The effect of fibre orientation and laminate stacking sequence on the tensile and fatigue behaviour of SCS-6/Ti-15-3 composites were investigated. The laminates used in this study were : (90)(6), (0/+/-45)(s), (0/90)(s), and (90/+45)(s). The initiation and progression of microstructural damage at various stress levels was thoroughly characterized. It was found that fatigue life at high applied stresses were controlled by fibre fracture; progressive damage involving fibre fracture, interfacial debonding and matrix cracking became dominant at low applied stresses. Observation of the damage mechanisms in the angle-ply laminates under cyclic loading suggests that increasing the fibre-matrix bonding strength may improve the load carrying capability and fatigue life of laminates containing off-axis plies.