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Flagship: The Cruiser HMAS Australia II and the Pacific War on Japan
In 1924 the grand old battle cruiser HMAS Australia I, once the pride of the nation, was sunk off Sydney Heads. She had saved Australia from a German attack in the Pacific in World War I, but after the war she was a victim in the race to disarm. There was a day of national mourning when they blew the bottom out of her.
In 1928 the RAN acquired a new ship of the same name, the fast, heavy cruiser HMAS Australia II, and she finally saw action when World War II began, patrolling the North Atlantic on the lookout for German battleships.
By March 1942 Australia had returned home, where the ship was stunned by a murder. One night one of her sailors, Stoker Riley, was found stabbed and bleeding to death. Before he died, he named his two attackers, who'd tried to kill him because, he said, he'd threatened to expose their homosexual activities. At a hastily arranged court martial, the two men were found guilty and sentenced to death under British Admiralty law.
Only weeks later Australia fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea near Papua New Guinea, the first sea battle to stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific. She was heavily attacked and bombed from the air but, with brilliant ship-handling, escaped unscathed. In 1944 she took part in the greatest sea fight of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which returned the American General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines. She was struck by a kamikaze bomber, killing her captain and 28 other men. The next year, she was hit by no fewer than four kamikaze planes on four successive days. She was, in fact, attacked by more kamikaze aircraft than any other Allied ship in the war, and in the end this finished her war.
She retired gracefully, laden with battle honours, and was scrapped in 1956 – the last of her name, for the navy no longer uses Australia for its ships. In this riveting book, with his inimitable panache and flawless research Mike Carlton tells the story of Australia, which encompasses the era's fascinating naval and social history.
In 1928 the RAN acquired a new ship of the same name, the fast, heavy cruiser HMAS Australia II, and she finally saw action when World War II began, patrolling the North Atlantic on the lookout for German battleships.
By March 1942 Australia had returned home, where the ship was stunned by a murder. One night one of her sailors, Stoker Riley, was found stabbed and bleeding to death. Before he died, he named his two attackers, who'd tried to kill him because, he said, he'd threatened to expose their homosexual activities. At a hastily arranged court martial, the two men were found guilty and sentenced to death under British Admiralty law.
Only weeks later Australia fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea near Papua New Guinea, the first sea battle to stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific. She was heavily attacked and bombed from the air but, with brilliant ship-handling, escaped unscathed. In 1944 she took part in the greatest sea fight of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which returned the American General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines. She was struck by a kamikaze bomber, killing her captain and 28 other men. The next year, she was hit by no fewer than four kamikaze planes on four successive days. She was, in fact, attacked by more kamikaze aircraft than any other Allied ship in the war, and in the end this finished her war.
She retired gracefully, laden with battle honours, and was scrapped in 1956 – the last of her name, for the navy no longer uses Australia for its ships. In this riveting book, with his inimitable panache and flawless research Mike Carlton tells the story of Australia, which encompasses the era's fascinating naval and social history.
642 pages, Hardcover
Published July 28, 2016
8 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carlton
13 books8 followersMike Carlton is one of Australia's best-known broadcasters and journalists. In a 40-year career, he has been a radio and television news and current affairs reporter, foreign correspondent, radio host and newspaper columnist.
He was an ABC war correspondent in Vietnam in 1967 and 1970, and for three years was the ABC's Bureau Chief in Jakarta. He also reported for the ABC from London, New York and major Asian capitals. In television, he was one of the original reporters on the ABC's groundbreaking This Day Tonight in the 1970s. Mike turned to talk radio in 1980, first at Sydney's 2GB, and then for four years in London at Newstalk 97.3FM, where he won a coveted Sony Radio Academy award in 1993 for Britain's best talk breakfast program.
In television, he reported and hosted Indonesia: A Reporter Returns, a three-part documentary for SBS in 2008. He has recently retired from the Radio 2UE breakfast program in Sydney and has returned to writing a column for the Saturday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mike has had a life-long passion for naval history.
He was an ABC war correspondent in Vietnam in 1967 and 1970, and for three years was the ABC's Bureau Chief in Jakarta. He also reported for the ABC from London, New York and major Asian capitals. In television, he was one of the original reporters on the ABC's groundbreaking This Day Tonight in the 1970s. Mike turned to talk radio in 1980, first at Sydney's 2GB, and then for four years in London at Newstalk 97.3FM, where he won a coveted Sony Radio Academy award in 1993 for Britain's best talk breakfast program.
In television, he reported and hosted Indonesia: A Reporter Returns, a three-part documentary for SBS in 2008. He has recently retired from the Radio 2UE breakfast program in Sydney and has returned to writing a column for the Saturday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mike has had a life-long passion for naval history.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 4, 2017
This book tells the story of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) ship the HMAS Australia II. Australia I fought bravely in World War I. The RAN deployed to war in the Pacific in December 1941 to stem the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia and Australia’s northern waters. Many RAN ships fought alongside United States ships during World War II and with the British Pacific Fleet.
