HMAS Sydney (R17)

For other ships with the same name, see HMAS Sydney and HMS Terrible.

HMAS Sydney arriving in Port Melbourne in 1949
History
Australia
Namesake	City of Sydney
Builder	HM Dockyard Devonport, England
Laid down	19 April 1943
Launched	30 September 1944
Commissioned	16 December 1948
Decommissioned	30 May 1958
Recommissioned	7 March 1962
Decommissioned	12 November 1973
Reclassified	Training ship (22 April 1955) Fast troop transport (7 March 1962)
Motto	"Thorough and Ready"
Nickname(s)	Vung Tau Ferry (as fast troop transport)
Honours and awards	Battle honours: Korea 1951–52 Vietnam 1965-72 plus five inherited honours
Fate	Sold for scrap in 1975
Badge
General characteristics as aircraft carrier
Class and type	Majestic class aircraft carrier
Displacement	15,740 tons (standard) 19,550 tons (deep)
Length	630 feet (190 m) between perpendiculars 698 feet (213 m) overall
Beam	80 feet (24 m)
Draught	25 feet (7.6 m)
Propulsion	4 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers Parsons single reduction geared turbines 2 shafts
Speed	24.8 knots (45.9 km/h)
Complement	1,100 (peace) 1,300 (war) Both include Fleet Air Arm personnel
Sensors and processing systems	2 x 227Q 1 x 293M 1 x 960/281BQ 1 x YE 1 x 961
Armament	30 x Bofors 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns (18 single mountings, 6 twin mountings)
Aircraft carried	Up to 38 aircraft
Notes	Taken from:
General characteristics as fast troop transport
Type	Fast Troop Transport
Displacement	14,380 tons (standard) 19,550 tons (full load)
Boats & landing craft carried	6 x LCM Mark VI (1968 onwards)
Complement	544 core Increased up to 1000 when necessary
Armament	4 x Bofors 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns (4 single mountings)
Aircraft carried	4 x Wessex helicopters (occasionally embarked)
Notes	Other characteristics as above Taken from:

HMAS Sydney (R17/A214/P241/L134) was a Majestic class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She was built for the Royal Navy and launched as HMS Terrible (R93) in 1944, but was not completed before the end of World War II. Instead of entering British service, the ship was sold to Australia and renamed, and commissioned into the RAN in 1948.

Sydney was the first of three conventional aircraft carriers^(I) to serve in the RAN. She was the only RAN aircraft carrier, and the first carrier owned by a Commonwealth Dominion, to be involved in combat: operating primarily off the west coast of Korea during the Korean War. Sydney also served as the RAN flagship and a training vessel during the first part of her career. The carrier was paid off into reserve in 1958, but was refitted as a fast troop transport and reactivated in 1962. During the second part of her career, Sydney was used to transfer soldiers and equipment to and from Vũng Tàu as part of Australia's contribution to the Vietnam War, completing 25 voyages between 1965 and 1972 and earning the nickname "The Vung Tau Ferry".

Sydney was decommissioned in 1973, and was not replaced. Despite several plans to preserve all or part of the ship as a maritime museum, tourist attraction, or car park, the carrier was sold to a steel mill in South Korea for scrapping in 1975.

Construction and acquisition

The ship was laid down by HM Dockyard Devonport in England as HMS Terrible on 19 April 1943, with the Viscountess Astor presiding over the ceremony. She was the only aircraft carrier of the Colossus or Majestic classes to be constructed in a 'royal dockyard': a dockyard owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She was launched on 30 September 1944 by the wife of British politician Duncan Sandys. Work on the ship continued until the end of World War II, when the Admiralty ordered the suspension of all warship construction.

Launch of HMS Terrible, which would later become HMAS Sydney

A post-war review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee recommended that the RAN be restructured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve at any given time, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947; Terrible and sister ship Majestic, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was fitted out as a flagship and was the closer of the two ships to completion, construction was finished without major modification. Although Terrible was due for completion on 24 June 1948, a skilled labour shortage affected the installation of the ship's boilers, causing the Admiralty to revise the delivery date to October 1948.

A commissioning crew for the aircraft carrier was raised in Australia from the ship's company of the decommissioned cruiser Hobart, which departed from Sydney aboard HMAS Kanimbla in June 1948. Ex-Royal Navy sailors were used to fill out the carrier's complement. Terrible was handed over to the RAN on 16 December 1948, and was commissioned at noon as HMAS Sydney.

One of the reasons behind the choice in name was so AU£426,000 raised by the HMAS Sydney Replacement Fund after the loss of the light cruiser HMAS Sydney in 1941 could be accessed. Sydney was the last vessel to be commissioned into the RAN as 'His' Majesty's Australian Ship: as after the death of King George VI on 6 February 1952 and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, all RAN ships became 'Her' Majesty's.

Design

Sydney was part of the six-ship Majestic class of light fleet carriers. The class was a modified version of the Colossus class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability. These two classes of carriers were intended to be 'disposable warships': they were to be operated during World War II and scrapped at the end of hostilities or within three years of entering service. Sydney was the second ship of the class to enter service, following Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent. These two carriers were the closest to completion at the end of World War II, and were finished without major deviation from the wartime construction plans.

The carrier had a standard displacement of 15,740 tons, and a deep displacement of 19,550 tons. Her length was 630 feet (190 m) between perpendiculars and 698 feet (213 m) at her longest point, with a beam of 80 feet (24 m) and a draught of 25 feet (7.6 m). Sydney was fitted with four Admiralty 3-drum boilers, which provided steam to Parsons single reduction geared turbines driving two propeller shafts, and allowed the ship to reach speeds of 24.8 knots (45.9 km/h). The average size of the ship's company in peacetime was 1,100, but could be increased to 1,300 for wartime deployments. Refitting the ship to serve as a transport reduced the standard displacement to 14,380 tons and the ship's company to a core of 544, which was supplemented by personnel from the Royal Australian Navy Reserve when required.

