On This Day

1945 > WW2

January 29, 1945

HMAS WARREGO and US motor minesweeper YMS 316 marked inshore shoals for the US landings at Subic Bay, Philippines. The vessels continued this activity until 19 February, often landing armed parties in areas not cleared of the enemy to erect survey markers.

January 26, 1945

HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), supported RN units in Operation Sankey, the assault on Cheduba Island, Burma.

January 21, 1945

HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), supported RN units involved in Operation Matador, which was the assault on Rameree Island, Burma.

January 17, 1945

A fire broke out at No. 8 Berth, North Wharf, (Port of Fremantle), and engulfed the merchant ship MV PANAMANIAN, which was alongside loading flour. The fire took seven days to be totally extinguished. The submarine tender HMS MAIDSTONE also caught fire, and had to be moved by tugs to prevent the fire spreading to other ships. The fires were fought by RAN, RN, USN and civilian personnel. The fire in MAIDSTONE was quickly brought under control, but the PANAMANIAN became a total loss. Only one life was lost in the fire, that of AB Kenneth Shooter, a RNZN sailor serving in HMS RULER, who fell down a hatch onboard PANAMANIAN while fighting the fire on 23 January.

January 16, 1945

Japanese aircraft sank the Fremantle-based British submarine HMS PORPOISE, in Malacca Strait. PORPOISE had been involved in the ill-fated operation RIMAU, when she conveyed Z force operatives to the Singapore area in late 1944. PORPOISE was the last British submarine lost during World War II.

January 12, 1945

HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), and the Royal Indian Navy ships JUMNA and NARBADA, supported by HDML1248 and ML854, launched the assault on Myebon, Burma, (operation Pungent).

January 11, 1945

Twenty German POWs escaped via a tunnel from the officers’ POW camp at Dhuringle, VIC. One of the escapees was CAPT Theodore Detmers, who was the Commanding Officer of the raider KORMORAN. Detmers was recaptured on 20 January, some 32 km from the camp. He was sentenced to 28 days solitary confinement in the camp

January 10, 1945

HMA ships COWRA and KAPUNDA, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese troop positions at Halmahera, New Guinea.

January 9, 1945

HMAS AUSTRALIA suffered her fifth kamikaze attack. The Japanese aircraft struck the cruiser on the top of her third funnel. CMDR G.H. Gill, RANVR, reported: “Australia was the recipient of many signals before her departure from Lingayan Gulf, both from American, and her fellow Australian ships”:- VADM Oldendorf, (TG 77.2) signalled: “Your gallant conduct and that of your ship has been an inspiration to us all. Sorry to lose you at this time.” Berkey, (CTG.77.3), said: “Sorry the hell birds concentrated on you. My deep regrets for losses in the stout ship’s company.” RADM Weyler, in his letter forwarding the Report of Bombardments, commented; “The performance of AUSTRALIA is particularly to be commended. Heavily hit three times and with the greater part of her dual-purpose battery out of commission, she nevertheless executed scheduled fires in her usual effective manner.” Kinkaid, Commander Seventh Fleet, in a report to the Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, remarked, “HMAS AUSTRALIA received two minor and three major hits from enemy suicide planes. Despite the resulting damage and casualties, the fire schedule was executed in a very satisfactory manner. Her performance during the entire operation was excellent.”

HMA Ships, WESTRALIA, MANOORA, and KANIMBLA landed troops on Luzon.

January 8, 1945

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was hit twice by kamikaze bombers in 15 minutes. The first aircraft skidded into the ship’s port side and the second exploded alongside, blowing a hole 4.3m by 2.4m in the cruiser’s side. AB L.G. Jeffery and AB A.J. Mitchell were awarded the DSM for ‘devotion to duty’ in this action.

The landing ship-troops, HMAS WESTRALIA, (CMDR A.V. Knight, DSC, RANR(S)), fought off a determined attack by kamikaze aircraft at Lingayen Gulf, The Philipines. A Zero fighter was shot down only 3 metres from the ship’s stern and the after end of the ship was showered with flying wreckage. One rating was slightly wounded. The ship’s steering gear was temporarily disabled, but was repaired within twenty minutes.

January 6, 1945

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane for the third time. The ship’s casualties were 14 killed and 26 wounded.

January 5, 1945

The Battle of Lingayen Gulf, 5 to 9 January. HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, WARRAMUNGA, GASCOYNE and WARREGO were engaged.

HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and ARUNTA were hit by Japanese kamikaze planes. A Zero carrying a large bomb dived on ARUNTA from low altitude but clever manoeuvring caused the aircraft to miss and plunge into the sea within metres of the destroyer’s steering gear room on the port side. ARUNTA was holed and damage was caused to her steering motors. Stoker PO R.A. Hand and AB H.L.E. Sellick were killed. In the same attack a second kamikaze dive was made vertically into HMAS AUSTRALIA’s upper deck, amidships on the port side. The explosion killed 25 and wounded 30 of the cruiser’s crew. A fire set by the explosion was soon extinguished and reports indicated damage was slight and fighting efficiency was not greatly impaired.

HMA Ships GASCOYNE, (frigate), and WARREGO, (sloop), and the USS BENNION engaged two Japanese destroyers in a running battle near Luzon. The faster enemy destroyers withdrew and escaped.

HMAS Platypus left Sydney to proceed to New Guinea for service as a Repair and Maintenance Vessel.

January 3, 1945

LCDR J. M. Ramsay, RAN, of HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), embarked in ML 829 for a reconnaissance of Akyab, Burma. He was the first Allied officer to enter the port since its surrender to the Japanese in May 1942.

January 2, 1945

Japanese bombers attacked the 85-ship Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group in Surigao Gulf. HMA Ships WARREGO, (sloop), and GASCOYNE, (frigate), were on the escort screen which shot down one of the aircraft.

January 1, 1945

LCDR R. Lauchlan, RAN, was appointed to OBE for outstanding service as Squadron Anti-submarine Officer to CDRE(D), Eastern Fleet, in the Burma Campaign.