The 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, when many believe the Japanese advance was first halted, is approaching. This book, “Flagships” tells how Rear Admiral John Crace led his RAN and U.S. Navy squadrons to block the Jomard Passage to the Japanese. Under heavy attack, they fought and survived and successfully blocked the Japanese from a seaborne invasion of the Port Moresby. Carlton also tells of the tragic night battle at Savo Island off Guadalcanal and the loss of the HMAS Canberra. Later it was reported the sinking of the Canberra was caused by torpedoes from a U.S. Navy Ship. Carlton tells of the participation of HMAS Australia II and the RAN in the battles of the Coral Sea, Leyte Gulf, Surigao Strait, and Lingayen Gulf. The author also tells about the daily life of a sailor aboard the Australia II.
The book is well written and meticulously researched. He reviewed not only the Australian archives but those of the United States Navy and the British Navy. I enjoyed the maps, photographs and other illustrations. The book is 656 pages.
The 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, when many believe the Japanese advance was first halted, is approaching. This book, “Flagships” tells how Rear Admiral John Crace led his RAN and U.S. Navy squadrons to block the Jomard Passage to the Japanese. Under heavy attack, they fought and survived and successfully blocked the Japanese from a seaborne invasion of the Port Moresby. Carlton also tells of the tragic night battle at Savo Island off Guadalcanal and the loss of the HMAS Canberra. Later it was reported the sinking of the Canberra was caused by torpedoes from a U.S. Navy Ship. Carlton tells of the participation of HMAS Australia II and the RAN in the battles of the Coral Sea, Leyte Gulf, Surigao Strait, and Lingayen Gulf. The author also tells about the daily life of a sailor aboard the Australia II.
The book is well written and meticulously researched. He reviewed not only the Australian archives but those of the United States Navy and the British Navy. I enjoyed the maps, photographs and other illustrations. The book is 656 pages.
March 12, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
1924 the grand old battle cruiser HMAS Australia I, once the pride of the nation, was sunk off Sydney Heads. She had saved Australia from a German attack in the Pacific in World War I, but after the war she was a victim in the race to disarm. There was a day of national mourning when they blew the bottom out of her. In 1928 the RAN acquired a new ship of the same name, the fast, heavy cruiser HMAS Australia II, and she finally saw action when World War II began, patrolling the North Atlantic on the lookout for German battleships. By March 1942 Australia had returned home, where the ship was stunned by a murder. One night one of her sailors, Stoker Riley, was found stabbed and bleeding to death. Before he died, he named his two attackers, who'd tried to kill him because, he said, he'd threatened to expose their homosexual activities. At a hastily arranged court martial, the two men were found guilty and sentenced to death under British Admiralty law. Only weeks later Australia fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea near Papua New Guinea, the first sea battle to stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific. She was heavily attacked and bombed from the air but, with brilliant ship-handling, escaped unscathed. In 1944 she took part in the greatest sea fight of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which returned the American General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines. She was struck by a kamikaze bomber, killing her captain and 28 other men. The next year, she was hit by no fewer than four kamikaze planes on four successive days. She was, in fact, attacked by more kamikaze aircraft than any other Allied ship in the war, and in the end this finished her war. She retired gracefully, laden with battle honours, and was scrapped in 1956 - the last of her name, for the navy no longer uses Australia for its ships.
I guess you could call this a biography of a cruiser. The story of HMAS Australia II is a fascinating one, and presented in this book in her full glory.
The story is summed up in the blurb (above) so I will just make some other observations about this book.
What can you say about the research into this book? High-class would be the best way to describe it. I would hate to guess how long the author spent getting all the minute details that make this book such a stunning story. From what I understand, not only did he get his research from the Australian archives, but also from the British and US Navy as well.
Also, the writing was crisp and clean - sometimes when I read books like these, they come across more like textbooks for history classes, but this one read very well and kept the interest right up until the ship was scrapped. So much detail and history, but told in such a way that kept me happily reading.
My only complaint? The post-war part of the story went just a bit too long for my liking. But, then, that could just be me.
If you have an interest in the Australian Navy, WW2 or Australian history in general, then this book is a definite recommendation.
Paul
ARH
1924 the grand old battle cruiser HMAS Australia I, once the pride of the nation, was sunk off Sydney Heads. She had saved Australia from a German attack in the Pacific in World War I, but after the war she was a victim in the race to disarm. There was a day of national mourning when they blew the bottom out of her. In 1928 the RAN acquired a new ship of the same name, the fast, heavy cruiser HMAS Australia II, and she finally saw action when World War II began, patrolling the North Atlantic on the lookout for German battleships. By March 1942 Australia had returned home, where the ship was stunned by a murder. One night one of her sailors, Stoker Riley, was found stabbed and bleeding to death. Before he died, he named his two attackers, who'd tried to kill him because, he said, he'd threatened to expose their homosexual activities. At a hastily arranged court martial, the two men were found guilty and sentenced to death under British Admiralty law. Only weeks later Australia fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea near Papua New Guinea, the first sea battle to stop the Japanese advance in the Pacific. She was heavily attacked and bombed from the air but, with brilliant ship-handling, escaped unscathed. In 1944 she took part in the greatest sea fight of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which returned the American General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines. She was struck by a kamikaze bomber, killing her captain and 28 other men. The next year, she was hit by no fewer than four kamikaze planes on four successive days. She was, in fact, attacked by more kamikaze aircraft than any other Allied ship in the war, and in the end this finished her war. She retired gracefully, laden with battle honours, and was scrapped in 1956 - the last of her name, for the navy no longer uses Australia for its ships.
