Three Japanese midget submarines were released from their mother submarines off the east coast of Australia and commenced an attack on Sydney Harbour. The alarm was raised when one of ...
Australian Naval History on 29 May 1942
The destroyer HMAS NEPAL, (CMDR F.B. Morris, RAN), was commissioned at Woolston, England. A Japanese Navy seaplane from the submarine I-21, flew over Sydney and Newcastle, at night, to conduct ...
Australian Naval History on 28 May 1942
HMIS BENGAL, (minesweeper), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. BENGAL was one of four ships built in Australia for the Indian Navy. ...
Australian Naval History on 27 May 1942
The lugger HMAS GRIFFIOEN, was commissioned. GRIFFIOEN was acquired on loan from the Royal Netherlands Navy. The auxiliary patrol vessel HMAS KURU, (LEUT J Joel, RANVR), made contact with the ...
Australian Naval History on 25 May 1942
The trawler HMS LORD GREY, (LEUT C. Martin, RANVR), arrived at Colombo, Ceylon, (now Sri Lanka), after a seven month voyage from the United Kingdom. During the voyage LORD GREY ...
Australian Naval History on 22 May 1942
The repair ship HMAS PING WO, (LCDR D. M. Clarke, RANR), was commissioned. PING WO was a former Yangtse River ferry The ship had escaped from Singapore in February 1942, ...
Australian Naval History on 21 May 1942
HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), was quarantined at Kilindini with an epidemic of influenza aboard. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 May 1942
The British Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, asked the Admiralty to report on the transfer of HMS FURIOUS to the RAN. The Admiralty reported the vessel could not be spared. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1942
HMAS HORSHAM, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and HMAS BUNBURY, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, Brisbane They were a part of the programme of 60 vessels of ...
Australian Naval History on 13 May 1942
HMAS TOWNSVILLE, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, Brisbane. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 May 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS CAIRNS, (LCDR R. E. MacMillan, RANR(S)), was commissioned. CAIRNS was laid down at Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 31 March 1941, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 11 May 1942
The Brisbane-based US Submarine S42, (LCDR O. G. Kirk, USN), sank the Japanese minelayer OKINOSHIMA, off New Ireland. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 May 1942
The Australian merchant ship NANKIN was sunk by the German raider, THOR, in the Indian Ocean. The captain of NANKIN at the time was CAPT B. W. Dunn, RANR, who ...
Australian Naval History on 8 May 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART continued to patrol the western part of the Coral Sea, to prevent Japanese transports moving towards Port Moresby. US air attacks in the eastern Coral ...
Australian Naval History on 7 May 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (Task Force 44, under RADM John Crace, RN), were attacked by 19 Japanese land based aircraft during the Battle of the Coral Sea. While some ...
Australian Naval History on 4 May 1942
The Battle of the Coral Sea commenced. HMA cruisers, AUSTRALIA, (CAPT H. B. Farncomb, RAN), flagship of RADM J. Crace, RN, and HOBART, (CAPT H. L. Howden, RAN), were ordered ...
Australian Naval History on 3 May 1942
Coastwatcher LEUT D. S. Macfarlane, RANVR, signalled the arrival of the Japanese invasion fleet at Tulagi, Solomon Islands. His signal confirmed the sinking of four enemy transports by American aircraft. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 May 1942
Coastwatcher Major D. G. Kennedy, DSO, reported from Ysabel Island the massing of Japanese shipping in Thousand Ship Bay, for an attack on the Solomon Islands. HMAS INVERELL, (minesweeper), was ...
Australian Naval History on 1 May 1942
The N class destroyer HMAS NEPAL, (CMDR F. B. Morris, RAN), was commissioned. NEPAL, (formerly NORSEMAN), was laid down at John I Thornycroft Yard, Southampton, England, on 9 September 1939, ...
Australian Naval History on 30 April 1942
The Tribal class destroyer HMAS ARUNTA, (CMDR J. C. Morrow, DSO, RAN), was commissioned. ARUNTA was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 15 November 1939, and launched on 30 ...
Australian Naval History on 28 April 1942
HMAS BENDIGO, (minesweeper), picked up 50 survivors from the Dutch merchant vessel DUPLIEX, sunk off Java Head. The patrol vessel HMAS LAURABADA, (LEUT Ivan Champion, RANVR), evacuated the last troops ...
Australian Naval History on 25 April 1942
The Director of the Combined Intelligence Centre in Melbourne, warned the Australian Government of an imminent move by Japanese forces against New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The Centre intercepted ...
Australian Naval History on 19 April 1942
HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), was in a near collision with the troop ship QUEEN MARY, south of Melbourne. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 April 1942
The Australian Prime Minister Mr John Curtin handed over to General Douglas MacArthur, (US Army), the operational command of all combat sections of the Australian army, navy, and air force ...
Australian Naval History on 17 April 1942
The wireless station at Darwin, NT, received the first message from occupied Timor, indicating that the lost commando force, (Sparrow Force), was still fighting. The signal read; ‘Force intact. Still ...