On This Day
1945 > WW2
On This Day - 1945
- April 25, 1945
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), engaged Japanese targets at Cape Worn, near Wewak, New Guinea.
- April 24, 1945
HMA Ships COLAC and DELORAINE, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese fortifications at Cape Boiken, New Guinea.
- April 20, 1945
CAPT W. J. Dovers, RAN, was appointed to command Wewak Force and Group 3, of the 1st New Guinea ML Flotilla. The force consisted of HMA Ships SWAN, COLAC, IPSWICH, DELORAINE, and ML’s 820, 427 and 811.
- April 14, 1945
The cost of operating the RAN for one day was estimated at Pounds100,000.
The DSC was awarded to CMDR H. C. Wright, RAN, and LCDR R. I. Peek, RAN, for gallantry while serving in the cruiser HMAS AUSTRALIA in the Philippines. Peek was also admitted to the OBE for outstanding service in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
- April 12, 1945
HM Submarine Tapir, (LEUT P. G. Evatt, RANVR), torpedoed and sunk the German submarine U486 in the North Sea north-west of Bergen, Norway, in position 60.44N, 04.39E. LEUT Evatt was awarded the DSC for exceptional skill, audacity and judgement. Previously on 24 Dec 1944 U486 had sunk SS Leopoldville in the English Channel 5 miles from the port of Cherbourg, France. The troopship was transporting 2235 American soldiers from regiments of the 66th Infantry Division. The ship finally sank 2 1/2 hours later. 763 American soldiers died making this the worst loss an American infantry division suffered from a U-boat attack during the war.
- April 11, 1945
The Australian Government cancelled the building of 10 frigates for the RAN. The ships were:- BALMAIN, BOGAN, CAMPASPE, MURRUMBIDGEE, NAMOI, NEPEAN, WHARBURTON, WILLIAMSTOWN, WIMMERA, and WOLLONDILLY.
- April 10, 1945
Acting LCDR F. M. Osborne RANVR, was awarded a bar to his DSC for conspicuous service, when HMS VANQUISHER, in which he was serving, sank a German submarine in the Atlantic.
- March 31, 1945
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS SEA SNAKE, (A/LEUT D.H. Jarvis, RAN), was commissioned.
Japanese kamikaze attacks against Allied naval vessels in the Pacific in the first three months of 1945 resulted in 121 ships hit and 53 damaged by near-misses. Included in these figures was cruiser HMAS AUSTRALIA, which suffered five attacks, and was eventually withdrawn for repairs.
- March 28, 1945
The air/sea rescue vessel, (search and rescue craft), HMAS AIR BIRD, (SBLT D. Farquhar, RANVR), was commissioned.
- March 26, 1945
HMAS TERKA, (auxiliary minesweeper), sank in Benner Harbour, New Guinea.
The British Pacific Fleet joined the US Pacific Fleet for operations against the Ryuku Islands. Units of the RAN were attached to the British Pacific Fleet.