On This Day

1940 > WW2

November 14, 1940

The following awards were made to the crew of HMAS STUART for the sinking of the Italian submarine GONDAR:- DSO: LEUT N. J. M. Teacher, RN; DSC: LEUT J. G. Griffin, RANVR; LEUT T. S. Cree, RANVR; DSM: PO R. A. H. MacDonald; PO L. T. Pike;

November 12, 1940

The auxiliary patrol vessel HMAS VIGILANT, was commissioned. VIGILANT was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, and launched on 12 February 1938. She was renamed SLEUTH in April 1944, and HAWK on 13 March 1945.

HMAS SYDNEY, with HMS Orion, HMS Nubian and HMS Mohawsk attacked an Italian convoy of four merchant vessels and two destroyers, north of Otranto. All four merchant ships were sunk, and the destroyers were driven off. When SYDNEY rejoined the Mediterranean Fleet, the C-in-C, ADML A. B. Cunningham, signalled:- ‘Did you have a wild Australian night?’

November 11, 1940

The cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. Collins, RAN), joined in a raid into the Straight of Otranto, with HM Ships ORION and AJAX, (cruisers), NUBIAN and MOWHAWK, (destroyers), as a subsidiary raid to the Battle of Taranto. They sunk 4 merchant ships, without damage to any of the raiding force.

November 9, 1940

HMAS ORARA, (minesweeper), picked up three boatloads of survivors from the mined merchant ship CAMBRIDGE, off Wilsons Promontory, VIC.

November 7, 1940

HMA Ships SYDNEY, (cruiser), VAMPIRE and WATERHEN, (destroyers), landed troops and stores at Suda Bay, Crete.

November 6, 1940

HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), and HMS AJAX, landed troops and equipment at Suda Bay, Crete.

November 5, 1940

CAPT Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen, RN, was awarded the VC posthumously for outstanding bravery while commanding the armed merchant cruiser HMS JERVIS BAY, when he engaged the German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER. His action saved a number of ships of the convoy at the cost of his own ship and his life. CAPT Fegen was Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Naval College from 1928 to 1929.

HMS Ajax and HMAS Sydney departed Port Said for Suda Bay with Headquarters, 14th Infantery Brigade, one light and one heavy AA battery and administrative troops.

October 30, 1940

HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), was launched at Thornycroft’s Yard, UK.

October 29, 1940

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), rescued 9 the crew of 13 of a Sunderland flying boat which had force-landed in heavy seas, and gale-force winds, west of the Hebrides. 4 airmen lost their lives. In the rescue, CMDR J. M. Armstrong and 12 ratings were lowered over the cruiser’s side on ropes to snatch the airmen from the sea.

October 28, 1940

Italy invaded Greece, and Greece joined the Allies. HMA Ships SYDNEY, (cruiser), STUART, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), were deployed to escort supply convoys to Greece.

W.M. Hughes succeeded A.G. Cameron as Minister for the Navy.

October 25, 1940

HMAS BURNIE, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. BURNIE was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1946, and renamed CERAM.

October 20, 1940

HMAS YARRA and HMS AUCKLAND, (sloops), engaged three Italian destroyers east of Massawa. Later HMS KIMBERLEY, (destroyer), encountered one of the Italian ships, drove it ashore, and destroyed it with torpedoes. The Italian radio announced the loss of the FRANCESCO NULLO.

October 18, 1940

Navy House opened in Melbourne.

HMAS MARYBOROUGH, (minesweeper), was launched at Walker’s, Maryborough, QLD.

October 13, 1940

HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), stood by while HMS YORK, (cruiser), sank the crippled Italian ship ARTIGLIERE, (destroyer). The enemy vessel was damaged in a night engagement with HMS AJAX, between Malta and Crete. AJAX was attacked by a mixed force of destroyers and torpedo boats, and is credited with the sinking of the large torpedo boats AIRONE and ARIEL, in addition to immobilising the ARTIGLIERE. HMAS VAMPIRE, (destroyer), picked up one officer and twenty-one ratings from the destroyer.

