On This Day
1945 > WW2
On This Day - 1945
- May 26, 1945
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), entered Boram Harbour, New Guinea, and carried out a bombardment of the Japanese occupied villages of Banahiton and Passam.
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), destroyed a Japanese gun position in a counter battery duel off Choiseul Bay, New Guinea. During the action COLAC was hit twice, and suffered two killed, (Steward B. M. P. Shute and AB S. R. Smith), and two wounded, as well as significant damage to the engine room. The engine room was eventually, flooded and had to be abandoned. Despite this damage the engines kept running, and COLAC was able to make it to Fauro Island, where she anchored the following day. COLAC was later towed to Sydney, which she reached on 18 June, for repairs.
- May 25, 1945
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese positions in Choiseul Bay, New Britain.
- May 23, 1945
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS ANACONDA, (LEUT C. T. G. Haultain, RAN), was commissioned.
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), arrived at Torokina, Bougainville, to disrupt Japanese barge traffic along the coast.
- May 20, 1945
HMAS NORMAN,(destroyer), took under tow HMS QUILLIAM, (destroyer), which was damaged in a collision with HMS INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier).
HMAS KIAMA, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese troop positions and installations on the east coast of Buka Island.
- May 19, 1945
HMAS Adelaide recommissioned as a tender to the Sydney shore establishment HMAS Penguin.
- May 18, 1945
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), towed the damaged ML427 off Moem Reef to Madang, (New Guinea). The motor launch had run aground on the reef two days before
- May 16, 1945
HM Ships INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier), and QUILLIAM, (destroyer), collided off Okinawa. HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), stood by to assist the damaged QUILLIAM.
- May 15, 1945
HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), BUNBURY, (corvette), and three motor launches, shelled Boram Point, Wewak, in support of Australian ground attacks.
- May 14, 1945
On May 14, 1945 , while towing the 30-ton ketch STINGRAY from Coconut Island to Thursday Island , HMAS WATCHER , commanded by Commissioned Officer from Warrant Rank Francis G. Squire RANR [S], grounded one mile off Harvey Rock Light. The ship was a total loss but there were no casualties.
CMDR G. C. Oldham, RAN, LEUT J. S. Austin, RAN, and LEUT J. S. Mesley, RAN, were awarded the DSC for gallantry while serving in HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
CAPT J. M. Armstrong, RAN, was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, whilst commanding HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), during the Battle of Lingayen Gulf, and subsequent landings on Luzon. The award of the US Navy Cross for the same operations was made in 1946.
HMA Ships HOBART, ARUNTA, WARRAMUNGA, SWAN, WARREGO, COLAC and IPSWICH, were involved in operations which saw the capture of the Wewak Peninsula in New Guinea.
- May 11, 1945
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), recorded in her journal the results of a bombardment in the Wewak area of New Guinea:- ’89 Japanese dead were found after the landing in the area, three trench systems behind the beach effectively shelled, and the enemy withdrew’.