On This Day

1942 > WW2

August 8, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS TAMWORTH, (LEUT W.H. Deans, RANR), was commissioned. TAMWORTH was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 25 August 1941, and launched on 14 March 1942.

August 7, 1942

The cruisers, HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, (CAPT H.B. Farncomb, RAN), CANBERRA, (CAPT F.E. Getting, RAN), and HOBART, (CAPT H.A. Showers, RAN), were engaged in Operation Watchtower, the Allied assault on Guadalcanal.

Coastwatcher LEUT P.E. Mason, RANVR, warned the Allied Fleet off Guadalcanal of an impending Japanese air attack. Mason signalled: ‘From STO 24 bombers headed yours’. The advance warning enabled the cruiser, HMAS CANBERRA, (CAPT F.E. Getting, RAN), to announce over the ship’s PA system: ‘The ship will be attacked by 24 torpedo bombers at noon. All hands will pipe to dinner at eleven o’clock’.

August 5, 1942

Australian Fleet Auxiliary Bishopdale while sailing for Brisbane from Noumea struck a mine in an Allied mine field which had been laid by HMAS BUNGAREE, there was no fire or casualties.

August 1, 1942

HMA Ships NAPIER, NIZAM and NORMAN, (destroyers), were with the British Eastern Fleet which was sent to the Andaman Islands, hoping to divert the attention of the Japanese from the Solomon Islands.

July 31, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS DUBBO, was commissioned. DUBBO was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 13 October 1941, and launched on 7 March 1942.

ADML V.C. Crutchley assumed command of Southern Force, which included HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA, (cruisers), and US Ships CHICAGO, PATTERSON, and BAGLEY, for Operation Watchtower.

HMA Ships CHINAMPA, (ketch), and SOUTHERN CROSS, (examination vessel), engaged Japanese shore positions at Saumlaki, Tinobar Islands, while attempting to land reinforcements. The Skipper of CHINAMPA, CWO F.J. Henderson, RANR, was killed.

July 29, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BROOME, (LCDR R. A. Denovan, RANVR), was commissioned. BROOME was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 31 May 1941, and launched on 6 October 1941. Mrs J. M. McKew, (Wife of the Evans Deakin Works Manager), performed the launching ceremony.

July 25, 1942

HMAS WAGGA, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney.

HMAS VIGILANT, (auxiliary patrol vessel), commanded by SBLT H. A. Bennett, RANR, sailed from Darwin on her first voyage to occupied Timor, with supplies for the Australian commando force, (Sparrow Force). The former customs launch made three passages to Timor.

July 24, 1942

Approval to form a Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service of 580 personnel (280 telegraphists plus 300 other duties) was granted

July 23, 1942

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

July 22, 1942

HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), was completed at J. Samuel White’s, UK.

July 21, 1942

Coastwatcher SBLT C. L. Page, RANVR, was escorted by the Japanese to Nemboe Island for execution.

July 15, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS WALLAROO, (LEUT E. S. Ross, RANR), was commissioned. WALLAROO was laid down in Poole & Steel Ltd., Sydney, on 24 April 1941, and launched on 18 February 1942.

July 14, 1942

HMAS PENGUIN, (shore establishment in Sydney), was commissioned.

July 13, 1942

HMAS PENGUIN, was commissioned as a naval depot at Balmoral, Sydney.

July 11, 1942

HMAS WARREGO, (sloop), escorted the transport TASMAN, with the advance guard of Milne Force embarked, into Milne Bay. The Japanese were to suffer their first defeat in this area.

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

July 6, 1942

HMAS QUIBERON was commissioned at Cowes, Isle of Wight.
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS MERCEDES, was commissioned. MERCEDES, (as HMS MEDUSA), was laid down in Taikoo Dockyard, Singapore, in 1913.
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS MEDEA, was commissioned. MEDEA, (as HMS CIRCE), was laid down in Taikoo Dockyard, Singapore, in 1912.

July 2, 1942

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA, and HOBART, joined the Allied Fleet for Operation Watchtower, the invasion of the Solomon Islands.

July 1, 1942

The unmarked POW transport MONTEVIDEO MARU, was torpedoed and sunk by USS STURGEON, (submarine), off Luzon, Philippines. Onboard were 1035 Australian POW’s, including 835 men from the 2/22 Infantry Battalion, who had been captured at Rabaul, New Britain, in March 1942. Not a single POW survived the sinking, and this became Australia’s worst loss of life at sea. Two Navy personnel, (SBLT E. H. F. Mitchell, RANVR, and CPO Signals Yeoman S. Lamont), were among those who perished.

June 30, 1942

From the outbreak of WWII, to 30 June 1942, Australian naval dockyards fitted 288 merchant ships with defensive armament, 275 with para-vane mine protection gear, and degaussed 296 vessels. In addition, refits, repairs, and conversions were carried out on naval vessels.

The auxiliary boom defence vessel HMAS KURAMIA, was commissioned. KURAMIA was laid down as a steam passenger ferry in 1914, for Sydney Ferries Ltd. She was requisitioned for the RAN on 20 February 1942.

June 29, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS IPSWICH, (LCDR J.S. McBryde, RANR) was commissioned. IPSWICH was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 6 March 1941, and launched on 11 August 1941.

CDRE G.D. Moore, RAN, was appointed Second Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board.

HMAS BUNGAREE, the RAN’s only minelayer, laid more than 3190 mines in her first year of service.

June 26, 1942

LCDR G. M. Haynes, RAN, commanded No. 828 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, in attacks on Axis shipping in the Mediterranean. He was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry in leading reinforcement flights of aircraft from Egypt to Malta.

June 23, 1942

HMAS BANGALOW, (survey tender), was commissioned. The vessel was also employed as minesweeper, and a troop transport, in forward areas.

HMAS KAPUNDA, (minesweeper), was launched at Poole & Steel, Sydney.

June 22, 1942

RADM Muirhead Gould, reported that four Japanese midget submarines had entered Sydney Harbour on the night of 31 May-1 June. Examination of enemy records after the war, showed that only three midget submarines were launched in the attack.

June 19, 1942

HMAS LATROBE, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney.

June 17, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS CASTLEMAINE, (LCDR P. J. Sullivan, RANR(S)), was commissioned. CASTLEMAINE was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, on 17 February 1941, and launched on 7 August 1941. Mrs R. G. Menzies, (Wife of the Prime Minister), performed the launching ceremony.