October 2, 1940

HMAS SYDNEY, and HMS ORION, (cruisers), bombarded Italian defences on the port of Maltazana, Dodecanese Islands.

September 30, 1940

HMAS STUART, (destroyer), and Sunderland flying boat L2166, participated in the sinking of the Italian submarine GONDAR, which was on its way to Alexandria with three human torpedoes on board.

The auxiliary anti-submarine vessel HMAS KYBRA, was commissioned. KYBRA was laid down in the Coastal Construction Co, Montrose, Scotland, and launched on 13 January 1926. She was requisitioned for the RAN in 1940. KYBRA was the first small ship of the RAN to be fitted with radar and became a Radar Training Ship.

September 29, 1940

ADML A.B. Cunningham, C-in-C, Mediterranean, signalled the Battle Fleet: “STUART is dying on us. I am sending her back to Alex”. The ‘dying’ HMAS STUART, (destroyer), shared in the sinking of the Italian submarine GONDAR, before she reached port.

HMA Ships CANBERRA, and SHROPSHIRE, (cruisers), operated in the Indian ocean searching for the German ship ADMIRAL SCHEER, (pocket battleship). Serving in SHROPSHIRE was HRH MIDN Prince Philip of Greece, later to become Admiral of the Fleet, the Duke of Edinburgh.

September 28, 1940

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was directed to return to Britain from the Mediterranean

September 27, 1940

The boom working vessel HMAS KANGAROO, was commissioned. KANGAROO was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 15 November 1939, and launched on 4 May 1940. Mrs Boucher, (Wife of CDRE M. W. S. BOUCHER, RN, Second Member of the Naval Board), performed the launching ceremony

September 26, 1940

CAPT H. L. Waller, RAN, (CAPT(D) 10th destroyer flotilla), transferred his flag to HMAS VAMPIRE, (destroyer), whilst HMAS STUART, (destroyer), underwent a refit at Malta

September 25, 1940

HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), patrolled south of Cyprus with HMS PROTECTOR, in search of a Vichy French transport bound for Beirut.

Two shells from the French Ship RICHELIEU, (battleship), struck HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), during a bombardment of French units in Dakar. AUSTRALIA lost her Walrus amphibian, which was shot down, and lost with its crew.

September 24, 1940

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), fired on two battleships and a cruiser in Dakar. The enemy cruiser was observed to be hit and caught fire. During the day AUSTRALIA’S Seagull amphibian was shot down by Vichy French Curtiss Hawk 75A aircraft, and was seen to crash into the sea. The three crew members of the Walrus were Flight Lieutenant George John Isaiah Clarke (P) RAAF; Lieutenant Commander Francis Kevin Fogarty (O) RAN and Petty Officer Colin Kenneth Bunnett (T) RAN. All were posted missing as a result of enemy action and their bodies were never recovered.

September 23, 1940

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), participated in the combined British-Free French attack on French ships at Dakar, Operation Menace. AUSTRALIA engaged two enemy destroyers attempting to leave the port, and drove them back. Later in the day a third destroyer, L’AUDACIEUX, was sighted heading out to sea, and guns from the fleet set her on fire.

September 22, 1940

Australian troop convoy US 5 departed Fremantle with Dutch liners CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS (16,287grt), INDRAPOERA (10,825grt), NIEUW HOLLAND (11,066grt), and SLAMAT (11,636grt). 4262 troops were carried in this convoy. The convoy was escorted by HMAS CANBERRA from 22 September to 2 October.
The auxiliary anti-submarine vessel HMAS YANDRA, was commissioned. YANDRA was laid down in Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1928. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, Coast Steamship Co Ltd, Adelaide, on 27 June 1940.

September 20, 1940

A British hunter group was formed to locate the German armed merchant cruiser Atlantis. The group was composed of HMA Ships Canberra and Westralia and HM Ships Capetown and Durban
HMAS Australia intercepted the French Cruiser Gloire and forced her into Casablanca.