List of Royal Australian Navy losses

Last updated

This is a list of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels which were damaged or sunk causing loss of life, in warlike and non-warlike circumstances. The list includes incidents involving equipment (helicopters, whaleboats) attached to ships and naval establishments. The list excludes losses on non-RAN vessels (including attacks on merchant shipping), merchant seaman deaths, and other losses (including prisoner of war deaths). Fatalities include all lives lost on the named vessel at each incident.

By far the bloodiest conflict for the RAN was the Second World War, when 2,170 serving RAN personnel [1] and 845 Australian merchant seaman [2] died from all causes.

DeathsVesselEventConflict/OperationLocationDateVessel fate
645 HMAS Sydney Engaged with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in a mutually destructive battle World War II off Western Australia 19 November 1941lost [3]
353 HMAS Perth Battle of Sundra Strait - sunk by Japanese cruiser World War II Sunda Strait, Dutch East Indies 28 February - 1 March 1942lost [4]
138 HMAS Parramatta Torpedoed by German submarine U-559 while supplying Australian garrison in Tobruk World War II off Tobruk, Libya 27 November 1941lost [5]
138 HMAS Yarra Naval battle with Japanese fleet World War II between Java and Western Australia 4 March 1942lost [6]
100 HMAS Armidale Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft World War II Arafura Sea 30 November 1942lost [7]
84 HMAS Canberra Battle of Savo Island - attacked by Japanese naval vessels World War II off Savo Island, British Solomon Islands 9 August 1942scuttled [8]
82 HMAS Voyager Collision with HMAS Melbourne Peacetime Jervis Bay, Australia 10 February 1964lost [9]
35 AE1 Diving accident World War I off Neulauenburg Islands (Duke of York Islands), German New Guinea 14 September 1914lost [10]
31 HMAS Matafele Lost, presumed accidentally sunk World War II near China Strait, Territory of Papua 20 June 1944lost [11]
30 HMAS Australia Battle of Leyte Gulf - possible Japanese Kamikaze attack World War II Leyte Gulf, Philippines 21 October 1944damaged [12]
25 HMAS Australia Invasion of Lingayen Gulf - Kamikaze attack World War II Lingayen Gulf, Philippines 6 January 1945damaged [13]
24 HMAS Goorangai Accidental collision with MV Duntroon World War II Port Philip Bay, Australia 20 November 1940lost [14]
21 HMAS Kuttabul Torpedoed by Japanese submarine World War II Sydney Harbour 1 June 1942lost [15]
14 HMAS Australia Invasion of Lingayen Gulf - Kamikaze attack World War II Lingayen Gulf, Philippines 6 January 1945damaged [16]
13 HMAS Hobart torpodoed by Japanese submarine World War II off Espírito Santo, British Solomon Islands 20 July 1943damaged [17]
13 HMAS Perth Aerial attack from German aircraft World War II off Sphakia, Greece 29 May 1941damaged [18]
10 HMAS Nizam Freak wave washes crew overboard World War II off Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia 11 February 1945undamaged [19]
9 HMAS Vampire Indian Ocean raid - Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft World War II off Ceylon 9 April 1942lost [20]
9 817 Squadron RAN (helicopter) helicopter crash during earthquake relief operations Operation Sumatra Assist Nias, Indonesia2 April 2005lost (aircraft)
8 HMAS Patricia Cam Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft World War II off Arnhem Land, Australia 22 January 1943lost [21]
8 HMAS Tarakan Accidental explosion while undergoing repairsPeacetime Garden Island, New South Wales, Australia 25 January 1950scrapped [22]
7 HMAS Pirie Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft World War II Oro Bay, Territory of New Guinea 11 April 1943damaged [23]
6 HMAS Nizam Aerial attack from German aircraft World War II off Tobruk, Libya 21 October 1941damaged [24]
5 HMAS Sydney (whaleboat) Whaleboat capsizes during training exercisePeacetimeoff Hayman Island, Australia 17 October 1963undamaged
4 HMAS Sydney Naval battle with German raider World War I Cocos (Keeling) Islands9 November 1914damaged [25]
4 HMAS Nestor Aerial attack from Italian aircraft World War II off Crete, Greece 15 June 1942scuttled [26]
4 HMAS Warrnambool Struck mine while carrying out clearance workPeacetimeoff northern Queensland 13 September 1947lost [27]
4 HMAS Westralia Onboard firePeacetimeoff Western Australia 5 May 1998damaged [28]
4 HMAS Perth Aerial attack from German aircraft World War II off Crete, Greece 30 May 1941damaged [29]
4 HMAS Tambar Accidental attack from shore battery World War II off Moreton Island, Queensland 4 March 1942damaged [30]
3 HMAS Australia (plane) Operation Menace - HMAS Australia's spotting plane shot down by Vichy France aircraft World War II off Dakar, French West Africa 25 September 1940lost (aircraft)
3 HMAS Swan Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft during bombing of Darwin World War II Darwin, Australia19 February 1942damaged [31]
3 HMAS Lismore Whaleboat capsizes while transporting crew World War II Jervis Bay, Australia 10 February 1941undamaged [32]
3 HMAS Wallaroo Accidental collision with US Liberty Ship Henry Gilbert Costin World War II off Fremantle, Western Australia 11 June 1943lost [33]
2 HMAS Arrow Collision with wharf caused by Cyclone Tracy Peacetime Darwin, Australia 25 December 1974lost [34]
2 HMAS Kanimbla (helicopter)Onboard helicopter crash Operation Quickstep off Fiji 29 November 2006lost (aircraft)
2 HMAS Hobart Accidental aerial attack from US aircraft Vietnam War off Con Co Island, Democratic Republic of Vietnam 17 June 1968damaged [35]
2 HMAS Arunta Invasion of Lingayen Gulf - Kamikaze attack World War II Lingayen Gulf, Philippines 6 January 1945damaged [36]
2 HMAS Napier Freak wave washes crew overboard World War II Bass Strait, Australia 7 March 1945undamaged [37]
2 HMAS Kara Kara Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft during bombing of Darwin World War II Darwin, Australia19 February 1942damaged [38]
2 HMAS Woomera Accidental explosion during ammunition disposalPeacetimeoff Sydney, Australia 11 October 1960lost [39]
2 HMAS Vengeance (whaleboat) Whaleboat capsizes while transporting crewPeacetime Port Philip Bay, Australia 9 March 1954undamaged
2 HMAS Colac Shore-based gunfire World War II British Solomon Islands 26 May 1945undamaged [40]
2 HMAS Lolita Accidental explosion World War II off Madang, Territory of New Guinea 13 June 1945damaged [41]
1 HMAS Vampire Battle of Calabria - Aerial attack from Italian aircraft World War II off Punta Stilo, Italy 9 July 1940damaged [42]
1 HMAS Waterhen Aerial attack from German and Italian aircraft World War II off Sollum, Egypt 30 June 1941lost [43]
1 HMAS Kangaroo Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft during bombing of Darwin World War II Darwin, Australia19 February 1942damaged [44]
1 HMAS Gunbar Aerial attack from Japanese aircraft during bombing of Darwin World War II Darwin, Australia22 February 1942damaged [45]
1 HMAS Chinampa Shore-based gunfire World War II off Saumlaki, Dutch East Indies 31 August 1942undamaged [46]