The Admiralty predicted that all Majestic class carriers would require upgrades to their aircraft lifts and arrester gear in the early 1950s, in order to operate the faster and heavier carrier aircraft under development. Originally, the RAN wanted to upgrade Sydney to the same or similar standard as sister ship Melbourne, allowing her to operate modern jet aircraft with the installation of an angled flight deck and mirror landing aid, with these modifications occurring after Melbourne had been delivered. However, financial and manpower restrictions led to the cancellation of this program.

Armament, systems, and aircraft

Sydney was initially armed with thirty 40-millimetre (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns: eighteen single mountings and six twin mountings. During her refit as a troop transport, the carrier's armament was reduced to four single Bofors.

Some of Sydney’s Bofors guns firing during gunnery practice in 1951

The carrier's radar suite included two Type 277Q height-finding sets, one Type 293M surface search set, one Type 960/281BQ long-range air warning set, one YE, and one Type 961 air search set.

A Sea Fury preparing to take off from Sydney during her flight trials in January 1949

As an aircraft carrier, Sydney operated with the 20th and 21st Carrier Air Groups (CAGs), which were assigned alternately to the carrier. The former was made up of 805 and 816 Squadrons, while the latter was made up of 808 and 817 Squadrons. The carrier normally carried twenty-four aircraft, split evenly between Hawker Sea Fury fighters and Fairey Firefly attack aircraft. Two Supermarine Sea Otter amphibious aircraft were carried for rescue duties (but were never required for this purpose); they were not attached to any squadron, but operated as the 'Ship's Flight'. The amphibians were removed from the ship at the start of her Korean War deployment, and were replaced by helicopters. During the carrier's Korean War deployment, 805 Squadron was added to the 21st CAG to form a 38-strong wartime air group.

While undergoing conversion into a troop transport, the ability to operate aircraft was removed from Sydney. However, on seven of the troopship's twenty-five voyages to Vietnam, a flight of four Westland Wessex helicopters sourced from either 725 or 817 Squadron was embarked to provide anti-submarine surveillance.

Operational history

1949–1951

Sydney did not commence service until 5 February 1949, as necessary modifications were still being completed. On 25 December 1948, while still fitting out in Devonport, a helicopter from USS Columbus carrying Santa Claus became the first aircraft to land on Sydney’s flight deck. The ship's sea trials and post-commissioning workup were not without event: in early December 1948, a 771 Naval Air Squadron de Havilland Mosquito crashed while helping Sydney calibrate her radar suite, killing both British aircrew, and a RAN pilot undergoing landing qualifications aboard HMS Illustrious on 17 March 1949 crash-landed, killing nobody but destroying his and four other Fairey Fireflies.

Sydney passing through the Sydney Heads for the first time on 28 May 1949

The carrier sailed from Devonport on 12 April 1949, carrying the 20th Carrier Air Group (CAG): 805 and 816 Squadrons of the RAN's new Fleet Air Arm. Sydney arrived at Jervis Bay on 25 May, where the aircraft of the 20th CAG, plus training equipment, were offloaded and transported to the new naval air station, HMAS Albatross, before the carrier proceeded to her namesake city. The carrier was made Flagship of the Australian Fleet on 25 August. 20th CAG embarked again during August, with Sydney performing exercises in Australian and New Guinea waters until late November. The carrier resumed exercises and cruises with her aircraft embarked from January to April 1950, visiting south-east Australia and New Zealand, before Sydney departed for England on 7 June to collect the 21st CAG (808 and 817 Squadrons). The CAG was embarked in October, and the carrier delivered them to Australia in December. In late October, the British Admiralty suggested that Sydney be sent from England to serve in the Korean War as relief for HMS Theseus and her worn-out catapult, but this was withdrawn because of the plan's drawbacks.

On 29 January 1951, Sydney was part of an eighteen-ship fleet present in Sydney Harbour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Australia's Federation. Following this, the carrier joined a multinational training exercise in south-east Australian waters, then visited Hobart for the Royal Hobart Regatta. During the exercise, a Sea Fury accidentally fired four practice rockets into the superstructure of the New Zealand flagship, HMNZS Bellona: although an inquiry concluded that the pilot had unintentionally pressed the fire button, it was later found that radiation from Sydney’s radio aerials at certain frequencies could trigger the aircrafts' firing circuits. Sydney was presented with the Gloucester Cup in April 1951, recognising her as the most efficient ship in the RAN for 1950. April also saw the rotation of the two CAGs, and on 3 May the carrier's first fatality occurred when a Sea Fury crashed following a failed rocket-assisted take off.

Korean War (1951–1952)

Firefly aircraft on board HMAS Sydney during her Korean War deployment

See also: Military history of Australia during the Korean War

In March 1951, the First Sea Lord requested that Sydney be deployed to Korea, to maintain a British carrier presence while HMS Glory underwent refits in Australia. The request was agreed to, and on 14 May a wartime CAG of 38 aircraft was formed by incorporating the Sea Furies of 805 Squadron into the 21st CAG. Because RAN Fireflies were optimised for anti-submarine warfare and were consequently not fitted with cannon, they were swapped out for cannon-equipped RN aircraft, which were returned at the end of Sydney’s deployment. After completing pre-departure exercises, during which several aircraft were destroyed in non-fatal weather-induced deck crashes, Sydney and the destroyer HMAS Tobruk sailed for Korea on 31 August. While en route, the carrier's aircraft were used for a fly-past demonstration over Rabaul on 6 September, following civil unrest. On her arrival, Sydney became the first aircraft carrier owned by a Commonwealth dominion to see wartime service.^(II)

A map of the Korean peninsula. Sydney operated primarily off the west (left) coast, although she was deployed to the east (right) coast on occasion.