I guess you could call this a biography of a cruiser. The story of HMAS Australia II is a fascinating one, and presented in this book in her full glory.
The story is summed up in the blurb (above) so I will just make some other observations about this book.
What can you say about the research into this book? High-class would be the best way to describe it. I would hate to guess how long the author spent getting all the minute details that make this book such a stunning story. From what I understand, not only did he get his research from the Australian archives, but also from the British and US Navy as well.
Also, the writing was crisp and clean - sometimes when I read books like these, they come across more like textbooks for history classes, but this one read very well and kept the interest right up until the ship was scrapped. So much detail and history, but told in such a way that kept me happily reading.
My only complaint? The post-war part of the story went just a bit too long for my liking. But, then, that could just be me.
If you have an interest in the Australian Navy, WW2 or Australian history in general, then this book is a definite recommendation.
Paul
ARH
May 16, 2018
This is a very well written and well researched biography of HMAS Australia II. Beginning with a brief chapter covering Australia following World War One, Carlton details the construction and commissioning of HMAS Australia in 1928 at Clydebank. The Australia was the ‘Flagship’ of the Royal Australia Navy (RAN), a heavy cruiser.
With the outbreak of World War Two, HMAS Australia was used in the European theatre, participating in the poorly considered Operation Menace in Dakar, the aim being to install de Gaulle in a Vichy outpost. This was a failure.
HMAS Australia saw a lot of action in the Pacific War and most of the work concentrates on the period after Pearl Harbour and the threat posed to Australia by an expanding Japan. Along with US navy forces, HMAS Australia was a part of several key, and very large, sea battles: the Battle of the Coral Sea (1942), the Battle of Savo Island (1942) and the invasion of the Philippines (1944). During the sea and amphibious battles of the Philippines, the Australia was attacked no less than five times by Kamikaze squadrons at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf, with great loss of life. (Carlton contests the first plane to hit the Australia on 21 Oct 1944 was not a Kamikaze attack, as has been argued in the past. The other four attacks in early January 1945 were.) On numerous occasions Carlton describes war at sea as the mentally and physically exhausting and destructive form of combat that it must be.
There is a large cast of naval characters, from admirals to the newest rating, and Mike Carlton gives these people personalities that we become quite attached to. This is not dry history from a textbook, rather it is history that has been written to be read and understood. I learned a lot from Carlton’s work which became quite a page turner.
With the outbreak of World War Two, HMAS Australia was used in the European theatre, participating in the poorly considered Operation Menace in Dakar, the aim being to install de Gaulle in a Vichy outpost. This was a failure.
HMAS Australia saw a lot of action in the Pacific War and most of the work concentrates on the period after Pearl Harbour and the threat posed to Australia by an expanding Japan. Along with US navy forces, HMAS Australia was a part of several key, and very large, sea battles: the Battle of the Coral Sea (1942), the Battle of Savo Island (1942) and the invasion of the Philippines (1944). During the sea and amphibious battles of the Philippines, the Australia was attacked no less than five times by Kamikaze squadrons at Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf, with great loss of life. (Carlton contests the first plane to hit the Australia on 21 Oct 1944 was not a Kamikaze attack, as has been argued in the past. The other four attacks in early January 1945 were.) On numerous occasions Carlton describes war at sea as the mentally and physically exhausting and destructive form of combat that it must be.
There is a large cast of naval characters, from admirals to the newest rating, and Mike Carlton gives these people personalities that we become quite attached to. This is not dry history from a textbook, rather it is history that has been written to be read and understood. I learned a lot from Carlton’s work which became quite a page turner.
June 30, 2025
I picked this book up to flick through after a holiday in Japan left me wanting to know more about the war in the Pacific. What an excellent piece of historical description, immaculately researched and with wonderful human stories interwoven with detailed battle descriptions. Outstanding.
October 1, 2018
A good book. Very readable. I also enjoy with this author's naval books the personal details he gives of members of the ships' companies.
October 4, 2021
Thoroughly informative book about Australia II and the role the RAN performed in the Pacific and other theatres during WWII.
August 28, 2024
Mike Carlton is an excellent historian of Australian (as well as English and American, for that matter) naval history. This book is a superb read because of Mike's unique writing flair and style.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews