Australian Navy
From the colonisation of Australia in 1788 until 1859, the British Royal Navy sailed in Australian waters.
In 1859 the Australian Squadron of the British Royal Navy was formed and remained in operation until 1913. All of its resources were then gifted to the Commonwealth of Australia and became part of the Royal Australian Navy.
Five of the Australian colonies(but not Western Australia) also had their own colonial naval forces and these were combined on 1 March 1901 into the Australian Navy's Commonwealth Naval Force. Western Australia had a small group of volunteers called the Naval Artillery Volunteers.
In 1911 the name was changed to Royal Australian Navy.
During World War 1 the Royal Australian Navy sailed under the command of the British Royal Navy and supported all Commonwealth troops.
During World War 2, the Royal Australian Navy ships and auxiliary patrol boats remained under Australian command and around 37 000 men served.
In 1941 the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) and the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service (RANNS) were formed. Although they operated separately the records of women serving in these Services are indexed here alongside the men.