Sydney was attached to the United States Navy (USN) Seventh Fleet and assigned to Task Element 95.11, which operated primarily off the western coast of Korea. The carrier was on station in the operational area for patrols averaging nine to ten days in length, with the next nine days spent in Sasebo, Nagasaki for replenishment and leave: Sydney’s patrols alternated with a USN carrier (initially USS Rendova, which was replaced in December by USS Badoeng Strait) to maintain constant coverage in the area. RAN aircraft primarily performed air strikes against North Korean units and supply lines, with secondary duties including aerial reconnaissance, providing targeting information for naval bombardments, combat air patrols, and anti-submarine patrols. During her deployment, the carrier operated an unarmed USN Sikorsky Dragonfly (designation UP28, which acquired the nickname "Uncle Peter") in the search-and-rescue and plane guard roles. This was the first helicopter to operate from an Australian warship, and the first use of USN equipment by the RAN. Operations with the helicopter convinced the RAN to acquire a squadron of three Bristol Sycamores, which became the first helicopter squadron in Australian military service.

Sydney’s first patrol commenced on 4 October. The first two days were spent providing air support for efforts to push the front line away from the Han River. Sydney was briefly repositioned off the east coast, with her aircraft ordered to fly strike missions near Wonsan. Sydney returned to operations off the west coast, and on 11 October, set a record for light carrier operations when her aircraft flew 89 sorties during the day, with 31 of her 38 aircraft aloft at one point. Following her first patrol, the carrier sailed to Sasebo, Nagasaki to resupply, but on 14 October all ships were ordered to sea to avoid Typhoon Ruth. The order to clear the anchorage was given the morning before the typhoon hit, but because of the number of ships present, Sydney was unable to leave until late in the day, and departed during the worst part of the storm. A Firefly, a 16-foot (4.9 m) motor dinghy, and a forklift were lost overboard, six other aircraft parked on the deck were destroyed, and the carrier experienced winds in excess of 68 knots (126 km/h)—the ship's wind recorder broke at this reading.

The Sikorsky S-51 helicopter UP-28, or "Uncle Peter", hovering above Sydney′s flight deck

Sydney’s second patrol began on 18 October, with her aircraft involved in strikes against North Korean units, coastal shipping, railway bridges, and other supply routes. They also performed their first close air support mission on 21 October, providing cover for the 1st Commonwealth Division. Two Sea Furies were shot down on 25 October; both pilots escaped unharmed. The next day, during a moderately successful strike involving five RAN aircraft against a railway tunnel, a Firefly was shot down 75 miles (121 km) inland, deep inside North Korean territory. It was considered unlikely that a rescue helicopter would reach the crash site and return safely, mainly because it was at extreme helicopter range, and some of the return flight would occur in darkness. Despite this, the USN aircrew of Uncle Peter volunteered to attempt the rescue. The observer was quickly taught how to use the Australian Owen submachine gun, and the helicopter launched at 1622 hours. The four RAN aircraft provided cover for the two downed personnel until they were ordered to return to the carrier; two of the Fireflies met Uncle Peter at 1715 hours, and turned around to escort the helicopter. At 1733 hours, Uncle Peter arrived at the crash site and collected the RAN aircrew, with covering fire provided by the two escorting Fireflies and the helicopter's observer. All three aircraft were at extreme fuel limits on their return: the two Fireflies barely made it back to Sydney, while Uncle Peter arrived at Kimpo airfield at 1830 hours and had to land with the aid of truck headlights. The rescue was the longest helicopter rescue transit over North Korean territory during the war, and Uncle Peter's pilot was awarded both the British Distinguished Service Medal and the United States Navy Cross: the only instance of the two medals being awarded for the same action. Sydney was relieved by USS Rendova on 27 October and returned to Kure.

Sydney at anchor in Korean waters during 1951

Sydney began her third patrol on 5 November, operating on the west coast of Korea under the escort of Canadian destroyers Athabaskan, Cayuga, and Sioux, and United States destroyers Hanna and Collett. On the same day, the first RAN casualty of the war occurred, when a Sea Fury pilot failed to pull up from a strafing run. Despite foul weather, the carrier's aircraft continued to attack lines of supply and communication, and provide support to United Nations ships. On 12 November, one day before the patrol ended, the 1000th combat sortie was flown. After replenishing in Sasebo, Sydney, escorted by HMAS Tobruk and the British light cruiser HMS Belfast, sailed to Hŭngnam on 18 November. The ships joined Task Force 95.8 to aid a USN bombardment of Hŭngnam during 20–22 November: aircraft from Sydney performed strikes against coastal artillery batteries, barracks, industrial areas and railway lines, and provided an air patrol for the ships. At the conclusion of the two-day operation, Sydney returned to the west coast, but was prevented from resuming operations by snow and high winds until 27 November, a day before being relieved.

In mid-December, UN Command temporarily switched some of the responsibilities of Task Element 95.11 and the US Fifth Air Force. Consequently, Sydney was required to provide air support to convoys between Japan and Korea amongst the other duties of her fifth patrol, which commenced on 7 December. On 8 December, a second RAN pilot was killed; although successfully bailing out from a flak-damaged Sea Fury, he was struck by the tail of his own aircraft, later dying from the wounds. Four other aircraft were damaged that day. Clear weather, which lasted until 14 December, allowed the carrier to maintain a high rate of attack against North Korean troop concentrations, railways, and coastal vessels, while providing air cover for the Task Element. Ending on 18 December, the fifth patrol was the most costly to Sydney’s CAG, with one pilot killed, five aircraft destroyed, and another 25 aircraft heavily damaged. The carrier was in Kure, Hiroshima for Christmas, before commencing the sixth patrol on 27 December by relieving USS Badoeng Strait. The remaining days of 1951 were spent providing air cover in the Inchon area for both UN ground forces and supply convoys returning to Japan. On New Year’s Day 1952, Sydney’s aircraft helped repel the North Korean invasion of the island of Yongho Do. The third RAN pilot to be lost in Korea died on 2 January while performing an air patrol around the carrier; observers on the flight deck saw the aircraft fly into a cloud, but not emerge. No wreckage was found, and it is assumed that the plane dived into the Yellow Sea. For most of the patrol, RAN aircraft were assigned to strike missions against artillery emplacements and concentrations of junks in the Cho Do-Sok To area, while also proving air support for South Korean Army and irregular forces.

