On This Day

1944 > WW2

September 29, 1944

Former HMAS Uki transferred back to the RAN by USN and subsequently returned to her owners on 27 October 1944.

September 28, 1944

The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, informed the House of Commons: ‘We owe it to Australia and New Zealand to help them remove forever the Japanese menace to their homelands. We have offered the fine modern British Pacific Fleet and asked that it should be used in the main operations against Japan’.

The Fremantle based HMS PORPOISE, (submarine), captured the 100 ton junk MUSTIKA, for use by the Commandos of Operation Rimau.

September 26, 1944

HMAS Hawkesbury was called upon to assist the burning tanker Misson Ridge following her collision with the Liberty Ship Don Marquis. After taking off the crew she succeeded in quelling the flames using hoses and fire parties

September 25, 1944

CAPT C. A. G. Nichols, RN, relieved CAPT Showers in command of HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser). CAPT Showers took up the appointment of 2nd Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board.

September 20, 1944

The air/sea rescue vessels AIR FOAM, (ex-AIR WAVE, SBLT Middleton RANVR), AIR MIST, (SBLT J. R. Needle, RANVR), and AIR REST, (SBLT R. W. Stinger, RANVR), were commissioned.

The ammunition stores issuing ship HMAS YUNNAN, was commissioned. YUNNAN was laid down in Greenock, Scotland, in 1934. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the China Navigation Co Ltd, on 20 September 1944.

September 19, 1944

LEUT Leon Verdi Goldsworthy, DSC, GM, RANVR, was awarded the GC for undaunted courage in rendering safe various German mines between 12 June, 1943 and 10 April, 1944.

September 15, 1944

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE with ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA bombarded targets on Halmahera and Morotai.

September 12, 1944

The Japanese transport RAKUYO MARU was torpedoed and sunk by the USS QUEENFISH off the Philippines. The vessel was carrying 1317 Australian and British POW’s, including survivors of HMAS PERTH. US submarines picked up 152 of the prisoners. US Submarines GROWLER, SEALION, PAMPANITO, QUEENFISH, and BARB were involved. The remainder were lost. Stoker 2nd Class C. A. Petherbridge, RAN, was awarded the GM posthumously for gallantry following the sinking of the RAKUYO MARU. His citation read:- ‘For gallantry in saving life at sea at the cost of his own. When the ship on which he was a passenger was torpedoed, Stoker Petherbridge got away with 20 others on a raft. During the ordeal which followed, Petherbridge left this raft on several occasions, without a life belt, to go to the help of those who through physical weaknesses could not prevent themselves from slipping into the sea. The strain of this merciful work upon himself was such that he could not carry on, and during the night which followed the sinking of the ship, he himself disappeared’. The BEM for coolness and good leadership was awarded to ERA 3rd Class V. R. Duncan, who took charge of No. 2 hatch of the sinking RAKUYO MARU, which resulted in the release of prisoners battened below.

September 7, 1944

HMAS KIAMA, (minesweeper), embarked an Army reconnaissance party from behind enemy lines at Jacquinot Bay, New Britain.

September 3, 1944

The sloop HMAS SWAN, (LCDR R. J. R. Pennock), bombarded Japanese positions at Cape Sarme, New Guinea.

August 29, 1944

HMAS Bathurst sailed for Australia, ending almost 3½ years Indian Ocean-Red Sea service.

August 24, 1944

LEUT L. E. Yock, RANVR, led a section of motor torpedo boats in an attack on two German torpedo boats, and two coasters, at Cape d’Antifer, France. Yock’s boats came under heavy shore fire but pressed the attack, leaving one enemy torpedo boat on fire and the other silenced.

August 22, 1944

The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS TIGER SNAKE, (LEUT W. K. Witt, RAN), was commissioned.

August 21, 1944

The Fremantle-based US Submarines RAY, HADDO, and GUITARRO, employed wolf-pack tactics to sink four Japanese transports off Mindoro. RAY torpedoed the TAKETOYO MARU, HADDO the KINRYO MARU and NORFOLK MARU, and GUITARRO the UGA MARU.

August 18, 1944

The Fremantle-based US Submarines RASHER and RAY, sank two Japanese tankers, an escort aircraft carrier, and a transport. RASHER torpedoed the OTAKA, (escort carrier), the TEIYO MARU, (tanker), and the EISHIN MARU, (transport), in Luzon Strait. RAY torpedoed the NANSEI MARU, (tanker), in the Sulu Sea.

August 14, 1944

ML430, (LEUT A. A. Wordsworth, RANVR), was mistaken for an enemy submarine, and was sunk by gunfire from ML819, (LEUT R. A. E. Moore, RANVR), north of Biak. No lives were lost.

August 13, 1944

The air/sea rescue vessel AIR MASTER, (SBLT N. Shield, RANVR), was commissioned.

 

August 12, 1944

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), bombarded Japanese positions at Wide Bay, New Britain. The shooting was directed by Coastwatcher LCDR. Mckenzie.

August 11, 1944

HMS ALBATROSS, (former seaplane carrier HMAS ALBATROSS), was torpedoed off Courseulles, France. Casualties exceeded 100, of whom 50 were killed. The ship reached port safely.

August 10, 1944

The air/sea rescue vessel AIR CHIEF, (SBLT R. Vaughan, RANR), was commissioned.

August 9, 1944

HM Ships LOCH KILLIN, (LCDR Stanley Darling, RANR), and WREN, sank the German submarine U608, eight hours after it was damaged in an attack by a Liberator bomber.

August 6, 1944

The frigate HMS LOCH KILLIN, (LCDR. S. Darling, RANVR), depth-charged the German submarine U736, off the French coast. The U-boat was blown to the surface and jammed across LOCH KILLIN’S stern. The submarine’s crew stepped onto LOCH KILLIN’S, deck to be taken prisoner. U736 was freed, and sunk by HMS STARLING, (sloop).

August 3, 1944

HMAS BARWON, (frigate), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.

July 31, 1944

The frigate HMS LOCH KILLIN, (LCDR Stanley Darling, RANVR), sank the German submarine U333 off the French coast. U333 was the first submarine destroyed by the Squid anti-submarine weapon.

July 30, 1944

The last known use of a Seagull V (Walrus) by the RAN when one attached to the sloop HMAS Warrego, for air sea rescue and reconnaissance duties in northern New Guinea waters, was damaged on take-off.  Warrego was too small a vessel to operate a catapult so the aircraft remained alongside the vessel and logistics support provided by Warrego. The aircraft was craned on board the sloop for return to Australia for repair. It was unloaded at Bowen, Queensland in late October 1944