On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

March 14, 1951

The Battle class destroyer HMAS ANZAC, (CMDR J. Plunket-Cole, RAN), was commissioned. ANZAC was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, on 23 September 1946, and launched on 20 August 1948. Mrs Collins, (Wife of RADM J. A. Collins RAN), performed the launching ceremony. CMDR Plunket-Cole was appointed Commander, 10th Destroyer Flotilla.

March 1, 1951

HMAS LABUAN, (tank landing ship), arrived at Fremantle from Antarctica.

February 21, 1951

At Sasebo HMAS Bataan met her namesake, the United States light carrier USS Bataan, which had been operating in Korean waters for several weeks.

February 20, 1951

HMAS Cowra recommissioned as a Training Ship for National Service Ratings

February 5, 1951

The destroyers, HMAS WARRAMUNGA and USS LIND, inflicted heavy damage and casualties on North Korean forces when they foiled an attempted ambush. The ships were returning to a pre-arranged rendezvous with an intelligence group landed several days before by USS LIND. The recognition flashed from the shore was incorrect, and the destroyers replied with their full armament.

January 29, 1951

The flagship, HMAS AUSTRALIA, led the international fleet gathered in Sydney Harbour to celebrate Australia’s Golden Jubilee. The fleet consisted of:- HMA Ships:- CONDAMINE, CULGOA, GLADSTONE, LATROBE, SHOALHAVEN, SYDNEY, and TOBRUK. HM Ships; TELEMACHUS, and TACTITIAN HMNZ Ships; BELLONA, TAUPO, and HAWEA.SAN Ship; TRANSVAAL HMCS ONTARIO. INS RAJPUT. Pakistani ships SHAMSER and SIND.

January 5, 1951

The evacuation of Inchon, Korea, was completed. HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers) assisted US, British and Dutch ships to evacuate nearly 70000 personnel. Over 1400 vehicles, and 63000 tons of stores were also evacuated from the port.

December 23, 1950

Blair Bowden was appointed the first Director of the permanent WRANS with the rank of First Officer.

December 5, 1950

HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), assisted the Commonwealth Fleet in evacuating Chinnampo, Korea.

November 6, 1950

The British Commonwealth Brigade, holding Chinese Communist troops on the Chongchon River in Korea, called for naval gun support. HMA Ships WARRAMUNGA and SHOALHAVEN were deployed with the UN Fleet on the Korean coast.

October 12, 1950

HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), operating with the American Task Force, bombarded the North Korean industrial city of Chengjin, 55 km from the Manchurian border.

September 27, 1950

HMAS Bataan in company with HMCS Athabaskan assumed responsibility for blockading the Kunsan area. On the same day, both ships carried out an intensive bombardment of Youjiko To Island where Marines had been repulsed with losses the previous afternoon

September 15, 1950

HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), operated with the bombardment fleet off Wonsan, Korea.

August 24, 1950

The frigate HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (CMDR I. H. McDonald), joined the Commonwealth Fleet blockading the coast of Korea.

August 1, 1950

HMAS Australia (II) was engaged in a mercy mission to the Australian Antarctic base at Heard Island where a member of the staff, Dr Serge Udovikoff, was ill. Apart from the uncomfortable conditions created by gale force winds that gusted up to 65 knots, sleet, snow and hail, the ship experienced feed water difficulties due to the increased prevalence of plankton in the sea. Use of ship’s water was restricted to drinking and teeth cleaning and no one was allowed to wash. Weather conditions were no better when Australia (II) arrived at Heard Island, but when a reasonable break occurred the cutter was lowered and Dr Udovikoff eventually brought on board for the journey to Fremantle.

July 27, 1950

The cruiser HMAS AUSTRALIA, (CAPT G. Oldham), sailed from Melbourne carrying two medical officers and supplies for the Australian Antarctic Expedition on Heard Island.

July 21, 1950

HMAS Bataan completed her first operational patrol of the Korean War, during which she conducted escort duties in the Korean Strait and for the amphibious landing at Pohang Dong.

July 18, 1950

HMAS BATAAN, (Battle class destroyer), bombarded Pohang, Korea, as a unit of Task Group 96.5.

July 2, 1950

UN operations in Korea commenced. HMA Ships ANZAC, ARUNTA, BATAAN, CONDAMINE, CULGOA, MURCHISON, SHOALHAVEN, SYDNEY, TOBRUK, and WARRAMUNGA, operated with the Commonwealth Task Force.

June 29, 1950

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, announced that HMA Ships BATAAN, (destroyer), and SHOALHAVEN, (frigate), operating in far eastern waters, had been placed at the disposal of the UN for action in Korea.

June 28, 1950

The Australian Naval Board signalled VADM Turner Joy, USN Commander in the Far East; ‘Her Majesty’s Australian ships in Japan are placed unreservedly at your disposal as you may wish’. British and New Zealand ships in the Far East were also made available to the US Commander for operations in Korea.

June 23, 1950

RAN Trainee Pilot Garth Eldering was on an ocean navigation exercise off the coast of Scotland when his Seafire aircraft is believed to have crashed into the sea. RAN Trainee Pilots, after graduating from the RAAF’s No 1 Flying Training School at Point Cook, were sent to the UK for further instruction in the more powerful aircraft at one of the Royal Naval Air Stations.

June 19, 1950

The Chinese merchant vessel SANTOS, ex-HMAS ORARA, (minesweeper), struck a mine and sank with a heavy loss of life in the mouth of the Yang Tse River, China. ORARA was a popular coastal steamer on the Australian seaboard, before being requisitioned by the RAN. Her wartime motto was ‘As they sow, so shall we sweep’.

June 18, 1950

The decision was announced to reestablish the WRANS due to pressure on naval manpower from Cold War commitments. Initial categories were Telegraphist, Writer, Sick Berth Attendant, Stores Assistant, Cook, Steward and Regulating.

June 4, 1950

HMA LST 3008 was sold for scrap and was scrapped in Sydney in the 1950s. She had been in reserve since 1948.

HMA LST 3022 was sold to R.R. Coote for disposal. She had been in reserve since the end of 1946. The vessel was purchased by the Queensland Cement and Lime Company. in September 1954, was converted into a dredge, and renamed Coral. In this role she was operated alongside the former Australian Army vessel Crusader, which had also been purchased by the Queensland Cement and Lime Company, converted to a coral barge and renamed Cementco

HMA LST 3014 was sold for scrap after having been in reserve since 1948.