1316 23 March 1941
Vice Admiral Sir Guy Royle surveyed the composition and dispositions of the Royal Australasian Navy. A Royal Navy "loaner" he was the service's uniformed head. All of his time was in naval aviation, of which he was an enthusiastic proponent. He had done the best he could to prepare the service for war and, in all fairness, had received all the help he could from the Prime Minister and the government as well, which could not always be said of all armed services. War with Japan seemed inevitable. Their occupation of French Indo China confirmed their aggressive intent plus the US oil embargo, whilst well intentioned must surely push them to war, as they could not obtained domestic supply from other sources.
At Alexandria he had the light carrier Christchurch, the light cruisers Launceston and Hobart and six Tribal Class destroyers. At Gibraltar the light carrier Wellington, the heavy cruiser Perth and two old V class destroyers and the AA destroyer Attack.
Operating from Fremantle he had the light cruiser Sydney, the old cruiser Adelaide, two armed merchant cruisers and two new destroyers. All of his submarine assets were based there, including three O Class submarines, six Snake Class submarines and the captured Italian Boat Death Adder. From Sydney he had the light carrier Melbourne, heavy cruiser Auckland, light cruiser Suva, monitor Gorgon, destroyer leader Stuart and three old V Class destroyers, as well as four sloops.
From Auckland he had two light cruisers, Darwin and Brisbane and five frigates, old World War 1 S and T Class destroyers modified as escorts. Eight corvettes and ten minesweepers were also scattered about various ports.
Building in Australasian yards were two Tribal Class destroyers that should be due towards the end of the year as well as 18 corvettes. Upon completion of these and the aircraft carrier conversions, he intended to see a large number of more capable frigates laid down plus possibly up to fours submarines, instead of the cheaper and easier to build but limited Bathurst Class corvettes.
The former liner Australasia was converting to an aircraft carrier at Garden Island. Work had commenced in March 1940 and it was anticipated that this should complete around September or October 1941. Likewise, the former Italian captured liner Costa Verde had been renamed Zealandia and had started conversion July 1940 and was expected October or November 1941. Both ships would be limited in speed to 22 and 20 knots respectively, with anticipated air groups of 40 for Australasia and 26 for Zealandia.
In regards to naval aviation, the standard torpedo bomber was still the Swordfish, of with new squadrons had been ordered for both carriers, as had two extra squadrons worth of Skuas. Enough He 112's that had been navalised would be available to equip the air defence component of both carriers. Trials had started on a maritime conversion of the He 100, but they were being made in limited numbers and the Air Force had, at this stage, priority.
Finally, he had agreed to negotiations that had secured the navy the Pacifica, ex Chilean Admiral Latorre, ex HMS Canada. He was unsure as to the merits of getting what was essentially an old battleship but the government were keen and as negotiations had proceeded through 1940 he had gradually foreseen a role screening the two new carriers, both of which suffered the same disadvantage, slow speed. Pacifica was currently under refit and modernisation in the U.S that would see an increase in elevation of her main armament, the removal of her amidships turret, a slight increase in armour over the vitals, a radar fit, removal of torpedo tubes and a new AA fit. Entering the yard late November 1940, she would not be out again until near the end of 1941. The Chileans had not been that keen to sell her, however, the war was on the other coastline and the country had been so impoverished that she had been laid up for most of the 1930's. Whilst the Chilean economy was in turnaround things were still tight and the two squadrons of He 111's, two of the scuttled battle cruiser HMAS Australia's old 12 inch turrets for coastal defence and a gold exchange had clinched the deal.
