Ships of Commonwealth
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Several of the various nation-states that comprise the Commonwealth deploy their own military forces. Collectively, they are represented in World of Warships under a single flag, but each navy has its own history and traditions.<br> | Several of the various nation-states that comprise the Commonwealth deploy their own military forces. Collectively, they are represented in World of Warships under a single flag, but each navy has its own history and traditions.<br> | |||
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? | [[File:Wows flag Canada.png|68px|frameless|left|link=]] | + | [[File:Wows flag Canada.png|68px|frameless|left|link=]]At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire fell upon a unique dilemma: the topic of protecting is many dominions across the world. In Canada’s case, there was two possible solutions: either provide the Royal Navy the resources to protects its borders, or take the necessary steps to be able to defend itself. The latter path was chosen, and soon the government put forth a Naval Service Bill calling forth a permanent and volunteer force, as well as a naval college to train future personnel. By 1910 the Naval Service of Canada was born; later dubbed the '''Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)'''. | |
? | + | The nucleus of the nascent navy came in the shape of two cruisers: HMCS ''Rainbow'' and HMCS ''Niobe''; mostly seeing service as training vessels. Despite government contention on the logistics and practicality of fielding a navy, the citizens of Canada were supportive of the institution and bolstered the manpower of the volunteer reserve forces (RNCVR). | ||
? | + | By the start of the First World War, the navy had grown to 4 cruisers and 2 submarines. This rather small force spent the majority of the conflict patrolling both coastlines of North America, many of the assets being deemed unfit for service before the War’s end. The lack of growth of the Navy could be mostly attributed to the decision by the Canadian government to allow citizens to choose whether they wish to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy or their British equivalent; many chose to serve in the latter. | ||
? | + | The end of the war saw a reduction of manpower, plus a transition to conducting civilian duties, with its handful of destroyers and single cruiser. On the other hand, enthusiasm in the RNCVR kept strong and kept growing through the interwar years. By the 1930s, the navy was slowly seeing new life breathed into it with the acquisition of two new destroyers built in England – the first ships purpose-built for the RCN. Further investment in the service was spurred on by rising tensions and aggressions in Europe and Asia; more destroyers and training vessels were acquired. | ||
? | + | The events of the Second World War saw an explosion of growth for the Royal Canadian Navy; ships were simultaneously produced at home and acquired from abroad, with new recruits drawing in from all across the country. The Navy primarily operated in the North Atlantic and was solely responsible for the oversight of the entire North West Theatre of operations. The Navy had two primary functions: convoy protection and U-boat hunting. During 6 years of combat, the RCN finally proved its potential, through the destruction or capture of 27 U-boats and 42 Axis ships. But more impressive was the fact that the Navy successfully completed over 25,000 convoy crossings, bringing nearly 182,000,000 tonnes worth of men and materials critical for the war effort. This did come at the cost of 24 vessels and nearly 2,000 personnel. | ||
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+ | By the end of the war, the RCN transformed from an inexperienced service to a formidable force; it was the third-largest navy in the entire world, despite consisting predominantly of destroyers. Nobody could question the diligence displayed by the personnel of the RCN and years of U-boat hunting shaped the service into masters of anti-submarine warfare; experience that would come in handy when chasing Soviet nuclear-boats. To this day, the RCN adheres to the prestige forged by their predecessors. | |||
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[[File:Wows flag Australia.png|68px|frameless|left|link=]][[Image:Ship_PUSC506_Perth_1942.png|frame|right|link=Ship:Perth|HMAS ''Perth'', Tier VI cruiser]]With the vast majority of its population spread along the long coastlines of the country, Australia relied upon detached units from the Royal Navy to provide naval defense for more than a century. This arrangement remained the status quo until 1909, when talks began of a dedicated naval unit to be deployed to Australian waters. It was decided between the British Admiralty and the Australian Government that Australia would purchase a "fleet unit" consisting of six destroyers, three cruisers, three submarines, various auxiliaries, and a battlecruiser. The first two ships, HMAS ''Yarra'' and HMAS ''Parramatta'', reached Australian waters in November 1910, and on 10 July 1911 King George V granted the title of '''Royal Australian Navy (RAN)''' to the Commonwealth Naval Forces. By 1913, the completed Australian fleet — led by battlecruiser HMAS ''Australia'' — entered Sydney Harbour for the first time. | [[File:Wows flag Australia.png|68px|frameless|left|link=]][[Image:Ship_PUSC506_Perth_1942.png|frame|right|link=Ship:Perth|HMAS ''Perth'', Tier VI cruiser]]With the vast majority of its population spread along the long coastlines of the country, Australia relied upon detached units from the Royal Navy to provide naval defense for more than a century. This arrangement remained the status quo until 1909, when talks began of a dedicated naval unit to be deployed to Australian waters. It was decided between the British Admiralty and the Australian Government that Australia would purchase a "fleet unit" consisting of six destroyers, three cruisers, three submarines, various auxiliaries, and a battlecruiser. The first two ships, HMAS ''Yarra'' and HMAS ''Parramatta'', reached Australian waters in November 1910, and on 10 July 1911 King George V granted the title of '''Royal Australian Navy (RAN)''' to the Commonwealth Naval Forces. By 1913, the completed Australian fleet — led by battlecruiser HMAS ''Australia'' — entered Sydney Harbour for the first time. |
Revision as of 04:29, 5 June 2018
Several of the various nation-states that comprise the Commonwealth deploy their own military forces. Collectively, they are represented in World of Warships under a single flag, but each navy has its own history and traditions.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire fell upon a unique dilemma: the topic of protecting is many dominions across the world. In Canada’s case, there was two possible solutions: either provide the Royal Navy the resources to protects its borders, or take the necessary steps to be able to defend itself. The latter path was chosen, and soon the government put forth a Naval Service Bill calling forth a permanent and volunteer force, as well as a naval college to train future personnel. By 1910 the Naval Service of Canada was born; later dubbed the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
The nucleus of the nascent navy came in the shape of two cruisers: HMCS Rainbow and HMCS Niobe; mostly seeing service as training vessels. Despite government contention on the logistics and practicality of fielding a navy, the citizens of Canada were supportive of the institution and bolstered the manpower of the volunteer reserve forces (RNCVR).
By the start of the First World War, the navy had grown to 4 cruisers and 2 submarines. This rather small force spent the majority of the conflict patrolling both coastlines of North America, many of the assets being deemed unfit for service before the War’s end. The lack of growth of the Navy could be mostly attributed to the decision by the Canadian government to allow citizens to choose whether they wish to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy or their British equivalent; many chose to serve in the latter.
The end of the war saw a reduction of manpower, plus a transition to conducting civilian duties, with its handful of destroyers and single cruiser. On the other hand, enthusiasm in the RNCVR kept strong and kept growing through the interwar years. By the 1930s, the navy was slowly seeing new life breathed into it with the acquisition of two new destroyers built in England – the first ships purpose-built for the RCN. Further investment in the service was spurred on by rising tensions and aggressions in Europe and Asia; more destroyers and training vessels were acquired.
The events of the Second World War saw an explosion of growth for the Royal Canadian Navy; ships were simultaneously produced at home and acquired from abroad, with new recruits drawing in from all across the country. The Navy primarily operated in the North Atlantic and was solely responsible for the oversight of the entire North West Theatre of operations. The Navy had two primary functions: convoy protection and U-boat hunting. During 6 years of combat, the RCN finally proved its potential, through the destruction or capture of 27 U-boats and 42 Axis ships. But more impressive was the fact that the Navy successfully completed over 25,000 convoy crossings, bringing nearly 182,000,000 tonnes worth of men and materials critical for the war effort. This did come at the cost of 24 vessels and nearly 2,000 personnel.
By the end of the war, the RCN transformed from an inexperienced service to a formidable force; it was the third-largest navy in the entire world, despite consisting predominantly of destroyers. Nobody could question the diligence displayed by the personnel of the RCN and years of U-boat hunting shaped the service into masters of anti-submarine warfare; experience that would come in handy when chasing Soviet nuclear-boats. To this day, the RCN adheres to the prestige forged by their predecessors.
With the vast majority of its population spread along the long coastlines of the country, Australia relied upon detached units from the Royal Navy to provide naval defense for more than a century. This arrangement remained the status quo until 1909, when talks began of a dedicated naval unit to be deployed to Australian waters. It was decided between the British Admiralty and the Australian Government that Australia would purchase a "fleet unit" consisting of six destroyers, three cruisers, three submarines, various auxiliaries, and a battlecruiser. The first two ships, HMAS Yarra and HMAS Parramatta, reached Australian waters in November 1910, and on 10 July 1911 King George V granted the title of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to the Commonwealth Naval Forces. By 1913, the completed Australian fleet — led by battlecruiser HMAS Australia — entered Sydney Harbour for the first time.
The RAN served on the frontlines of World War I, supporting Australian landings in the invasion of the German New Guinea colonies and attacking the Ottoman Navy in the Sea of Marmora during the Gallipoli campaign. HMAS Sydney faced off alone against SMS Emden in the middle of the Indian Ocean and won — earning the RAN's first victory at sea — while HMAS Australia was later involved in the Battle of Jutland. After the war, the RAN — like most other navies around the world — was forced to make changes as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. They had to scrap their only battlecruiser as a result of the treaty, but gained several pre-war submarines and destroyers.
During the inter-war period, older ships were sold for scrap while newer heavy cruisers, light cruisers, submarines, destroyers, and a seaplane carrier found their way into RAN service. Hampered by the inter-war disarmament policies due to shifting economic and political situations, the RAN rose once again to fight in World War II. Throughout 1940, the RAN distinguished itself in the Mediterranean with the famous destroyers of the "Scrap Iron Flotilla". RAN units returned to defend the Australian homeland when war broke out in the Pacific and enemy ships prowled Australian waters, fighting against the encroaching Empire of Japan as close to home as the Coral Sea.
Since the end of the Second World War, the Royal Australian Navy has served in operations from the Korean Theater to East Timor, focusing on protecting Australia’s interests in the southwestern Pacific region and peacekeeping around the globe with a 50-strong fleet of modern destroyers, frigates, submarines, and auxiliaries.
Much like their neighbors across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand was protected by the Royal Navy from its founding well into the twentieth century. The residents of New Zealand took an active role in contributing to their own defense early on, providing spar torpedo boats to their assigned division of the Royal Navy late in the nineteenth century as well as fully funding the Indefatigable-class battlecruiser HMS New Zealand commissioned into His Majesty's service in 1911. New Zealand served throughout the duration of World War I, seeing action at Heligoland Blight, Dogger Bank, and in the Battle of Jutland.
The "New Zealand Naval Forces" were formally organized as a part of the Naval Defence Act of 1913, and referred to as the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy from 1921 onwards. The New Zealand Division was largely comprised of cruisers and lighter units, including HMS Leander, HMS Achilles, and a pair of Danae-class cruisers. With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, New Zealand joined the rest of the British Empire in declaring war on Germany. Recognizing that the existing New Zealand Division was already largely independent and self-sufficient, King George VI christened it the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) on 1 October 1941. The RNZN contributed ships and men in several key theaters of operations during the course of the war, seeing action — and suffering losses — in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea.