On This Day
1944 > WW2
On This Day - 1944
- January 21, 1944
Cook R. W. Andrews was swept overboard when a freak wave caused HMAS NEPAL, (destroyer), to almost broach to south of Cape Town. The man was sighted when an albatross was observed pecking at his scalp. He was picked up and treated for a fractured leg and beak wounds.
- January 19, 1944
Coastwatcher LEUT B. W. G. Hall, AIF, commanded a party of six Europeans and two natives in a guerrilla war on Long Island off New Guinea which forced the Japanese garrison of 500 troops to evacuate the island.
- January 17, 1944
The River class frigate, HMAS BARCOO, was commissioned at Sydney.
- January 12, 1944
HMAS AUSTRALIA and USS NASHVILLE, (cruisers), commenced refit in Sydney.
- January 7, 1944
The Fremantle-based US submarines KINGFISH, RASHER, and BLUEFISH sank three Japanese tankers in the South China Sea. KINGFISH torpedoed the FUSHIMI MARU, RASHER the KIYO MARU, and BLUEFISH the HAKIO MARU. The success of submarine sinking of tankers had a decisive effect on Japanese Fleet operations later in 1944.
- January 2, 1944
HMA Ships ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), provided covering fire for the Allied landings at Saidor, New Guinea.
