On This Day

1945 > WW2

March 14, 1945

HMAS WATSON, Sydney, was commissioned as the RAN’s radar establishment. A radar school was established at the depot in 1942.

March 10, 1945

HMA ML 825 shot down a Japanese fighter off Cape Orford, New Guinea.

HMAS LACHLAN, (frigate), surveyed the approaches to Mindanao, Philippines.

March 9, 1945

HMAS WARREGO, (sloop), and the motor survey launches ALERT and BLOWFLY, surveyed Santa Cruz beaches in the Philippines under intense fire from shore guns. ALERT, (SBLT D.L. Cole, RANR) was struck by enemy shore fire. The boat was holed and two crew members wounded. SBLT Cole was awarded the DSC for this action.

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), shelled Japanese fortifications at Open Bay, New Britain.

March 8, 1945

The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS EDUARDO, was commissioned. EDUARDO was lent to SRD by the RN in March 1945.

March 7, 1945

The destroyer HMAS NAPIER, (CAPT H. J. Buchanan, RAN), lost two seamen overboard when the destroyer rolled heavily and shipped a large sea off King Island, Bass Strait. The ship’s jolly boat was smashed in and a gun shield and guard rails were torn away. Three similar accidents were recorded in destroyers of this class in World War II.

March 3, 1945

HMAS MACQUARIE, (River class frigate), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney.

March 2, 1945

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, (aircraft carrier), became the first ship to enter the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island, Sydney. ILLUSTRIOUS was heavily damaged in operations off Okinawa.

HMAS WARREGO, (sloop), completed a survey of Japanese-held Subic Bay, Philippines, in preparation for an assault by US amphibious forces.

March 1, 1945

The air/sea rescue vessel, (search and rescue craft), HMAS AIR SENSE, (SBLT J. R. Young, RANVR), was commissioned.

February 28, 1945

The air/sea rescue vessels, (search and rescue craft), HMA Ships AIR MERCY, (SBLT E.J. Johnson, RANVR), and AIR SPEED, (SBLT J.C. Williams, RANVR), were commissioned.

HMS MAJESTIC, (aircraft carrier), later renamed HMAS MELBOURNE, was launched by Lady Anderson, wife of the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, at Barrow, England.

February 25, 1945

HMAS SWAN engaged enemy troop concentrations in the Wewak-Aitape area of New Guinea with gunfire.

HMAS Adelaide (I) paid off in Sydney.

February 24, 1945

The service reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS GRASS SNAKE, (SBLT Bromley), was commissioned.

Egypt became the last nation to declare war on the Axis Powers. Turkey, Iceland, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Syria, Lebanon, Uruguay, and Venezuela, also joined the Allies in this period.

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), supported the advance of the 6th Australian Division along the New Guinea coast with close support gunfire. The sloop silenced enemy batteries and destroyed a wireless station east of Aitape.

February 22, 1945

Garden Island Naval Dockyard was formally acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia.

February 21, 1945

HMAS NAPIER, serving with the 7th Destroyer Flotilla, bombarded Japanese positions on the Burma coast in support of Allied land advances.

February 20, 1945

Fremantle-based US Submarines GUAVINA and PARGO sank a Japanese tanker and a destroyer. GUAVINA torpedoed the tanker EIYO MARU off Malaya, and PARGO torpedoed the destroyer NOKAZE off the east coast of lndo China. NOKAZE was the 126th and last Japanese destroyer sunk during the Second World War.

February 19, 1945

The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS RIVER SNAKE, (LEUT J. P. Gowling, RAN), was commissioned at Fremantle.

HMAS WARREGO, (sloop), completed a survey of Lingayen Gulf in preparation for the landing.

February 16, 1945

HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), with HMA Ships ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), shelled enemy positions on Corregidor Beach in the Philippines.

February 14, 1945

The River class frigate HMAS LACHLAN was commissioned. LACHLAN was laid down at Mort’s Dock, Sydney, and launched on 25 March 1944. LACHLAN, carrying the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, made a ceremonial entry into the Captain Cook Graving Dock, Sydney, officially opening the dock.

CMDR A. P. Cousin, RANR(S), was appointed to the DSO for conspicuous service while commanding HMAS MANOORA in amphibious landings at Tanahmerah Bay, Wakde Taem, Morotai, Leyte, Lingayen, Tarakan, Labuan and Balikpapan.

ADML Sir Bruce Fraser, RN, arrived in Sydney in command of the British Pacific Fleet.

CMDR K. H. Oom, RAN, was appointed to the OBE for conspicuous service while surveying in advanced areas in command of HMA Ships WHYALLA and SHEPPARTON.

February 13, 1945

The air/sea rescue vessels, (search and rescue craft), HMA Ships AIR HOPE, (LEUT R. W. Dunn, RANVR), and AIR SPRAY, (SBLT W. A. Booth, RANVR), were commissioned.

February 11, 1945

HMAS Nizam, twelve miles off Cape Leeuwin Light and while altering course, the ship struck a freak wave and rolled very heavily, 75 to 80 degrees, to port and 10 ratings were lost overboard. This accident occurred at ten o’clock at night with the wind at nearly gale force. The ship circled for a long period but no sign of any survivor was seen. Some damage was caused and Nizam remained at Fremantle until 7 March 1945 making good defects

February 10, 1945

The main body of the British Pacific Fleet arrived at Sydney. At its peak strength the BPF numbered 336 vessels.

February 9, 1945

Carrier-borne aircraft from the British Pacific Fleet landed at Nowra, NSW. The air station was in use by the RAAF from 7 May 1942 until it was transferred to the RN as an air station on 15 October 1944. On the departure of the RN the station was in disuse until taken over by the RAN and commissioned as HMAS ALBATROSS in 1948.

February 8, 1945

The air/sea rescue vessels, (search and rescue craft), HMA Ships AIR FAITH, (LEUT R.R. Lewis, RANVR), and AIR TRIAL, (SBLT V.G. Maddison, RANVR), were commissioned. These vessels were built (along with all sister vessels), in Canada and the United States between 1943 and 1945, and transferred to the RAN under the Lend-Lease Agreement.

 

February 5, 1945

HMAS NEPAL struck an uncharted obstruction in the Kaliendaung River in Burma, damaging her starboard propeller. The destroyer was withdrawn to Colombo for repairs.

February 4, 1945

The main units of the British Pacific Fleet, one battleship, four fleet carriers, three cruisers and 10 destroyers arrived at Fremantle. The BPF was to number 336 vessels at its peak strength.

 

January 30, 1945

HMAS WARREGO (sloop), and her US tender, YMS 316, carried out inshore surveys and buoyed wrecks off Bataan Peninsula while US troops fought their way off the landing beaches.