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You are here: Home / Artworks / HMAS Deloraine / HMAS Deloraine presses home her attack on Japanese fleet submarine I-124

HMAS Deloraine presses home her attack on Japanese fleet submarine I-124

by Phil Belbin

HMAS Deloraine presses home her attack on Japanese fleet submarine I-124 by Phil Belbin
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Place made:
St Ives, Sydney
Date:
1986
Setting:
WW II (1939-1945)
Courtesy of the Naval Heritage collection

When Deloraine saw a torpedo approaching she swung sharply and it passed three metres astern. Within a few minutes Deloraine made a good echo contact and dropped six depth charges. Large patches of oil and great air bubbles burst to the surface. The attack continued with Deloraine being joined by her two sister ships, HMAS Katoomba and HMAS Lithgow.

Returning in the early hours of the following morning, Deloraine obtained a second contact and dropped a further series of charges. Post war investigation of Japanese records showed that the first attack had been successful, and Deloraine, Katoomba, Lithgow and Edsall were officially credited with destroying the Japanese submarine I-124.

  • About Phil Belbin

    Phil Belbin was interested in art from a young age and a prolific drawer. He is said to have produced his first comic book at the age of eleven and had his first published work, a calendar for a metallurgist, at the age of thirteen. He studied art for two years at East Sydney Technical College. In 1942 Belbin had further training for one year at Sydney's The Sun newspaper as an intern in the art department.

    In 1943 Belbin enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and served as an armourer in the Pacific Islands. Following his demobilisation in March 1946, Belbin found work at Frank Johnson Publications as an illustrator. In 1947 Belbin went to work for K.G. Murray Publishing Company. He created cartoons, comic strips and artwork for the company over the next 30 years.

    Throughout his time at the publishing house Belbin also worked as a freelance illustrator for other publications and illustrated campaigns for advertising agencies and numerous private commissions. Belbin's list of commercial art clients grew to include local and international engineering, aerospace, and transportation companies.

    In 1974 Belbin was awarded a 'Citation of Merit' by the New York Society of Illustrator and in 1984 he was elected as a fellow by the Royal Society of Arts, London.

    Throughout his life Belbin had maintained a keen interest in steam transport - ships and trains. In addition to his print illustrations, Belbin also painted scenes of shipping and steam trains whose accurate details were highly regarded.

    Belbin was asked to illustrate the book “The Royal Australian Navy: the first seventy-five years”. This book contains twenty-six outstanding ship paintings and several drawings by Phil Belbin. The text was by Ross Gillett. It was published by Child & Henry in 1989.

    Phil Belbin passed away in 1993, succumbing to motor neurone disease.

    More paintings by Phil Belbin
  • About HMAS Deloraine

    HMAS Deloraine was one of fifty-six Bathurst Class, Australian Minesweepers (commonly known as corvettes) built for the RAN during World War 2 in Australian shipyards.

More reading

  • Additional resources for Phil Belbin
    • Phil Belbin, Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
    • Phil Belbin, Wikipedia
    • AustLit: Discover Australian Stories
  • Additional resources for HMAS Deloraine
    • HMAS Deloraine, The Sea Power Centre (navy.gov.au)
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