Australia Post issued commemorative first day cover envelope for the RAN centenary
Date2011
Object number00051301
NameFirst day cover
MediumPaper, ink, aluminium bronze
DimensionsOverall (envelope): 110 x 189 mm
Overall (insert): 105 x 185 mm
Overall (coin): 30 x 30 x 3 mm
Overall (insert): 105 x 185 mm
Overall (coin): 30 x 30 x 3 mm
ClassificationsCommemorative artefacts
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionAustralia Post issued commemorative first day cover envelope and coin in the year of the centenary celebrations for the Royal Australian Navy. The two stamps and the full size image depict HMAS AUSTRALIA (I), the first flagship of the Royal Australian Navy, and HMAS SYDNEY (IV), which in 2011 is still in service. The gold coloured commemorative coin was issued by the Perth Mint and depicts the current official naval badge.HistoryIn 1911 King George V granted the title 'Royal Australian Navy' to the Australian Squadron. In 1913 the first vessels of the new RAN fleet entered Sydney Harbour for the first time with HMAS AUSTRALIA (I) as the flagship of the fleet. Prior to this Australian waters had been maintained by a detachment from the British Royal Navy. Originally part of the East Indies Station, in 1859 an independent Australia Station was established. In 1901 the squadron was named the Commonwealth Naval Forces and were a small coastal defence force. With increasing international tensions in 1909 it was recognised that Australia required a significant naval expansion program to defend Australia's interest and maintain regional defence.
2011 marks the centenary of the granting of royal recognition of the title 'Royal Australian Navy' and a number of celebratory and commemorative events were scheduled for the year. As part of the commemoration Australia Post issued a range of collectible products including a stamp and coin cover, a maxi card set and a set of first day covers. Two vessels feature on these series - HMAS AUSTRALIA (I) the flagship of the first RAN fleet, and HMAS SYDNEY (IV) is a guided missile frigate that is still in service during 2011. By juxtaposing images of AUSTRALIA (I) and SYDNEY (IV) the Australia Post philatelic material represents the Royal Australian Navy 'Then and Now' and depicts the development of the navy over the century. Fleet Base and training establishment HMAS CERBERUS in Victoria also features on some of the commemorative material.
HMAS AUSTRALIA (I) was a cruiser built between 1910 and 1913 by John Brown & Co Ltd, in Scotland. The ship's badge featured the Federation Star overlaid by a naval crown and the motto 'Endeavour'. This avoided any preference to any particular state in the newly federated Australia and the motto recalled the ship of James Cook (1768 - 1771). On 4 October 1913 AUSTRALIA (I) led the ships of the Fleet Unit MELBOURNE (I), SYDNEY (I), ENCOUNTER, WARREGO (I), PARRAMATTA (I) and YARRA (I) into Sydney Harbour for the first time to much celebration by the Australian people. A tour to all the major Australian ports followed within the next 12 months. At the outbreak of World War I the Australian Fleet operated as a counter to the German East Asiatic Cruiser Squadron under Admiral Graf von Spee. In this period AUSTRALIA (I) took part in a series of operations to seize German Pacific colonies and destroy the enemy radio network for which it received battle honours (Rabaul 1914). AUSTRALIA (I) also captured the German ship SUMATRA and sank the German supply ship ELEONORE WOERMANN off the coast of South America whilst en route to Britain. In February 1915 the vessel became the flagship of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron patrolling the North Sea from 1915-1918. In April 1916 HMAS AUSTRALIA (I) and HMS NEW ZEALAND collided in heavy fog and subsequently AUSTRALIA (I) was undergoing repairs during the Battle of Jutland. Another collision occurred in December 1917 with HMS REPULSE and repairs took three weeks. One officer and 10 ratings from the vessel volunteered to take part in commando raids on the occupied Belgian ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge in April 1918 and between them received six awards. HMAS AUSTRALIA (I) also took part in aircraft experiments in 1918 with the first ever launchings of two-seater aircraft from a battle cruiser. Following the end of the war AUSTRALIA (I) resumed the role of flagship of the RAN was paid off into reserve in December 1921 and later scuttled as part of the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.
HMAS SYDNEY (IV) is one of four guided missile frigates in service during 2011. The vessel provides an escort service with the ability to provide area air defence, anti-submarine and anti-shipping warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. It was commissioned on 29 January 1983 and is the fourth vessel to hold the name SYDNEY. The current vessel has deployed to the Middle East four times as well as to East Timor. It has inherited a number of battle honours, more than any other ship in the RAN, as well as contributed four battle honours itself. These include: Rabaul (1914); Emden (1914); North Sea (1916-1918); Calabria (1940); Spada (1940); Mediterranean (1940); Kormoran (1941); Korea (1951-1952); Malaysia (1964); Vietnam (1965-1972); Kuwait (1991); East Timor (1999); Persian Gulf (2001-2003); and Iraq (2003).
HMAS CERBERUS is the Navy’s main training establishment. The Naval Base is located on 1517 hectares of land at Hann's Inlet, Western Port Bay, Victoria. Originally named Flinders Naval Depot when the land was purchased in 1911, the base was officially opened in September 1920 and commissioned HMAS CERBERUS on 1 April 1921. Whilst the primary role is for the training of Navy Personnel, four tri-service schools have been opened over the last 13 years and this role has extended to training Army and Air Force personnel too. For many recruits it is their first contact with the Navy and there are ample facilities including accommodation buildings, sports and recreation buildings, a cinema, chapels, gardens and schools of engineering, survivability and ship safety, and is the home of the Recruit School.SignificanceThis object commemorates the centenary of the granting of royal recognition of the title 'Royal Australian Navy'. A number of celebratory and commemorative events were scheduled for 2011, and as part of the commemoration Australia Post with the Perth Mint issued a first day stamp and coin cover. It indicates the important role of ceremony and commemoration in the naval calendar, and reflect the significance of the centenary of service provided by the RAN; both its heritage and the strength of the fleet today.