Deck crew working on a Sea Fury during a snow storm

Sydney’s seventh and final patrol commenced on 16 January, with HMAS Tobruk, HMCS Sioux, USS Hanson, and USS Radford accompanying. This patrol was marked by minimal flying activity, the result of extremely poor weather and a lack of coordination between UN forces and the convoys RAN aircraft were meant to escort. The primary targets for strike missions were changed from North Korean supply line infrastructure to water towers, as they took longer to repair. On the final day of the patrol, aircraft from Sydney did not fly at all, as overnight weather conditions had rendered all of the deck-parked aircraft unusable: five were completely encased in frozen sea water. On 25 January, Sydney was relieved by HMS Glory, with the Australian carrier sailing for home.

During the 122-day deployment to Korea, Sydney completed seven patrols: flying operations were conducted for 42.8 days, poor weather stopped operations for 11.7 days, transits to and from the operational area or between assignments consumed 29.5 days, and 38 days were spent in harbour. During this time, RAN Sea Furies flew 1,623 sorties, while the Fireflies flew 743, with the aircraft using 802 bombs, 6,359 rockets, and 269,249 rounds of 20-millimetre (0.79 in) ammunition between them. Three RAN pilots were killed and a fourth seriously wounded, while thirteen aircraft were lost: nine shot down by North Korean flak artillery (which damaged Sydney’s aircraft on at least ninety other occasions), and four to deck accidents or foul weather. Replacement aircraft were loaned from British Far East reserve supplies.

During the deployment, it was estimated that RAN aircraft damaged or destroyed 66 bridges, 141 pieces of rolling stock, over 2,000 structures, 469 watercraft, and 15 artillery pieces, along with causing over 3,100 North Korean casualties. Australian damage assessment practice was considered to be conservative when compared to other forces, and claims of great underestimation by the RAN were made by US personnel inspecting the aftermath of RAN attacks. Personnel from Sydney and her CAG received four Distinguished Service Crosses (one with bar), one Distinguished Service Medal, ten Mentions in Dispatches, and two United States Legions of Merit. Most of the personnel aboard would have been eligible for the Australian Active Service Medal, the Korea Medal, the United Nations Service Medal for Korea, and the Returned From Active Service Badge, while Sydney herself was awarded the battle honour "Korea 1951–52". The carrier's presence in Korea allowed the Australian government to avoid deploying additional Australian soldiers.

1952–1958

During her return from Korea, Sydney was used to ferry Spitfires and Vampires between several British bases in Southeast Asia. After a brief refit, Sydney embarked the 20th CAG for refits in June 1952, before proceeding on a round-Australia cruise. The carrier visited Manus Island, was present off the coast of the Montebello Islands for the first British atomic bomb test, Operation Hurricane, on 3 October, and arrived back in her namesake city in November.

In March 1953, Sydney departed for England with representatives from each of the three branches of the Australian and New Zealand militaries for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The carrier and her aircraft participated in the Coronation Fleet Review on 15 June, and visited Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Panama, Hawaii, and New Zealand on the return voyage. On 17 July, while en route to Pearl Harbor, the 10,000th deck landing was carried out by a Firefly. Sydney left Fremantle on 27 October 1953 for a second deployment to Korea, to support United Nations enforcement of the July 1953 armistice. This deployment, which concluded in January 1954, was mostly uneventful compared to the first, with flight operations limited to patrols along the demilitarised zone established by the armistice. During operations in Korea, one pilot died when his Sea Fury crashed into the ocean, while another pilot was killed and an aircraft handler seriously injured in separate deck accidents. Sydney returned to Fremantle on 2 June 1954.

Sydney (background) escorting Melbourne (foreground) during the final leg of the latter's delivery voyage

A planned upgrade of Sydney to a similar standard as modified sister ship Melbourne was cancelled in 1954, and she was prepared for service as a training ship. The carrier's embarked aircraft were flown off for the last time on 22 April 1955, and Sydney underwent a brief reorganisation during 26–29 April before she departed for New Zealand waters on her first training cruise on 2 May.

On 1 May 1956, Sydney met Melbourne off Kangaroo Island during the latter's delivery voyage. The two carriers sailed together for the remainder of Melbourne’s delivery voyage, visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay before arriving in Sydney on 10 May. Three days later, the flagship role was transferred from Sydney to Melbourne. After this, Sydney continued on a program of training cruises throughout Australian and New Zealand waters, and visited the Far East Strategic Reserve to participate in a South East Asia Treaty Organisation multi-fleet exercise during September and October 1956. Following an appraisal purpose by the RAN, during which Sydney′s potential usefulness as a commando carrier, aircraft transport, or troopship was considered, the ship was paid off into Special Reserve on 30 May 1958 as surplus to requirements. Sydney could be reactivated for use as a transport, but required at least four months notice.

Fast Troop Transport (1958–1965)

From 1958 to 1960, opinion within the Australian military swung between reactivating Sydney as a fast troop transport ship and disposing of her. The Australian Army saw the need for a transport vessel, particularly if war broke out in Southeast Asia: Australian forces would need to be rapidly deployed to the conflict, and sealift was the only way to effectively move the required number of personnel, equipment, and vehicles. However, the RAN did not want the cost of converting and maintaining Sydney coming from their share of the defence budget, as they felt there was no further use for her. As both strategic airlift and sealift through the use of other naval or civilian vessels were unfeasible, Sydney was reactivated and converted into a fast troop transport ship during 1961 and 1962. All of her aircraft operating equipment was removed, her hangar was converted into accommodation and storage, and the flight deck was studded with tie down points for vehicles and other cargo. Her armament was reduced to four single-mounted 40 mm Bofors. Sydney was recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport on 7 March 1962, but did not enter operational service until 1963. She was given the pennant number A214, and was assigned back to the training squadron.

