Fear God and Honour the King: HMAS Melbourne (1912-1928) Exhibition at the RHSV

MHHV and its supporter, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV), will hold a major Exhibition at the RHSV

The Exhibition is to commemorate the centenary of the arrival of Australia’s first light cruiser, HMAS Melbourne, in Port Phillip Bay, on 26 March 1913, as part of the new Royal Australian Navy.  HMAS Melbourne took the crest of the City of Melbourne and its credo ‘Gather Strength as She Goes’.

The Melbourne, a 5,600 ton ship with eight 6-inch guns, served the RAN from its commissioning in England in 1912 until its decommissioning, also in England in 1928.  She saw war service in the operations against the German colonies in the SW Pacific in 1914, escorted the 1^st AIF fleet from Albany, WA; saw service with the West Indies Squadron in 1915-1916; then served with the North Sea Fleet in 1916-1918. In 1922 the Melbourne was involved in a dramatic rescue of the crew of an American schooner in the Tasman Sea, at the height of a hurricane.

These events and other cruises of the Melbourne will be highlighted with artefacts of the ship and crew memorabilia drawn from the Australian War Memorial, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Museum Victoria, Monash University, the Museum of HMAS Cerberus, and from individual donations.

The official opening of the Exhibition will be held at the RHSV on 26 March 2013 at 6 pm, open to MHHV and RHSV members and descendants of the crew of HMAS Melbourne.  The opening will see the launch of a new history of the Melbourne – The Forgotten Cruiser: HMAS Melbourne 1912-1928, by historians Andrew Kilsby and Commander Greg Swinden, RAN.
Following the official opening, a free public lecture will be held on the subject of the Exhibition on 26 March 2013 at 7 pm at the RHSV, presented by the authors of the history.

Independent curator Cooee History and Heritage has been appointed to produce the exhibition pro bono with support from MHHV, RHSV and Deakin University volunteers.
The Exhibition is sponsored by the Port of Melbourne Corporation, Navy Health, and the Melbourne Naval Centre.

Entry is free to MHHV and RHSV members and Port of Melbourne Corporation employees, otherwise entry is by donation of $5 per head.

To find more about “Sailors, Ships and Imperial Defence” The early Australian Naval Forces to 1922 One Day Conference at the RHSV, click here

HMAS Melbourne arrived in Port Phillip Bay on 26 March 1913.   It was the prequel to the RAN Fleet entering Sydney Harbour on 4 October 1913.  Led by the battle cruiser HMAS Australia, Melbourne led the remainder of the Fleet into the harbour for the Fleet review.  Between 3-5 October 2013 there will be an International Fleet Review to commemorate this historic event.  See the Prequel at the Exhibition РFear God and Honour the King: HMAS Melbourne 1913-1928 at the RHSV over 18 February – 1 May2013, to commemorate 100 years since Australia’s first cruiser arrived in Melbourne.

For School Groups, see Teacher Guide here