4th Royal Navy Squadron: Introduction of the Oberons

In October 1959 the Defence Joint Planning Committee agreed to the introduction of a submarine force in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Australia subsequently ordered four Oberon class conventional submarines from the United Kingdom (UK). Along with building the new submarines, the UK would also train Australia’s new submariners to crew the vessels. However, more than just a simple building and training transaction, this represented the end of one chapter, and the start of another in the Royal Navy’s (RN) submarine relationship with the RAN. Since 1949, the RN had based in Australia the RN 4th Submarine Squadron. This paper will examine, briefly, the role of the 4th Submarine Squadron in Australia. It will then look at how the RN helped prepare and train the RAN to establish its new submarine service. It will look at training, personnel exchange, submarine maintenance, and finally the case of HMS Odin and her service with the RAN for three years. To finish, it will look lastly at role and legacy of these activities on the journey of Australia’s submarine capability that followed.

Dr John Nash