On This Day

1941 > WW2

September 20, 1941

HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), was damaged by heavy seas in the Great Australian Bight. A turret was jammed to port, and the training gear was damaged.

September 18, 1941

HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), struck a submerged wreck in Tobruk Harbour, and tore away 6 metres of her forecastle deck. The collision did not impair NIZAM’s seaworthiness, and she returned to Alexandria under her own steam for repairs.

HMAS WARRAWEE, (auxiliary minesweepers), was commissioned.

September 17, 1941

HMAS Napier loaded 300 troops of the Surrey Regiment, and 1000 demijohns of rum, for Tobruk.
HMAS Nizam was near missed by a bomb while leaving Tobruk harbour and her oil fuel pumps were damaged. She was taken in tow by HMS Kingston and got clear of the area, then managed to repair the damage and return to Alexandria where she was docked for repairs.

September 16, 1941

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS KIANGA was commissioned. KIANGA was laid down in Narooma, NSW, in 1922. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the Illawarra & South Coast Steam Navigation Co Ltd, NSW, on 28 July.

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS ALLENWOOD, was commissioned. ALLENWOOD was laid down in Wright’s Yard, Tuncurry, NSW, in 1920. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, A. Taylor & Co Ltd, on 16 September 1941.

September 15, 1941

The N class destroyer HMAS NORMAN, (CMDR H. M. Burrell, RAN), was commissioned. NORMAN was laid down in John I Thorneycroft & Co, Southampton, England, on 27 July 1939, and launched on 30 October 1940.

September 14, 1941

The auxiliary boom defence vessel HMAS KARA KARA, was commissioned. KARA KARA was laid down in Saltney, England, in 1926. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, Sydney Ferries Ltd, on 27 February 1941.

September 6, 1941

In the first two years of WWII, Australian shipyards fitted 214 ships with defensive armament, degaussed 198, and equipped 216 with paravane sweeping equipment

September 5, 1941

HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), escorted the troop ships QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH from Sydney, to join troop convoy US 12A.

September 3, 1941

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS MARRAWA, was commissioned. MARRAWA was laid down in Holland in 1910. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, Australian Steamships Pty Ltd, Melbourne, in 1941

September 2, 1941

Awards for conspicuous service in the Persian Gulf were gazetted, as follows:-DSO CAPT W. L. Adams, RN, (of HMS KANIMBLA). DSO CMDR W. H. Harrington, RAN, (of HMAS YARRA)

August 30, 1941

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BALLARAT, (LCDR A. D. Barling, RANR(S)), was commissioned. BALLARAT was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, on 17 April 1940, and launched on 10 December 1940. Mrs Dunstan, (Wife of the Premier of Victoria), performed the launching ceremony.

August 29, 1941

The following gallantry awards were made to personell of HMAS YARRA for her action in the Persian Gulf:- DSO: LCDR W. H. Harrington, RAN; DSM: PO N. Fraser, DSM: PO Steward R. J. Hoskins DSM: PO Stoker D. D. Neal.

August 27, 1941

HMAS YARRA, (sloop), towed the abandoned and burning Italian merchant ship HILDA, from Bandar Abbas to Chahbar Bay, Persia, where she was taken over by a tug.

August 25, 1941

The sloop HMAS YARRA, (CMDR W. H. Harrington, RAN), sank the Persian sloop BABR at Khorramshahr. YARRA attacked under the cover of darkness, and illuminated the enemy vessel at her berth. YARRA’S guns pounded the BABR at point-blank range until she sank. While this operation was in progress HMS KANIMBLA, (an Australian manned armed merchant cruiser), attacked the port of Bandar Shapur, seizing the port installations and enemy shipping in the anchorage. During this latter action, PO J. T. Humphries, RAN, KANIMBLA’S diver, was sent aboard the burning German merchant ship HOHENFELS. The ship’s sea-cocks had been opened, and the vessel was rapidly filling. PO Humphries dived in the flooded engine room, and in complete darkness found and closed the cocks, saving the ship from sinking. PO Humphries was awarded the George Medal in February 1942, for his outstanding gallantry.

August 23, 1941

C-in-C Mediterranean, ADML A. B. Cunningham, signalled the Australian Naval Board:- ‘It is with great regret that we part with HMAS STUART from the Mediterranean Station. Under the distinguished command of CAPT Waller, she has an unsurpassed record of gallant achievement. She has taken a leading part in all the principal operations of the Mediterranean Fleet and has never been called upon in vain for any difficult job’.

August 22, 1941

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS BIRCHGROVE PARK, was commissioned. BIRCHGROVE PARK was laid down in 1930. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, R. W. Miller & Co Pty Ltd, on 9 May 1941.

HMAS Stuart with her port engine out of commission sailed from the Mediterranean for Australia. Steaming on one engine she reached Fremantle on 16 September and Melbourne on 27 September where a long refit was begun which kept her in dockyard hands until April 1942.

August 21, 1941

HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), was damaged by near-misses from German bombers east of Tobruk. NIZAM was taken in tow by HMS KINGSTON, but after self-repairs NIZAM returned to port under her own steam.

August 16, 1941

HMAS KARANGI, (boom defence vessel), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.

August 13, 1941

HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. COLAC was the longest surviving vessel of her class. Employed as a tank-cleaning vessel at Garden Island until 1983, she was sunk as a target on 4 March 1987.

August 11, 1941

HMAS IPSWICH, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD.

August 10, 1941

HMAS BIRCHGROVE PARK, (auxiliary minesweeper), was commissioned.

August 7, 1941

HMA Ships KALGOORLIE and CASTLEMAINE, (minesweepers), were launched on the same day at Whyalla, SA, and Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, respectively

August 6, 1941

HMAS NESTOR, (destroyer), attacked a surfaced German submarine off Gibraltar. The submarine fired a torpedo which passed down the destroyer’s length.

August 4, 1941

HMA Ships BATHURST and LISMORE, (minesweepers), joined the Mediterranean Fleet. ADML A.B. Cunningham returned them to duty in the Red Sea, considering them unsuitable for service in the Mediterranean.

HMAS COONGOOLA, (auxiliary patrol vessel), was commissioned.

August 3, 1941

HMAS Vendetta, completed the last of her 39 Tobruk Ferry runs, departing the fortress’s harbour 42 minutes after midnight and returning to Alexandria in company with HMS Havock. HMAS Vendetta conducted more supply runs to Tobruk than any other Australian ship.

HMAS BATHURST passed through the Suez Canal and proceeded to Alexandria for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet. BATHURST and LISMORE had been retained at Suez to assist with the large liners of the US.11A convoy