HMAS Australia was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy. Laid down in Scotland in 1925, the ship entered service in 1928. She served predominantly in the South-West Pacific until the beginning of World War II, when she was tasked to the northern Atlantic. In 1942, Australia was reassigned as flagship of the ANZAC Squadron, where she supported US naval and amphibious operations throughout South-East Asia. A series of kamikaze attacks during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf led to Australia being recalled for repairs in the United Kingdom, where she remained until the end of the war. In her later years, Australia served as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan and as a training ship. She was sold for scrap in 1955.Photo: Allan Green; restoration: Chris Woodrich
You must be logged in to post a comment.