On This Day

1942 > WW2

September 22, 1942

HMAS GLENELG, (minesweeper), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.

HMAS STUART, (destroyer), landed the Australian 2/lOth Battalion on Normanby Island, New Guinea.

September 21, 1942

The cutter HMAS MAROUBRA, was commissioned. MAROUBRA was laid down in Brisbane in 1930. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the Australian Petroleum Co Ltd, on 20 March 1942.

September 20, 1942

HMAS Nizam and HMS Hotspur chased Vichy ship, the Antral Pierre, but this vessel opened her sea cocks and could not be salvaged.

September 17, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS INVERELL, was commissioned. INVERELL was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 6 December 1941, and launched on 2 May 1942.

September 14, 1942

The Q class destroyer HMAS QUICKMATCH, (CMDR R. Rhoades, RAN), was commissioned at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

LEUT R. H. E. Kerruish, RAN, was navigator of HMS COVENTRY, (anti-aircraft cruiser), when it was sunk by German bombers, during a British Commando raid near Tobruk. He was also serving in HMS ARK ROYAL, (aircraft carrier), during the operations against the German-pocket battleship GRAF SPEE, in 1939.

The training ship/tender/store-carrier HMAS KOOPA, was commissioned. KOOPA was laid down in Ramage & Ferguson Ltd, Leith, Scotland, in 1911. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the Brisbane Tug & Steamship Co Ltd, on 10 August 1942.

September 13, 1942

ML 352, (LEUT R. G. Worledge, RANVR), picked up survivors from damaged landing craft during an assault by Royal Marine Commandos on Mersa Sciause, near Tobruk.

September 12, 1942

The hulk of HMAS ENCOUNTER, (cruiser), was scuttled off Sydney.

The Bathurst class minesweeper HMAS BUNDABERG, (LCDR N. D. Pixley, RANR), was commissioned. BUNDABERG was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 7 June 1941, and launched on 1 December 1941. Mrs W. S. Hurwood, (Wife of a Director of Evans Deakin), performed the launching ceremony.

September 10, 1942

Engaged in Operation Stream-Line-Jane, HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), entered the Vichy-French port of Morandava, in Madagascar, and landed 50 commandos. The landing was made in a violent thunderstorm, which enabled the commandos to surprise the defenders, who laid down their arms after the exchange of a few shots. NAPIER returned to Diego Suarez with six prisoners, including the Mayor of Morandava. HMA Ships NIZAM and NORMAN covered the assault on Majunga, and were later engaged in intercepting small craft attempting to escape from the port.

September 9, 1942

The 7th Destroyer Flotilla, HMA Ships NAPIER, NIZAM, NORMAN, and NEPAL, joined the assault forces for the invasion of Madagascar. The former RAN seaplane carrier, ALBATROSS, was in the naval force.

September 8, 1942

The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, announced that the cruiser HMS SHROPSHIRE would be transferred to the RAN, as a replacement for HMAS CANBERRA, lost in the Battle of Savo Island. SHROPSHIRE was built with subscriptions from the people of the county of Shropshire, and her name was not changed.

September 7, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper HMAS ECHUCA, was commissioned. ECHUCA was laid down in Williamstown Naval Dockyard on 22 February 1941, and launched on 17 January 1942. Lady Royle.

HrMs Tromp and HMAS Adelaide departed Fremantle as escort for convoy US 17 that left Fremantle for Durban, South-Africa.

September 6, 1942

HMAS ARUNTA escorted the freighter ANSHUN and the hospital ship MANUNDA into Milne Bay. ARUNTA departed the bay at 1500 to screen other ships, and that night a Japanese naval force sank the ANSHUN by gunfire, but left the hospital ship unharmed.

September 1, 1942

Australian Coastwatchers LEUT A. F. Kyle, DSC, RANVR, and SBLT G. M. W. Benham, DSC, RANVR, were believed executed by the Japanese in New Ireland. The two officers had radioed shipping and aircraft movements, and arranged the evacuation of civilians from the enemy-occupied territory.

The amphibious training base HMAS ASSAULT, (CMDR F. H. Cook, DSC, RAN), was commissioned at Port Stephens, NSW. The base was used for the training of Australian and American forces in amphibious warfare.

August 31, 1942

RADM G. C. Muirhead-Gould, Flag Officer-in-Charge, Sydney, presided over the Board of Inquiry into the loss of HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser). Muirhead-Gould also served on the Boards which inquired into the loss of HMS ROYAL OAK, (battleship), at Scapa Flow, Scotland, and the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney.

August 30, 1942

HMA Ships ARUNTA, MATEFELE, and POTRERO towed the torpedoed transport MALAITA to shallow water in Basilisk Passage.

August 29, 1942

HMAS ARUNTA, (destroyer), sank the Japanese submarine RO33, off Port Moresby. CMDR J. C. Morrow, RAN, was awarded the DSC for the operation. He received the DSO, and was MID while commanding HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), in the Mediterranean.

August 28, 1942

The auxiliary boom defence vessel HMAS KINCHELA, was commissioned. KINCHELA was laid down in 1914. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, The Macleay River Co-op SS Co Ltd, NSW, on 28 August 1942.

August 25, 1942

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (cruisers), were engaged in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.

HMAS ARUNTA, (destroyer), was ordered out of Milne Bay prior to a Japanese attack.

August 24, 1942

Australian Coastwatchers at Porlock, reported the 5th Sasebo Special Landing Force was moving along the coast in barges from Buna to Milne Bay.

August 20, 1942

The Australian Naval Board convened a Board of Inquiry to investigate the loss of HMAS CANBERRA at Savo Island.

August 18, 1942

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

August 15, 1942

HMAS SHEPPARTON, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC.

August 14, 1942

The examination vessel HMAS FAURO CHIEF, (LEUT Perry), was commissioned.

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GAWLER, (LCDR W. J. Seymour, RAN), was commissioned. GAWLER was laid down in Broken Hill Pty Co’s Yard, Whyalla, SA, on 24 January 1941, and launched on 4 October 1941. Lady Duncan, (Wife of the Hon. Sir Walter Duncan, Leader of the Liberal and Country Party in South Australia), performed the launching ceremony.

The Brisbane-based USS S39, (submarine), was wrecked on Rossel Island, in the Louisiades Group. The submarine’s crew were rescued by HMAS KATOOMBA, and landed at Townsville.

August 13, 1942

The ashes of LEUT Matsuo, LEUT Chuma, PO Ohmiri and PO Tsuzuku, crews of two midget submarines sunk in Sydney Harbour, were formally handed over to the Japanese Minister in Australia, Mr. Tatsuo Kawai. The ashes were carried back to Japan in the exchange ship KAMAKURA.

August 9, 1942

Engaged in the Battle of Savo Island, the cruiser HMAS CANBERRA, (CAPT F. E. Getting, RAN), was mortally damaged in a surprise night sortie by ADML Mikawa’s Cruiser Squadron. CANBERRA was hit by torpedoes and point-blank gunfire. 10 officers and 74 ratings, including her commanding officer, were killed. CANBERRA was sunk by American destroyers when the extent of her damage was realised. The US Ships ASTORIA, QUINCY, and VINCENNES, (cruisers), were also lost in the battle.