From April 1962 onwards, Sydney was used to train the ship's company and Army personnel for the troop transport role, while supplementing the RAN's regular training needs. The troopship first saw full use in her new role in August 1963, when she was used to support an amphibious landing at Hervey Bay, Queensland during Exercise Carbine. In October 1963, during a naval training cruise, five personnel drowned in the Whitsunday Islands. Over several days, groups of trainee officers and sailors had been ordered to take one of the ship's whaleboats on a twelve-hour voyage around Hayman and Hooke Islands; out of the sight of both the carrier and her escort, the destroyer HMAS Anzac. The third group boat left Sydney at around 0500 hours with a midshipman and four trainee sailors aboard, and was believed to have capsized four to five hours later. Despite poor weather, Sydney’s captain had declined an offer by Anzac’s captain for the destroyer to move to the north of Hayman Island in case of incident, and a search party was not sent until after the boat failed to return at 1900 hours. A Board of Inquiry was held aboard Sydney, which resulted in the ship's captain, executive officer, and training officer facing courts-martial. The latter two were acquitted, and although the captain was found guilty on one of the charges brought against him, it was dropped on a technicality relating to the wording of the charge.

Sydney’s first overseas deployment as a transport was to Southeast Asia in 1964. In late May, the ship was loaded with supplies and munitions for Malaysian forces in support of the country's defence policy against Indonesia. 1,245 personnel were also embarked: engineers from the 7th Field Squadron, the Royal Australian Artillery's 111th Light Anti-aircraft Battery, and four UH-1 Iroquois helicopters plus associated air- and ground crew from No. 5 Squadron RAAF. Sydney departed Garden Island just after midnight on 24 May. After entering New Guinea waters, the ship was put on high alert; radio and radar silence was enforced, while the anti-aircraft guns of the 111th Battery were secured to the ship's deck to supplement her armament. Sydney met the destroyer escorts Yarra and Parramatta off the Philippines on 3 June, and a day later, the ships arrived at Kota Kinabalu, where the 7th Field Squadron was offloaded with the aid of the Australian Army landing ships Vernon Sturdee and Clive Steele. Sydney and her companions left for Singapore at midnight on 5 June, arriving three days later and offloading 250 tonnes of ammunition. Sydney and Parramatta then proceeded to Penang, where the 111th Battery, No. 5 Squadron, defence stores, and more munitions were offloaded during 16-17 June, before the two ships sailed for Australia. On the morning of 23 June, a suspected Indonesian submarine was detected: the two Australian ships performed evasion tactics for eighteen hours before resuming the voyage to Fremantle.

Vietnam War (1965–1972)

See also: Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War

The main feature of the second half of Sydney’s career was the twenty-five voyages the ship made to Vietnam in support of the 1st Australian Task Force between May 1965 and November 1972.^(III) Sydney, along with the civilian vessels Jeparit and Boonaroo, was used to transport the majority of the Australian personnel and equipment contributed to the Vietnam War effort. These voyages earned Sydney the nickname "Vung Tau Ferry". The visits to Vietnam were interspersed by other duties, and Sydney continued to function as a training ship, with up to 30 midshipmen and 200 trainee sailors aboard at any given time.

Vũng Tàu

Saigon

class=notpageimage|

A map of Vietnam, showing its location in Southeast Asia. The port of Vũng Tàu (marked) was Sydney′s destination for all twenty-five voyages to Vietnam.

Sydney normally transported 450 soldiers—the main force of a Royal Australian Regiment battalion—plus equipment and vehicles on each voyage. The soldiers were accommodated in the sailors mess decks, with the sailors displaced to the hangar. Vehicles were secured to the flight deck, while other cargo was packed onto pallets and stored either in the hangar or on the flight deck. Although it was originally intended that Sydney would sail to and from Saigon, the ship's commanding officer at the time of the first voyage, John Crabb, informed the Naval Board that he would refuse orders to do so, as the Saigon River could easily be mined after Sydney had sailed up. Instead, the port of Vũng Tàu was selected as the destination, with soldiers and equipment transferred to shore by helicopters, landing craft, and barges. During the early voyages, unloading and reloading was a multiple-day process, with the transport moving to deeper waters each night, but improved cargo handling practices, upgrades to Sydney (including the installation of three new cargo cranes and six embarked landing craft during mid-1967 refit), and increased access to US cargo- and troop-carrying helicopters, reduced this to a single day by 1967.

Because of the perceived threat from Chinese submarines while in transit and from North Vietnamese swimmers with limpet mines while in harbour, Sydney was always escorted by at least one other RAN vessel. While in harbour, boats from Sydney and her escort would patrol around the troopship, while divers regularly inspected the hull, propellers, and anchor chain for explosives. On seven voyages, Sydney carried four Westland Wessex helicopters for anti-submarine surveillance, sourced from 725 or 817 Squadron.

During May 1965, Sydney was undergoing a refit at Garden Island, when she was ordered to prepare the ship for her first voyage to Vietnam. The refit was hastily completed, and cargo loading started on 23 May. A blanket media ban concerning the ship was issued, and soldiers of 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and the Prince of Wales's Light Horse armoured regiment, along with a logistics unit and a group of journalists were covertly transported to the ship on 26 May in order to foil any protest attempts. Sydney began her departure at 0139 hours; leaving Sydney Harbour with only her navigational lights lit. The troopship was in Vũng Tàu from 8 to 11 June, and returned to Fremantle on 26 June. Sydney was escorted by the destroyer Duchess for the entire voyage, and was joined by HMA Ships Parramatta, Melbourne, and Vampire for parts of the voyage. The second voyage required to load equipment and troops in both Sydney and Brisbane before the troopship departed from the latter on 14 September. Initially accompanied by Melbourne and Anzac, Sydney was handed over to Duchess and Vendetta off Manus Island six days later. The three ships reached Vũng Tàu on 28 September, and departed two days later: after clearing the Market Time area, the two destroyers headed for Hong Kong, while Sydney proceeded to Subic Bay, then her namesake city, where she arrived on 20 October. Despite these deployments, Sydney was later presented the Gloucester Cup for 1966; being the most efficient vessel in the RAN that year.

