RAN Reading List
Australian Naval History
Australia's Navy in the Gulf: From Countenance to Catalyst, 1941-2006
Greg Nash and David Stevens
published by Topmill, Sydney, 2006
Australia's Navy in the Gulf is a timely introduction to the long running RAN commitment to combined operations in the Persian Gulf. Many people in Australia and overseas are simply not aware of the Australian Navy's major contribution to events in the Gulf. The importance of trade along the sea line of communication through the Gulf has meant that the security of this region has been high among Australia's interests for a considerable time. Indeed it is often suggested that Australia tends to 'punch above its weight' in the Gulf. The book successfully outlines the long running series of deployments: listing the ships and units involved, describing the major events and many of the people involved. Highlights include the warfighting activities during Operation DAMASK II - The 1991 Gulf War, Operation SLIPPER - Contribution to the International Coalition against Terrorism, and Operation FALCONER - the 2003 Iraq War. The book also emphasises the persistent nature of maritime forces, where Australia's involvement during 'operations other than war' have included blockade, maritime intercept and maritime security operations. Although Australia's Navy in the Gulf is not a detailed history of Australian Navy operations, it certainly sets the scene for the official histories that are yet to be written. Overall this book is a lavishly illustrated readable narrative ideal for those who have served in the Gulf, their families and friends, as well as those who want to know what Australians have achieved in the region.
A Critical Vulnerability: The Impact of the Submarine Threat on Australia's Maritime Defence 1915-1954
by David Stevens
published by Sea Power Centre - Australia, Canberra, 2005
Many see the defence of Australia in terms of land forces fighting doggedly to resist foreign invaders. In fact, as a maritime nation linked to a global economy, defending Australia's sea lines of communications is much more critical than preventing an enemy landing upon our shores. This book examines how the submarine threat impacted upon Australia's defence from its beginnings until 1954, when anti-submarine warfare (ASW) became the major warfighting task of the Australian Navy. The detailed examination of Japanese submarine attacks in Australian waters during World War II, in particular the ASW crisis of 1943, clearly outlines the nature of the threat to Australia's sea communications. As Creswell warned in 1913: 'Australia's vulnerable point is her trade, practically all water borne. Australia depends for her daily business on the security of her interport, interstate, and oversea waterways and commerces. ... Directly the flow is seriously blocked Australian business must be paralysed.'
While some scholars have criticised Prime Minister John Curtain's unwillingness to declare that Australia was no longer threatened until late in WWII, his comments were not far from the truth. This book reminds us that the defence of Australia and its sea communications, with limited ASW capabilities in Australian waters, remained critical until at least early 1945. Steven's conclusion remains poignant: 'What is clear is that Australia's dependence upon maritime communications did not lessen over the period studied and that this dependence has continued to the present day.'
U-Boat Far from Home: The Epic Voyage of U862 to Australia and New Zealand
by David Stevens
published by Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1997
U-Boat Far from Home details the little known German underwater offensive against Australia in late 1944. In an account that is both entertaining and enlightening, David Stevens describes the operation's strategic rationale, its practical implications and how the Australians and their allies responded. The story of U862 is one that places us in touch with the confined and dangerous world of a submarine at war. We can see the sweat drip from the face of the boat's Captain, Heinrich Timm, while the young German submariners struggle to maintain their professionalism under the constant threat of depth charge attack. The U862 attack on the Illissos off South Australia in December 1944 is just one of the many incidents that highlight the need for vigilance in all theatres of war. The world's oceans are not characterised by a theoretical 'air-sea gap', rather they form an interconnected maritime super-highway. This well researched book should provide insight for those interested in submarine and anti-submarine operations, as well as those who are looking for a practical example of the global threat to maritime communications.
