Photo donated by John Smith ex 1 Armoured Regiment SVN, 1969-1970 Drawn from A Duty Done: A summary of operations by the Royal Australian Regiment in the Vietnam War 1965-1972 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Rtd) (2012) p.487Summary of Infantry Operations 1965-1972. Text superimposed on colour photo of infantry soldiers on operations with APC. See media file for more information.Photo donated by John Smith ex 1 Armoured Regiment SVN, 1969-1970 Drawn from A Duty Done: A summary of operations by the Royal Australian Regiment in the Vietnam War 1965-1972 by Lieutenant Colonel Fred Fairhead (Rtd) (2012) p.487infantry, d company, 4th battalion, the royal australian regiment, 4rar, hmas sydney, cambodian border, ham tan, long hai hills, operations hump, ho bob woods, operation crimp, 5rar, 6rar, nui thi vai, nui dinh mountains, operations vaucluse, operation queanbeyan, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong), operation hobart, battle of long tan, operation bribie, operation coburg, operation lavarack, operation camden, operation overlord, operation ivanhoe, fire support base - coral, 1rar, centurion tank, anti personnel mines, m16 landmines, 1st australian task force, route 44, operation renmark, 8rar, operation hammersley, operations reynella, operation mundingburra, tet offensive, a company, 3rar, operation nowra, binh ba, operation goodwood, hat dich, operation marsden, may tao base, operation bondi, operation pinnaroo, minh dam secret zone, operation birdwood, operation nathan, operation cung chung, 2 rar/nz, 7rar, operation valiant, operation south ward, capt maurice frederick fairhead, lt col maurice frederick fairhead, 57064, royal australian infantry corps, 6th battalion

HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Operating from 1955 until 1982, she was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN. Melbourne was the only British Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions. The ship was laid down for the British Royal Navy as the lead ship of the Majestic class in April 1943, and was launched as HMS Majestic (R77) in February 1945. At the end of World War II, work on the ship was suspended until she was purchased by the RAN in 1947. At the time of purchase, it was decided to incorporate new aircraft carrier technologies into the design, making Melbourne the third ship to be constructed with an angled flight deck. Delays in construction and integrating the enhancements meant that the carrier was not commissioned until 1955. Melbourne never fired a shot in anger during her career, having only peripheral, non-combat roles in relation to the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War. However, she was involved in two major collisions with allied vessels. On the evening of 10 February 1964, Melbourne collided with and sank HMAS Voyager when the Daring class destroyer altered course across her bow. Eighty-two of Voyager's crew were killed, and two Royal Commissions were held to investigate the incident. The second collision occurred in the early morning of 3 June 1969, when Melbourne collided with and sank the Allen M. Sumner class destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in similar circumstances. Seventy-four United States Navy (USN) personnel died, and a joint USN–RAN Board of Inquiry was held. These incidents, along with several minor collisions, shipboard accidents, and aircraft losses, led to the reputation that Melbourne was jinxed. Melbourne was paid off from RAN service in 1982. A proposal to convert her for use as a floating casino failed, and a 1984 sale was cancelled, before she was sold in 1985 and towed to China for breaking. The scrapping was delayed so Melbourne could be studied by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as part of a secret project to develop a Chinese aircraft carrier and used to train PLAN aviators in carrier flight operations. HMAS Melbourne was decommissioned on 30 June 1982, having spent 62,036 hours underway and having steamed 868,893 nautical miles. A proposal to convert her for use as a floating casino failed, and a 1984 sale was cancelled, before she was sold for scrap in 1985 and towed to China for breaking. The scrapping was delayed so Melbourne could be studied by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as part of a secret project to develop a Chinese aircraft carrier and used to train PLAN aviators in carrier flight operations.The pictorial history of HMAS Melbourne with rare photos. Now a scarce title and highly desirable title that is now long out of print. Has provenance history of all ships movements from 1955 till decommissioned.HMAS Melbourne 25 YearsOn the front page is a picture of HMAS Melbourne with the words at top "H.M.A.S. Melbourne. At bottom are the words in orange, '25 Years'. In white, are the words 'by Ross Gillett' then 'Forward by Rear Admiral G.G.O. Gatacre C.B.E. DSO. DSC & Bar, RAN'. On the rear page is a list of all the Captains that served on the HMAS Melbourne between 1955-1980.hmas melbourne, aircraft carrier, royal australian navy, australian navy, westland whirlwind, sea venom, fairy gannet, bristol sycamore, westland wessex, douglas skyhawk, grumman tracker, westland sea king, fleet air arm, hmas albatross, nowra