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References

  1. ↑ "RAN1911-1961" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  2. ↑ "RAN1history". Naval Institute. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "HMASSydney". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "HMASPerth". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "HMASParramatta". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "HMASYarra". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "HMASArmidale". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  8. ↑ "HMASCanberra". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "HMASVoyager". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "AE1". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "HMASMatafele". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "HMASAustralia". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "HMASAustralia". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "HMASGoorangai". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  15. ↑ "HMASKuttabul". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "HMASAustralia". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  17. ↑ "HMASHobart". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  18. ↑ "HMASPerth". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  19. ↑ "HMASNizam". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  20. ↑ "HMASVampire". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  21. ↑ "HMASPatriciaCam". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  22. ↑ "HMASTarakan". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "HMASPirie". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "HMASNizam". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  25. ↑ "HMASSydney". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  26. ↑ "HMASNestor". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  27. ↑ "HMASWarnambool". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  28. ↑ "HMASWestralia". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  29. ↑ "HMASPerth". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  30. ↑ "HMASTanmar". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  31. ↑ "HMASSwan". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  32. ↑ "HMASLismore". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  33. ↑ "HMASWallaroo". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  34. ↑ "HMASArrow". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  35. ↑ "HMASHobart". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  36. ↑ "HMASArunta". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  37. ↑ "HMASNapier". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  38. ↑ "HMASKara Kara". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  39. ↑ "HMASWoomera". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  40. ↑ "HMASColac". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  41. ↑ "HMASLolita". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  42. ↑ "HMASVampire". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  43. ↑ "HMASWaterhen". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  44. ↑ "HMASKangaroo". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  45. ↑ "HMASGunbar". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  46. ↑ "HMASChinampa". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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