The Royal Australian Navy's first five destroyers sent to war were First World War-era ships, yet their crews did not treat age as a reason for caution. The Scrap Iron Flotilla was exceptionally aggressive and repeatedly ready to use its torpedoes. Their Mediterranean service brought Australian ships into frequent contact with the Regia Marina. The force shows how doctrine also reflects institutional identity and crew culture alongside the performance of the ships available.
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Australia's Scrap Iron Flotilla becomes combat power
The Royal Australian Navy's Scrap Iron Flotilla shows how older destroyers and an aggressive crew culture could still produce substantial Mediterranean combat power.