a persistent forward presence by undertaking mine clearance operations in Tasmanian waters to safely clear a route for an amphibious landing.  More.....
09 Mar 2020 Iwo Jima hero, 96, sees US warship commissioned in his honor
A 96-year-old war hero looked on as military officials commissioned a U.S. Navy warship in honor of the veteran, the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Iwo Jima.  The USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams was commissioned Saturday in Norfolk, Virginia, with the World War II veteran present.  More.....
08 Mar 2020 ADF confirms two cases of COVID-19 virus
Two members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 virus.  Having tested positive to COVID-19, they have been isolated.  Efforts to trace any contact are focussed on the two officers travelling to a meeting at Defence Headquarters, Russell, ACT on 28 February 2020.  More.....
08 Mar 2020 Destroyers left behind: US Navy cancels plans to extend service lives of its workhorse DDGs
In a move with sweeping consequences for the US Navy’s battle force, the service is canceling plans to add 10 years to the expected service lives of their stalwart destroyer fleet, a cost-savings measure that would almost certainly hamper plans to grow the size of the fleet.  In written testimony submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Navy’s Assistant Secretary for Research, Development and Acquisition James Geurts said performing service life extensions on Burkes designed to bring them up from 35-year hull lives to 45 years was not cost effective.  More.....
08 Mar 2020 China disputes report it fired laser at US Navy plane
China’s Defense Ministry says a report one of its navy ships fired a laser last month at a U.S. Navy surveillance plane circling overhead does not “accord with reality.”  The report last month was the latest accusation that Chinese forces have used lasers to harass and potentially damage U.S. and other nations' military aircraft and personnel.  More.....
08 Mar 2020 International Women’s Day – celebrating those who served
ON International Women’s Day we celebrate the achievements of women across society and give special thanks to those who have supported and served our country in military conflicts and peacekeeping operations.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said women have always played an important part in Australia’s rich military history and today we acknowledge and remember their service and sacrifice.  More.....
08 Mar 2020 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
As you would be aware, there is a currently an active outbreak across the world of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  The Australian Government, and in turn the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is taking this issue seriously and has activated all necessary precautions and procedures.  More.....
07 Mar 2020 Impressive woman from the past inspires serving senior sailor
Being part of the Navy was a dream job for Amy Vickers from Tasmania.  She did Cadets with TS Hobart and in Year 10 conducted work experience in the Fleet Air Arm at HMAS Albatross.  She joined the Navy shortly after her 16th birthday.  More.....
07 Mar 2020 Europe ship-killing missile passes first firing trial
The Sea Venom missile being jointly developed by France and the United Kingdom under the 2010 Lancaster House treaties has successfully completed its first qualification firing trial.  The trial took place at the French DGA procurement agency's test site at Ile du Levant on Feb. 20, but was only announced Friday.  More.....
07 Mar 2020 To combat the China threat, US Marine Corps declares ship-killing missile systems its top priority
The Marine Corps is all in on fielding mobile anti-ship missiles in the Pacific to challenge China’s growing Navy, declaring it in written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee’s seapower subcommittee to be its highest ground modernization priority.  More.....
07 Mar 2020 Good morning, Vietnam!
Sailors from the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and guided-missile cruiser Bunker Hill are visiting the Vietnamese port of Da Nang, a trip that includes sports competitions and community service projects.  The warships arrived Thursday, the Navy said in a news release, in time to commemorate a quarter-century of improving U.S. and Vietnamese diplomatic relations.  More.....
06 Mar 2020 Operation Bushfire Assist winding down quickly
The ADF’s Operation Bushfire Assist is winding down quickly, with fewer than 800 service personnel left on deployment.  The last international contingent has also re-deployed home, with the 43-person Indonesian Military Engineer contingent departing Australia on 4 March after completing support work in the Blue Mountains region of NSW.  More.....
06 Mar 2020 Fiji accepts Australian-gifted patrol boat
In the latest milestone for the Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia has handed over the newest Guardian-class patrol boat toFiji Fiji at a ceremony today at Austal Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.  The Republic of Fiji Military Forces’ RFNS Savenaca was received by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Minister for Defence, National Security and Foreign Affairs Inia Seruiratu, and Commander Republic of Fiji Military Forces Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto.  More.....
05 Mar 2020 Supporting local communities to remember our service personnel
Memorials, commemorative sites and activities aimed at preserving our military history will be funded right across Australia as part of the latest round of Saluting Their Service (STS) grants announced today.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the grants would support communities in recognising local Australian Defence Force service, with a wide variety of projects being funded, including activities to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  More.....
05 Mar 2020 Feasibility study to strengthen supports for Canberra’s veteran community
The development and delivery of an integrated, nationally connected service to support veterans and their families is being investigated through a joint Australian Government and ACT Government feasibility study.  The mental health and wellbeing of our country’s veterans is a complex, but crucial focus of our local and national governments. Funding of $80,000 will be provided to carry out this feasibility study and inform the next phase of work in this area.  More.....
05 Mar 2020 Supporting Australian communities for Anzac Day 2020
COMMUNITY organisations, including schools and other educational institutions, will start receiving this year’s Anzac Day mail-out of educational material from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to ensure they are well-equipped to educate our next generation on the importance of commemoration.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the mail-out provides schools and community groups with engaging tools to assist them in observing this national day of commemoration and honour those who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.  More.....
05 Mar 2020 Planning and arrangements for overseas Anzac Day services 2020
In the lead-up to Anzac Day, members of the public who are planning to attend services overseas are encouraged to register their attendance and travel plans.  Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said Anzac Day is very important to all Australians, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is still planning to deliver dawn services overseas at Gallipoli in Turkey and Villers-Bretonneux in France.  More.....
04 Mar 2020 French raise money for bushfires
The French town of Villers-Bretonneux launched a fundraiser in February to raise money for bushfire relief.  Villers-Bretonneux has never forgotten Australia.  In April 1918, against all odds, two Australian brigades helped liberate the French town from the Germans, at a cost of 1200 killed.  The Australian flag still flies over Villers-Bretonneux.  A plaque outside the town hall tells the story of the events of 1918, and kangaroos feature over the building’s entrance.  The main street is named Rue de Melbourne.  More.....
04 Mar 2020 HMAS Toowoomba on patrol in the Middle East
03 Mar 2020 Toowoomba provides overwatch in Strait of Hormuz
HMAS Toowoomba has completed the first patrol of her six month deployment to the Middle East on Operation MANITOU.  Toowoomba was assigned to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) in support of international efforts to maintain freedom of navigation, international law, and the free flow of commerce in the Middle East region (MER).  More.....
03 Mar 2020 The Voyage of the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance
02 Mar 2020 Be prepared for a global Chinese Navy
Retired US Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt has painted a rather startling image of China’s growing maritime power projection and global naval ambitions, with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) expected to be the world’s largest navy by 2035.  Naval power has always played a critical role in the way great powers interact – competitions to design the most powerful warships often characterising the great power competitions of the past.  More.....
02 Mar 2020 Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 01 tracked in waters near Christmas Island off Western Australia
A high-tech Chinese research vessel has been detected mapping strategically important waters off the Western Australian coast where submarines are known to regularly transit.  In January and February, officials closely tracked the movements of the oceanographic ship as it conducted deepwater surveys in the Indian Ocean near Christmas Island and the Australian mainland.  More.....
02 Mar 2020 Arunta kicks goals in Portland during FCP20
The crew of HMAS Arunta took a short break from the Royal Australian Navy’s first major exercise this year to visit the seaside community of Portland, Victoria.  Once alongside, the helicopter frigate engaged in a busy schedule of sporting events and official functions.  Arunta’s Commanding Officer, Commander Troy Duggan, thanked Portland for the warm welcome and said giving back to the Australian communities that supported the service was a key focus for Navy.  More.....
01 Mar 2020

