History Week - Sydney Invaded! The American & British Fleets
Sun, Sep 07, 2025 14:00 PM - 15:00 PM
Murray Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000
History Week - Sydney Invaded! The American & British Fleets
Sun, Sep 07, 2025 14:00 PM - 15:00 PM
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About this Event
Join some of the Museum's curators to celebrate Australian History Week, and hear stories of about some objects and vessels from the Museum's collection .
Sydney invaded! The American Fleet of 1925 and the British Pacific Fleet of 1945 - Presented by Dr Peter Hobbins
This year marks the anniversaries of two spectacular visits to Sydney by foreign navies. In 1925, the US Navy filled Sydney Harbour with eight battleships and support vessels, while at the same time sending another three battleships, six cruisers and 24 destroyers to Port Philip Bay. Were they sending a message? If so, two whom, and why? Two decades later, as World War II came to a close, the British Pacific Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour, boasting its own complement of battleships and what had become the prime instrument of naval warfare – aircraft carriers. As a symbol of Britain’s industrial base and belated engagement with the Pacific Theatre, here was another message being sent to Australians. But who was listening? This presentation asks what happened when our allies invaded Sydney, including stories about capital ships, aircraft accidents, racism and romance.
Dr Peter Hobbins is the museum’s Head of Knowledge, leading the curatorial, library and publications teams. He is a historian with research interests that include shipwrecks, troopships, coastal defence and military innovation.
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