The Seagull amphibian from HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), crashed and sank when taking off in Cook Strait. HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), was in company with AUSTRALIA, and landed its Seagull aircraft on the water and was able to rescue the observer and air-gunner, but the pilot went down with the aircraft.
HMAS COOMBAR was commissioned as an auxiliary minesweeper.
Boats from HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), were involved in the rescue of survivors of ships sunk in Piraeus Harbour, (Greece), by a devastating German air attack. The port facilities were destroyed during the raid. Over 200 of PERTH’s crew were ashore at the time of the raid, but she suffered no casualties.
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), survived a submarine attack while on passage from Sollum to Tobruk. The torpedo passed VENDETTA’S bows, ‘with several metres to spare’.