Navy League of Australia(Vic-Tas Div)
March newsletter is now available to download..... 
01 Mar 2020 FlyBy
A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia.
March issue.....
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Information of Interest

Request for Committal of Ashes to the Sea.  Download form.....


Current Repatriation Benefits for Gold Card Veterans -
As of 01 January 2018
This is a list of products that are available on a Doctor's prescription for Gold Card Repatriation Patients.  Download the list.....


DVA Mobile Apps

The new Operation Life mobile application is designed to help those at risk deal with suicidal thoughts and is recommended to be used with the support of a clinician.

The High Res (High Resilience) app helps you manage stress, build resilience and optimise performance on the go.

The PTSD Coach Australia app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma.

ON TRACK with the Right Mix mobile app from the Department of Veterans Affairs helps you to keep track of the number and types of drinks you consume; the amount of money it's costing you and lets you know about the impact the alcohol has on your wellbeing and fitness levels.


Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions
Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions (GARP) is used to assess the extent of incapacity from war caused or defence caused injury or disease for the purposes of determining the rate of pension.  Download.....


Planning ahead kit

Overview: Planning Ahead is a publication designed to help veterans and their families prepare for bereavement.  There is also a checklist that can be used to record the contact details of important people, businesses and organisations that may need to be notified in case of your death.  Download.....


DVA Concessions Fact Sheets
Factsheet CON01 - Concessions in NSW
Factsheet CON02 - Concessions in Vic
Factsheet CON03 - Concessions in QLD
Factsheet CON04 - Concessions in SA
Factsheet CON05 - Concessions in WA
Factsheet CON06 - Concessions in Tas
Factsheet CON07 - Concessions in NT
Factsheet CON08 - Concessions in ACT


War Service


Check your ship's eligibility for war service.....