On This Day
1914-1918 > WW1
On This Day - 1914-1918
- October 3, 1917
The Australian Government offered HMAS BRISBANE, (cruiser), to the Imperial Government for service overseas.
- September 26, 1917
The Castle class trawlers GUNUNDAAL and KORAAGA were requisitioned by the RAN as auxiliary minesweepers. They were manned by members of the RAN Brigade, and conducted minesweeping operations off the NSW and VIC coastlines, searching for mines laid by the German raider WOLF.
- September 3, 1917
HMS VENDETTA, (destroyer), was launched at Fairfield’s Yard, UK.
- August 16, 1917
HMAS PARRAMATTA and HMAS TORRENS, (torpedo boat destroyers), attacked an Austrian submarine 100 miles east of Malta. The submarine submerged and escaped.
- August 6, 1917
‘When a submarine is sighted, I am going for her,’ signalled CMDR Warren, RAN, commanding HMAS PARRAMATTA, in the Red Sea. Obviously impressed by Lord Nelson’s fighting spirit.
- July 27, 1917
LEUT A. R. Little, an Australian serving in the RNAS, shot down 15 German aircraft over France in the period 8 April to 27 July, 1917. Little flew a Sopwith tri-plane.
- July 18, 1917
An observer aloft in a balloon from HMAS HUON, (torpedo boat destroyer), sighted an Austrian submarine on the surface in the Adriatic Sea. HUON closed the distance, but the submarine submerged and escaped.
- July 17, 1917
The Minesweeping Section of the Australian Naval Brigade was established. This section became responsible for all minesweeping activities in Australian waters during WWI. Trawlers, tugs, and barges were requisitioned by the Navy for sweeping.
- July 16, 1917
HMA Ships PARRAMATTA, WARREGO, and YARRA, (torpedo boat destroyers), searched the coast off Diego Garcia for survivors from the merchant ships JUMNA and WORDSWORTH, which vanished without trace.
- July 10, 1917
HMAT Seang Choon was sunk off coast of Ireland, 10 July 1917. She was torpedoed by U-87 ten miles southwest of Fastnet with the loss of 19 lives. Carried as part of her general cargo, 400 tons of copper and 601 tons of lead. 350 tons of copper and 601 tons of lead were later salvaged as they were insured for £55,000.