HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron at Scappa Flow, Scotland. ...
Australian Naval History on 11 July 1940
Gunner(T) Mr. J. H. Endicott, RN, in HMAS VAMPIRE, (destroyer), was killed in an Italian air attack on the ship. He was the RAN’s first battle casualty in WWII. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 July 1940
HMA Ships SYDNEY, (cruiser), STUART, VAMPIRE, and VOYAGER, (destroyers), participated in the Battle of Calabria. The signal, ‘Enemy battle fleet in sight,’ was hoisted for the first time in the ...
Australian Naval History on 8 July 1940
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), came under air attack whilst preparing for the Battle of Calibria. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 July 1940
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), was straddled by a stick of bombs while operating with the Mediterranean Fleet. The C in C, ADML A.B. Cunningham, recorded in his journal: ‘On this day ...
Australian Naval History on 6 July 1940
LCDR O. Becher, RAN, was awarded the DSC for conspicuous gallantry in the evacuation of troops from Namsos, Norway, while serving in HMS DEVONSHIRE. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 July 1940
HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), was launched at John Brown’s, Yard, Scotland. HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), engaged in the removal of the French fleet from the Mediterranean, records in her war diary, ‘Situation ...
Australian Naval History on 1 July 1940
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), landed 687 officers and men of a Punjabi battalion at Berbera, to reinforce British Somaliland. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 June 1940
HMS Decoy, HMS Dainty, Defender, HMS Ilex and HMAS Voyager carried out depth charge attacks on three Italian submarines. They sank the Uebi Scebelli and damaged the Salpa. The Capitano Tarantini managed to escape. Following the sinking of the Uebi Scebelli, HMAS ...
Australian Naval History on 28 June 1940
The cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN), participated in the sinking of the Italian destroyer ESPERO, in the central Mediterranean. ...
Australian Naval History on 27 June 1940
HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), rescued 13 of the crew of the Italian submarine LIAZZI, sunk by HMS DAINTY, off Crete. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 June 1940
France capitulated. ADML A. B. Cunningham concentrated the Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria to contain the French Squadron in the port. RAN ships with the Mediterranean Fleet were HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), ...
Australian Naval History on 21 June 1940
HMA Ships SYDNEY, (cruiser), and STUART, (destroyer), supported a combined British and French Squadron in the bombardment of Bardia. During the action SYDNEY’S Seagull amphibian aircraft was shot down by ...
Australian Naval History on 19 June 1940
HMAS Hobart bombarded an the Italian wireless station at Centre Peak Island, in the Red Sea during which her Seagull also made a solo bombing attack . LCDR A. W. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 June 1940
HMAS VOYAGER, with HMS DECOY, (destroyers), engaged the surfaced Italian submarine FOCA, which was laying mines, with gunfire off Alexandria. The submarine submerged, and VOYAGER, (CMDR Morrow), dropped depth charges ...
Australian Naval History on 12 June 1940
The crew of the Italian liner ROMOLO, scuttled their ship west of Nauru, after a long pursuit by HMAS MANOORA, (armed merchant cruiser). MANOORA picked up the survivors from their ...
Australian Naval History on 11 June 1940
HMAS Sydney, with cruisers of the 7th Cruiser Squadron HMS Orion, HMS Neptune, HMS Gloucester and HMS Liverpool, departed Alexandria at 1.00am for a sweep after Italy declared war the ...
Australian Naval History on 10 June 1940
Italy entered the war on the side of Germany. An officer in HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), at the time of the announcement commented, ‘The news came like the proverbial bomb in ...
Australian Naval History on 9 June 1940
LEUT G. L. Fowle, RAN, commanded the former Dutch schuyt HMS DOGGER BANK, in the evacuation of troops from Cherbourg and St Malo. He later brought out civilians from the ...
Australian Naval History on 4 June 1940
LEUT R. J. Robertson, RAN, was awarded the DSC and MID for conspicuous gallantry while serving in HMS MALCOLM, (destroyer), at the evacuation of Dunkirk, and in operations off the ...
Australian Naval History on 3 June 1940
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), commenced a long refit at Malta. During this time her ships company were loaned to the Army, and became part of the force ready to repel a ...
Australian Naval History on 31 May 1940
Convoy US3, escorted by HMA Ships CANBERRA and AUSTRALIA, (cruisers), headed north from Cape Town. ...
Australian Naval History on 26 May 1940
The cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN), joined the 7th Cruiser Squadron operating in the Mediterranean. LEUT F. N. Cook, RAN, was rescued from the sea off Narvik, ...
Australian Naval History on 22 May 1940
The cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN), arrived at Aden, en-route to the Mediterranean. During the ship’s passage from Sydney, she had struck, and cut in half, a ...
Australian Naval History on 21 May 1940
The Australian Government approved the building of the Captain Cook Graving Dock between Potts Point and Garden Island Navy Base, Sydney. ...