Researching Naval History

The Australian War Memorial holds an extensive range of military records, which have been digitised. Start with the AWM’s fact sheet on Defence and war service records. The AWM has excellent research guides as well as other useful advice on using the AWM for research, including visiting, asking a question via email or phone, and requesting assistance. 

The AWM has digitised Australia’s official histories of the First and Second World Wars, which can be downloaded and searched. For example, here are the two volumes on the RAN in the Second World War. The RAN worked with the AWM to digitise the reports of proceedings (similar to official diaries) of Navy ships, bases, commands and administrative units up to 1978.

Service records can be found through the National Archives of Australia. Go to NAA RecordSearch and use the ‘Name Search’ function. Select from the relevant drop down menu under ‘Records’ (for example, ‘Navy Personnel Records’ or ‘Australian Prisoner of War Records’). These records will typically include when and where the person enlisted, their physical description, their postings and rank or rating, as well as when they were demobilised. You can search for other information about an individual’s service on the AWM site. If it exists, this may include information from nominal roll entries, the Roll of Honour, or honours and awards.

The National Library of Australia hosts the Trove resource, which is the gateway into a range of records including a large collection of digitised Australian newspapers and the Commonwealth Government Gazette. You can use Trove to search for images across hundreds of Australian collections, and photographs of RAN vessels can be found there. Simply go to the Trove homepage and, in the drop down menu in the search box, select ‘Images, Maps and Artefacts’. The RAN publication Navy News can also be found on Trove.

The Australian National Maritime Museum holds information about Australia’s maritime history. Its collection includes the Australian Register of Historic Vessels and 19 RAN vessels. Some collection items can be viewed online, while others can be seen in the museum’s library in Sydney.

To inquire about a relative’s medal or award entitlements, visit Defence Honours and Awards and follow the ‘My Relatives Medals’ link. 

You can search for the honours and awards of any service member using the AWM database on awards and honours.

Organisations like the Australian Naval Historical Society focus on conserving, protecting and promoting Australian Naval History. They offer help and assistance to family, local and military historians. See their excellent Research – We Can Help page. The Australian Association for Maritime History also has an extensive list of publications and resources.

If none of these resources cover your area of interest, or you need specialist advice within the Sea Power Centre’s remit, email us at navy.history@defence.gov.au.

We have an extensive photographic archive on site in Canberra, as well as relevant library and archival holdings on Navy history. The collection is not open to the general public but researchers, as well as current and former defence force personnel, can make arrangements to visit in person if necessary. Email us at the above address at least two weeks in advance of your proposed visit. You will need to show photo ID on arrival.

All inquiries from Navy and Defence staff should also be sent to the above address.

Note that we have limited resources to follow up on personal or family history inquiries, especially where Navy does not hold the relevant records. We do our best to provide accurate advice and assistance but you are encouraged to double-check original archival records or other sources.