The naval forces of the Australian Colonies transferred to the Federal Government on Federation, and on the 1st of March 1901, and was known as the Commonwealth Naval Forces. On 10 July 1911, King George V fixed his signature to the approval for the Commonwealth Naval Forces to be renamed the Royal Australian Navy, and for RAN ships to carry the prefix "His Majesty's Australian Ship" (HMAS).
In 2011, the Royal Australian Navy celebrated its 100th Birthday.
Western Australia has a long association with the Navy, the first Governor was a Royal Navy Officer, CAPT James Stirling, RN. This association has continued throughout the years. Western Australia is the home to Australia’s largest Naval Base, named in honour of the state’s first Governor.
Many ships have been named to celebrate towns, cities, and landmarks of this wonderful state. This puzzle cache is developed to show the ships that have carried these names.
Please note, a pennant number, is the number that a warship wears on its side, this is a means to identify the ship.
>S32 AB.CDE E115 FG.HIJ
A. Two ships have carried this port city name. Find the pennant number of the first vessel; you need the last digit in this number.
B. The city that serves as the port for the state capital has been honoured with a Bathurst Class Corvette and the lead boat a class of patrol boats, recently retired from service. You need the sum of the pennant number of this lead boat.
C. Three ships have carried the name of the river. Sum the pennant number of the first to bear this name.
D. Number of ships that have carried the name of this regional Western Australian town. The town’s name is derived from a Wangai word meaning "place of the silky pears".
E. This ship is named for a southern cape. The pennant number has 3 digits, sum the first two and subtract the last.
F. Three ships have carried the name of the state capital. Reduce the pennant number of the third ship to a single digit.
G. These two coastal cities are 1955 km apart, but both names are used for sister ships. Take the pennant number of the northern most city from the other.
H. Two ships have carried the name of this river, the longest in Western Australia. Add the first and last digit of the pennant number of the first ship to bear this name.
I. Today, this port city is an important centre for mining, fishing, wheat, sheep and tourism; two ships have carried this city’s name with honour. Find the last digit of the pennant number of the first ship to carry this name.
J. The state capital and the river that flows through it have been honoured the most. Total number of ships that have carried these two names.
There is a HMAS STIRLING coin for the FTF and two Navy Lanyards for 2nd and 3rd finders
