HMA Ships Australia (II) (Captain HB Farncomb, DSO, MVO, RAN), Shropshire (Captain JA Collins, CB, RAN), Arunta (I) (Commander AE Buchanan, RAN) and Warramunga (I) (Captain EFV Dechaineux, DSC, RAN) bombarded enemy targets at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, in preparation for Allied landings.
Over the course of 80 minutes, the four vessels expended over 700 rounds of 8-inch, nearly 900 rounds of 4.7-inch, and nearly 100 rounds of 4-inch ammunition. By the end of the day 12,500 troops and 7600 tons of supplies had been landed at Cape Gloucester.