On This Day
1914-1918 > WW1
On This Day - 1914-1918
- August 20, 1915
HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), collided with a harbour ferry as she was leaving Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the New York patrol. SYDNEY was not damaged, but the ferry’s paddlewheel box was wrecked.
- August 13, 1915
HMAS ENCOUNTER, (cruiser), landed a garrison and supplies at the cable station at Fanning Island. ENCOUNTER ran aground, and sustained damage requiring urgent repairs.
- August 10, 1915
The Dutch schooner LILLIAN, collided with HMAS MELBOURNE, (cruiser), during a storm at St Lucia. MELBOURNE’S whaler was stove in, and her davits and gun mounts damaged.
- August 7, 1915
The RAN Bridging Train landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli.
The force was used in building wharves and pontoons, and unloading supply ships.
- August 6, 1915
HMAS PHYSCE, (cruiser), was ordered to Singapore, following reports that German agents were fomenting civil unrest in Burma and India.
- August 4, 1915
The British Government requested that all Australian prize vessels ‘be turned over’ to the Admiralty. The 43 ex-enemy vessels in question, were accordingly registered in the King’s name in London.
- August 1, 1915
LEUT D. T. M. Powles, RANR, commanding the captured German schooner HASAG, took nine German POWs, and confiscated arms in the Kavieng area. HASAG was captured by the sloop HMAS UNA.
- July 27, 1915
The sloop HMAS FANTOME, (LCDR L. T. Jones, RN), was commissioned. FANTOME was launched for the RN at Sheerness, England, in March 1901.
- July 25, 1915
Transfer of the RAN Bridging Train for service with the Army on Gallipoli was approved by the Admiralty.
The train handled the building of jetties and berthing facilities, and the unloading of stores and ammunition. It’s arrival at Gallipoli freed large numbers of soldiers for combat duties.
- July 13, 1915
HMS MALLOW, (sloop), later HMAS MALLOW, was launched at Barclay Curie, England.