| Historical Specifics: |
The Chatham class were ordered under the 1911 Programme and commissioned between 1912-1916. Three ships, HMAS Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, were built to the same design for the new Royal Australian Navy, where they were known as the Sydney class. Each ship had amongst its armament eight 6 inch guns in single turrets. The MELBOURNE served on the North America and West Indies Stations from 1914 to 1916 before joining the Grand Fleet in the North Sea, where she remained for the remainder of the war.
The three ships were laid up between 1928 and 1936. Records indicate the last shoot in naval service for the guns of HMAS Melbourne took place on 7 June 1927. Melbourne was laid up in 1928 and the guns placed in store at the Army Ordnance Store. During World War II batteries consisting of two 6 inch Mark XI guns were established at Darwin (East, Waugite and Emery Point), Brisbane (Cowan and Bribie), Sydney (Signal Hill and Malabar), Port Kembla (Illowra and Breakwater), Rottnest Island Fremantle (Bickley), Port Moresby New Guinea (Paga) and Torres Strait (Goods).
This gun eventually ended up at the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Port Wakefield, South Australia where eventually it was placed at the entrance near the main road. In 2007 the gun was moved to Georges Heights. The gun is on loan to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust from the National Artillery Museum. |
