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. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 May 1940
HMS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), relieved HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), as escort for troop convoy US3, in the Indian Ocean. SHROPSHIRE was commissioned into the RAN as a replacement for CANBERRA in 1943. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 May 1940
The Australian War Cabinet accepted the Admiralty offer of HMS CERES and HMS COLOMBO, (cruisers), for service in Australian waters. The decision was reversed a week later. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 May 1940
HMA Ships CANBERRA and AUSTRALIA, (cruisers), were escorting convoy US3, when about halfway between Fremantle and Colombo, The British Admiralty ordered it alter course for Britain via the Cape Town. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 May 1940
PO Augustus Joseph Fisher, RAN , SN 14400, was awarded the DSM for daring, endurance, and resource, while serving in HM Submarine TRUANT. Fifteen months later he was MID for ...
Australian Naval History on 5 May 1940
Australian troop convoy US3, consisting of liners QUEEN MARY, AQUITANIA, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, MAURETANIA, and ANDES, escorted by HMA Ships CANBERRA and PERTH, and HMS LEANDER, sailed ...
Australian Naval History on 4 May 1940
HMAS KANGAROO, (boom defence vessel), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 24 April 1940
The Cunard liner QUEEN MARY commenced conversion to a troop ship at Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 April 1940
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), intercepted the Norwegian ship SOLHEIM off Fremantle, and escorted the vessel into port. HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), intercepted the Danish merchant vessel AFRIKA between Colombo and Aden. A ...
Australian Naval History on 12 April 1940
HMAS WESTRALIA captured Norwegian steamer FERNLANE (4310grt) north of Australia and sent her under a prize crew to Singapore. HMAS MANOORA intercepted the Norwegian tanker HARBOR, and escorted her to ...
Australian Naval History on 9 April 1940
AB A. Kennedy, RAN, survived the sinking of the destroyer HMS GURKHA by dive bombers off Norway. Kennedy was the only Australian in the crew. ...
Australian Naval History on 8 April 1940
The Grimbsy type escort sloop HMAS PARRAMATTA, (LCDR J.H. Walker, RAN), was commissioned. PARRAMATTA was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 9 November 1938, and launched on 18 ...
Australian Naval History on 27 March 1940
HMAS STUART, (destroyer), salvaged the tanker TROCAS in heavy seas in the Mediterranean. ...