No pleasure cruise : the story of the Royal Australian Navy

This comprehensive history of the Royal Australian Navy covers the naval branch of the Australian armed forces from its inception in 1901 to the present day. The early days as the government created a national navy out of the remnants of old colonial fleets, the decades of using the British model, the transformation to a more American style of navy, and the gradual growth into one of the world's strongest and most respected forces on the seas are outlined in this historical retrospective. A comprehensive, easy-to-read history of the Royal Australian Navy from its inception in 1901 to the present day. In 1901 Australia's fledgling Federal Government assumed the responsibility for the new nation's defence. Their first task was to take the aged and obsolete remnants of the colonies' navies and create a national navy to defend our island's coastal waters and overseas trade routes. For the first 40 years the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was designed to serve alongside the Royal Navy, and resembled it in everything but scale. After the Second World War the RAN developed along US lines but, despite these overseas ties, the RAN has developed its own proud character and tradition and has entered the twenty-first century as a confident and independent force in its own right. In No Pleasure Cruise , Australia's best-known naval historian, Dr Tom Frame, charts the RAN's emergence as one of the world's strongest and most respected navies, and its evolving relationship with the Australian public, press and parliament. In 1901 Australia's fledgling Federal Government assumed the responsibility for the new nation's defence. Their first task was to take the aged and obsolete remnants of the colonies' navies and create a national navy to defend our island's coastal waters and overseas trade routes.

For the first 40 years the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was designed to serve alongside the Royal Navy, and resembled it in everything but scale. After the Second World War the RAN developed along US lines but, despite these overseas ties, the RAN has developed its own proud character and tradition and has entered the twenty-first century as a confident and independent force in its own right.

In No Pleasure Cruise, Australia's best-known naval historian, Dr Tom Frame, charts the RAN's emergence as one of the world's strongest and most respected navies, and its evolving relationship with the Australian public, press and parliament. In 1901 Australia's fledgling Federal Government assumed responsibility for the new nation's defence. Its first task was to take the aged and obsolete remnants of the colonies' navies and create a national navy to defend our island's coastal waters and overseas trade routes.For the first 40 years the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was designed to serve alongside the Royal Navy, and resembled it in everything but scale. After the Second World War the RAN absorbed some American customs but, despite these overseas ties, the RAN has developed its own proud character and tradition and has entered the twenty-first century as a confident and self-reliant maritime force.In No Pleasure Cruise, Australia's best-known naval historian, Dr Tom Frame, charts the RAN's emergence as one of the world's most capable and highly respected navies, and its evolving relationship with the Australian public, press and parliament. Title page......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 16 1 Strategic sea base? 1770-85......Page 22 2 Pax Britannica, 1786-1855......Page 39 3 Colonial navies, 1856-1900......Page 60 4 National navy, 1901-13......Page 86 5 First test, 1914-19......Page 115 6 Trials and tribulations, 1920-38......Page 144 7 Global war, 1939-41......Page 164 8 The continent under threat, 1942-45......Page 187 9 Wars and rumours of wars, 1946-64......Page 213 10 'Up Top', 1965-72......Page 242 11 Finding a niche, 1973-89......Page 265 12 Across the seas, 1990-2003......Page 288 13 The new millennium......Page 318 Further reading......Page 321 Index......Page 326