On This Day
1944 > WW2
On This Day - 1944
- June 10, 1944
The Fremantle-based USS HARDER, (submarine), reported three battleships, four cruisers and six destroyers leaving Tawitawi for the Philippines.
- June 9, 1944
The Fremantle-based USS HARDER, (submarine), sank the Japanese destroyer TANIKAZE in the Sibutu Passage. HARDER sank three destroyers on the patrol.
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), engaged Japanese destroyers in a running battle in the Biajk-Seeadler area.
- June 8, 1944
The Fremantle-based US Ships RASHER, HAKE, and HARDER, (submarines), sank a Japanese destroyer and a tanker, and evacuated commandos from Borneo. HAKE torpedoed the destroyer KAZEGUMO off Mindanao, RASHER torpedoed the tanker SHIOYA in the Celebes Sea, and HARDER picked up seven Australian commandos from a beach in North Borneo.
- June 6, 1944
D-Day: The D-Day landings took place on the beaches at Normandy, which signalled the beginning of the Allied assault on occupied France, and which would lead to the final defeat of Germany some 11 months later. It is estimated that about 500 RAN personnel, (on loan to the RN), took part in the operations. Several of these were RANVR officers who commanded landing craft, including SBLT B.V. Ashton, and SBLT Richard Pirrie, who were both killed in action when their landing craft were hit by enemy fire. Ashton is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery. However the body of SBLT Pirrie was never recovered. These were the only members of the RAN killed on 6 June 1944. Others involved in the invasion included LEUT Dacre Smyth, RAN, (later to reach the rank of CDRE), who was the gunnery officer in a British destroyer, and LEUT K.R. Hudspeth, RANVR, who commanded the midget submarine X-20. Hudspeth was awarded the DSC for his part in the landing in X-20, which operated on the surface, and acted as a beacon for the landing craft to enable them to navigate safely to the beaches.
Tarakan: The Fremantle based USS HARDER, (submarine), torpedoed the Japanese ships MINANSUKI and HAYANAMI, (destroyers), in the Sibutu Passage off Tarakan.
- June 5, 1944
The Fremantle based USS PUFFER, (submarine), sank the Japanese tankers ASHIZURI and TAKASAKI, in the Sulu Sea.
The Burns Philp vessel MV BULOLO was commissioned into the RN as a command ship and was later involved in the landings at Normandy in June 1944.
- June 2, 1944
Australian troops landed on Karkar Island after bombardment by Australian ships.
- May 31, 1944
HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), was withdrawn from duties in northern New Guinea waters, and returned to Sydney for repairs.
- May 29, 1944
The German submarine U181 sank the Australian merchant ship NELLORE, in the Indian Ocean.
- May 28, 1944
HMA Ships GOULBURN and GYMPIE, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese positions at Bunabun Harbour, in preparation for an Allied landing.
- May 27, 1944
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, were involved in the Allied landing at Biak, New Guinea.