Sydney sailed to Vietnam for the third time on 24 April 1966, with units from both 5th and 6th Battalion aboard.^(IV) She met her escorts, Vampire, Yarra, and Melbourne en route: the two smaller ships accompanied Sydney into Vũng Tàu from 4 to 6 May, while the aircraft carrier Melbourne left the group as soon as they reached the Vietnam operational area. Sydney and her escorts arrived in Hong Kong on 9 May, with the troopship returning to Sydney on her own on 18 May. On 25 April, Sydney departed on her fourth voyage to Vietnam.^(V) Carrying the remaining units of 5th and 6th Battalion, plus equipment and personnel of No. 9 Squadron RAAF and escorted by Yarra, Melbourne, Derwent, and Vendetta for varying sections of the voyage, Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 6 June. The voyage officially ended with the arrival of Sydney and Vendetta in Hong Kong on 11 June. In November, Sydney provided assistance to the submarine USS Tiru, which ran aground on Frederick Reef.

On 1 March 1967, the ensign flown by RAN ships was changed from the British White Ensign to the Australian White Ensign. Sydney became one of only two RAN ships to undergo wartime service under both ensigns—the other being Vendetta—and the only RAN ship to fly two ensigns during the same conflict. With 7th Battalion embarked, Sydney departed her namesake city on 8 April for her fifth voyage to Vietnam. With Vampire escorting and Westland Wessex helicopters aboard for the first time, the troopship spent 20 April disembarking 7th Battalion in Vũng Tàu before arriving in Singapore two days later. On 28 April, the two ships left Singapore on the sixth voyage, to collect 5th Battalion RAR. The battalion was embarked on 30 April, with Sydney arriving home on 12 May. Although officially recorded as two separate voyages, the fifth and six voyages are sometimes counted as a single trip, because Sydney did not return to Australia in between.

Sydney’s seventh voyage began on 19 May from Brisbane, with 2nd Battalion and a company from 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment—the first New Zealand infantry force sent to Vietnam. Sydney and the destroyer escort Stuart reached Vũng Tàu on 30 May, where the troopship's passengers were offloaded by Chinook helicopters and replaced by 6th Battalion. The ships left Vietnam on the same day, and arrived in Brisbane on 14 June. The eighth voyage required Sydney to transport 3rd Battalion from Fremantle. Departing on 20 December, Sydney was met by Yarra en route, with the two ships arriving in Vietnam on 27 December, and returning to Fremantle on 3 January 1968.

On 17 January 1968, Sydney departed Sydney on her ninth voyage to Vietnam. Meeting Stuart off Singapore on 25 January, the two ships visited Sattahip, Thailand on 31 January before continuing on to Vietnam. Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 3 February, and departed the same day for home; arriving in Sydney on 16 February. Sydney’s tenth voyage began on 27 March, with 1st Battalion embarked for their second Vietnam deployment, and the destroyer escort Parramatta meeting the troopship off Singapore. The battalion was delivered to Vũng Tàu on 9 April, with 7th Battalion onboard for the return to Australia, where they arrived on 26 April. The eleventh voyage saw Sydney, with the destroyer Anzac escorting, depart Brisbane on 21 May with 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment aboard. The ships arrived at Vũng Tàu on 1 June, where 4th Battalion was replaced by 2nd Battalion for the return voyage to Brisbane, which was reached on 13 June. After this voyage, Sydney underwent an extensive refit in which she was fitted with three new Favalle Favco-type cargo cranes and modified to carry six Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) on davits. 16 landing craft were constructed for use with Sydney, but half were put up for sale in the early 1970s. Sydney’s twelfth voyage was to deliver 9th Battalion to Vietnam. The troopship sailed from Fremantle on 13 November, and met the destroyer Duchess off Singapore on 18 November. 9th Battalion was delivered to Vũng Tàu on 20 November, while 3rd Battalion and a damaged de Havilland Caribou were loaded for the return trip, which concluded in Fremantle on 28 November.

At the start of 1969, the RAN's ship designation and numbering system was altered from the British pennant system to a new system based on the United States' hull classifications. Sydney was assigned the designation P214. The troopship began her thirteenth voyage on 8 February 1969, when she sailed from Fremantle with 5th Battalion aboard. Sydney and the destroyer escort Derwent arrived in Vũng Tàu on 15 February and departed the same day with 1st Battalion embarked, with the troopship reaching Townsville on 25 February. Sydney′s fourteenth voyage, to deliver 6th Battalion to Vietnam and return with 4th Battalion, commenced on 8 May when Sydney sailed from Townsville. She met the destroyer Vampire off Singapore on 14 May, reached Vũng Tàu five days later, and arrived back in Brisbane on 30 May. On 17 November, Sydney and the destroyer Duchess departed Brisbane on the troopship's fifteenth voyage to Vietnam, with 8th Battalion aboard. The ships reached Vũng Tàu on 28 November; 8th Battalion was replaced by 9th Battalion, which was delivered to Fremantle on 5 December.

Sydney, with 7th Battalion onboard, and the destroyer escort Yarra departed from Sydney for the sixteenth voyage on 16 February 1970. They arrived in Vietnam on 27 February, with Sydney embarking 5th Battalion for the voyage to Fremantle, where they arrived on 5 March. On 16 April, Sydney was one of 45 vessels from 13 nations assembled in Sydney Harbour to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary, marking James Cook's discovery of the east coast of Australia. Sydney sailed from Fremantle on 21 October on the seventeenth voyage to Vietnam. The troopship met the destroyer Vendetta off Manila, and reached Vietnam on 31 October, where 2nd Battalion was offloaded and 8th Battalion embarked. The two ships departed a day later, with Sydney reaching Brisbane on 12 November. Sydney’s eighteenth Vietnam voyage began when she left Adelaide on 15 February 1971. The troopship, carrying 3rd Battalion, met the destroyer escort Yarra en route, with both ships reaching Vũng Tàu on 25 February, where 7th Battalion boarded for the return voyage. On 2 March, two days before reaching Fremantle, the ashes of Rear Admiral Harold Farncomb were scattered from Sydney.

