HMAS Vampire became the first RAN warship to engage Japanese Warships when she and HMS Thanet attacked enemy units in a night action of Endau, Malaya. HMS Thanet was sunk during the action while HMAS Vampire successfully withdrew to Singapore.
The Bathurst class minesweeper HMAS CESSNOCK, (A/LCDR Marchington, RNR),was commissioned at Sydney. Lady Gordon, (Wife of a Director of Cockatoo Dockyard), performed the commissioning ceremony. CESSNOCK was laid down in Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney, and launched on 17 October 1941.
HMAS Sirocco (Q21) , a channel patrol boat operated by the Naval Auxiliary Patrol of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was destroyed by fire at Hobart.
