![July 18, 1958. Day of Infamy. HMAS VENDETTA [II] crashes the caisson of WND's Alfred Graving Dock - RAN. | by Kookaburra2011](http://live.staticflickr.com/5006/5213681003_72a5085b31.jpg)
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July 18, 1958. Day of Infamy. HMAS VENDETTA [II] crashes the caisson of WND's Alfred Graving Dock - RAN.
3366. We have had some photographs of this bizarre accident earlier. Nine years four months and 22 days in the building, on Friday July 18, 1958, the newly- completed daring Class destroyer HMAS VENDETTA [II] was about to leave the fitting out dock at WND for trials when she suddenly surged forward rather than going astern, and crashed into the caisson of the Alfred drydock.
With the caisson wall threatening to collapse, 'Abandon Ship' was sounded on the frigate HMAS QUICKMATCH inside the dock, which was in danger not only of being flooded, but of having HMAS VENDETTA [II] washed down on top of her. Engineers quickly flooded the drydock, to equalize the forces bearing on the caisson, averting any further disaster.
Photo: Crerdited RAN Historical Section, it appears in Vic Cassells's book 'The Destroyers; Their Battles and Their Badges' [Kangaroo Press, Sydney 2000] p.165.
July 18, 1958. Day of Infamy. HMAS VENDETTA [II] crashes the caisson of WND's Alfred Graving Dock - RAN.
3366. We have had some photographs of this bizarre accident earlier. Nine years four months and 22 days in the building, on Friday July 18, 1958, the newly- completed daring Class destroyer HMAS VENDETTA [II] was about to leave the fitting out dock at WND for trials when she suddenly surged forward rather than going astern, and crashed into the caisson of the Alfred drydock.
With the caisson wall threatening to collapse, 'Abandon Ship' was sounded on the frigate HMAS QUICKMATCH inside the dock, which was in danger not only of being flooded, but of having HMAS VENDETTA [II] washed down on top of her. Engineers quickly flooded the drydock, to equalize the forces bearing on the caisson, averting any further disaster.
Photo: Crerdited RAN Historical Section, it appears in Vic Cassells's book 'The Destroyers; Their Battles and Their Badges' [Kangaroo Press, Sydney 2000] p.165.