On This Day

1944 > WW2

May 26, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS CABRILLA, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport SANYO MARU, in Macassar Strait.

May 25, 1944

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS PARKES, was commissioned. PARKES was laid down at Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 16 March 1943, and launched on 3 October 1943.

May 24, 1944

The Fremantle-based US Submarines GURNARD, LAPON, and RATON, sank four Japanese ships. GURNARD torpedoed the tanker TATEKAWA MARU, off Mindanao; LAPON torpedoed the transports WALES MARU and BIZEN MARU, off Saigon; and RATON sank the destroyer escort IKI, in the South China Sea.

May 22, 1944

Task Force 74, which consisted of HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, and the US Navy vessels MULLANY and AMMEN, withdrew to Humboldt Bay, (New Guinea), to refuel, after having supported the US landings at Biak Island.

May 17, 1944

HMA Ships QUIBERON, NAPIER and NEPAL, (destroyers), were involved in Operation Transom. This was the attack mounted by Allied aircraft and surface units on Japanese oil installations at Surabaya.

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (cruisers), and ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), supported the landing of US troops on Wakde Island. Of the Japanese garrison of 760, 759 were killed, and one taken prisoner.

May 16, 1944

HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), bombarded Sawar Airfield, Dutch New Guinea.

May 15, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS BONEFISH, (submarine), reported a Japanese fleet of 9 aircraft carriers, 6 battleships, 11 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 30 destroyers, at Tawitawi in the Philippines.

May 13, 1944

HMA Ships BARCOO, (frigate), KAPUNDA and STAWELL, (corvettes), supported by motor launches, bombarded Japanese troop fortifications at Karkar Island, New Guinea.

May 12, 1944

HMA Ships GOULBURN, GYMPIR, STAWELL, and KAPUNDA, (corvettes), with ML431, ML806, and ML424, bombarded Karkar Island.

May 6, 1944

CAPT H.A. Showers, RAN, assumed command of HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser).

Mrs Ruby Boye, Australia’s only woman Coastwatcher, was appointed Honorary Third Officer, WRANS.

May 3, 1944

In the period 24 April to 3 May, HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), transported 1937 soldiers, and 90 tons of stores, in support of the Australian advance from Langemark to Madang, New Guinea.

May 1, 1944

Thirty-six US submarines were operating from Fremantle. Six more were based sporadically at Brisbane.

April 27, 1944

The Brisbane-based USS BLUEGILL, (submarine), sank the Japanese cruiser YUBARI in the Sonsorol Islands.

April 26, 1944

HMAS BUNDABERG, (minesweeper), attacked Japanese positions on Sek Island, (off Madang). All the ship’s armament was used in the attack. A landing party made up of soldiers, and some of the ship’s company, then landed and captured the island.

April 25, 1944

HMA Ships VENDETTA, (destroyer), and BUNDABERG, (corvette), provided close support to troops in the capture of Madang, New Guinea.

April 22, 1944

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA provided covering fire for the landing of troops from the Australian landing ships WESTRALIA, MANOORA, and KANIMBLA, at Humboldt Bay, near Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea.

April 21, 1944

ADML Somerville signalled the British Admiralty after the successful attack on Sabang; ‘We caught the Japs with their kimonos up and their heads down and gave Sabang a good bang’. Six Australian ships participated in Operation Cockpit.

April 19, 1944

HMA Ships NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM, QUICKMATCH, and QUIBERON, (destroyers), operated as part of the British Pacific Fleet in the attack on Sabang, (Operation Cockpit), by carrier-borne aircraft.

April 16, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS REDFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport KAMAGATA MARU in the South China Sea.

April 15, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS REDFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport SHINYU MARU, in the South China Sea.

April 14, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS BONEFISH, (submarine), sank the Japanese destroyer INAZUMA, off North Borneo.

LEUT M. H. Shean, RANVR, commanding a midget submarine, successfully laid charges in Bergen Harbour, Norway. A floating dock was severely damaged and the merchant vessel BARENFELS was sunk in the attack. Shean was awarded the DSO.

April 11, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS REDFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese destroyer AKIGUMO, off Zamboanga, in the Philippines.

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS JUNEE, was commissioned. JUNEE was laid down at Poole & Steel Yard, Sydney, on 17 February 1943, and launched on 16 November 1943.

April 10, 1944

The Fremantle-based USS COD, (submarine), sank the Japanese destroyer KARUKAYA off Luzon.

March 31, 1944

HMA Ships NAPIER, NORMAN, NEPAL, and QUIBERON, (destroyers), and HM ships QUALITY and QUEENBOROUGH, participated in Operation Diplomat, the reinforcing of the British Eastern Fleet.

HMA Submarine K9, formerly the Dutch KIX, was paid off for disposal. The vessel was later wrecked on Seal Rocks, NSW, while under tow to the Far East for breaking up.

March 27, 1944

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS STRAHAN, was commissioned. STRAHAN was laid down in the State Dockyard, Newcastle, NSW, on 19 October 1942, and launched on 12 July 1943.

The Fremantle-based USS HAKE, (submarine), sank the Japanese tanker YAMAMIZU MARU in the Java Sea off Borneo.