• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Naval Historical Society of Australia

Preserving Australia's Naval History

  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Show Search
  • 0 items
Hide Search
Menu
  • Home
  • Research
    • Where to start
      • Research – We can help!
      • Self help
      • Naval Service Records
      • Library
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Resources
      • Articles
      • Videos
      • On This Day
      • Podcasts
      • Australian Military Ship Losses
      • RAN events on a  Google Earth Map
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Other
      • Newsletters: Call The Hands
      • Occasional Papers
      • Books
      • HMAS Shropshire
      • Book reviews
    • Close
  • Naval Heritage Sites
    • World Heritage Listings
      • Cockatoo Island
    • National Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites
      • HMVS Cerberus
    • Commonwealth Heritage Listings
      • Garden Island NSW
      • HMAS Watson
      • HMAS Penguin
      • Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW
      • Chowder Bay Naval Facilities
      • Beecroft Peninsula NSW
      • Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications
      • HMAS Cerberus
      • Naval Offices QLD
      • Garden Island WA
      • Royal Australian Naval College ACT
      • Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT
    • NSW Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Rushcutter
    • Close
  • Tours & Cruises
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, East
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, West
    • 81st. Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack
    • Tour of Sub Base Platypus
    • Garden Island Dockyard Heritage Tour
    • Garden Island Northern Hill and Garden Tour
    • Tour Bookings
    • Close
  • About us
    • About Us
      • What we do
      • Our People
      • Office Bearers
      • Become a volunteer
      • Our Goals and Strategy
    • Organisation
      • Victoria Chapter
      • WA Chapter
      • ACT Chapter
    • Close
  • Membership
  • Shop
  • Become a volunteer
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / An Historic Letter

An Historic Letter

Walker, Jefferson H., MVO, Lieutenant Commander, RAN · Dec 10, 2010 · Print This Page

Author
Walker, Jefferson H., MVO, Lieutenant Commander, RAN
Subjects
RAN operations, Ship histories and stories, WWII operations, History - WW2
Tags
HMS Auckland, Aircraft bombing target
RAN Ships
HMAS Parramatta II
Publication
December 2010 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

Editor’s Note: This is a copy of a letter from Lieutenant Commander Jefferson H. Walker, MVO, RAN, (then CO of HMAS Parramatta (II)) to his wife, describing a particularly nasty series of air attacks.


On Shore – recovering after a stupid taxi accident

31/7/41

Having now received your cutting from the SMH about our action with aircraft and since the BBC have broadcast the whole of the story about the Auckland, saying at the same time that the survivors were picked up by an Australian sloop, there is nothing censorable left about the business and I can therefore tell you the whole story. I am sure you will find it interesting.

The ‘escort’ duty mentioned in the cutting was the job of escorting a petrol carrying ship with fuel urgently required from ‘A’ to ‘B’. The voyage was risky and opposition was expected as the route lay close to large enemy bases on the shore. Fighter protection was provided for us where possible, but commitments were heavy, and we expected to have to rely on our own protection. The Escorting Force was HMS Auckland (for so long our chummy ship in the Red Sea) and Parramatta. Auckland was the senior officer of the party.

The first day and the first night of the voyage went according to the programme, and was without incident. The second day was full of incident and when I say ‘incident’, I mean it!

The day dawned fine and clear and hot with a smooth sea. The first thing to happen was a completely unseen attack by a single aircraft at a great height, at 0915. When this occurred, I was aft doing some job, and raced forward to the bridge with bombs falling into the sea around the ship. The result was that I was drenched with spray by the time I got there. I was wearing a white shirt and the enemy was using some sort of oil in his bombs. The shirt is beautifully speckled grey forever. The attack was a good one, and the ship was neatly straddled, but not hit. Auckland fired on the machine, our rangefinder being out of action for the minute owing to spray from the bombs.

Throughout the rest, Auckland was leading, the Merchant Ship between us and I brought up the rear, both the warships, of course, were zigzagging. Just before noon, an attack was made by three planes dropping torpedoes, one ahead and the other two on either side of me. Bursts of fire at the machines near me made them unload their torpedoes and they made off, one, I think, being winged. I saw the track of a torpedo on the starboard side and was able to avoid it with ease. Probably the torpedo to port was aimed at the Merchant Ship. No hits.

At 1346, a single aircraft made a high-level attack dropping four bombs which fell around me without hitting. He was also engaged by both of us.

There was now a long and anxious pause whilst we got nearer and nearer to the most dangerous zone. The expected attack occurred as late as 1735, and was in full force by about (estimated) 3 formations of 16 aircraft each moving in at about 14,000 feet then dive bombing. This is pretty heavy weight for two small ships. We both opened fire at the formations when they were at long range and they worked round to the sun, then overhead then down in numbers. When they started to come down, things happened at pace. About two thirds of them attacked Auckland, one or two the Merchant Ship and the rest me. I don’t know if I can convey the intensity of this sort of thing, with the sky above alive with aircraft, whistling down (or rather roaring down at one), pulling out at the last moment, the bombs crashing into the sea continuously, the whole being added to by the crash of one’s own guns. The effect is terrific as the sky seems to rain death at one. I have a vivid memory of seeing aircraft apparently just missing the masts of the Merchant Ship fairly spitting bombs at her. On the bridge I was continuously nearly blinded and wet through with spray from the bombs around me.

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

Naval Historical Review, RAN operations, Ship histories and stories, WWII operations, History - WW2 HMS Auckland, Aircraft bombing target

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Latest Podcasts

  • The Case of the Unknown Sailor
  • Night of the midget subs — Sydney under attack
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 1
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 2
  • D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN – Part 3

Links to other podcasts

Australian Naval History Podcasts
This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre

Life on the Line Podcasts
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories.
These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher.

Video Links

  • Australian War Memorial YouTube channel
  • Royal Australian Navy YouTube Channel
  • Research – We can help!
  • Naval Heritage Sites
  • Garden Island Dockyard Heritage Tour
  • About us
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Members Area
  • Privacy Policy
  • Log Out

Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Copyright © 2023