The Great Depression reduced the Royal Australian Navy to a very small active force centred on Australia, Canberra, the seaplane carrier Albatross, and one S-class destroyer with reduced complements. Australia continued Pacific and New Zealand cruises before sailing to Britain on exchange duty in 1934. She joined the Mediterranean Fleet during the Abyssinian Crisis and trained for a possible war with Italy. The anticipated role was to cover the withdrawal of the carrier Glorious after an attack on Taranto, an unrealized plan that foreshadowed later British carrier operations against the base. After the crisis eased, Australia returned by way of Gallipoli with HMAS Sydney. The same cruiser had moved from Depression-era austerity into imperial deployment and Mediterranean contingency planning.
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Australia through Depression cuts and the Abyssinian Crisis
Depression-era reductions left Australia at the centre of a tiny active fleet before the Abyssinian Crisis placed her in a potential plan for operations against Italy.