On This Day
1943 > WW2
On This Day - 1943
- March 11, 1943
Superintending Sister Annie Ina Laidlaw was appointed RANNS Matron
- March 1, 1943
Stoker Cecil Stokes of HMAS PERTH, dies from Malaria on the Thai Burma Railway. He was the first PERTH survivor to succumb to disease and ill treatment during the construction of the infamous Burma railway.
- February 25, 1943
General Patch, Commanding General at Guadalcanal, signalled the Australian Coastwatchers: “Your magnificent and courageous work has contributed in great measure to success of operations on Guadalcanal”. ADML Turner, Commanding US Amphibious Forces signalled: “Large share credit our successes against enemy due splendid men in Coastwatcher service”.
- February 22, 1943
Convoy Pamphlet, consisting of the super liners QUEEN MARY, AQUITANIA, ILE DE FRANCE and NIEUW AMSTERDAM, and the armed merchant cruiser QUEEN OF BERMUDA, sailed from Fremantle to the Middle East to embark the Australian 9th Division, which was returning to Australia. The convoy was escorted at times by Australian, British, Dutch, and US warships.
- February 20, 1943
HMAS GASCOYNE, (frigate), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney, and HMAS ATARAT, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD. ARARAT was the only Australian minesweeper to bear a ‘K’ pennant number.
- February 12, 1943
CMDR G. G. O. Gatacre, DSC, RAN, was awarded a Bar to the DSC for conspicuous gallantry while serving in HMAS AUSTRALIA during the Battle of the Solomon Islands.
LEUT G. Howe, RANR(S), piloted a captured Japanese sampan at night through the enemy-held Russell Islands on a reconnaissance mission by US troops. He was awarded the USA Legion of Merit for contributing to the strategic planning of the Allied campaign in the region.
- February 10, 1943
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), picked up survivors from the merchant-ship STARR KING, torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-21 east of Sydney.
- February 8, 1943
HMA Ships TOWNSVILLE and MILDURA, (corvettes), were escorting a convoy when the Japanese submarine I-21, (CAPT Matsumura), torpedoed the Australian merchant ship IRON KNIGHT, off Montague Island, NSW. Some survivors were picked up by the French ship LE TRIOMPHANT, (destroyer).
- February 5, 1943
Reverend L. N. Kentish, Methodist missionary, was executed by Japanese troops on Dobo Island in the Arafura Sea. The Japanese rescued Kentish from the sea after HMAS PATRICIA CAM was sunk. He was suspected of organising Coastwatcher operations in the Arafura Sea.
- February 2, 1943
HMAS MANOORA returned to service after conversion from an armed merchant cruiser to a landing ship, infantry.
HMAS WHYALLA, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese fortifications at McLaren Harbour, New Guinea.