VICTORIAN COLONIAL AND ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVIES AND VISIT OF THE GREAT WHITE FLEET TO AUSTRALIAAUGUST 20 – SEPTEMBER 5 1908

Introduction

Map of World, 70% of world’s surface is water.

CSS Shanendoah slipped at Williamstown.

Town Pier Port Melbourne, demolished in 1950.

Launch in England of Victoria 1.

Swivel link from Victoria 1 at Queenscliff.

HMVS Cerberus.

Wreck of Cerberus at Blackrock.

Torpedo Boat Childers.

Lady Loch.

Hopetoun, last ship of Victorian Navy.

William Evan Crawford Allan, Royal Australian Navy (1899-2005). As a result of visiting the Great White Fleet joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1914, and became

a Lieutenant.

US Atlantic fleet, became the Great White Fleet and went on a World Cruise from December 1907 to February 1909, steaming 45,000 miles.

Great White Fleet dominating the Pacific Ocean.

Nothing in sight for days just 16 Great White Fleet ships.

Commanding Officers of Great White Fleet Battleships.

Crew of the USS Connecticut.

Clever cartoon, Uncle Sam in Australia .

Australia welcomes the American Fleet.

Great White Fleet arrives in Sydney, August 20, 1908.

Good example of the welcome post cards printed for the visit.

Australia welcomes America, lady embraces a symbolic eagle.

US Sailors march through Sydney to adoring crowds.

Embrace the new Alliance. The Stars and Stripes marches with the Southern Cross at last.

Jingoistic Welcome with chorus.

Great White Fleet passes by Queenscliff on way to Hobson’s Bay August 29, 1908.

A misty shot of the Great White Fleet and the welcoming crowd, Queenscliff.

Programme Cover for visit to Melbourne of the Great White Fleet. Issued by Australian Government.

Post Card marking visit of the Great White Fleet to Melbourne. The individual state emblems around the centrepiece.

Plan of Melbourne, issued to members of the Great White Fleet.

Reception for 1,000 Masons in visiting ships by Grand Lodge members Victoria. The Roman Catholics turned on a special mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and drew 1,000

from the US Fleet.

Naval Brigade members march down Swanston Street cheered by huge crowds.

Twin shots of crowds watching the Melbourne march by the Great White Fleet sailors.

Post Card of Melbourne Town Hall and Exhibition Building.

Key ring souvenir. A large range of souvenirs was produced and shops had a field day.

Souvenir post card featuring President Teddy Roosevelt on left, and Prime Minister Alfred Deakin on right. On the right hand side, emblems of Kangaroo and the Eagle

stand together.

Reinforcing the new Alliance. Hands Across the Sea.

Post Card, Queen’s Bridge Melbourne. Plus the note that Frank had crossed it.

Typical post cards produced for the visit of the Great White Fleet to Australia, August/September 1908.

HMAS Lonsdale, built 1942 to be decommissioned1992 , and eventually demolished.

1882 Colonial Post Office, Drill Hall built 1912.

Proposed bronze statue of a WWII Sailor, Answering the Call, to be erected by The Naval Heritage Foundation of Australia Inc. on the foreshore at the bottom of Bay Street, to remember and honour all naval men and women

who have served their country in war and peace and passed this way.