Series number

AWM270

Series title

32 Small Ships Squadron RAE Administrative Records

Series contents range

1960 - 1973

Extent

3.6 m

Access conditions

Subject to the Australian Archives Act (1983)

Agency controlling

Department of Defence

Custodial Agency

Australian War Memorial

Function and Provenance

Series AWM270 consists of an assortment of administrative documents, including some ships logs, from 32 Small Ships Squadron Royal Australian Engineers (RAE).

During and after the Second World War, the Australian Army operated large numbers of water craft throughout the Pacific and Australian waters. The Australian Army purchased four ex-WW2 Landing Ships Medium (LSM) from the United States Navy in 1959. In 1960, 32 Small Ships Squadron RAE was reorganised to operate these vessels. They were renamed Army Vessel (AV) Harry Chauvel, AV Brudenell White, AV Vernon Sturdee and AV Clive Steel. In 1965 a 1500 ton general cargo ship (MV Marra) was purchased from the Adelaide Steamship Company and renamed as Army Ship AS3051 John Monash and added to the Squadron’s strength.

The Squadron was initially based at Chowder Bay in Sydney Harbour, before moving in 1963 to Woolwich Barracks, Hunters Hill NSW, on the site previously occupied by Morts Dock, using its berthing and docking facilities. It was subordinate to Headquarters Transportation Group RAE, Georges Heights, later 1 Terminal Group RAE. This headquarters unit was designed to be deployable aboard one of the ships and to control the Squadron if required.

The ships were crewed by officers and soldiers of the Transportation Service of the Royal Australian Engineers. Each ship of the Squadron formed a small ship troop:

·         No 1 Small Ships Troop (AV 1356 Clive Steele)

·         No 2 Small Ships Troop (AV 1353 Harry Chauvel)

·         No 3 Small Ships Troop (AV 1355 Vernon Sturdee)

·         No 4 Small Ships Troop (AV 1354 Brudenell White)

·         No 6 Small Ships Troop (AS 3051 John Monash)

Throughout their service the vessels of the Squadron were employed primarily on amphibious warfare duties. They were also used for general cargo work, training, dumping of ammunition at sea, survey duties and civilian charter. As well as serving Australian waters they were deployed to Borneo, Malaya, PNG and Vietnam.

‘Vernon Sturdee’ was taken out of service in 1969 and disposed of the next year. The remaining LSMs were disposed of on 30 September 1971 when the Squadron was disbanded. ‘John Monash’ remained in service until 1975. The RAN then assumed responsibility for the provision of maritime transportation and sealift support to the Army using a fleet of Landing Ship Mediums (LSM).

A number of ship’s logs were received by the War Memorial in 1984 as part of a collection of Army records controlled as OW 84/5. The remainder of the Squadron records were passed by the 32 Small Ships Squadron Association to the Department of Defence in December 1983 for subsequent transfer to the Memorial in 1985.

Content

The series covers such topics as accounting, stocktaking, works, and personnel administration. There are also documents concerning the administration of the Squadron’s ships, including a selection of Chief Officer’s and Engineer’s logs. It also includes a summary of the ships’ repair and operational activities between January 1965 and June 1969 (Item [1/12]) and a plan of Woolwich Barracks (Item [3/3]).

Much of the series is water damaged, sometimes very badly, and parts are illegible. It is far from complete or chronologically consistent.

System of Arrangement and Control

A two number control system was imposed by the AWM in 1997, with the primary number being allocated based on the following subject areas:

·         1/-    Finance - accounting and stocktaking

·         2/-    Personnel administration

·         3/-    Works

·         4/-    Administration including Squadron Routine Orders

·         5/-    Ships’ administration

·         6/-    Ships’ Chief Officer’s and Engineer’s logs

·         7/-    Miscellaneous

Secondary numbers identify individual items allocated within each primary class.

Using the Series

All items in the series have an access status of "Open". Items may be made available to be viewed in the Reading Room at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. More information can be found at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/research-at-the-memorial  

Sources

AWM270 Series Dossier

AWM315 items 417/001/032 and 535/004/004

Alsop B, “Australian Army Watercraft. The Unknown Fleet. From the Second World War to the Present Day”, Topmill, Marrickville NSW, 1996.

Gillett R, “Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946”, Child and Associates, Sydney, 1988.

‘Farewell to Old Friends’ in Sapper Vol I, No 1, 1971.