It was Goebbels who coined the name "Scrap Iron Flotilla" thinking it would be an insult. However, the Australian crews regarded it as a compliment and immediately adopted the name. As an aside it was also Goebbels who called the Australian troops defending Tobruk "The Rats of Tobruk" which was also adopted as a compliment. I don't think Goebbels understood Australian humour.

I would argue that HMAS Vampire is Australia's most famous ship and is the embodiment of the Australian fighting spirit during WW2

@keiranallcott1515

9 ай бұрын

I would argue hmas Sydney is more famous

Good informative video. It is worth mentioning that the name 'Vampire' was later carried on in an Aussie-built 'Daring' class Destroyer. After a long and distinguished career through most of the Cold War, that 'Vampire' is now a permanent exhibit at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

@markcooke2713

9 ай бұрын

I remember visiting her 2 times when she was in service, and visited Auckland.

A true legend. Nearly all of Australia's navy went down fighting in WW2, every little bit of information is very much appreciated. Thanks for the upload.

Brilliant. Well worth looking at the career of Hec Waller who commanded the Scrap Iron Flotilla and ultimately captained the HMAS Perth where he went down with her at the Battle of Sunda Strait with the USS Houston.

My father was a CheifPetty Officer on the "Vendetta ", a sister ship of the "Vampire". Pretty much the same experiences during WW2.

Always a favourite ship. Thanks for covering.

V&W class destroyers weren't technically obsolete in WW2, as they were very modern by the time they were built. They were just worn out from continous service. Even if many gave good service either as built or converted to escort or anti aircraft destroyers

@old_guard2431

9 ай бұрын

Very true. Good speed, excellent hull. I think the Aussies got short shrift on maintenance and upgrades. Given the investment in ship and crew, failure to upgrade AA is very hard to understand. The Brits were somehow reluctant to embrace the good short/medium range Oerlikons and Bofors, probably because of the license expense and retooling, but would it have killed them to throw on a couple more “Pom-Poms?” Wouldn’t have saved her, but might have exacted some revenge.

The V & W classes were the peak of RN destroyer design in WWI. They would be the basis for the standard interwar destroyers that began with the A class prototype and built in eight-ship flotillas with a flotilla leader throughput the 1930s They saw yeoman service in WWII and most survivors ended up converted to ASW escorts as the war went on. The series was also developed into the emergency program destroyers built during the war. Many were also exported in the 1930s. One of the most famous was HMS Glowworm, which you profiled. Several fought desperately in the far East and the Med, including HMS Kelly under Mountbatten sunk off Crete. The great WWII movie "In Which We Serve" was based on the HMS Kelly's story. Never the most advanced interwar designs, they nevertheless served well whenever call upon and fit the RN's budget during these lean years between the wars. Kelly would make a fine profile.

@JGCR59

9 ай бұрын

Kelly wasn't a pre war standard type though, the K class was basically a replacement for them.

Great episode! She certainly didn't look like a WW1 design!

I hope they find it. I would love to see a video on it

Another interesting video great job looking forward to the next

Perhaps Vampire's wreck will be discovered one day, allowing us to pay homage to this heroic destroyer once more.

@frostedbutts4340

9 ай бұрын

Probably better that she isn't to avoid her getting 'salvaged' by the Chinese.

@mathewkelly9968

9 ай бұрын

​@@frostedbutts4340or Indians or Indonesians take your pick

@user-bd3ds4ev5f

9 ай бұрын

@@frostedbutts4340she should be pretty close to Hermes

The irony of the Royal Australian Navy was that it was formed mostly to provide a local security fleet for the South Pacific to relieve the Royal Navy of the responsibility, but then the Royal Navy would end up asking so many Australian ships to support the wider British Empire that relatively few Australian ships actually secured the South Pacific for most of the Second World War.

Very consise history of HMS Vampire, thank you y much.

There is footage taken from a Japanese plane of the attack on vampire , taken from a tail gunners position.

Those 'hand-me-downs' were also in use by the Royal Navy. If it floats at the time it was used. The only exception was HMS Victory. Someone had lost the key to the rum ration. It seems Americans did not have the luxury of their 'tot' at the time, as they used to fall over at the smell of a barmaids' apron.

It's a shame the empire didn't spend more money on planes before ww2 , I know hindsight is great but when you think how big said empire was , an unsinkable aircraft carrier or carriers around the world

Vampire, very cool name

Ceylon... "Say-lon".... No. "Sell-on".... That's more like it! I'm not trying to be pedantic, but correct pronunciation adds authority to the video.

@michaelarmbruster586

9 ай бұрын

With her life I'd say sail on Hope they can find her

@mahbriggs

9 ай бұрын

Perhaps, but most people do pronounce it as "Say-lon". I know my college history professor did.

@pickeljarsforhillary102

9 ай бұрын

Say-lon.

Actually, i hope they won't find it, because of all the scrap-metal scavangers plundering the old war relics...

I guess it's safe to say that she was a very "reserved" ship LMAO

When you say, they the crew was rescued, if by the japenese, that was a false statement. they weren't rescued in the sense of living out the remaining of the war, but to be brutalized. tortured, and death. Not much of a rescue there..

Old junk Australia 🇦🇺 scrapped the flagship Australia on the orders from the British.