Sydney sailed again from Adelaide on 26 March for her nineteenth voyage, carrying general cargo and foreign aid supplies for Cambodia. She met the destroyer Duchess off Singapore on 3 April, and the two ships arrived in Vũng Tàu on 5 April. The voyage officially ended when Sydney and Duchess arrived in Hong Kong on 8 April. The twentieth voyage saw Sydney sail from Townsville on 13 May, with 4th Battalion embarked. She met Duchess and Parramatta en route, and reached Vũng Tàu on 22 May. The ships left a day later, with 2nd Battalion aboard for the voyage home. Sydney arrived in Townsville on 1 June. In July 1971, Sydney sailed to Esquimalt, British Columbia for Canada's centennial naval assembly, then visited San Diego to collect ten new A-4 Skyhawk aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm. On September 20, Sydney departed on the twenty-first voyage to Vietnam. The troopship first sailed to Singapore, where she offloaded equipment for the ANZUK force and met the destroyer escort Swan. The two ships were in Vũng Tàu for 6–7 October, during which 3rd Battalion was heli-lifted to Sydney for return to Australia, with the troopship arriving in Adelaide on 16 October. Ten days later, Sydney sailed from her namesake city for her twenty-second visit to Vietnam, with a cargo of Defence Aid stores. Meeting the destroyer escort Derwent en route, Sydney arrived in Vũng Tàu on 6 November, where the stores were offloaded and replaced by Australian personnel and equipment from assorted units over a two-day period. Arriving back in Sydney, the troopship left again on 24 November for her twenty-third voyage to Vietnam. Sydney met Swan off Subic Bay, then arrived in Vũng Tàu on 8 December, where 4th Battalion RAR, the 104th Battalion of the Royal Australian Artillery, and No. 9 Squadron were embarked for the return to Australia. During the day, the ship was visited by South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, who thanked the efforts of the Australian military during the Vietnam War. Sydney arrived in Townsville on 17 December.

Sydney departed for her twenty-fourth voyage to Vietnam on 14 February 1972, with the troopship and the destroyer escort Torrens reaching Vũng Tàu on 28 February, where 457 Australian soldiers from various units boarded. Leaving the next day, Sydney reached Townsville on 9 March and arrived in her namesake city three days later, concluding the military involvement of the RAN in the Vietnam War. Sydney underwent refit between 22 May and 20 October, then departed her namesake city on 1 November for her twenty-fifth journey to Vietnam, with a cargo of defence equipment and foreign aid supplies for South Vietnam and the Khmer Republic. Sydney and the destroyer Vampire reached Vũng Tàu on 23 November, leaving a day later with miscellaneous Australian equipment aboard. During the return voyage, Sydney encountered the disabled merchant ship Kaiwing, and towed her 450 nautical miles (830 km) to Hong Kong for repairs, arriving on 30 November.

During her voyages to Vietnam, Sydney transported 16,902 soldiers, 5,753 deadweight tons of cargo, 2,375 vehicles, and 14 aircraft. Initially, personnel from Sydney, the other transport ships, and their escorts, could not claim time served on logistics or escort deployments towards the active service requirements of the Vietnam Medal, the Australian Active Service Medal, or the Returned From Active Service Badge, as the Department of Defence, in an attempt to limit the cost of repatriation benefits, took the stance that these ships were not elegible as they were not directly in combat. Following numerous campaigns to change this, the Australian Government issued the Returned from Active Service Badge to all these personnel in 1986, and allowed them to receive military service pensions. Further campaigning and legal challenges resulted in the creation of the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal in 1992, which was presented as a campaign medal to personnel who did not meet the requirements for the Vietnam Medal, but were still involved in the conflict. Similar efforts were made to have Sydney’s service recognised with a battle honour: according to Nott and Payne, such a battle honour is yet to be awarded as of 2008, although a 2006 Department of Defence press release lists the honour "Vietnam 1965–72" among those awarded to the ship.

1972–1973

During 1973, the ship was assigned the pennant L134. Sydney visited Singapore in March, then sailed to New Zealand in April after returning to Australia: the ship participated in training exercises during both visits.

Decommissioning and fate

Sydney was originally slated for replacement in the 1960s, with rumours circulating that the new ship would either be an amphibious assault ship of the United States Iwo Jima class, or the British carrier HMS Hermes. The assault ship rumour was proven false by the early 1970s, while the acquisition of Hermes was still under discussion in the 1980s as a possible replacement for sister ship HMAS Melbourne.

Memorial windows for the first three HMA Ships Sydney (right) and the carrier HMAS Melbourne (left)

On 20 July 1973, the Australian Government decided that Sydney was to be decommissioned. A planned refit during 1973 and 1974 was cancelled, and on 12 November 1973, Sydney was paid off and marked for disposal. The ship had sailed 711,549 nautical miles (1,317,789 km) since she was first commissioned: 315,958 nautical miles (585,154 km) as an aircraft carrier and 395,591 nautical miles (732,635 km) as a fast troop transport. Following the decommissioning of Sydney, the Australian Defence Force did not possess a long-range troop transportation capability until the modified Round Table class landing ship HMAS Tobruk was commissioned in 1981.

Several plans for disposal were suggested by various companies and agencies. The Geelong Regional Tourist Authority wanted the ship moored in Corio Bay for use as a maritime museum, convention centre, and floating casino. The Naval History Society of Australia suggested that the island superstructure be removed and located in The Rocks as a maritime museum, while the owners of the Sydney Opera House planned to use the ship as a floating car park. Tenders closed on 7 October 1975, and the ship was sold on 30 October for breaking up as scrap metal to the Dongkuk Steel Mill in Seoul, South Korea for AU$673,516. Sydney was towed from her namesake city by a Japanese tugboat on 23 December 1975, leaving at 1 pm.

Sydney’s service, along with the previous two ships of the name, is commemorated by a stained-glass window at the Garden Island Naval Chapel. The carrier's chapel and bell were removed and installed at the naval base HMAS Moreton in 1974, then were relocated to the Australian National Maritime Museum's collection in the 1980s. One of Sydney’s anchors is displayed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS Albatross.

Footnotes

• ^(I) For the purpose of this article, a conventional aircraft carrier is defined as a ship designed primarily to launch and recover multiple fixed-wing aircraft from a flight deck, and operated as such. This definition does not include seaplane tender HMAS Albatross, or the Canberra class amphibious warfare ships.
• ^(II) Two aircraft carriers (HM Ships Puncher and Nabob) were crewed by Canadians during World War II. However, these were commissioned into the Royal Navy, which had in turn received them on loan from the United States Navy as part of the Lend-Lease program.
• ^(III) Other sources give a smaller number of voyages to Vietnam by Sydney. The 25-voyage figure and the associated dates are taken from Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act. The smaller figures come from treating the fifth and sixth visits to Vũng Tàu as a single voyage because Sydney did not return to Australia in between, not counting the twenty-fifth voyage because it was not directly part of Australia's war effort, or not counting the nineteenth and twenty-fifth voyages because they were not carrying Australian troops or equipment.
• ^(IV) The departure date listed in Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act conflicts with the ship's records: the latter gives Sydney’s departure date for the third voyage as 22 April.
• ^(V) The departure date listed in Section s5B(2)(c) of the Veterans Entitlement Act conflicts with the ship's records: the latter gives Sydney’s departure date for the fourth voyage as 24 May.

References

Books

• Andrews, Graeme (1973). Fighting Ships of Australia & New Zealand (1973–1974 ed.). Kogarah, NSW: Regency House. ISBN 0909262004. OCLC 868367.
• Australian Naval Aviation Museum (ANAM) (1998). Flying Stations: a story of Australian naval aviation. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1864488468. OCLC 39290180.
• Blackman, Raymond (ed.) (1968). Jane's Fleet Guide (1968–69). Jane's Fleet Guide (71st ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. OCLC 123786869. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
• Cassells, Vic (2000). The Capital Ships: their battles and their badges. East Roseville, NSW: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0731809416. OCLC 48761594.
• Cecil, Michael K. (2009). Mud & Dust: Australian Army Vehicles & Artillery in Vietnam. Sydney: New Holland. ISBN 9781741107678.
• Cooper, Alastair (2001). "The Korean War Era" & "The Era of Forward Defence". In Stevens, David (ed.). The Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195541162. OCLC 50418095.
• Dennis, Peter (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195517842. OCLC 271822831. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Donohue, Hector (1996). From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs (No. 1). Canberra: Sea Power Centre. ISBN 0642259070. OCLC 36817771. ISSN 1327-5658. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
• Fairfax, Denis (1980). Navy in Vietnam: a record of the Royal Australian Navy in the Vietnam War 1965–1972. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0642028214. OCLC 9854447.
• Frame, Tom (2004). No Pleasure Cruise: the story of the Royal Australian Navy. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1741142334. OCLC 55980812.
• Frame, Tom (1992). Pacific Partners: a history of Australian-American naval relations. Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 034056685X. OCLC 27433673.
• Frame, Tom (1992). Where fate calls: the HMAS Voyager tragedy. Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0340549688. OCLC 26806228.
• Gillett, Ross (1988). Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946. Brookvale, NSW: Child & Associates. ISBN 0867772190. OCLC 23470364.
• Gillett, Ross (1977). Warships of Australia. MacDougall, Anthony; Graham, Colin (illustrations). Adelaide, SA: Rigby. ISBN 0727004727. OCLC 4466019.
• Grey, Jeffrey (1998). Up Top: the Royal Australian Navy and Southeast Asian conflicts, 1955–1972. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1864482907. OCLC 39074315.
• Hall, Timothy (1982). HMAS Melbourne. North Sydney, NSW: George Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0868612847. OCLC 9753221.
• Ham, Paul (2007). Vietnam: the Australian war. Pymble, NSW: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780732282370. OCLC 225613062.
• Hobbs, David (2005). "HMAS Sydney (III): a symbol of Australia's growing maritime capability". In Stevens, David & Reeve, John (ed.). The Navy and the Nation: the influence of the Navy on modern Australia. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1741142008. OCLC 67872922.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
• Lind, Lew (1986) [1982]. The Royal Australian Navy: Historic Naval Events Year by Year (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Reed Books. ISBN 0730100715. OCLC 16922225.
• MacDougall, Anthony K. (2002) [1991]. Australians at War: a pictorial history (2nd ed.). Noble Park, VIC: The Five Mile Press. ISBN 1865038652. OCLC 51053454.
• McCaffrie, Jack (2007). "Korea: The first challenge for Australian naval aviation". In Stevens, David & Reeve, John (ed.). Sea Power ashore and in the air. Ultimo, NSW: Halstead Press. ISBN 9781920831455. OCLC 271328006.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
• Nott, Rodney (2008) [1994]. The Vung Tau Ferry: HMAS Sydney and Escort Ships (4th ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. ISBN 9781877058721. OCLC 254773862. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Pfennigwerth, Ian (2008). Tiger Territory: The untold story of the Royal Australian Navy in Southeast Asia from 1948 to 1971 (Google Books). Kenthurst, NSW: Rosenberg. ISBN 9781877058653. OCLC 191754413. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
• Wright, Anthony (1998) [1978]. Australian Carrier Decisions: the acquisition of HMA Ships Albatross, Sydney and Melbourne. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs (No. 4). Canberra: Sea Power Centre. ISBN 0642295034. ISSN 1327-5658. OCLC 39641731. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

Journal articles

• Hobbs, David (Winter 2004). "British Commonwealth Carrier Operations in the Korean War". Air & Space Power Journal. 18 (4): 62–71. ISSN 1555-385X.
• Hobbs, David (2007). "HMAS Melbourne (II) - 25 Years On". The Navy. 69 (4): 5–9. ISSN 1332-6231. {{cite journal}}: Check |issn= value (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

Websites and press releases

• "HMAS Sydney (III)". Sea Power Centre - Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
• "Australian White Ensign". Sea Power Centre - Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
• "Next generation of naval ships to reflect a rich history of service" (Press release). Department of Defence. 20 January 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2009.

External links

Media related to HMAS Sydney (R17) at Wikimedia Commons

• The Vung Tau Ferry - A short video depicting Sydney’s fifteenth troop transport voyage to Vietnam