On This Day

1943 > WW2

May 12, 1943

The Japanese submarine I-180 sank the Australian merchant ship ORMISTON, off Coffs Harbour, NSW. The ship reached port under its own steam.

The Fremantle-based USS GUDGEON, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport SUMATRA MARU in the Philippines.

May 10, 1943

On the 10th of May 1943, whilst on a return voyage from Thursday Island to Darwin, Maroubra was strafed by a fleet of nine Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi Zero fighters conducting a raid on the Allied airstrip on Milingimbi Island. Maroubra caught fire and the vessel was abandoned, eventually becoming stranded on the beach north-east of the Milingimbi Mission.

May 9, 1943

HMAS LATROBE, (minesweeper), suffered heavy air attacks off the south coast of New Guinea.

May 7, 1943

HMAS ADELE, (auxiliary patrol vessel, formerly HMAS FRANKLIN), was wrecked on the breakwater at Port Kembla.

May 5, 1943

HMAS ABRAHAM CRIJNSSEN, (minesweeper), was returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Dutch minesweeper had escaped from the Netherlands East Indies in 1942, and had been commissioned into the RAN. She continued to operate in Australian and South East Asian waters for the remainder of the war.

The Brisbane based USS GRAMPUS, (submarine), was sunk by Japanese destroyers off Rabaul.

The Japanese submarine I-180 torpedoed the merchant ship FINGAL off Nambucca Heads, NSW.

May 2, 1943

Coastwatchers LEUT L. J. Bell, RANVR, LEUT D. A. Lewis, AIF, and a half-caste bearer, were murdered by natives at Bena Bena, New Guinea.

May 1, 1943

The mobile port war W/T and signal station vessel HMAS LOOKOUT, was commissioned. LOOKOUT was laid down in 1939, owned by Point Lookout and Amity Resorts and Cruises Pty Ltd, Brisbane, and requisitioned for the RAN on 18 December 1942. She was renamed HMAS WATCHER, on 7 December 1943

April 30, 1943

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS COOTAMUNDRA, (LEUT G.A. Johns, RANR(S)), was commissioned. COOTAMUNDRA was laid down at Poole & Steel Yard, Sydney, on 20 February 1942, and launched on 3 December 1942. Lady Davidson, (wife of the General Manager of the Bank of New South Wales), performed the launching ceremony.

HMS BULOLO, a former Burns-Philp passenger ship on the Australia/New Guinea trade, arrived at Aden. She had been converted into a command ship for amphibious landings to be conducted in the Mediterranean.

April 29, 1943

The Japanese submarine I-180 torpedoed the merchant ship WOLLONGBAR off Port Macquarie, NSW.

The Brisbane based USS GATO, (submarine) landed a party of 16 Australian Coastwatchers on Teop Island, in the Solomons, and evacuated a group of missionaries, including the Bishop of Bougainville.

April 27, 1943

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BENALLA, (LCDR L. N. Morrison, RANR(S)), was commissioned. BENALLA was laid down at Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC, on 24 March 1942, and launched on 19 December 1942. Mrs A. S. A. Drakeford, (wife of the Minister for Air and Civil Aviation), performed the launching ceremony.

The Japanese submarine I-177, sank the American Liberty ship LYDIA M CHILDS, 90 miles east of Newcastle. The ship was on her maiden voyage.

April 26, 1943

The Japanese submarine I-26, torpedoed and sank the merchant ship LIMERICK off Cape Byron, NSW. The survivors were rescued by HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper).

A RAAF Catalina flying boat of 11 Squadron, piloted by Flight Lieutenant W. J. Clark, crashed while dropping supplies to coastwatchers on Bougainville. Clark, and two other members of the crew were killed. Six survivors later reached the coastwatchers’ camp, and were subsequently evacuated by USS GUARDFISH, (submarine).

April 24, 1943

The Japanese submarine I-26 torpedoed the merchant vessel KOWARRA off Sandy Cape, NSW.

April 20, 1943

USS CANBERRA, (cruiser), was launched at Quincey, USA, by Lady Dixon, wife of the Australian Minister to the USA. The ship was named in honour of HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), lost at Savo Island in the Solomons.

April 15, 1943

Japanese bombers attacked naval installations at Darwin, NT. The bombers were met by strong fighter defence.

HMS MAJESTIC which later was commissioned as HMAS MELBOURNE, was laid down at Barrow-in-Furness, England.

HMAS STUART rescued the crew of an Anson aircraft which crashed into the sea off Port Perpendicular.

April 14, 1943

HMA Ships KAPUNDA, WAGGA, and WHYALLA, (minesweepers), fought off repeated attacks by 100 Japanese aircraft at Milne Bay, New Guinea.

April 12, 1943

In New Guinea waters, an enemy formation of thirty-seven aircraft attacked MV Gorgon, one of the ships of a convoy being escorted by HMAS Kapunda. One of the planes was shot down by Oerlikon fire from Kapunda and another hit by anti-aircraft fire from the merchant ship, but the others pressing home the attack scored several hits, setting Gorgon on fire. Kapunda’s Commanding Officer, however, took his ship alongside the burning vessel, put fire fighting parties aboard, and after a long struggle subdued the flames and brought the damaged ship safely to port.

April 11, 1943

The Japanese submarine I-177 torpedoed the Yugoslav merchant ship RECINA, 19 miles off Cape Howe. Nine survivors were picked up by HMAS MORESBY, (survey ship).

The minesweeper HMAS PIRIE, (LCDR C. F. Mills, RAN), was escorting the supply ship HANYANG into Oro Bay, New Guinea, when they were damaged in savage air attacks by 12 Japanese aircraft. PIRIE managed to shoot down one of the attacking aircraft, but she was struck by one bomb which passed through the bridge, killing the Gunnery Officer (LEUT J. W. Ellershaw, RANVR), before hitting the upper deck and exploding, where it killed six of PIRIE’s gun crew. PIRIE was also strafed by cannon fire, and four personnel were wounded. HANYANG was also hit by one bomb, and three of her crew were killed.

April 10, 1943

LEUT L. V. Goldsworthy, RANVR, recovered ground, magnetic and acoustic mines from ports in England. He was awarded the GC for his bravery and gallantry in rendering safe mines between April and June 1943.

April 3, 1943

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

March 28, 1943

Australian transports BANTAM and MASAYA were sunk by Japanese dive bombers at Oro Bay, New Guinea. BANTAM was later salvaged and towed to Sydney.

March 24, 1943

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS FREMANTLE, (LEUT A. N. Boulton, RANR(S)), was commissioned. FREMANTLE was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 11 February 1942, and launched on 18 August 1942.

March 23, 1943

Task Force 74 was constituted at Challenge Bay. It consisted of Task Group 74-1, HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (cruisers), and Task Group 74-2, HMA Ships ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), and USS LAMSON.

March 22, 1943

The Bathurst class minesweeper (corvette), HMAS GLADSTONE, (LEUT J. W. Penny RANR(S)), was commissioned. GLADSTONE, was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 4 August 1942, and launched on 26 November 1942.

March 21, 1943

HMAS QUICKMATCH, (destroyer), escorted the former RAN seaplane carrier, HMS ALBATROSS from Durban to Madagascar.

March 20, 1943

The examination vessel HMAS ELLAN, was commissioned. ELLAN was laid down in 1942, and requisitioned from her owner W. F. Hobson, Sydney.