HMAS Mk 4 the RAN's Fourth Book. (1945)

HMAS Mk 4, the RAN's Fourth Annual Book. (1945)
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H.M.A.S. Mk IV WRITTEN AND PREPARED BY SERVING PERSONNEL of THE R.A.N. Published for THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY by AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, CANBERRA, A.C.T. 1945
	DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE, PAST AND PRESENT, WHO "FEAR GOD, HONOUR THE KING"
Set up, printed and bound in Australia by Halstead Press Pty Limited, 9-19 Nickson Street, Sydney, 1945. Registered in Australia for transmission through the post as a book.

EDITORIAL NOTE

WITH this present volume, "H.M.A.S. Mk. IV", we close the series of books chronicling the achievements of the ships and personnel of the Royal Australian Navy in the late war. In thus putting a period to a task, a feeling of regret is inescapable. The work of editing these books, because of the ready and cheerful support given-by contributors in the ships and shore establishments, by the officers of the Australian War Memorial Board, by the official war artists and photographers, and by the printers-has been easy and pleasant and the source of considerable gratification.

Throughout the series, we have stuck to "H.M.A.S." as the title for our books. We believe it could not have been bettered. Year by year it enabled us to aim for a higher mark, and our contributors have backed us up nobly. Furthermore the title reflected in the books that continuity which is a feature of Naval Service. For the whole of the war the Navy was on the job all over the place all of the time. There was always an H.M.A.S. on its lawful occasions somewhere, whatever the hour of the day or night. So "H.M.A.S." it became and remained.

We apologize for the delay in production on this occasion. Various factors contributed-and to those of you who have become impatient we would say, "Don't you know there's a peace on?" Yes! That helped too. The conclusion of hostilities set us back, since we wanted to get everything clewed up with surrenders and so forth. Then demobilization delayed us, and what with one thing and another we got badly astern of station. But here we are at last and none the worse, we hope, for overstaying our leave in this way.

To all of you who have contributed-and there is some good stuff in these pages as well as some for which space was regrettably unavailable-we say "Thank you", and say it sincerely. You've had good stories to tell and you've told them well. It might be mentioned in passing that sub-editing has been in all volumes of "H.M.A.S." practically non-existent.

In this Volume we lift the veil of anonymity that has cloaked our contributors. Our final pages are devoted to a list of pseudonyms and names. We are glad thus to discharge part of our debt.

Where thanks are due to so many, it is invidious to make distinctions. On this occasion, however, we feel that, because of the magnitude and continuity of their labours on our behalf over four years, we should be privileged to make special mentions. We are especially indebted to the Officers and Secretarial Staff of the Military History Section-which Section has been tireless in its assistance to us, and the source of invaluable sound advice and practical help. We are also especially indebted to Miss Una Woods of the Naval Historical Records Section. She has been intimately concerned in the production of all four books, and has given unstintingly of her spare time in keeping an unsystematic editor in some sort of order, and in performing all the multifarious secretarial duties that the production of these books has involved.

But it is to everyone connected with that production that credit is due for such success as has been achieved. And to all of these we extend -our appreciative thanks.

THE EDITORS.

FOREWORD

THROUGH four volumes, of which "H.M.A.S. Mk. IV" is the last of the series, serving personnel of the Royal Australian Navy have recorded the achievements of their Service in the war recently concluded.

The tale which is told within the limits of these books is necessarily brief, and is but an outline of events and experiences. This outline tells us, however, something of the growth of Australia's Navy to maturity, and of the role-by no means unimportant nor insignificant role it played in the latest and greatest illustration of the potency and triumph of sea power.

The recent conflict was on a scale never before known. In the huge sea, land, and air forces involved; in the might and power of the weapons used; in the widespread areas of fighting and the length of lines of communication and individual battle fronts, it exceeded any war in history. Commensurate with the vastness of the struggle, its outcome was a decision on the fate of humanity. Sea power decided that outcome.

More men, munitions, and implements of war; more raw materials and foodstuffs for civilian populations; greater massed striking power than had previously been conceived, were transported-in the face of fierce and continued opposition by powerful enemies-across the oceans and seas of the world by the Allied Nations. Everything depended on the unbroken flow of that transportation. Without it, Britain, the key island fortress of democracy, could not have carried on the fight. Lacking it, our sister Services and those of our gallant Allies could not have forced either Nazi Europe or Japan to capitulation.

Allied sea power - exercised by surface vessels, by underwater craft and by aircraft - proved equal to the occasion. The struggle was without remission and unrelenting, but from the first to the last days of the war the Allied navies kept control of the oceans and of most of the seas. By virtue of that control their own coasts were held secure from invasion and, in the fullness of time and mounting strength, the enemies' defences were breached and their defeat assured.

From the first to the last days of the war the R.A.N. was represented, by ships and personnel, in the battle for supremacy at sea. They took part in every rearguard action in the days when the tide was against us. They participated in the invasions of enemy territory that came with the resurgence of Allied strength, right through to the final assaults on the Japanese home islands.

These "H.M.A.S." books tell something of the story. They tell more. They disclose to us something of the character of the men who manned our ships.

That character matches the story. Because of it we may look to the past, though with regret for lost shipmates, and with sober thankfulness and gratitude for our deliverance from a great peril, yet with pride in the achievements of our ships and our men. And we may face a difficult future, in which so many of us are returning to what is practically a new life as civilians, with the faith and confidence born of experience.


	Admiral, First Naval Member, Chief of the Naval Staff.