On This Day

1945 > WW2

October 14, 1945

The DSC was awarded to LEUT E. J. Peel, RAN, and LCDR S. W. S. Scott, RAN(E), for conspicuous gallantry in the Battle of the Philippines. LEUT Peel’s award was for distinguished service while commanding HMAS GASCOYNE, (frigate), during the action off Luzon in January 1945. LCDR Scott’s award was for hazardous operations while commanding the smallest RAN vessel engaged in the Philippines campaign, ML 1074.

October 9, 1945

Chief Stoker Percy Collins became the first Australian to be awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Medal. He was awarded the DSM for service in HMAS NAPIER off Crete in 1941, and the Bar for service in HMAS STRAHAN in the Pacific in 1945.

October 3, 1945

HMAS Gympie, in company with HMA Ships Moresby, Hawkesbury (I), Katoomba and Gladstone, were present at Koepang in Portuguese Timor for the surrender of the 48th Japanese Division. A naval detachment, formed from all the ships, was landed for the occasion

October 1, 1945

The Japanese surrender of Ocean Island was signed on board HMAS DIAMANTINA. The RN was represented by the motor launch HMS KIA KIA.

September 27, 1945

The British Navies laid 260,000 mines in WWII, which sank or damaged 1588 enemy vessels. The Axis laid 225,000 mines which claimed 1117 victims.

September 26, 1945

HMAS STRAHAN was damaged by a mine explosion while sweeping a minefield off the China coast. The ship returned to Hong Kong for repairs.

September 22, 1945

A BBC announcer described the scene in Tokyo Harbour, after the surrender ceremony:- ‘and there are the four Australian minesweepers BALLARAT, IPSWICH, PIRIE, and CESSNOCK. They are a husky bunch and without them the Fleet could not have operated’.

September 19, 1945

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), accepted the Japanese surrender at Namatanai, New Ireland.

September 17, 1945

US Submarines based in Australia during WWII, sank 25 destroyers, 17 frigates, four minesweepers, 10 submarine chasers, torpedo boats, and gunboats. Eighteen Australian-based submarines were lost through enemy action.

September 14, 1945

HMAS Winter decommissioned in Sydney. She was sold on 25 January 1946.

September 13, 1945

The Japanese surrender of Nauru was signed on board HMAS DIAMANTINA, (frigate).

September 12, 1945

HMAS HAWKESBURY, (River class frigate), became the first ship of the RAN to enter Singapore since the surrender to the Japanese in 1942.

The surrender of Japanese forces at Wewak, New Guinea, was signed aboard ML805.

September 11, 1945

Japanese forces on Timor signed the surrender document on board HMAS MORESBY, (survey vessel/escort).

September 10, 1945

The Japanese surrender of Kairiru and Muschu islands was signed on board ML805.

HMA Ships GLENELG, COOTAMUNDRA, JUNEE, and LATROBE, (minesweepers), embarked liberated POW’s at Ambon, and transported them to Morotai.

September 9, 1945

HMA Ships BUNDABERG, KAPUNDA, BLACK SNAKE, RIVER SNAKE, and ML 1343, plus army craft used by SRD, AM 1629, AM 1499, AM 1983, and AM 1985, accepted the Japanese surrender at Kuching, Jesselton, and Sandakan, Borneo.

September 8, 1945

HMAS VENDETTA transported 28 released European POW’s from Rabaul to Madang, for repatriation to Australia.

The surrender of Dutch Borneo by the Japanese was accepted on board HMAS Burdekin by Major General EJ Milford, General Officer Commanding 7th Australian Division, from Vice Admiral Mitchishi Kamada.

HMA Ships Glenelg, Junee, Cootamundra and Latrobe proceeded to Ambon and embarked Australian, American and Dutch prisoners of war and one Japanese prisoner for passage to Morotai

September 7, 1945

The sloop HMAS Moresby (I), accompanied by ten other Australian warships (including HMAS Parkes) and two Dutch vessels, sailed from Darwin to conduct the ceremony of surrender of all Japanese forces in Timor

September 6, 1945

The surrender of Dutch Borneo was signed by the Japanese, in HMAS BURDEKIN, (frigate).

Twenty five per cent of the 76,000 mines laid by British naval forces in WWII, were manufactured in Australia. British mines were responsible for the sinking of 1070 enemy vessels and for damaging 540.

September 2, 1945

The formal surrender of Japan was signed on the USS MISSOURI, (battleship), in Tokyo Bay. The RAN was represented by CDRE J. A. Collins, CB, and HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, HOBART, WARRAMUNGA, NAPIER, NIZAM, BATAAN, IPSWICH, CESSNOCK, and BALLARAT.

HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), became the first Allied warship to enter Rabaul Harbour since the surrender in 1942.

RAN losses in WWII were:- 3 cruisers, 4 destroyers, 2 sloops, 3 minesweepers, and 22 miscellaneous vessels. Personnel losses in action were:-191 officers and 1832 ratings. Losses from other causes were:- 28 officers and 119 ratings.HMAS WARRNAMBOOL was lost while minesweeping off the Queensland coast, in 1947, but was included in the war losses because cessation of hostilities had not been proclaimed.

September 1, 1945

CMDR G. D. Tancred, RAN, was awarded the DSC for conspicuous gallantry in surveying forward combat areas in New Guinea and the Philippines.

August 31, 1945

HMAS Fremantle arrived at Hong Kong and whilst based there as a unit of the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla, took part in a series of clearing sweeps in Chinese waters

August 30, 1945

CAPT H. Buchanan, RAN, in HMAS NAPIER, accepted the surrender of Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. HMAS NIZAM, (CMDR W. F. Cook, RAN), leading HMAS NAPIER, (LEUT H. D. Stevenson), followed HMS KING GEORGE V into Tokyo Bay. They were the first RAN ships to enter the port after hostilities ceased.

August 24, 1945

HM Submarine OTWAY, (formerly HMAS OTWAY), was sold out of service for breaking up.

August 23, 1945

HMAS ST GILES was re-commissioned as a navy tug.

August 22, 1945

HMA Ships MILDURA, CASTLEMAINE, BATHURST, BROOME, FREMANTLE, STRAHAN, and STAWELL, were formed into the Australian Minesweeping Flotilla, at Subic Bay, under LCDR J. M. Little, RANR.