01/03/2026
Happy 125th Birthday, Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army!
After the Federation of Australia came into existence on the 1 January 1901, one of the first acts of the Commonwealth Government was to create the Department of Defence. On this date, the states transferred their naval and military forces to the Federal Government.
Beginning under the leadership of Major General Sir Edward Hutton, the Australian Army underwent a transformative journey, amalgamating six colonial forces into a cohesive national entity.
Similarly, the Commonwealth Naval Forces of Australia, guided by Captain William Creswell and Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, gradually asserted independence from Britain's Royal Navy, culminating in the Australian Naval Defence Act of 1910. King George V granted the title of Royal Australian Navy to the Permanent Commonwealth Naval Forces the following year.
From these humble beginnings emerged the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army, each with a proud legacy of service and sacrifice.
Thank you Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army members, past and present, for 125 years of proud service and protection of our nation.
📷 Australian War Memorial & Defence Images