On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

October 29, 1952

The Battle class destroyer HMAS ANZAC, (LCDR W. O. C. Roberts, RAN), in temporary command, joined the Eastern Korea Patrol for operations in the Sok To and Cho Do islands. LCDR Roberts was awarded the DSC for conspicuous gallantry while serving in this ship.

October 14, 1952

808 Squadron made history by landing four Sea Furies aboard SYDNEY while the ship was at anchor. Lieutenant Commander Julian Cavanagh, Lieutenant Fred Lane and Sub Lieutenants Peter Wyatt and Andy Powell had flown across Australia from Nowra in battle formation and were originally planned to land aboard SYDNEY before she entered Fremantle. Poor weather meant that the exercise was postponed until after the ship had left Fremantle and the Sea Furies instead landed at RAAF Base Pearce. SYDNEY found favourable conditions, however, in the lee of Rottnest Island and the four aircraft scrambled quickly to land on Sydney while she remained at anchor. .

October 3, 1952

HMAS Macquarie conducted surveillance activities and duties as the weather support ship for the first British atomic test which took place at Monte Bello

September 1, 1952

HMAS Anzac (II) departed Sydney for Sasebo to begin her second tour of duty in Korean waters.

August 31, 1952

HMAS Bataan finally left the Korean theatre, sent on her way south by many signals of congratulations including that from Commander US Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Clark, reading “Commander Seventh Fleet commends officers and men of HMAS Bataan for outstanding service in Nations Force opposing Red aggressors and spread of Communism. Well done.”

August 4, 1952

HMAS Condamine began operational duty in the Korean War in the Haeju area on the Korean west coast as a unit of Task Unit 95.12.4 . Three days later she fired her first shots of the war with a bombardment of enemy positions on the mainland opposite Mudo Island.

July 31, 1952

HMAS Hawkesbury transferred to the operational control of the Fourth Task Force of the Royal Navy as a unit of the First Frigate Squadron (Senior Officer in HMAS Shoalhaven). The next three months were spent on operations in support of first British atomic test in the Monte Bello Islands. Hawkesbury’s conducted security patrols in the prohibited areas, and served as a despatch vessel between Onslow and the area of operations.

July 26, 1952

HMAS Warramunga sailed from Kure for Australia. This ended six months Korean war operations during which the ship had spent some 3,000 hours underway since leaving Australia, steamed 40,000 miles and fired 4,151 rounds from her main armament.

July 16, 1952

The Commander of 805 Squadron was killed flying a Sea Fury during an aerobatic practice session at RANAS Nowra. While rehearsing a formation roll with three other Sea Furies, at about 3 pm Lieutenant Commander Hare (P) RAN was killed when the wing tip of his Sea Fury struck the runway at high speed. The resulting impact with the ground shattered the aircraft, killing Hare instantly

June 14, 1952

HMAS ECHUCA, (minesweeper), was transferred to the RNZN. The vessel was decommissioned and broken up in 1968.

May 24, 1952

HMA Ships KIAMA and STAWELL, (minesweepers), were transferred to the RNZN.

May 19, 1952

Operation Round Up took place off the Korean Peninsula. The destroyer HMAS BATAAN, (CMDR W. S. Bracegirdle DSC and Bar, RAN), provided close support to South Korean commandos, who landed at Ponggu Myon. Early in the action BATAAN was hit on the stern by an enemy shell, and Bracegirdle manoeuvred his ship close in to the shore, and silenced the enemy guns with heavy fire. Aircraft from HMS OCEAN also flew close support missions during the attack on Ponggu Myon. In an action lasting seven hours, the South Koreans destroyed 27 enemy positions and killed 120 North Korean soldiers. For gallantry in this action, CMDR Bracegirdle was awarded a second Bar to his DSC, and SBLT J. L. Jobson, RAN, and LS S. R. Smith were both awarded a MID.

April 25, 1952

HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), joined the USS IOWA, (battleship), in the bombardment of Communist positions at Chongjin, Korea.

April 22, 1952

HMS NARVIK, (LST), departs Fremantle bound for the Monte Bello Islands, off the north western coast of Australia, in support of the British atomic tests, (Operation Hurricane), conducted there during May. A number of Australian ships, including HMAS HAWKESBURY, (frigate), were also involved.

April 10, 1952

HMAS Inverell commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy at Sydney. She paid off at Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, on 19 August 1976. On 1 November 1977 the ship was sold for scrap to Pacific Scrap Limited.

April 7, 1952

723 Squadron recommissioned at Naval Air Station (NAS) Nowra as a Fleet Requirements Unit. Commanded by Lieutenant Jeff Gledhill, the squadron was equipped with two Hawker Sea Fury Mark IIs, a Douglas C47A Dakota, a Supermarine Type 309 Sea Otter and a Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-16 Wirraway. In 1953 the squadron flies the Sycamore helicopter. Three HR50 helicopters arrived in Australia, on board the aircraft carrier Vengeance, on 11 March 1953 and 10 HR51s arrived later. Of the 13 RAN Sycamores six crashed during service; this included two lost from HMAS Melbourne in 1957 and one from HMS Hermes in 1961. The three others were destroyed in crashes at Maitland (1956), Grafton (1958) and Nowra in 1962. The remaining RAN Sycamores were retired from service in June 1965 and sold to museums.

 

March 6, 1952

Decommissioned Australian Minesweepers Inverell, Echuca, Kiama and Stawell were handed to the RNZN as a gift.

March 1, 1952

HMAS VOYAGER, (Daring class destroyer), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.

February 25, 1952

Union action meant that no tugs arrived to pull HMAS Sydney out of Fremantle harbour on her departure. In response, the ship initiated an action known as Operation PINWHEEL. The Sea furies of 805 and 808 Squadrons simply started the engines of the aircraft sitting on Sydney’s flightdeck to pull herself clear. Sydney had arrived in Fremantle on 22/2/1952 on her return from Korea in the middle of industrial unrest on the waterfront.

February 22, 1952

Sydney  arrived in Fremantle on her return from Korea in the middle of industrial unrest on the waterfront.

February 15, 1952

Commissioned ships of the RAN fired a salute of 56 guns on the occasion of the funeral of King George VI.

February 13, 1952

HMAS Bataan carried out her first air spot bombardment using spotters from HMS Glory, to shell enemy troops encamped outside the village of Pungchon. Later the same day as dusk was falling a brief duel began between the ship and 75mm shore batteries, ending with silence from the enemy and a single hit on the Captain’s day cabin after 78 rounds of 4.7-inch ammunition had started two fires on the battery positions

February 8, 1952

Ships of the RAN fired a 21-gun salute on the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II.

February 7, 1952

Ships of the RAN fired a salute of 56 minute guns on the death of King George VI.

February 1, 1952

RADM A. K. Moncrieff, (Flag Officer, Second in Command, Far Eastern Fleet), on board HMS BELFAST, (cruiser), signalled HMAS MURCHISON at the conclusion of the Han River operations in Korea: “I dislike the thought of continuing the war without MURCHISON but I will have to accept it now as a fact. You have been a tower of strength and your good name will always be associated with the infamous Han. No ship could have done better. For fine seamanship and steadiness under fire you have proved yourselves beyond reproach. Good luck in all your sailings and a happy homecoming to you all.”