On This Day
1941 > WW2
On This Day - 1941
- May 4, 1941
HMA Ships NAPIER and NIZAM, (destroyers), arrived at Alexandria to join other units of the RAN based there.
- May 2, 1941
HMAS WATERHEN, (destroyer), picked up the crew of an aircraft from HMS FORMIDABLE, (aircraft carrier), which had ditched in the sea off Crete.
- May 1, 1941
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS PATERSON, was commissioned. PATERSON was laid down as a coastal steamer in 1920, and requisitioned for the RAN on 1 May 1941.
- April 30, 1941
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS COOMBAR, was commissioned. COOMBAR was laid down in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in 1912, and requisitioned for the RAN from her owners, Wm Crosby & Co, Melbourne, on 30 January 1941.
- April 29, 1941
HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), engaged a German E boat with her main armament in Kasos Strait, off Crete. The E boat withdrew at high speed.
- April 28, 1941
A Seagull amphibian aircraft from HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), was shot down by German aircraft off Anti Kyrethia, Greece. The aircraft crashed into the sea, but her crew of three, (Flight Lieutenant E. V. Beaumont, RAAF, SBLT G. F. Brian, RAN, and PO Telegraphist D. Bowden), swam to a nearby island and were later rescued by HMS HAVOCK. PERTH had been sent to Greece again to embark troops at Kalamata, which was unsuccessful, and some 6000 troops were left behind to fall into German hands.
A beginning was made by the RAN in the employment of women, when 12 members of the Womens’ Emergency Signalling Corps were engaged for duty as telegraphists at Harman wireless station, Canberra, ACT.
LEUT J.H.H. Kessack, RANVR, was killed in a premature explosion while attempting to render safe an enemy mine in an English port. Kessack had dealt successfully with 10 mines before his death. He was awarded the George Medal posthumously.
- April 27, 1941
HMA Ships STUART, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), sailed from Suda Bay to Alexandria as escort to convoy GA12.
RAN ships evacuating troops from Greece, picked up the last message from Radio Athens as German troops entered the city; ‘Closing down for the last time and looking forward to happier days. God be with you and for you’.
- April 26, 1941
HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), carried 911 Australian and New Zealand troops, and HMAS STUART, (destroyer), evacuated 109, from Tolos to Suda Bay, Crete. Earlier that night STUART had ferried 600 troops from Tolos to Navplion, where they were transferred to ORION.
- April 24, 1941
Operation Demon, (the evacuation of Greece from 24-29 April), took place. HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), and HMA Ships STUART, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN, (destroyers, the Scrap-Iron Flotilla?), all took part in evacuating troops from Greece, PERTH from Port Rafti, whilst STUART and VOYAGER the port of Navplion embarking 301 troops, plus a party of Australian, New Zealand, and British nurses.
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), evacuated 350 ANZAC troops from the beach at Megara, in Greece. Another 70 were taken off by sister ship HMAS WATERHEN, which was giving seaward cover to the evacuation.
- April 22, 1941
HMAS GEELONG, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown, VIC.